Tiny Houses are one way many are getting themselves into a position of owning their own place without breaking the bank.

You have to have a carefully thought out plan, though, for it to work as you hope! Here is one person’s experience.

Please share a little bit about you and your unique lifestyle.

I live on 4 acres in rural Oklahoma. When I moved here the land was unimproved. I built my tiny house on a hill that overlooks my land and partially in a forest. Lots of folks commented that building a house into the forest would not be good, especially if high winds caused a tree branch to fall, but I found the canopy of leaves provide me with shade in the hot summer and protection from high winds.

I had a well thought out plan in my head when I started building, but it has been neat to see how things evolved once I began putting those ideas into reality and saw what really worked and what didn’t. Building a tiny house can certainly be a reality check! I had some fanciful dreams when I started, but modified many of them and abandoned others once I was actually in the space.

There are a lot of people that dream of this life, but a lot fewer who achieve it. What do you think is holding them back?

I think many people are held back from their dreams from fear. Fear of failure, fear of others disapproving, etc. Many are too worried to take the first steps. I find many like to live vicariously through my adventures, but wouldn’t dream of actually doing it themselves. I have also noticed that there is a failure on the part of the homesteading and tiny house communities, to be honest about the trials and tribulations of the lifestyle.

Too often I see blogs with perfect photos of perfect settings where everything looks just amazing. I don’t feel that is reality and I want those who follow my blog and podcast to experience the ups and the downs. I try not to sugarcoat anything. I know that I love listening to and reading about real experiences of real homesteaders and those who really live in a tiny house, not just talk about someday doing it. Good, bad, or ugly, experiences are what life is really about.

What have been your favourite resources or go to for information?

I love the internet. I love libraries. I love asking a ton of questions of anyone I think has knowledge I can learn from. I think other homesteaders, bloggers, farmers, and folks who grew up in the country all have amazing things to share. I am sure I must drive others nuts by my constant question asking. I Google just about everything. Every choice I have made with regards to my homestead and tiny house have been made after careful consideration and lots of research.

If you could share any tips for people thinking of taking on this lifestyle, what would they be?

Be flexible. Don’t get down on yourself. Some things are not going to work out as you want them to. Be willing to think outside the box to find solutions to tough problems. Some of the best parts of my adventure have been the direct result of something not going as planned. Enjoy the adventure.

As with any new trend, there are always unforeseen obstacles and unintended consequences (which sometimes can be good), which mean the experiences of others is vital!

While deciding to move to a tiny house is a big decision, if you plan well, it is something that can greatly lower your living expenses!

To learn more about the tiny house experience, check out Moma Zen’s Homestead.

Featured Image via Flickr