Sometimes big dreams come in small packages. Nowhere is that more true than in the ‘Tiny Homes’ movement. There are many styles of pre-made homes available to buy, and there are just as many DIY tutorials on making your own and people to be inspired by. I hope this couple, featured at Trendlish, helps get your creative juices flowing. Their little house is economical and energy efficient. It runs off solar power and even has a composting toilet. It is the perfect example that bigger isn’t always better.

Get the full scoop here… Trendlish: 30 Steps To Living A New Life In A Tiny Home

Important Items To Keep In Mind When Going Tiny
When most people are choosing where to live they will want to buy the biggest house they can afford. However, there’s nothing actually wrong with small houses. The design and layout of the house is much more important than the physical size. A cleverly designed tiny home can be very practical. Read these tips on how to design a comfortable small house.

Portable
By building a small home on the back of a flat bed trailer it is possible to move it wherever you like. Even if you plan on living in a set location, it still makes sense to built it onto a trailer. A trailer provides a solid firm base which does not require any foundations. It’s also easier to build in one location and then move it into its final location if needed.

Off Grid Power
Many people want to use solar power for a number of reasons. Solar power is environmentally friendly and also allows you access to electricity no matter where you are in the world. This will be very useful since most tiny homes are designed to be portable and can be moved around. Remember that the sun doesn’t shine 24 hours a day, and so you will need to use batteries which can be recharged by the solar panels in the day.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
It’s possible for anyone to build their own tiny home with a little bit of help and guidance. Use home improvement stores as the ultimate resource to learn various techniques. Ask for guidance from employees in these stores if you are not sure how to perform certain tasks when building your very own small house. Another very useful resource for anyone doing any DIY task or building their first home is YouTube. There are videos on this site showing you how to do virtually everything.

Smart Storage Solutions
Most people have lots of belongings and are reluctant to throw anything away. If you do decide to live in a tiny home then you will need to be firm with yourself and make sure you discard anything you don’t really need. Clever storage units and shelves should be used to store your material belongings without them looking messy.

Environmentally Friendly
By designing and building your own home from the ground up, it’s possible to focus on environmentally friendly materials and techniques. Renewable building materials such as wood can be used. Solar panels and wind turbines can be used as a way to provide power without having to worry about your carbon footprint.

Design
The design and layout of a tiny home is even more important than a larger house. This is because space is at a premium and must be used in the best possible way. Clever use of space is especially important in the kitchen and bathroom. Furniture can be custom made to be as practical as possible whilst using as little space. Making your own furniture isn’t that difficult and is a very good way to get more out of your space.

It’s also beneficial to create attic rooms in tiny homes for extra space. Attic rooms are perfect for bedrooms as you don’t need as much headroom.

No matter how big your house is, it’s always nice to get the most out of your available space. Learning these lessons will help to make your house much more organised and easy to live with.

Additional Resources: Looking for more tiny home inspiration?
Don’t miss this article by Tiny House Talk and also this collection of photos at Houzz.