Could You Live in a Tiny House by Melinda Curtis

From Tiny House Nation

I'm constantly fascinated by what's on TV. Suddenly, there's a plethora of shows about living in houses that have less than 700 square feet - most are around 200! Tiny House Nation. Tiny House Hunters. I'm sure there is another show in the works.

For those of you challenged to imagine how small this really is: a 10 foot x 10 foot room = 100 square feet. Imagine putting your kitchen, living areas, bathroom, and bedroom in what for most people is the size of two bedrooms! Yikes!

Although now I see they are featuring "portable tiny houses" that are essentially wooden trailers. I'm not sure I see a difference between a fiberglass built trailer and one of these tiny homes on wheels. The gas required to move your tiny wooden home would be astronomical given the weight. But it looks awfully pretty, doesn't it?

Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.

The interesting thing about the show Tiny House Nation is they help families move into these small homes. And by help, I mean, they force them to give up much of their stuff. Essentially, they take a rubber life raft and whatever you can fit into it, you can take with you when you move. Everything else? Well, they say you must get rid of it. Which makes me wonder if these people are renting storage spaces for their extra stuff.

Recently, as I was watching one of these shows, I began to wonder. Could I live in a tiny home? I came up with a test for myself and I'd like to share it with you to see if a tiny home is something you could consider in your future.

1. How many pairs of shoes do you have? I counted nearly 50 pairs. In my defense, I'm a runner, a biker, an attendee of formal events and business meetings. I don't think I could pare my shoes down to 3-4 pairs. FAIL!

2. How many coffee cups do you have? I have close to 30. Why? Because I drink 2-3 cups of coffee or tea a day and people know I do. That means they give me coffee cups. I might be able to pare my collection down to 4-5. FAIL!

3. How many boxes of holiday decorations do you have? I have 10. I know I don't use my grandmother's ornaments, but I love them. I look at them every holiday and then put up my newer ornaments. FAIL!

4. Could you sleep in a loft platform bed? Oh, boy. Might just as well put a big FAIL right here. When we visit our kids in another state, we sleep on one of those inflatable mattresses. If that's anything like a platform bed, I'd need a daily massage to get moving.

5. Could you survive a stay-at-home vacation in a tiny house with your family? Considering the types of television shows Mr. Curtis watches...no. FAIL!

So, I guess I won't be part of the Tiny House Nation. How about you? Would you be able to move into a tiny house?

Melinda Curtis is an award wnning, USA Today bestselling author.  She writes both sweet and steamier romances.  Her January releases are Rescued by a Wedding (a steamy two-book bundle from Harlequin) and Always a Bridesmaid (a sweet romantic comedy novella).