It may come as a surprise to you, but unlike #vanlife, the Tiny House movement is dominated by female owners! Why do Tiny Homes appeal to women? Well, it’s a matter of opinion, but I think the popularity is due to the fact that Tiny Houses, unlike most affordable housing options, are extremely cute and customizable (two things women love). And affordable housing is especially critical for a single mom, who is not only supporting themselves but also their children.
MAKING SACRIFICES FOR YOUR KIDS
By choosing to move out of their large apartment and into a Tiny House, Erin sacrificed several creature comforts. She downsized and gave Paulina the master loft in their Tiny House so that she would have enough room for her stuffed animals and her pet snake’s vivarium.
Erin sleeps in the smaller loft, which is only accessible by a ladder. She uses a fluffy chair that unfolds into a bed-sized cushion for sleeping, and stores a few of her personal belongings next to her bed. This single mom’s loft also has crawling access to the balcony, which is Erin’s favorite part of the house.
Erin also found this handy, affordable, dining table and chairs set on Amazon. It’s on wheels and easily folds up, while providing a place for her and Paulina to sit down and enjoy family meals together. They also use this multi-purpose table set as a desk and a TV stand (they put their lap top on top and stream Netflix for movie nights).
Without a television, dishwasher, or oven, Erin has made some adjustments to her daily routine. She typically cooks every meal in an air fryer
“YOU SOON REALIZE THAT YOU DON’T NEED MUCH MORE THAN EACH OTHER.” – ERIN
The mother-daughter duo now commutes 45 minutes to get to Erin’s job and Paulina’s school, but they think all of these sacrifices are worth it to live in a place full of community and nature. “It’s like giving any other little girl a Disney princess castle to live in,” Erin said.
Paulina says her friends at school are really jealous, and that they plan on visiting soon. She has taken up hiking, snow-shoeing, and birdwatching since moving out of the city. She loves nature, and the famous Pacific Crest Trail is just around the corner. Paulina now believes she will want to live simply in the woods when she grows up!
“IT’S JUST SO COOL!”
– PAULINA, 10, TALKING ABOUT HER TINY HOUSE LIFE.
LIVING IN A TINY HOUSE VILLAGE
Erin told us that there are four other families currently living at “Tiny House Block,” Southern California’s first Tiny House Village. Tiny House Block offers parking for Tiny Homes, full-time Tiny House rentals (which is what Erin & Paulina do), and short-term Tiny House rentals. They have community bonfires and pot lucks, and in the future, they hope to have more activities that will help residents bond.
