It might surprise you, but unlike the #Vanlife movement, the Tiny House movement is dominated by female owners! Why do Tiny Houses appeal to women?
Well, that’s a matter of opinion, but I think the popularity stems from the fact that Tiny Houses are extremely cute and customizable compared to most affordable housing options (two things that women love).
And affordable housing is especially important for single mothers, who have to support not only themselves but also their children.
Single mother Erin was tired of paying high rents for a large apartment in San Diego. She dreamed of a simpler, more affordable country life for herself and her daughter Paulina (10).
One day, she came across an advertisement for a new Tiny House village in the mountains just outside the city. She seized the opportunity and signed a lease for one of the long-term Tiny House rentals in the village.
By choosing to move from her large apartment to a Tiny House, Erin gave up several amenities. She downsized and gave Paulina the main loft in her Tiny House, so she had enough space for her stuffed animals and her pet snake’s vivarium.
Erin sleeps in the smaller loft, accessible only by a ladder. She uses a fluffy chair that converts into a bed-sized mattress to sleep on and stores some of her personal belongings next to her bed.
The loft of this single mother also has access to the balcony, which is Erin’s favorite part of the house.
Erin also found this practical, affordable dining table and chair set on Amazon. It’s on wheels and folds up easily, providing a place where she and Paulina can enjoy family meals together.
They also use this versatile table set as a desk and TV stand (they put their laptop on it 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 Airfryer, makes coffee with a space-saving Pour-Over, and the girls have adjusted to a small shared wardrobe.
The mother-daughter duo now commutes 45 minutes to Erin’s workplace and Paulina’s school, but they believe all these sacrifices are worth it to live in a place full of community and nature.
« It’s like giving every other little girl a Disney princess castle to live in, » said Erin.
Paulina says her friends at school are really jealous, and they’re planning to visit soon. She has taken up hiking, snowshoeing, and bird watching since moving out of the city.
She loves nature, and the famous Pacific Crest Trail is just around the corner. Paulina now believes that when she grows up, she wants to live in the woods!
Erin told us that currently, four other families live in the « Tiny House Block, » the first Tiny House Village in Southern California.
Tiny House Block offers parking for Tiny Homes, full-time rentals for Tiny Houses (that’s what Erin & Paulina are doing), and short-term rentals for Tiny Houses.
They host community fires and potlucks, and in the future, they hope to have more activities that will bring the residents closer together.