How Tiny Living Can Help You Downsize

About Tori Thurmond

Tori Thurmond combines her creative writing background with her marketing experience in her role as the Content Specialist at Brookdale. When she's not writing, she's probably spending time with her two cats or knitting.

Listen to audio version

With shows like Tiny House Nation and Tiny House, Big Living gaining popularity in recent years, it’s clear that this minimalistic way of living is interesting to people. Currently, there are about 10,000 tiny homes in the United States, and according to a study conducted in 2020, 56% of Americans said they would live in a tiny home.

The International Code Council defines a tiny house as a unit that is 400 square feet or smaller. Although many of us probably can’t imagine paring down our possessions to fit in a miniature house, it’s entertaining to see all of the ways these tiny spaces are designed to make the most of this minimalistic life style. While tiny living may not be for everyone, here are a few downsizing tips we can take from the tiny space community.

Consider a Capsule Wardrobe

Tiny homes aren’t known for having loads of closet space, so some tiny home residents have pared down their wardrobe to a few versatile basics that can be mixed and matched, also known as a capsule wardrobe. While there’s nothing wrong with holding onto a few sentimental pieces of clothing from your past if you have the space, creating some version of a capsule wardrobe can be a great way to downsize your closet. If you aren’t ready for or don’t live in a climate where you can wear the same 20 items of clothing year-round, you could aim to have a summer capsule wardrobe and a winter capsule wardrobe that you switch out once the seasons change. Luckily, most homes and apartments have a bit more closet space than a tiny home, but we can all take a note from tiny home livers and donate or sell the clothes that we don’t wear or that don’t work for us anymore.

Bring the Outdoors, Indoors

One of the perks of tiny living is that owners usually have more outdoor space to utilize. Tiny homes often take up less space on a piece of land than a standard-sized house would and some are even able to move from one scenic spot to another. Some tiny home owners claim that their space doesn’t feel as small as it is because they spend more time outside or open their space up to the outdoors whenever they can. Even if you’re not able to move your home around to various beautiful locations, utilizing natural light and adding greenery (real or fake) around your space can make a smaller space feel lighter and more open.

Get Rid of What You Don’t Use

Tiny Home influencer, Jenna Spesard, sold most of her possessions to move into her tiny home, allowing her to save money on rent and have a space of her own. Moving into a smaller space may be more cost effective for some people not to mention easier to maintain. However, if you’ve been in a home for many years, downsizing may not feel as simple as selling a lot of what you own. You’ve spent years collecting your possessions, so deciding what to let go of can be intimidating.

As you’re preparing to downsize, take it slow. Go one room or closet at a time and think about how often you use those kitchen appliances or how frequently you wear your spare winter boots. If it’s been months or even years since you’ve thought about or used an item, consider donating it to someone who might be able to use it more frequently or selling it on sites like Facebook® Marketplace or Poshmark®.

Even if you’re not moving into a space as small as a tiny home, anyone can learn from Spesard’s observation that tiny living helps us learn what’s important in life and can help people realize what they need and what they don’t. Adopting a similar approach when downsizing may help you take the first steps towards a fresh start.

Creative Storage Ideas

Storage is the one topic that almost always comes up when talking about tiny living. Because closets, attics, garages, and spare bedrooms aren’t normally included in a tiny build, tiny home owners have to get creative when it comes to storing their essentials. You may not be as strapped for storage space as a tiny home owner, but creative storage solutions can be perfect if you’re moving to a smaller space. From under-stair storage to taking your storage vertical and hanging items on walls and ceilings, the tiny home builders have thought of countless ways to make a smaller space feel more spacious. If you have a space that feels cluttered after a downsize, check out websites like Pinterest® for storage ideas that can help you look at your space in a different way.

You may not be jumping at the idea of moving into a tiny home like some Americans, but if you’re looking to downsize, the tiny living community if a great place to gain inspiration. If you’re interested in other ways you can achieve your downsizing goals, take a look at Downsizing 101: 7 Tips for Scaling Back and 7 Tools to Help You Downsize.