The downsizing trend – good reasons for living in a tiny house

The topic of downsizing hasn't just been on everyone's lips since yesterday. The wave has spilled over from the USA to Europe. In neighboring EU countries there are now actually houses and apartments that have less than 10 m² of living space! “Tiny Houses” is the name of the trend that is gathering more and more followers, but still leads a shadowy existence in Germany. It doesn't have to be a mini-apartment or a construction site vehicle in which your entire life takes place. But the basic idea is exciting: If you use less space, you use less energy and therefore help protect our environment. There are even more good reasons for this and special challenges that need to be overcome. This article deals with this topic.

Good reasons for the downsizing trend – Living in just a few square meters

Small houses are extremely rare in Germany. That will probably change in the long term.

Sometimes people need a large apartmenton a few square meterspull. The most common reason is that the apartment has become too expensive. However, moving to a smaller apartment also offers powerful opportunities. There are very pragmatic and obvious reasons that make living in a small space a sensible decision. The following list shows the top 5 reasons for downsizing

Reason 1:Rental costsreduce

Small apartments cost less. If you move from a large apartment to a small apartment, you will immediately save money. However, this usually only applies if the small apartment is not in a preferred location in a trendy district. Because it is also entirely possible to spend an exorbitant amount of money for just a few square meters. So be careful when choosing an apartment. Here too it is necessary to check the actual prices per square meter. They should not be higher than the local average rent. You can find out in which area this is based on the rent index of the municipality or city. Alternatively, you can call the local tenants' association, whose contact details can be foundthe website of the German Tenants' Associationcan be found using a search request.

Reason 2:extra costssave

If you live in a small apartment, you heat less. If you heat less, you save on heating costs. Aside from that, the costs for communal consumption such as water and sewage also decrease in a small apartment. In a small apartment there are usually fewer and smaller electrical appliances. This saves energy and therefore electricity costs.

Reason 3: Creativity is stimulated

Anyone who has previously lived in a large area has a very specific way of looking at rooms and facilities. Less space needs to be handled more carefully. There are many tricks to make small rooms appear larger and it's amazing how much storage space you can create even in a 40 m² apartment. The German website of the tiny house movement holds, among other thingson her blogMany photos and reports are available that deal with setting up tiny houses. If you don't have that few square meters available but live in a small apartment or apartment, these are the ones for you8 furnishing tips for small apartmentsalso well advised.

Small and fine: Bright colors, creative wall design and the choice of matching furniture turn a small apartment into a cozy retreat.

Reason 4:Superfluousto a good cause

In a small apartment there is no room for superfluous things. It is necessary to get rid of furniture, mothball pictures or clear out dishes, clothes or books. In a small apartment, it's much easier to notice when unnecessary items clutter up the space. When movinginto a small apartmentThe best time has come to sort out everything that is more of a burden than a support.

There are grateful buyers in every city. People who are less financially well off are happy about well-preserved dishes, nice clothes or luxury items that are unaffordable for them, such as pictures, vases and other decorations. Many downsizing households have discovered that an unmanageable amount of blankets and pillows, accumulated over years of living in a (too) large apartment, provide other people with invaluable services in the winter. Pants, sweaters, coats, hats, sleeping bags, tents, sleeping mats, shoes, gloves or rain capes that have been lying in storage until now, sometimes purchased for a one-off use, are really better off with those in need than in a box in the attic.

In almost every town there is a church gate that gratefully accepts such items. Alternatively, social department stores would be happy to hear from you. The addresses can be found, for example, in the Yellow Pages or on the websites of the responsible cities and municipalities. That social department stores also offer employment to the unemployed, likeThis articleshows is another good reason for downsizing.

Reason 5: Timewin

If you live in a small area, you have less to tidy up and less to clean. The consequence of this is that residents of small dwellings have significantly more free time. This is now available for the really important things in life. Family life, healthy exercise, meeting friends or relaxation and recreation can take up more space in the private life of residents of a downsized apartment.

Conclusion:The trendgives time, money and quality of life

Downsizing isn't just about saving money. It's much more. Because the basic idea behind it has a lot to do with sustainability. Reflecting on yourself, thinking about what is really important in the household (and in life), doing away with superfluous things and concentrating on interpersonal relationships are consequences that can develop from living consciously in a small space. And by the way, you can enrich other people's lives - not to mention that clearing out your own possessions creates a lot of space for new, creative interior design ideas. Less is more, in many ways.