If you ever had a doll’s house as a kid you may remember the delight of moving miniature furniture, placing tiny rugs, setting a small table with micro mugs and petite plates. If it was a fancy doll’s house, maybe you even styled it with some cute curtains and cushions.
Now as an adult, if you so choose, you can enter the world of miniatures via the Tiny Home Movement, a reimagining of housing which has lead to the broadening of possibility and opportunity for those who may not be able to afford a full scale house.
So, what exactly is a tiny house, and how tiny is it?
A tiny house can either be a small dwelling fixed to a trailer (similar to a caravan but more like a mini house on wheels) or a small house fixed to the land and therefore considered a detached secondary dwelling. Secondary dwellings are becoming a popular way to establish a tiny house to complement an existing home, particularly if there is lots of land such as rural property.
According to the International Residential Code, a tiny house should not exceed 37 square metres. For comparison, according to architectureanddesign.com an average one bedroom apartment in Australia is up to 50m and an ultra small mid-city studio apartment can be as small as 25 square metres. The average Australian house has a floor size of 186.3 square metres, however new builds from 2019 onwards are typically clocking up to 235 square metres.
Why a tiny house?
For those who are not seeking more space (or stuff to fill it with), and for whom apartment living does not appeal, the “Tiny House Movement” has an alluring charm, and for good reason. Tiny homes have the potential to offer lower cost construction and living costs, while also having a lower carbon footprint to build and occupy.
Holistic lifestyle coach and therapist Danielle Rickwood happens to know first-hand the benefits of owning a Tiny House after deciding to build one four years ago in the town of Churchill, in the UK. “The number one appeal is the simplicity it offers,” she explains. “For me a tiny home is a small but significant and symbolic step out of a world that has been dominated by consumerism and consumption.”
Danielle splits her working life across two hemispheres as she services clients in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In her own words, the “freedom” of owning a tiny home has enabled “more travel, more time spent with my favourite people, greater and more meaningful connection with nature while only doing work I love”. Danielle also rents out her tiny home when she’s away, “enabling others to experience tiny home living with mini retreats at Luna’s Lodge.”
The tiny house movement has emerged from a growing number of humans all over the world who are not happy with the high cost of standard housing and who don’t resonate with high density living or the ‘keeping up with the Joneses' way of life. Purveyors of the “Tiny House Movement” reject the highly unsustainable consumer driven lifestyle and instead seek simplicity and are happy to ‘live small’.
Danielle is one such human and as such, has been excited to witness “how the tables are turning from needing to be seen to own a big house, with lots of stuff to wanting a much simpler existence that gifts back time, energy and money.”
According to Danielle, some of the most positive things about living in a tiny home have included “having nature on the doorstep and leaving the tiniest of eco footprints.”
“Oh, and the very short amount of time it takes to clean! I also love having people stay and share their experience of tiny living. A Tiny Home lovingly forces you to really consider what’s important... having and owning loads of stuff or only having what you need allowing you to live more freely,” enthuses Danielle.
Tiny homes have even been flagged as a potential emergency housing option too. Faster to build, easier to transport, the concept could provide shelter for displaced communities all over the world. Famous architect Norman Foster recently showcased a tiny home prototype designed to offer a durable alternative to tent shelters in order to withstand the elements and which could be built on-site in order to expedite construction during emergencies.
How to procure a ‘petite place’ in Australia
As tiny homes are not considered a ‘house’ under the official definition, owners are not eligible for home loan funding, however, a personal loan could certainly help to cover some costs. Most existing and registered tiny homes in Australia are on larger rural sites out of major cities, however more recently, tiny homes are popping up in residential areas.
There are plenty of rules and regulations around where you can build a tiny house and how you can transport it. Luckily this kind of information is easy to access if you’re in Australia, thanks to the Australian Tiny House Association, a body which provides up to date information as well as advocating for the acceptance of tiny houses across all levels of government.
Tiny homes often include wheels and as such are transportable, so in this format are grouped into the ‘caravan’ style of housing rather than a house. Though it’s clear tiny homes actually bridge the two styles of accommodation and should earn a dwelling classification of their own. Bodies such as the Australian Tiny House Association are working to raise awareness and build recognition of this new emerging housing paradigm.
Long-term living in tiny homes in Australia is an issue impacted by their allocation to caravan style accommodation. Though interestingly, it is because of this definition that has enabled so many people to reside in a tiny home without council involvement or the need for a Development Application. According to Eurobodalla Council’s website “you do not need development approval to keep your tiny home in your backyard or on your property, if you can register it with RMS under the Road Transport Act 2013, as a trailer, and you meet certain exemptions”.
Each local council area and State will have its own regulations and requirements and approval requirements will depend on the type of tiny house you consider (on wheels or ‘fixed’) as well as the zoning of the land it's situated. While local and state legislation regarding tiny homes in Australia is a work in progress with rules differing across states and councils, the concept at least, does offer hope to those who are seeking a sustainable and eco-friendly living option which they can own outright. The very fact that some councils are supporting this new movement suggests that over time the tiny home lifestyle is likely to become a more acceptable mode of accommodation across the country.
Danielle has attended a few Tiny Home Expos in Australia as she is considering building a tiny home here in Australia too. In her opinion, “the attendance has quadrupled in just over 5 years.” She summarises why she thinks this new micro movement is gaining momentum.
“I think it’s multifaceted. People love to see how clever people are with storage and design in such small spaces (that’s me!) and the idea of low-cost living and low maintenance. They love the idea of not having to worry about the upkeep of a full-scale house and love the escapism into more natural surrounds.”
While living expenses skyrocket (along with stress levels and overwhelm), perhaps “tiny living” is a genuine, innovative solution, with ‘humble homes’ offering a level of freedom that ‘massive mansions’ cannot. Danielle sums it up best. “It’s like we’re stepping back in time in the best possible way. Simple, natural living based on shared values like community, connection, creativity, freedom, harmony and simplicity.”
Alison Gallagher is a freelance writer, resourcefulness expert and entrepreneur. She has been featured in various publications including Stellar Magazine, Australian Health and Fitness Magazine, and Cleo Magazine. Alison is particularly passionate about sharing practical tips on how to live simply, sustainably and seasonally.
