Tiny Homes: Less a housing decision and more a lifestyle choice.
Most of us have seen the endless variations of these cute living spaces, but few people really understand what the tiny house movement is about, or why anyone would choose to live in a space the size of a storage container.
Corinne Corely, tiny house resident at Park Delta Bay in Isleton, reflects on when she decided to move from her three-bedroom home in Missouri into her tiny house of about 275 square feet: “It was a turning point in my own life,” says Corinne. “A lot of what I wanted to change was related to getting rid of clutter-physical clutter, emotional clutter-I just wanted to live a simpler life.”
Like all living things, we are sensitive to our surroundings; When your existence is cluttered with possessions, properties, and expenses, it’s hard to live your best life.
“At the house in Missouri, I had no idea how much stuff I had or how much it weighed me down,” Corinne remembers. “I was married and raised a child in that home-I feel bad that I made other people live that way.”
At its core, the tiny house movement is a philosophy of Minimalism: it encourages you to ditch all the “stuff” you’ve accumulated throughout your life and downsize your living space, so that you can live a fuller, happier life.
“It forces you to focus on the things that you value and get rid of the things that you don’t,” says Corrine. “And it’s fairly economical; The utilities are low, and you can save a lot of money on parking as opposed to mortgage or rent.”
According to the LA Times, 68 percent of tiny house residents have no mortgage, compared to 29.3 percent of all U.S. homeowners. While the cost of a standard-sized house is approximately $272,000, the average cost to build a tiny home is just $23,000. Finally, 65 percent of tiny house residents have zero credit card debt. This means it can be great for those living on a light budget or even as a cheap alternative to a care home as some people will use a tiny home as a mother in law suite so that they can care for their elderly parents while maintaining independence.
As the cost of living continues to rise, more people are being drawn to the tiny life. “When I moved here, I was the fourth tiny house,” says Corinne. “Now we have eight or nine. It’s becoming a real community.”
As for Corinne, while she plans to stay at Park Delta Bay for the foreseeable future, she hopes to one day take her tiny life to the next level. “I really like living tiny,” she says. “I hope to be here for a couple years, and at some point, to go completely off the grid.”
For More Information:
Park Delta Bay
922 W. Brannan Island Rd., Isleton
(916) 777-5588
DeltaBay.org