© 2010 Tracy Booth, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio

I tell myself I am not, not, NOT  going to click that link that says, “You won’t believe how big this is inside.” Because going inside a tiny house will not increase its square footage. It seems like plain and simple logic to me.

And then I click. Somebody explain that to me.

Or perhaps I’ll try to explain it to myself.

We used to have an old, used trailer that we took a few vacations in when our kids were in middle school and high school. It was eight feet wide and thirty feet long, so I have a pretty good idea of what can and cannot be done in that amount of space.

And I have an even better idea of my tolerance for being confined in 240 square feet if, say, the weather was bad or the bugs were plentiful or for some reason the four of us had to stay inside. I am certain it would not be good for my mental health to try to live in 200 or 300 or 400 square feet on a permanent basis, even if I lived alone. The latest tiny house in my Facebook feed was 64 square feet. Granted, it was temporary while the owners were building a home, but 64 square feet for two people!

Let’s be clear. I don’t have a huge house. I’m not saying I require exorbitant space. But I am definitely not a tiny house person.

Yet I keep clicking those links! Here’s why:

1. The creativity is inspiring. I love how people see the potential for efficiency and maximize it.
2. The owners are satisfied with less. I may not want to live in a tiny house, but I have a lot of stuff I could be rid of and never miss.
3. Tiny houses tend to welcome the outdoors. One of the ways to require less indoor space is to enjoy outdoor space. No matter what size home I have, I do think that welcoming the outdoors to my normal routine is good for me.
4. Differences enrich us. Not everyone has to like the kind of house I live in, and I don’t have to like their choice. We all make choices that shape our own pursuit of happiness.

So will I tell myself not to click the next link I see about tiny houses? Probably. Will I click it? Probably.

What about you? Are you a tiny house person? Why or why not?