Could you go from the sprawling living space you’re in now to just 196 square feet? A trend that has taken off recently is downsizing your “living large” lifestyle and scaling it down to fit neatly into what is known as a tiny home. Couple Alex and Korie Veidel were featured on HGTV’s series “Tiny House Hunters” and used their life savings of $28,000 to purchase their 196-square-foot paradise online.
The couple lived in the home for 11 months as newlyweds before their son Abel (now 9 months) came along. The cozy living space hasn’t gone without it’s share of challenges. “If we need time to just cool off, I usually put my headphones in and read a book, and my husband, Alex, will usually put his headphones in and play a game or something on the computer. I always say that headphones go a long way in tiny house living,” said Korie.
“When we fight, we still have to live with that person at all times. There is no getaway spot, which I think forces us to kind of deal with things,” added Alex.
The couple found themselves having to micro-manage every detail, giving consideration to the other person if they wanted to have a friend over, making sure the dishes were done and the house was picked up. Kori explained, “One thing that’s unique for us, living in a tiny house, is how often we have to clean everything up and how conscious we have to be about, like, where we put things and the messes we make, because every single thing we do affects the other.”
On a more positive side of things, the couple said it has helped them “build good communication skills.” Their bills are reasonable, with an electric bill of $1.30 in the summer and $30.00 in the winter. The couple plans to move before they have another child— to a sprawling home of 368 feet!
In regards to how they make it work, Korie had a simple answer, “While there are certain things that we have to do differently, when it’s just your life, you just live your life.”
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