Proud homeowner opens up about life in their sleek, 240-square-foot tiny house with one major regret: 'If I had to change one thing'

Living in a tiny house has a way of encouraging a person to embrace simplicity and sustainability. But make no mistake, tiny living can still be sleek and stylish.

In a recent Reddit post, one tiny house owner shared their 240-square-foot DIY build in the Texas woods. The streamlined home is on a permanent foundation on a 7-acre lot surrounded by picturesque trees and nature.

"I designed it on my own," the homeowner, who has lived in the tiny house for about two years, wrote. "I started by looking at a lot of examples of layouts that I liked, then I created a version that worked best for me by drawing it out many times."

In total, the homeowner said they spent about $25,000 to $30,000 on materials for the home in addition to the cost of the land. They added that purchasing land was the "greatest cost" but that construction expenses were "reasonable" since they designed and built the tiny house independently. Building the structure without professional help, however, did come with some lessons learned.

"If I had to change one thing, it would be the foundation," the homeowner wrote on the post. "This one will last awhile, but I want to have ground contact with concrete instead of wood."

Tiny house living offers many benefits for homeowners, including money savings and reduced environmental impact. Tiny homes are often more affordable to build and maintain than traditional homes, saving cash both upfront and in the long run. And tiny homes use significantly less energy for heating, cooling, and lighting. Not only will going tiny shrink your monthly utility bills, but it can also benefit the planet by curbing reliance on dirty forms of energy. And all those perks can lead to a cleaner, cooler future for us all.

While this homeowner hooked up their tiny home to water and power like a standard home, their ultimate goal was to try living off-grid — and add more nature-minded amenities to the space. "A large deck and outdoor space with an awning is high on the list of priorities," the homeowner wrote.

Commenters praised the tiny home, impressed with the minimal design and smart layout. Some even said the build inspired them to look into tiny living.

"Absolutely perfect! This is my current dream," one commenter wrote. "Congrats on the digs."

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Another added: "I love it!! Sleek."

Even if living in 240 square feet isn't for you, you can intertwine principles of tiny living into your life to benefit the planet. Minimalism is core to the lifestyle, as less space means less room for excess consumption. The mindful practice involves living with less by cutting clutter, donating excess, and mindfully purchasing — all of which can have planet-positive impacts.

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