Tiny homes: the most aesthetically pleasing thing you’ll see on Instagram. From sweeping interiors shot through the back of beautifully designed vans to cute, clean kitchens, tiny home life often looks ideal.
Unfortunately, we all live in the real world. The lives we see on Instagram just aren’t real — or realistic. Here’s what living in a tiny home really looks like.
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Kids + tiny home = occasional meltdowns.
Tiny home living can be wonderful, but it can also be a big challenge. This is especially true for parents. Sometimes, your baby is just gonna throw a temper tantrum on the couch, you know?
One person posted a small home tour of their tiny home.
On Instagram, @lealebowski said: “Our truth about moving into a tiny space – it’s messy and (atm) definitely not as fancy as it is portrait [sic] in all those cute youtube videos.”
Laundry day can be a struggle.
“This is our interior after arriving home from the laundromat. Shirts hanging to dry, bed covered in clothes that are folded and waiting to be put away, or clothes yet to be folded.
It’s not good. It’s not bad. It’s just part of the lifestyle,” @thelifemetallic wrote on Instagram.
Everything can’t be Instagram-ready all the time.
Renovating while living in a tiny house can be a huge pain.
“The reality of tiny living is that there isn’t room to put extra crap, which normally is a good thing, but sometimes makes it look like you are a hoarder,” @krista_schmidt_ said.
Craft areas take up space.
On Instagram, @greenapplecraftskc calls this “authentic space,” and it’s easy to see why. While it’s organized, it’s far from the Pinterest-style craft organization we usually see. But it works for them, and that’s all that matters!
Clutter just happens.
“This is real tiny house living. #tinyhousewithkids #notalwaysbeautiful,” @flyawayburns said.
Honestly, it looks great! It looks like a house that people truly live in. Also, that sneaky cat is too cute for words.
Moving into one can be especially chaotic.
“I’ve been waiting to post pics of the inside of our #tinyhouse because it’s been such a mess. But today I decided to show you the reality.”
Hey, moving is messy, no matter the house size.
Sometimes, random objects just hang out.
“[…] here’s an impromptu shot of our house today. No tidying first,” @supertinyliving posted.
Is there a small trampoline in the middle of the kitchen? Yes. Do I now wish I had one in my apartment’s kitchen? Also yes.
Space is hard to come by!
“We don’t have a ton of things, but we also don’t have a ton of space, so things look messy quickly,” @sarafaithkeefer wrote.
She also noted the big upside: she can get things cleaned super quickly in a space that size. Score.
Reality is more fun than Instagram, anyway.
“We still have work to do on the house and often trip over stuff that hasn’t found a permanent home yet, but even with a sink full of dishes and shoes tossed in a pile… it’s #home!” @tinyhouse43 said.
This mess is lowkey an aesthetic, though.
On Instagram, @sb.monhollon mentioned wanting to do more fun activities than chores, which is a huge mood no matter where you live. I’d rather paint than do the dishes, but the sink won’t empty itself!
Expectations vs Reality.
“It isn’t always like the magazines and blogs portray all day every day. Sometimes it’s this. A MESS,” said @bayliecupcake.
If you bring something into the house it has to be put away immediately, otherwise, it gets cluttered, and clutter attracts more clutter!” she wrote.
Kids are so hard to wrangle.
“But here’s my reality and the reality of so many others… a kids bunk room is just that, a KIDS bunk room. They aren’t perfect, they’re learning.”
You can’t expect kids to help make everything Instagram-ready. And @the8ofbus knows better than most that that is okay!
At the end of the day, it’s still home.
“Sink full of dishes. Bed unmade. Floor not swept. Still love this space,” @heidijodoxey wrote.
That’s the thing about the “reality” of anything — yeah, it may be different than you see online, but it’s still yours, and you love it.
If you buy your tiny home on wheels, you might run into some trouble.
Many people love looking at (and buying) vintage Airstreams. However, the reality of vintage anything is that age takes a toll.
Before you move in, make sure your Airstream has a solid foundation!
If you want to see what living in a tiny home really looks like…
You have to follow @tinyhousereality. It’s an account run by a family of five, and they post what their house looks like clean vs what it looks like after a few days of living in it.
Swipe to see the state of their kitchen after a Costco run!
Sometimes, you don’t know what you’ll need until you’re living in it.
For example, if coats are piling up on the bench, you might need to invest in some coat hooks. That might not be something you think you’ll need when you’re first building your tiny home.
Open shelving is for Instagram only.
Honestly, open shelving doesn’t make much sense to me — you have to keep it clean all the time!
In a tiny home, they’re not really an option. They just end up cluttered with everything you actually use on a daily basis!
Dishes just pile up.
Now, to be fair, most of us probably have some dishes in the sink. It’s a little more noticeable in a tiny home, but that’s just the reality of being a human!
Laundry day can clutter things up fast.
When it comes to the folding process, every available surface becomes a place to stack your clothes. For @bayliecupcake , it was her kitchen counters and her sink that did the job!
Decorating can be a challenge.
On Instagram, @sarahgar27 made do by hanging this cute minimalist wreath off of the pipe that makes up her stair railing.
In a tiny home, every inch of space counts. So decor really takes a back seat!
Safety is a big hazard.
Instagram user @tinygolightly shared a warning for those living in tiny homes: Be careful with your candles. After a tealight went awry and caught fire, they realized how quickly a fire could spread in their home!
