In the last decade, the Tiny House Movement has grown tremendously. More and more people are downsizing and embracing the simple yet rich life of minimalist living. Building their very own tiny house on their own land or in tiny house communities, people of all ages are finding unexpected gifts and freedom from living in these very small spaces.
According to psychologists, the motivation behind the tiny house movement is the result of the ideals of environmental consciousness, self-sufficiency, and the desire for an adventurous life (all of which I can relate to). Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny: A Build-It-Myself Memoir, is one of the pioneers of this movement. “I found a certain bigness in my small house-a sense of largeness, freedom, and happiness that comes from when you realize there is no place else you’d rather be,” writes Williams.
In her book, Williams details how she went from living in a three-bedroom bungalow with a detached garage, a fireplace, and gas heat to making the decision to build, sustain and live in an eight-four square foot (Yes, 84 square feet!) minuscule house! This experience and the results of her endeavor are nothing less than exhilarating, frightening, completely jaw-dropping and inspiring. Dee details her plans, explains her frustrations and fears, and takes the reader on her courageous journey in her memoir. I enjoyed her poignant, honest, and hilarious prose; and as an environmentalist myself, I was encouraged to look at my own carbon footprint and consider tiny house living myself.
Having recently visited the Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado Springs, a three-day exhibition of tiny houses and information with the mission of motivating the public to live their passions through simplifying their lives and discovering what truly matters, I was amazed and inspired by the various types of tiny houses available for purchase at any level of the building process.
I highly recommend The Big Tiny: A Build-It-Myself Memoir by Dee Williams to anyone who even has a tiny interest or curiosity of what the Tiny House Movement is and what it would be like to build and live in your own little house. Her story and writing is very inspirational.
A bit about the author, Dee Williams:
Dee Williams is a builder, teacher, author, and occasional rabble-rouser. She is the founder of Portland Alternative Dwellings, a company centered on the principle that everyone can build the life they dream. In addition to helping people make the conscious decision to simplify their lives with tiny-house living, Dee has been featured in Yes! Magazine, the NBC Evening News, the New York Times, NPR, MSNBC, and Time Magazine. Dee lives in Olympia, Washington, in her eight-four square foot tiny house, the magical place she calls “home.”
To learn more about Dee Williams and the Tiny House Movement, or to purchase The Big Tiny-A Build-It-Yourself Memoir, visit PADtinyhouses.com.
Vilma Reynoso 