The Difference Between Tiny Houses and Small Houses - The Small House Movement

Okay, "tiny houses" are adorably cute and understandably growing in popularity.  You can even buy building plans for them at Lowe's. 

However, there's also a lot of interest in "small houses," and even though both are dwellings with minimum square footage, they are two very different things.  Technically, while all tiny houses are small houses, not every small house is a tiny house. 

Investigating the difference between the two, I was happy to learn that I'm living in a "small house" and technically, I'm participating in the "small house movement" even though I'm not building a tiny house anytime soon.  Maybe you'd like a small house, too. Maybe you're already in one.

Tiny Houses v. Small Houses

1.  Different sources will give you different dividing lines between a tiny house and a small house.  It's a matter of square feet   For example, TinyHomes splits the two at 1000 sq. ft. - anything 999 square feet or smaller is a tiny house; 1000-1200 is a small house. The Small House Society explains that there is not any set square footage for a "small house," and distinquishes a "tiny house" as anything under 500'. 

The Tiny House Movement - Really, Really Tiny Homes For Serious Simple Living

They look like children's playhouses to many folk, but these small little structures are growing in popularity among those who are serious about simplifying their lives.  They're commonly called "tiny houses" - sometimes you'll hear "small houses" - and many are ingenious and very, very cute.  In fact, they're the foundation of a growing movement in this country, the "Tiny House Movement."

What are "Tiny Houses"?

One man is repeatedly referenced throughout the web as being the founder of the "tiny house movement," Professor Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.  He's also one of the co-founders of the Small House Society, although the Small House Society isn't that narrow to focus solely on tiny houses, they're encouraging the downscaling into smaller square footage per person in a variety of forms. 

The Tiny Life involves living in a very small space that is cleverly organized and used.  How small?  Think walk-in closet for some people. 

The houses sold by Tumbleweed as well as Tiny Texas Houses are very, very small.  Tiny Texas Houses range in size from 160 to 336 square feet, although custom work is done and the company will work with you if you want to put two of their Texas Tiny Houses together to create one dwelling.  Tumbleweed will build a tiny house as small as 65 square feet and as large as 837 square feet.  Tiny Texas Houses are each unique to their owner, built as one of a kind homes using modern technology combined with high quality salvaged material -- antique doors and the like.