“Voices” Guest Speaker McAndrews Presents Ups and Downs to Living Tiny

By Samantha Simmons, Staff Writer

It’s one of the biggest aspects of our lives: our home is not only the place where we live, but a distinct part of our identity as well. But what does it mean to live tiny? That’s the question that Brittany McAndrews, a library “Voices” lecture guest speaker and executive board member of Upstate Tiny Homes sought to answer.

According to The International Residential Code (IRC) a tiny home is classified as a “dwelling under 400 square feet, excluding lofts and porches.” McAndrews discussed who was getting in on the tiny home trends and some of the processes that go into building and zoning.

McAndrews said in the past, she viewed people who lived a tiny home lifestyle as “creative” and “crazy”. Though since her twenties, she has lived relatively smaller. Small apartments and motor homes of the sorts have been her place to relax.

When she was younger, she thought that living the tiny lifestyle would be unattainable with her income. Since then she has lived for twelve years in a stationary tiny home, off-grid, tiny home, tiny apartment, and a micro-cottage. 

Since living like this, she has developed an attitude where tiny home living “can be taken in many forms but should not be mistaken for a trend”. It takes a lot more than you think to live this way. From being more mindful with your resources and money, and not living a thing filled lifestyle.

Not anyone can build a tiny home, like viral videos on TikTok and Facebook may show. Tiny homes have specific standards that they need to be built to. They are under regulation from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). In New York State, these homes must be built with more insulation than what would be required in the South. This is usually decided on per state and local ordinance.

Getting zoning is also an issue when going to build because the amount of space required, less than 400 sq. ft., is so small that they had to create an appendix, Appendix Q, to make sure that these homes are built up to code with the right materials for safety measures to be met.

McAndrews presented her reasons for going tiny. Many may see it as a way to get out of big city living. However, there are a slew of other reasons that make choosing tiny living as the sensical to live. It can become a more minimal lifestyle, in an age where having more things is seen as having more value, Americans are hoarding items that they believe has value. Converting to a more minimal lifestyle means that you can buy things more mindfully. 

You won’t have all of the storage a standard-sized 1,600 sq. ft. house would. Most people living like this also see themselves buying more local products and conserving more water and energy than they previously were. Environmental reasons are an obvious reason to live more off grid as well.

There is a large range of people choosing to go tiny– young couples looking to travel, aging parents who want to be close to their children, or even a special needs child who has outgrown living with their parents. Tiny living provides an alternative living situation that is overall cheaper than buying and renting that may eventually help our lower class and homeless population in the future.