deepstash
Beta
Living Small: The Psychology of Tiny Houses
Making it seem more spacious
While living in a tiny home may feel cozy and comfortable, others might consider the living space cramped and claustrophobic.
- To make it seem more spacious, a light colour on the walls, like light sage green, can make a room seem larger and more relaxing.
- Maximising natural light will improve a person's mood while wood grains will have a calming influence.
- Ensure to add sound-absorbing surfaces, such as rugs or curtains.
- Curvy patterns in towels or a rug on the floor can also feel comforting.
- Keep the space not to complex visually by tucking things out of view.
137 SAVES
520 READS
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
4
Key Ideas
The two tales about houses
The one story we tell ourselves about homeownership is it is a path to a more stable, equitable future. The idea is that it is a responsible decision that requires commitment and hope. It is center...
Owning a suburban home
The idea of owning a suburban home was fed to Americans by people in power: Suburbia has always been suitable for industry.
Big houses = big appliances. This fed the coal, steel, and automaking industries. With it came cars and oil that made the postwar American suburb possible. It is all as much a creature of government as of the market.
Reconsidering the suburban house
The climate crisis and carbon dependency make potential homeowners reconsider the effects of suburban sprawl.
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the market crash of 2008 sowed a sense of instability and propagated fears.
4
Key Ideas
The tiny house movement
Tiny homes are generally between 100 and 400 square feet, and come in a variety of forms, from small cabins or a trailer to micro apartments.
Tiny houses are really interes...
Reflecting values of the tiny houses movement
*Inspirations for going tiny is environmental consciousness, self-sufficiency, and the desire for a life adventure.
But tiny houses physically demand particular social relationships that not everyone can manage. A family in a little house will likely feel cramped, which can create a chain reaction of stressors.
Psychological mechanisms of choosing tiny houses
Those who desire to live in tiny homes show two psychological mechanisms:
- Clustering. It is the idea that we tend to mix with like-minded individuals.
- Self-verification. We want to be seen in ways that are aligned with our identities.
If you live in a tiny house, you probably have a high need for uniqueness and enjoy an intellectual challenge - you will have distinct constraints that will require a solution.
4
Key Ideas
Clutter across generations and cultures
Victorians lived in houses that were overflowing with artsy items and other kinds of things. So clutter is not entirely an American notion, but modern Americans cultivate its presence in ways that ...
The shift from accumulation to consumption
It happened between the 1880s and the 1920s. Before that, most belongings were either made at home or bought from local craftspeople or general stores.
American manufacturing and transportation took off around the turn of the 20th century, so the economy of items began to centralize.
Why we cling to material things
Psychologists found that people cling to material stuff as a response to a form of anxiety (about loss, financial instability, even body image) and that clutter itself is often a source of stress.
Clutter tends to accumulate in the homes those working people for whom the hope of financial stability and the lurking possibility of ruination are always present.