tiny homes
Cody Medina
Cody Medina
February 29, 2024 ·  4 min read

Seniors Are Buying Tiny Homes to Live Their Golden Years Off the Grid

When people reach a certain age, they have to start wondering about their future if they haven’t already. Especially for those who are living alone and don’t have anyone around that can help. Living in a big house all by yourself without the physical capability can be very scary, to say the least. Your body cannot move around as it once did, and it takes you a minute to get anywhere in your house. However, some seniors are buying tiny homes for their retirement. Giving them a more affordable alternative to retirement homes or at the very least a much smaller mortgage.

Seniors Are Buying Tiny Homes

These are only a few of the pros when it comes to buying a tiny home. There are a variety of other little bonuses that come with having a much smaller property. Not only are seniors able to save money, but they can enjoy themselves in much more productive ways. Now that there is less clutter and less house to deal with, it leaves more room for fun. Bette Presley, a 72-year-old that bought a home from Tumble Weed Houses, couldn’t be happier with her decision.

Presley explains that she wanted to downsize to give her children peace of mind of her living situation. Saying that she doesn’t want to burden her children with having to deal with her belongings and house if she became too incapable. Some of the other reasons were based on having a more enriching lifestyle. Presley believes that this is no way to spend her remaining years worrying about such trivial things. She would much rather commune with the outside world.

We are consumers. We buy too much. We don’t need all our belongings,” she said. “I just experienced the clutter, to live in excess, and I didn’t find it particularly satisfying. How can I exist in my old age,” Presley asked herself. With a longing desire to be closer to nature, reduce the clutter, have a simple life, achieve being “off the grid,” and be closer to her children. (1)

Read: Instead Of She Sheds, People Are Building Wine Shacks In Their Yards

Life Is What You Make It

Presley knew it was time for a change. After living 14 years in the Grandmothers’ Club mobile home park in Arroyo Grande, California. This is essentially a big trailer park for seniors surrounded by manufactured homes and close by neighbors. The time spent there served its purpose, and Presley was ready for something different. Her ultimate fear is ending up at a nursing home- something she refuses to let become a reality.

Fast forward to Christmas, 2013, Presley now stands with her 166-square-foot cabin. Smiling as wide as she possibly can with her new life seamlessly coming together. However, she took her time researching tiny homes for almost 10 years before committing to one. After she discovered Tumble Weed Houses, Presley immediately started ordering her cabin. Jay Shafer, the author, and creator shares some of the perks of downsizing. He explains the benefits one can get by owning a tiny home is becoming environmentally aware.

As Presley’s newly bought tiny home was being made in Colorado Springs, she began going through her belongings. Transferring her tiny home to a temporary site in San Luis Obispo County while she finished. She donated practically everything that she claimed wouldn’t fit into her new home. Things like her couches, four large chairs, dining table, beds, and much more. Keeping a cellphone, laptop, and radio as her ‘essential’ items.

Why Seniors Should Buy Tiny Homes

Of course, anybody can buy a tiny home, but there’s a lot to consider if you do. For single seniors like Presley, this is quite possibly one of the best things she could do for herself. She doesn’t have a big family that lives with her, doesn’t mind downsizing, and loves to be in nature. Seniors are buying tiny homes because of how much easier it is to live in them. Especially if their kids happen to be close by just like Presley’s, however, just because it’s tiny doesn’t mean you can’t expand on your new home.

Her home sizes up to a convenient 8 x 24 ft with a beautiful pine exterior. Presley has also taken it upon herself to make some additions to her home over the years. She has a heating/cooling unit, built-in stove/oven, a small fridge, sink, shower, and toilet. The tiny home also comes with a built-in twin bed, a loft for guests, space for a narrow table, as well as built-in shelves. Not to mention a new porch, a hot tub, and, to top it all off, solar paneling. Her tiny home truly is a little slice of heaven hiding in the trees somewhere.

Read: 12 Heartbreaking Things One Learns When Caring For Elderly Parents in Their Last Days

Buying A Tiny Home

This isn’t a farfetched dream; it can be a reality for so many others who wish to break away from city living, especially for seniors who want to enjoy their retirement in peace. The thought of being so old you can’t do anything anymore can be very daunting. It’s no surprise that seniors are buying tiny homes to give their lives another chance. Being immersed in nature can bring serenity in some of the most magical ways. Not only that, you will be saving a lot more money and having a lot more fun while doing so.

Keep Reading: Man Builds Peaceful Storybook Tiny Home By The Sea. Gives A Glimpse Of Life Inside

Sources

  1. Arroyo Grande woman downsizes — into 166-square-foot home.” The Tribune. Gayle Cuddy. December 31, 2013.
  2. TumbleWeed