10 downsides to living and traveling in a tiny house, according to a woman who has lived in one since 2013

Frank OlitoAug 22, 2020, 03:30 IST

Jenna Spesard has had her tiny house for seven years.Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Jenna Spesard has lived and traveled in her 160-square-foot tiny house since 2013, long before the tiny house movement really took off.
During those years, Spesard has come to terms with a few downsides to tiny house living.
The lack of space does not allow for creature comforts and prevents her from having overnight guests.
Traveling with her tiny house is costly, and the home can easily be damaged.

Before there was the popular TV series "Tiny House Nation" or the trending hashtag "#tinyhousemovement," Jenna Spesard decided to move into a 160-square-foot home.

She started building her tiny house by herself in 2013 for $30,000. For the next year, she traveled over the country with her tiny house before eventually settling down in a tiny house village in 2016, and she watched the movement began to grow around her. Now, her tiny house is permanently parked in Clinton, Washington, and she lives in it part-time. As one of the most experienced tiny house owners in the country, Spesard knows first hand the realities many new owners will face.

"Every day isn't perfect," she told Insider. "There are definitely some downsides. It's not all a bed of roses."

Despite the downsides, Spesard said she can't imagine living any other lifestyle, especially because "no lifestyle is perfect."

Here are here the top 10 problems she has to deal with while living and traveling in a tiny house.

Spesard learned early that living a minimal lifestyle in a small space requires an added effort that regular homeowners don't have to worry about.

Spesard's tiny house. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Spesard hates that she doesn't have the creature comforts traditional homes have.

The kitchen doesn't have a dishwasher. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

It's also very easy to get the 160-square-foot tiny house dirty.

The space can easily get dirty. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

There is a limited amount of closet space in Spesard's tiny house.

The storage space. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

It's very difficult to have guests over, especially when they stay the night.

The table can turn into a couch. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Since Spesard's bed is located in the loft, it's a real pain to make since she can't stand up straight.

The lofted bedroom. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

When it comes to traveling, Spesard said she's found it expensive to tow a tiny house.

Towing her tiny house. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Spesard can't take the tiny house just anywhere she wants because of its size, which puts it at risk of being damaged.

Some roads are difficult for a tiny house. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Likewise, Spesard can't park her tiny house anywhere she wants because she has to deal with strict laws.

Spesard can't park wherever she wants. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

Since traveling with a tiny house makes it difficult to blend in, people constantly approach Spesard on the road and ask for a tour.

It's difficult to blend in with a tiny house. Courtesy of Jenna Spesard

A couple spent $55,000 to turn their home into a haven for their 21 senior and special needs dogs

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