Tiny homes are making a dramatic comeback in popularity in 2021. Over the past year with so many changes happening, people's lives have been shaken up, and not just for the bad. People have decided to try new things, live in new places, get new jobs, and often downsize into smaller, more affordable homes.

Boxabl, the incredible flat-packed home that can be shipped anywhere, is getting a lot of attention. It’s rumored that even the eclectic, adventurous and forerunner, Elon Musk, has sold all of his mansion homes, and is now living in a 300 square foot Boxabl Tiny Home in Texas.

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Sustainable Leader

Elon Musk is known to be a trendsetter in the sustainable field. He pushed beyond what anyone thought was possible in the electric car industry. He constantly is finding new ways to achieve sustainable practices and shaking up industries that haven’t been changed for years and years, but are completely unsustainable. 

Love him or hate him, he has challenged many other leaders in a variety of different industries to innovate and find additional sustainable solutions to common problems. Taking the leap to live in a tiny home, especially one that is sustainably made, is a huge step in that direction.

Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is

Yes, it’s no secret that Elon has more money than most. So spending money on something he wants isn’t a big deal. But what is a big deal is making a dramatic downsize as one of the most wealthy individuals in the world. A lot of people live tiny specifically because they want / need to save money — he’s doing it to simplify and live sustainably.

Elon knows that to live tiny is to live sustainably and that it’s the most efficient and effective way to reduce your own carbon footprint and live simply. Small homes use the least amount of energy in heating and cooling not to mention the dramatic waste reduction during construction. 

Why are tiny homes sustainable?

There are many reasons why tiny homes are more eco-friendly and sustainable than regular sized homes. For starters, the construction waste from a regular home is shocking. New construction produces about 40% waste over the entire construction process. 

According to the EPA, 600 million tons of construction and debris were generated in the United States in 2018, which is more than twice the amount of generated municipal solid waste. Demolition of homes represents more than 90 percent of total construction and debris generation, while construction represents less than 10 percent.

The average home only lasts 70 years or so. That means on average every 70 years the entire home is completely demolished and put in a landfill somewhere. And the bigger the home, the more materials that are wasted! And that’s after they’ve likely been remodeled once or twice throughout that timeframe.

In addition, smaller homes are easier to heat and cool. There is much less cubit space that requires heating and cooling, which in turn creates less need for an HVAC to be running 24/7. This saves on utility costs, which averages around only $28 a month for a small home!

There is also less space to keep clean, which saves on cleaning expenses, and cleaning supplies, and your precious time. A smaller home footprint area also means that the effect on the land is minimized as well.

Another final way they are more green is there is less space for stuff to accumulate. 

Our society is plagued with a consumer mentality. We buy, buy, buy only to fill up big homes with a bunch of unnecessary stuff. Then when our homes are full, we rent out a monthly storage unit to fill that up too!

With a small home, we are forced to consume less by being more conscious of the things we truly need and can disregard the rest. It’s a lifestyle that many are moving towards as it brings freedom through simplifying and saving which in turn creates more time and money to be able to actually use your time the way you want.

And in turn, buying less stuff means less packaging waste! #fullcircle

An Underrated Lifestyle

All in all, Elon Musk moving into a tiny home is a great example of having money that buys bigger houses and more things isn’t what life is all about and typically doesn’t result in happiness. Choosing a more modest home and minimalist lifestyle, while still enjoying the things you truly love, is underrated. But we think that’s about to change.

Check out the Boxabl here and stay tuned for more on the topic of simplification and living a meaningful life coming soon!