Have you ever looked around in your home and thought that you have far more space than you really need? Perhaps you’ve considered downsizing from a large home to a townhouse, or a townhouse to an apartment, but have you ever thought about forgetting a traditional home completely, and going for something even smaller like a tiny home?
Tiny homes have gotten a lot of attention over the last few years, and a company from Singapore has just released their newest model, which may make you reconsider how much space you really need.
The Cube Two
The Singapore-based company, Nestron, has just released a prototype for its latest tiny home creation, the Cube Two.
The 263-square-foot home features a spacious communal living space, a kitchen with a range hood and sink, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a bar counter. The company says it can comfortably accommodate three or four people. On the outside, the home is nine yards (eight meters) long and four yards (3.6 meters) wide [1].
The Cube Two is ready to move in right away, with most of the furniture built-in and included in the initial price. Nestron’s website claims that the home’s open concept design increases it’s usable space by fifteen percent when compared to a traditional home [2].
This tiny home is also “smart”, and contains only smart-home appliances, so the washing machine, refrigerator, AC, and stove are all connected. All of the appliances are controlled by Canny, the AI assistant, making this truly a home of the future [1].
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An Affordable Option
If the cost of a traditional home seems too far out of your price range, this tiny home could be the solution. You can purchase the Cube Two on pre-order for a base price of 52 thousand dollars, before any add-ons.
There are a few upgrades available, including switching from an external energy source to a solar system, as well as adding an electric floor heating system. The solar system will add 7.5 thousand dollars to the price, and the heated floors an additional nine thousand dollars [2].
Buyers in the United States are also responsible for covering the cost of shipping, which is about eight thousand dollars. Even with the add-ons, however, your total price is still less than 70 thousand dollars- far less than that of a traditional home [1].
The Pros and Cons of a Tiny Home
As with anything in life, there are positive and negative aspects of living in a tiny home. When you live in such small quarters, you tend to collect less clutter, simply because you don’t have the space to keep it. Since having lots of “stuff” isn’t an option, a tiny home actually prevents you from unnecessary spending on things you don’t actually need.
The tiny space also means that you have a smaller area to clean, so house chores are a breeze. Again, since you don’t have a tonne of clutter either, cleaning is quick and painless.
A tiny home will also help save you money. Expenses like heating, cooling, expenses, property taxes and home maintenance are all significantly lower when you live in such a small space, and, as mentioned before, you no longer have the storage space for idle shopping.
Living in a tiny home can also be good for you and the environment. Many people who have moved into these small spaces have said that getting rid of a lot of their stuff- things that were “excess”- increased their overall happiness. They were no longer weighed down by unnecessary things, a large mortgage, or a massive home to clean, and instead, they now have more time and money for leisure activities. Tiny homes also require less energy and produce less waste, so they have a much lower carbon footprint than a regular house.
The drawbacks, of course, are that you have a much smaller space, and choosing which items to keep and which items to discard can be a major challenge for many people. You also must be extremely organized and utilize the space you do have to its maximum capacity.
If you are someone who likes to entertain, living in a tiny home can make having guests over a challenge. When the weather cooperates, you can move the party outdoors, however, during inclement weather or during the winter months, your options are much more limited [3].
Is the Cube Two for You?
There are many benefits to living in the Cube Two or any other tiny home, however, it is important that you consider your lifestyle and what is important for you before making the decision to make the transition.
If you are more than happy to live in a very small space, don’t mind getting rid of a lot of your stuff, or don’t have many things to begin with, a tiny home may be the right fit for you.
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Sources
- “A $52,000 tiny smart home looks like a space ship and can sleep a family of 4 — see inside.” Business Insider. Mary Meisenzahl , January 3, 2021.
- ‘Cube Two.” Nestron.
- “Living in a Tiny Home: Benefits & Drawbacks.” ABC News. Heather Levin. November 26, 2012.