Zillow : 'Tiny House Nation' Host Talks About Being Happy With Less

'It's not about big or small; it's about freedom.'

In FYI's popular series 'Tiny House Nation,' Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth travel the country visiting the ingenious micro spaces that make up the tiny home movement and helping more people create small dwellings.

Giffin knows a thing or two about tiny living. When he's not working, he lives in a 112-square-foot 'ski chalet' on wheels in Washington state.

Zillow: Where is your tiny house right now?

Giffin: My house has been parked on a friend's property in Leavenworth, WA for much of the past year.

Zillow: What is it like to have just 112 square feet to call your own?

Giffin: To me, it is a great comfort knowing that I have a special place that is my own. It allows me to go on adventures, try new jobs and take financial risks, because I know that whatever happens, there is a safe place I can go back to.

I haven't always had that security and understand how stressful it is to feel ungrounded. To me, it doesn't matter how large the space, as long as it's mine and I'm proud of and comfortable in it.

Zillow: Where's your favorite place to park it?

Giffin: The places that come to my mind are Rogers Pass, in British Columbia, and my home ski area, Mt. Baker, WA. My house is in its element when I am parked in remote locations where luxuries are only what you bring with you.

It's kind of like backpacking, where the farther you are from supplies, the more you appreciate the small treats you've brought. When I get back from a long, cold day in the mountains, I'm tired and hungry and really appreciate having everything I need waiting for me in the parking lot.

Taking out the commute gives me more time to relax, my chores are minimal and my evenings are spent reading, listening to music, playing guitar, talking or dancing with my lover.

Zillow: How do you haul it?

Giffin: I've been through a number of trucks and, for now, I'm just renting a vehicle when I need to move it. It is much more economical than owning a truck and rarely using it.

Zillow: How many nights a year do you stay there?

Giffin: Even before working with 'Tiny House Nation,' my life involved a lot of travel and work out of state. But now, my schedule is completely consumed. I've been back probably five or six times in the past 12 months.

I miss the simple life dearly but do recognize that I have been given a unique platform to endorse values I believe the world needs to embrace. By building tiny yet beautiful homes, we inherently start conversations that question excessive living standards, highlight efficient uses of our resources and provide some plausible solutions for change.

As a concerned world citizen, I feel a responsibility to honor the opportunity I have been provided, by giving 100 percent of my effort. My aim is to showcase less consumptive living and building practices in the best light possible. Unfortunately, it has meant I don't get to enjoy my own home as much as I wish I could.

Zillow: Do you miss anything about large-home living?

Giffin: This question would assume I grew up in a large home? Large and tiny are words that, without the perspective of comparison, mean nothing.

I'm actually an advocate of appropriate-size living. Quality over quantity, to me, means valuing not only the type of materials used but the love, energy and artistry of the craftsmanship. Surrounding yourself in a home that makes you happy and will last a lifetime is my goal.

When I start a family, I will certainly expand my living space to an appropriate size, but I won't lose sight of my priorities that are really all about enjoying this life to the fullest. When the kids grow up and leave the house, maybe I'll feel like turning over the house to a younger family that needs more space and take time to enjoy the later years of my life. It's not about big or small; it's about freedom.

Photos by Michael Dyrland

Originally published March 27, 2015.

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