How Staying in a Tiny Home 1 Night Took Him From Skeptical to Sold

Tiny homes get judged fast.

Too small.
Too cramped.
Not practical for real life.

Most people decide they could never live in one without ever stepping inside or staying in a tiny home.

To test that thinking, I challenged a tiny home skeptic, Edouard, to do something simple:

Spend a few nights in a tiny home.

I also suggested we visit several tiny home communities and look at some model homes. I wanted him to see the different layouts and space utilizations in a variety of models.

No assumptions based on photos or floor plans. Just real experience. We did this together.

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Tiny Home Skepticism Most People Start With

The doubts about tiny homes are familiar. They’re the same concerns I hear over and over from people.

People worry that:

• It will feel too small
• There won’t be enough storage
• There is no privacy
• Everyone hears everything
• The kitchen will be unusable
• The bathroom will feel cramped
• Is there even a real toilet?
• It won’t feel like a “real” home
• It’s only for vacations or short stays
• It won’t work long term life
• I don’t want to sleep in a loft
• Tiny Homes are expensive
• It would not work for more than one person or a family with children
• Downsizing means giving up everything you own

None of these concerns are unreasonable. Most come from imagining daily life inside a smaller space while comparing it to a traditional house.

Tiny homes get judged based on square footage alone, without considering layout, ceiling height, storage design, or how the space is actually used.

That’s why touring several models and staying in a tiny home overnight matters so much when making a fair and educated decision.

Who Are Tiny Homes Best For

Tiny homes aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay. But they often make sense for people who value experiences over extra space, prefer lower maintenance, or want more flexibility in how and where they live.

They tend to work well for:

• People downsizing after kids leave home
• Retirees who want less upkeep
• Someone looking to live more affordably
• Anyone tired of paying for rooms they don’t really use

Spending the Night in a Tiny Home

This stay wasn’t about finding the perfect tiny home. It was about experiencing a smaller footprint and noticing what actually matters day to day.

We rented an AirBnB in Rising Fawn, Georgia. It was on Johnson lake and had an amazing screened in porch.

The 680 square foot home was set up similar to many shed homes. The layout was mostly open except for the bathroom and the sleeping space had a sliding barn doors.

Although this was place a little larger than the tiny homes we would see in the communities, it was a great place to start in the reduce footprint.

If you are anything like me and love sipping coffee while overlooking a lake on a good screened porch, you have to check this place out. I could hardly get Edouard off the lake. 🎣

While we stayed in the cabin, things like cooking in smaller spaces, noise in the morning and evenings, furniture layout, and storage were all a part of the conversations.

There was even a real conversation about the things we own that we aren’t actually using a lot (or ever) and what we really need to be happy in a home.

With an open mind, the journey continued to explore some communities, other types of tiny homes and different model layouts.

The Tiny Home Community we Visited:
Ocoee Mountain Cottages, Copperhill, TN

We visited several tiny home communities to get a feel of how different layouts worked.

The first we visited was the Ocoee Mountain Cottages. Ocoee Mountain Cottages is a park model tiny home community set in the mountains of Copperhill, Tennessee.

The community offers scenic mountain views and a peaceful setting that feels quiet and relaxed.

Homes are placed to take advantage of the surroundings, with outdoor space and porch options that extend the living area beyond the home itself.

It’s the kind of setting that helps people picture tiny living as more than just the house, but a lifestyle tied to place and pace.

Watch the Video From Skeptical to Sold on Tiny Homes

Coming soon!

Interview Transcript: From Skeptic to Sold

After much conversation about the time spent exploring tiny homes, here is the final conversation and verdict from Edouard after staying in a tiny home.

As you read this conversation, notice how his concerns match the same doubts most people have before seeing a tiny home in person.

Erin:
So Edouard, you saw a couple of models. Can you believe that one of them was only 400 square feet?

Edouard:
No, I honestly couldn’t. I’ve been kind of on the fence about the tiny home thing. But after seeing some of the newer models and what they can do, it really feels like home inside. I would definitely have to have a huge porch though.

Erin:
And that’s definitely an option. It’s a really good and easy option they can provide.

Erin:
Did it feel too small? When people hear “400 square feet,” that number scares them. Was that something you were skeptical about until you saw it in person?

Edouard:
Yes, I was skeptical, but I was open to it.

There’s plenty of room to kick your feet up and watch a game or a fishing show.

And there’s plenty of kitchen space too. You could make a huge pot of gumbo and a big meal, so that works really well for me.

Erin:
So are you a believer in tiny homes now? Are you sold on them?

Edouard:
Oh yeah. Tiny homes are definitely a good option for a lot of people.

▶︎ I am not sure Edouard is moving into a tiny home tomorrow but he is a lot more open to their potential. 😁

What Actually Changed His Mind

It wasn’t one feature. It wasn’t the square footage. And it wasn’t the price.

What changed his perspective was seeing how the space worked together.

The layout. The storage. The way outdoor space extended the home.

Tiny homes make more sense when you stop thinking in rooms and start thinking in function.

Why Staying Overnight Matters

Looking at photos isn’t enough. Walking through for five minutes isn’t enough either.

Spending the night changes everything. You notice where you naturally sit.

Where you put your phone and keys. How the kitchen works when you actually cook.

How the space feels in the morning and at night. You stop focusing on what’s missing and start noticing what works.

That’s when the mental shift happens.

Tiny homes stop feeling like an idea and start feeling like a real option.

A Question Worth Asking Yourself Before Choosing a Tiny House

Before deciding tiny living isn’t for you, ask:

• Which rooms in my home do I actually use daily?
• Which spaces cost me money but add little value?
• Would I rather maintain space, or experience life outside of it?

Tiny living isn’t about having less. It’s about choosing differently.

The Big Takeaway

Tiny living isn’t about giving things up. It’s about using space better.

Once you see how a tiny home is designed and experience it in real life, the fear around size starts to fade.

What matters more is how the space works for your lifestyle.

Do you actually use every room in your current home? Or are you paying for space you walk through, clean, and maintain without really living in it?

For a lot of people, tiny homes aren’t about sacrifice. They’re about intention.

If you’ve ever said tiny homes aren’t for you, the real question might be this.

Have you ever actually considered staying in a tiny home?

Before ruling tiny homes out, experience one for yourself. Spend the night. Walk the space. Then decide.