Full History of The Tiny House Movement

The past 10 years have been incredible for tiny homes.

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However, the history of the tiny house movement extends far beyond the last decade. According to Curbed, a popular housing site, the initial tiny homes perhaps were the caves that prehistoric humans utilized while traversing the Earth in search of sustenance.

Thankfully, tiny homes have come a long way; those rock-hewn enclaves have now evolved to include electricity, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning.

Though we’re reluctant to count caves as the first tiny homes, ample evidence suggests that the tiny home concept has existed long before cable TV shows about small living spaces became popular. People have been drawn to the simplicity and efficiency of tiny homes long before binge-watching hopeful couples and individuals began their quest for the perfect small dwelling.

In this post, we will explore the timeline of the tiny house movement and include insights from an interview with one of its pioneers, Gary Johnson.

1845 – Henry David Thoreau and the Cabin on Walden Pond

One of the motivators for buying a tiny home is simplicity—less stuff leads to a clearer and more focused life.

Few figures in American history grasped this concept better than Henry David Thoreau. His book, "On Walden Pond," remains beloved among minimalists and outdoor enthusiasts for its calls to a simpler existence.

Thoreau penned the book during a two-year, two-month stay in a 150-square-foot cabin beside a pond in Concord, Massachusetts.

(Attribution: Flickr Creative Commons)

One of the most poignant quotes from the book is: "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."

This statement gets to the core of Thoreau's philosophy about life: simplicity. It’s not about the extent of one’s possessions but rather about being content with as little as necessary.

His cabin embodied this philosophy—small, humble, and sparse. While the original cabin is no longer standing, a replica exists to mirror Thoreau's living conditions. The tiny home contains a fireplace, a bed, a desk, and a chair.

Though Thoreau’s work was influential, it did not ignite the tiny house movement. A significant societal shift towards tiny homes only began in the late 1990s, more than a century later.

1998 – Sarah Susanka and "The Not So Big House"

There were various books about small homes in the 70s and 80s, but they were more about small structures globally, not a tiny house movement.

The late 90s saw a breakthrough when English architect Sarah Susanka published "The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Live."

Released in 1998, this book encouraged homeowners to prioritize quality over quantity—designing smaller spaces more efficiently rather than opting for larger homes.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average home size surpassed 2,150 square feet for the first time since 1973 that same year.

Susanka’s book became an essential part of the dialogue about optimizing smaller spaces using architectural principles, influencing future tiny home designers.

Gary Johnson, one of the movement’s founders, highlighted Susanka’s impact: "What Susanka was talking about is that there are ways we can design homes more efficiently and there are ways we can live in a bigger home and make it feel more spacious," he said.

We will revisit this concept when we discuss modern examples.

2000 – Jay Shafer: Leading the Tiny House Movement

In 2000, Jay Shafer, a University of Iowa professor, became a central figure in the tiny house movement when his small home was featured on the front page of the Des Moines Register.

The article, titled "Home Sweet Hut," introduced readers to the notion of tiny house living, a concept many had probably never heard of.

"The article was the start of the modern-day movement of tiny homes—what looked like a small version of traditional homes," Johnson said. "He was living in what looked like a fancy garden shed."

Johnson was so captivated by the article that he sought permission to post it on his website, which led to numerous people contacting him about Shafer and his tiny home.

The interest spurred Johnson to find Shafer, and eventually, a friendship was formed.

2002 – The Small House Society is Born

In 2002, Johnson, Shafer, and other enthusiasts of alternative housing gathered in a grassroots meeting. It was during this meeting that the group decided to form an association, resulting in the Small House Society. The founding members included Johnson, Shafer, Nigel Valdez, and Shay Salomon.

The group initially grew from four to 12 people.

"I think it started with 12 members," Johnson said. "It was a mix of genuine interest and a bit of humor. After all, who would live in a garden shed?"

Ironically, Johnson commissioned Shafer to build him a tiny home in the following year, and he moved into it in August 2003. This was one of the first commercially built tiny homes.

2006-2007 – NPR and Oprah

In May 2006, NPR interviewed Johnson for an All Things Considered segment on the tiny house movement, bringing national attention to the concept. Within days of the interview, a publisher contacted Johnson about writing a book.

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In 2008, Johnson’s book, "Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned From Living in Less Than 140 Square Feet," was published. Shortly after, Oprah featured Shafer’s 96-square-foot home in February 2007, giving the movement a huge boost.

"Jay Shafer’s itty-bitty home is an astounding 96 square feet," Oprah narrated. "Jay’s commute from home to the office is just inches away."

In a video segment, Shafer gave a tour of his tiny home, showcasing a lifestyle that could be part of today's popular tiny home shows.

"Aside from not needing anything more than this, I really like focusing on quality over quantity," Shafer said. "Living small is really a luxury; I have a lot more time now to focus on other things in my life, rather than just paying the mortgage and maintaining a house."

2007-2008 – The Mortgage Crisis

Fate would have it that the tiny house movement coincided perfectly with the mortgage crisis that devastated the United States.

As countless Americans faced foreclosure and the housing market collapsed, perspectives on homeownership changed. The dream of owning a home was now tainted by a massive recession, leaving many to seek alternative solutions.

Both Millennials and their parents, who had witnessed the hardships of the recession, found tiny homes appealing. They offered low costs, simplicity, and a smaller environmental footprint compared to the average home of over 2,500 square feet.

2009-present: The Internet, Towns, and Television Spread the Word

After the Recession, the tiny house movement gathered considerable momentum. Books were being published, blogs were emerging, and associations were forming.

Even entire towns began embracing tiny homes. In 2014, Spur, TX, declared itself a tiny-house town, relaxing traditional size and space restrictions to welcome tiny-home owners.

"The tiny house movement is an example of reducing costs and gaining freedom," the town's website states. "We believe that tiny houses in small towns offer a unique opportunity to regain a sense of community and self-sufficiency."

Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters

The same year saw the launch of two popular shows, Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters, which added to the national momentum.

These shows provided viewers with real-life examples of individuals and couples who opted for tiny homes. They explained the reasons behind their choice to downsize and how they transformed their vision of a tiny home into reality, helping further legitimize the movement.

Tiny Homes as a Solution for Housing Shortages

One of the most intriguing developments in the tiny house movement is its potential to provide solutions for housing shortages.

County commissioners in Miami-Dade County have proposed the use of tiny homes of 300 square feet or less to address limited space for new homes and apartments.

"Micro houses would encourage the efficient use of land by accommodating greater population density in a smaller area," commissioners stated.

Similarly, Boston is considering tiny homes to meet the anticipated population growth, expecting to reach 700,000 residents by 2030.

Marcy Ostberg, head of the city’s housing innovation lab, discussed the potential for tiny homes in local zoning laws to meet future housing demands.

"It’s a tight space, but with enough light and height, smaller spaces can be more affordable," Ostberg said. "You could place this in your backyard, live in it as an adult, and rent out your primary home."

These examples suggest that tiny homes could become a significant cultural force in urban planning.

A Tiny House Founder’s Thoughts on the Movement

All this growth excites Gary Johnson, one of the original founders of the tiny house movement.

Early on, investors approached him, wanting to trademark and copyright elements of the movement. Thankfully, their plans never materialized.

"Back then, it was about letting things grow as organically as possible," Johnson said.

Over time, the movement evolved into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Few could have predicted this when Jay Shafer was first featured in the newspaper back in 2000.

"Now, 15 years later, it has certainly changed and spread to all kinds of places," Johnson said. "I’m impressed, pleased, and encouraged."

It was 1998 when architect Sarah Susank penned "The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Live" that people began to pay serious attention to the tiny house concept. Despite this, the movement was slow to gain momentum initially.

When Ideas of Living Small Caught on Fire

In 2000, Jay Shafer was the first person to place a tiny home on wheels, a mere 90-square-foot structure that he began building in 1999 and officially moved into by 2000. The attention he garnered led him to build tiny homes for others, culminating in the founding of the Small House Society in 2002.

In 2006, Shafer's business partner Gary Johnson was interviewed by NPR.

Then came an Oprah segment. The phone started to ring, and one of the calls was from a publisher, asking Gary to write a book about tiny homes.

In 2008, Johnson’s book, "Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned From Living in Less Than 140 Square Feet", hit the shelves. Soon thereafter, the mortgage crisis gripped America, creating a perfect storm for the tiny house movement to flourish.

Images: Left – Shaye’s Tiny Homes NZ. Right – Prefab Tiny Home Koto X Abodu

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