Embracing Simplicity: From Possessions to a Tiny House

Rebecca Paulson, a 25-year-old from Colorado, decided she wanted to live a 'simple life.' To achieve this goal, Paulson began last January by distributing all her possessions—giving away ten items each day. The items she parted with were given to friends or charitable organizations.

Paulson had to get rid of all her belongings because she had built herself a tiny house, where she intended to live. The new home is a cabin on wheels measuring 2.5 meters by 6 meters. Naturally, it can't hold much.

Paulson kept only a few items: three pairs of shoes, a limited number of clothing sets, and 35 books out of the 700 she owned. She also has a tiny fridge and a camping stove. In her small house, there's space for just one chair and one mattress.

"I always used to collect things," she says. "Now I walk past a store, see something beautiful, and think: 'I have no place to put this.' And it feels good that I no longer have to spend money on nonsense."