I live in a backyard ‘tiny home on wheels’ for $725 a month—here’s why I’m the happiest I’ve ever been

In 2018, when my marriage of 18 years ended, I moved out of my 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 3,000-square-foot house and began the search for a new home.

The places I looked at were out of my budget, so I had to get creative. When I saw a trend of tiny houses on social media, I realized it could be a great way to get the luxury space I always wanted at an affordable price.

Today, I live in a 520-square-foot tiny home on wheels that I built for $175,000. I pay $725 a month in housing costs, which covers my parking space (in the backyard of someone’s home), internet, water and electricity.

At first, my biggest worry was that I’d have to give up a large chunk of my belongings, since they wouldn’t fit in the new space. But that concern quickly faded — and it’s actually the No. 1 reason I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

After my now ex-husband and I sold our home in April 2019, I had to start purging my belongings. I had a walk-in closet full of clothes and shoes, but I quickly realized that I only wore about 30% of them.

So I went through my wardrobe, filled up eight large trash bags, and delivered them to Goodwill. To my surprise, I immediately felt a sense of relief. And to this day, I couldn’t even tell you what I donated.

When I lived in the bigger house, I’d constantly buy things that I never ended up using. I’d hang on to some of them for years — just in case I might need them one day. They took over drawers and spare closets. Our basement looked like a junk yard.

Now that I have less space, I no longer compulsively throw things in the shopping cart. If I know I don’t have a place to put it, I simply won’t buy it.

This mindset shift has not only saved me money, it has helped me feel more gratitude and take even better care of my things.

I’ve become more thoughtful about where I buy things that I do need. I love shopping on Amazon, but each little item arrives inside a…