The tiny home trend took off in the early 2000s. Credit: Katie Dobies

Jay Siegan has mastered the art of decluttering, which he says happened naturally after living in a 500-square-foot home in San Francisco for the last 15 years. Siegan is a California-based media producer who fell in love with the cozy pink cottage his young daughter dubbed “the pink princess.” 

“I didn’t really intend to move into a tiny home,” Siegan explains. “The honest answer was that I was totally taken by this tiny pink cottage in the Russian Hill neighborhood in San Francisco. It had this giant garden and was nestled among these massive homes. I walked into it and said, ‘oh my God.’ I immediately loved it.” 

The tiny home trend took off in the early 2000s and ushered in shows like “Tiny House Nation” and “Tiny House, Big Living.” It’s a movement that appeals to nomads and families who don’t mind sharing a combination bathroom and shower. But tiny house living isn’t necessarily new; American homes used to be smaller a century ago. The average new home in America has ballooned from 909 square feet in 1949 to 2,480 in 2021.

Though Siegan loved his 500-square-foot cottage, which he shared part-time with his daughter, he admits it came with some challenges. 

“I had to get into creative storage solutions, and I got into multifunctional furniture,” he says. “I had to carve out tiny spaces that were hers and mine. When it came to hosting, I found the only way to do it was in the outdoor spaces because the house was frankly too small. Sometimes, I didn’t even have enough space for a lot of groceries because the kitchen was so tiny.” 

Though living with less was challenging, Siegan used his time living small to invest in experiences rather than objects, and he says he spent a lot of his time exploring San Francisco. 

“Your life becomes about your experiences instead of your possessions, and that’s a little bit of a mindset change. You live a more efficient lifestyle, and I was driven by the experiences of living in San Francisco rather than stuff. I tried to get on my bike and out of the house every day and experience San Francisco.” 

Living in a small space was also financially beneficial and helped Siegan further his career. In addition to his events company, Jay Siegan Presents, Siegan has also started executive producing comedy specials. He credits not having to worry about the upkeep of a huge home for having more time and mental capacity for his career.

“The lower cost of living significantly reduced my expenses, saving me more money,” he says. “The savings from utilities, maintenance, property taxes, and all these things are considerable. Living small provided me with financial freedom and greater peace of mind, and I could invest in experiences and build my own business.” 

As rents continue to rise across the country, living in a tiny home may become an option for more Americans, and Siegan says that if you choose this route, you should be prepared to radically declutter. 

“If you’re thinking about drastically downsizing. First, research different tiny home designs and find one that suits your vibe, lifestyle, and family needs. You have to mentally prepare for a lifestyle change and embrace minimalism,” he explains. “I tell people that living in tiny homes means embracing minimalism and being open to living extremely intentionally.” 

Though he enjoyed tiny home living, Siegan recently moved into a larger residence in the hills above Santa Barbara. He wasn’t necessarily looking to move from his San Francisco cottage, yet just like with the tiny home, he simply fell in love with the two-story, 1950s mid-century property, and the timing was right to make the change. 

“It’s been a joy to stretch out,” he says, laughing. “I’m 6 foot 2, and had to bend down in the cottage to shower.”

Though he’s enjoying his new space, Siegan’s adamant that he could return to tiny living at some point. “I have no regrets about living in a small space,” he says. “Everyone should do it, at least at least once in their life. I’ll always look back on it fondly, and I can see at one point being older and wanting to have a nice, cozy space again.”

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