Tiny Home SMART Goals – How to Turn Wishing for Someday Into Reality Today

I would argue that all true goals are SMART goals.

Wishing is just spiral-thinking into a void, but SMART goals create a framework for action. And if you want to live a tiny home lifestyle, you must take action to say yes to all The Universe is trying to offer you. 

In a minute, we'll break down the pieces of SMART goals, but first, here are some examples of wishful thinking vs. SMART goals to give you an overall impression of the difference.

Wishful Thinking 

• Someday I would love a tiny house. [Said wistfully as though that day is very far off.]
• If I had the money, I would buy a tiny house in a second. [Proceeds to not research tiny home financing.]
• My dream tiny house would have a rainfall showerhead, a farmhouse sink, and a catwalk for my two cats… [Proceeds to say this weekly but never make a phone call to a tiny home builder.]

Now let's look at some examples of SMART goals:

• I will dedicate three hours this week to narrowing my list of preferred tiny home builders to four options.
• I will spend Thursday afternoon calling three companies that offer tiny home financing.
• I will call three RV communities after work today to get rates and ask if they offer long-term parking for tiny home "travel trailers."

Going tiny is a process, and if, thus far, you have been more in alignment with wishful thinking, please don't be hard on yourself. We all do it, which is why I wrote this article! (Share it on social media, so you'll have it to reference as you go along!)

Alright, are you ready to build some tiny home SMART goals?

Specific

Do you sometimes dream of an off-grid yurt and other times of a luxury mini-mansion? Both would be so cool! But if you actually plan to go tiny, you'll need to get specific. 

And this can be a tricky process! Both options are equally romantic, but there is probably a best fit for you.

So if you have an office job, an accident-prone puppy who shouldn't live more than ten minutes from the vet, and you don't relish spending 15k to dig a well, you might want to reconsider the off-grid yurt scenario. Getting specific will require you to let go of the romantic wishing, but it will pave the way for your to say yes to the tiny home design that would serve you best.

Someday finally came! This is my Tiny House of Peace.

Measurable

When do you plan to move into a tiny home? Next month? Next year? As soon as you downsize your belongings? And what step do you need to take next?

SMART goals are ones you can measure, so the next step is to create some boundaries around your plan so you can tell if you're making progress.

It's also helpful to create larger and smaller measurable goals. For instance, I want to move into a tiny home by next year is a stronger goal when paired with a smaller one like, I'm going to call LightStream and apply for financing this Wednesday.

Achievable

This one is tricky. I truly believe that "where there is a will, there's a way." That being said, certain things will be more realistic for certain people. Ultimately, you will have to decide what's achievable for you. 

If it helps, here is how I decide if a goal is achievable for me.

I look in the mirror and make a statement about what I want. The statement will either sound true: I'm going to take on two more clients this month! Or it will sound false: I'm going to become a pop star!* 

This one takes a bit of practice, especially if you make a statement that pushes you out of your comfort zone. But just keep doing the exercise until you feel like you get a real answer. Your subconscious won't lie to you.

*Trust me, I have no business being a pop star!

Relevant

Did you know that I have a dream of whitewater rafting? 

I'd also like to renovate a house, write a book, and master the art of a good white wine sauce. The good news is that these things feel achievable to me. The bad news is that they are all unrelated. This means that if I want to achieve one of them, I must make relevant supporting goals.

For instance, if my overarching goal is to renovate a house, my supporting SMART goals should be things like "make three offers on fixer-uppers in the next six months," and not "buy a raft" or "do three white wine sauce tutorials on YouTube." Sound fair?

Timebound

Gahhh. This one is hard. But as someone who lives in a tiny house, let me tell you this: I have been enjoying my "someday" for the past two years, and I would wish this life on anyone. 

If you have been circling your tiny home dreams for a while and attaching that word "someday," it might be time to move up your timeline. 

Even if you aren't ready to sign a build contract this week, you could still make calls to tiny home builders or introduce yourself to someone living the lifestyle.

Oh, and remember to apply time constraints to both overarching and supporting goals! I'm going to buy a tiny house this fall, it also requires that you research tiny home insurance while on your lunch break this Tuesday.

This someday is the result of a bunch of tiny SMART goals.

Tiny Home SMART Goals - from wishful to reality!

And there you have it! That is how you take your tiny home dreams from someday to today. I know it's scary to start putting timelines in place, but please know that your tiny house concierge would never lead you astray. 

My world before a tiny house was messy and chaotic. I wasn't having fun and felt like my life was passing me by. And now? Well, now I'm living a more vibrant and saturated life than I ever thought possible. 

Is a tiny house the answer for you? Only you can answer that, but I suggest you ask the mirror. 

Thanks for reading, and be sure to subscribe to the blog before you go.

I'll see you:

S: Here on the Tiny House Expedition Blog

M: To share a 500-1,200 word post

A: As I have for more than a year

R: So I can share my tiny home journey with you

T: And I'll see you two weeks from today!

-Alaska

Alaska is a writer, realtor, and tiny homeowner living in the great state of Colorado. She is the founder of The Tiny House Concierge, a company that offers consultation and copywriting services for people looking to rethink their housing and rewrite their lives. In addition to her website, she can be found on Instagram and YouTube.