The Differences Between a Tiny House and an RV

Have you ever wondered about the differences between a Tiny House and an RV?

Obviously the exteriors are designed differently, but what else? Here’s a detailed recap:

1. AIR QUALITY>> Some RVs come standard with troublesome toxin problems, most notably off-gassing formaldehyde. This is a known carcinogenic chemical also used in some glues and particleboard furnishings (common in RVs). Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also common in paint and carpets both commonly found in RV’s. While you can renovate an RV to make it more healthy, it’s a lot easier to just start with a Tiny House, which do not come with these materials.

2. CLIMATE CONTROL >> Tiny Houses are both warmer and cooler whereas RV’s are generally meant for the milder seasons. Tiny Homes are meant to live in and are therefore designed for all seasons.

3. Off Grid Living Made Easy>> One of the main draws of living in a tiny house is that they are easily designed to be off-grid, a very appealing option in today’s climate of stress on the natural world, resource scarcity and population growth. Depending on how you plan your tiny house lifestyle your home can be solar power ready, might include rainwater collection and a composting toilet, OR you can plug into septic or sewer systems as well as the electricity grid. It’s almost impossible to have those options with an RV.

4. Personal Style>> Tiny Homes can some in a variety of forms– custom made (+building plans), manufactured or purchased from a previous owner. Generally speaking, all of those options offer the same level of feeling more “homey” than an RV, with building materials like wood and ceramic, plus unique kitchen and bathroom features. And if you are building your own Tiny House, you can start from the ground up with adding your signature touch to the whole house, an option that isn’t really available with RV’s. Tiny Homes represent!

5. Part of a Meaningful Social Movement>> Just like the RV community of people worldwide, Tiny Homes represent a value system that a huge and growing part of the population are passionate about. In a world that seems to be getting more compressed, Tiny Home Owners are people who value personal freedom, living debt-free, having more time for what matters, the health and wellness of our planet, community living and more. These people enjoy not only tiny homes on wheels (THOW), but also converted buses, yurts, capsules, shipping container homes and micro-homes of all types.

Mobile living is awesome in any case, so if you’re looking into the RV and Tiny House lifestyle as options, you are already well on your way towards more freedom!