While most people think bigger is better, an increasing number of people are embracing what is called the "Tiny House Movement," a trend where people are downsizing their living spaces.
"What we realized is that living with the least, we're gaining the most," Gabriella Morrison told NBC's Craig Melvin on TODAY.
Gabrielle and her husband, Andrew, recently downsized from a four-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot house to a 317-square-foot "tiny house" — a move that they say is the best choice for the family of four because there's plenty of cabinet space and their house doesn't feel cramped.
Owning their "dream" home, and living large, put a toll on the couple. They said that between their mortgage and upkeep, there wasn't much money for anything else.
"Living in our dream home actually turned out to be a real detriment to our family," Gabriella said.
And the couple said that they've reaped huge benefits from their tiny house. "We have money now to spend on things that are fun and enjoyable for us, rather than spending money on stuff that we really don't need," Andrew said.
And the Morrisons aren't alone. Home designer Derin Williams builds tiny homes that can sell for $32,000 for 132 square feet. "People recognize that it's a viable solution to simplifying, downsizing and enjoying the community around you," Williams said.
For the Morrisons, they said that they are living without sacrifice. "It's amazing how comfortable we've become with it, and how much we actually really enjoy it and love it," Andrew said.
This article was originally published Feb. 7, 2015 at 10:12 a.m.