They say a house should make you feel secure. For Sharla, founder of the Tiny House Expo, traditional housing did the opposite.

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Like many people, she found herself working harder and harder just to keep up with the cost of living. A large mortgage, constant bills, and the pressure of maintaining a house that was meant to represent success slowly became exhausting. The problem wasn’t the house itself. It was the financial weight that came with it.

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Switching to a tiny home changed that.

Living smaller removed the constant stress around money and created something far more valuable than extra space. Breathing room. Financial flexibility. Choice. Instead of life revolving around paying bills, it became possible to think about what actually mattered and how to live in a way that felt sustainable long term.

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That experience made one thing very clear. Tiny living isn’t about sacrifice or minimalism for the sake of it. It’s about freedom. Freedom from overwhelming mortgages. Freedom from maintaining space you don’t really need. Freedom to make decisions based on lifestyle rather than financial pressure.

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Along the way, Sharla also saw how confusing and risky the tiny house world can be. People were trying to make big, life-changing decisions with half the information, conflicting advice, and no clear place to see how it all fits together. Mistakes were common, and they were expensive.

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That gap is why she founded the event back in 2017. What started as a small gathering of 70 people has grown into an event attended by over 10,000 people, bringing together real tiny homes, experienced builders, legal and land experts, and people who have already learned what works and what doesn’t. The goal has always been the same. To give people clarity, context, and confidence before they commit their money and their future.

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For anyone considering tiny living, the Expo is about understanding your options properly.

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• Not being talked into something.

• Not guessing.

• And not learning the hard way.