What is small and tiny living in terms of size? And how do you define and qualify them? The words “small” and “tiny” can represent different measurements for people based on their experience and their physical size.
A man who is 6’8” would probably think that a twin (or single) bed is ridiculously small. A man of average height would likely see it as adequate, although he might prefer a larger bed.
In my article “My Tiny Life, ” I discuss having a tiny bedroom as a kid and living in a micro apartment in my late teens. Those experiences shaped my perceptions of small and tiny spaces and what you can do with them.
My handheld electronic dictionary’s first definition for “tiny” is “Extremely small.” The first definition of “small” is “Little in size, quantity, or extent.” An online dictionary’s first definition of “small” is “Having comparatively little size or slight dimensions.” The definition for the word “tiny” was the same in several online dictionaries. “Tiny” is more tightly defined, whereas “small” is more broadly defined. But I think most people often use these words interchangeably.
The best qualifiers for the tiny lifestyle are the size of a person’s house and car. As I see it, micro houses are 75-250 square feet. Tiny houses are 250 to 400 square feet. And small houses are 400 to 1,000 square feet. Anything over 1,000 square feet falls into the low end of the conventional house size.
Tiny or micro cars include the Toyota IQ, Smart Car, Mini, and Fiat 500, and small cars include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus.
Both small and tiny houses and cars fall into the tiny lifestyle. Your choices between the two depend on your personal tastes and whether you are single, married, or have children. For example, although I’m single and have no children, a tiny house is too small to meet my minimum requirements, but a small house and a tiny car are ideal.
My minimum requirements for a small house are a kitchen with a micro/convection oven (don’t need a stove), standard size sink (don’t need a dishwasher), and full size but small refrigerator (I’m vegan); full bathroom with a standard size sink with vanity top, storage cabinet, and a shower; full-size washer and dryer (stacked or combo); bed (any size but a king and larger); central air & water purification, heating, and cooling system; renewable energy systems 
(solar/wind); small dining table; computer desk and chair; easy chair; small dog; and a tiny woman. 😀 I also need a small garage for my tiny car.
What does your tiny dream life look like?