Q&A: Plants in a Tiny House with @tinymissdollyonwheels

Dolly (@tinymissdollyonwheels) is a plant mama and Tiny House Owner from Down Under who lives in her tiny house in the Macedon Ranges with a multitude of plants. Built on a 7.2m x 2.4m trailer, it is 4.3m tall, has 2 lofts, a spacious kitchen, a unique bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe. Dolly hopes to inspire those who are starting in the same journey as well as demystify tiny house living. Read on to find out why she needed plants in her tiny house, tips for living small, and why she feels life in a tiny house is so rewarding!

Many thanks to our interviewer, Elise!

Thank you! At the start, I didn’t think of having indoor plants because I thought I couldn’t keep them alive. During my first summer in the tiny house, my hardwood stairs split and I thought it was a structural defect. I called my builder and he explained that hardwood dries out and shrinks because of the different moisture levels. He suggested I get plants to add moisture to the room. I bought a couple, liked how they liven up the space and bought some more. Before I knew it I already had 40 plants inside the tiny house! Some died along the way but some are thriving and growing like crazy. I am now officially a plant mama and like most of the things I have in my tiny house, plants are both decorative and functional. They make the house look fresh and green and they also add moisture and purify the air.

I chose Wally Eco for my tiny living wall because it looks amazing, has an interior reservoir for easy watering and is easy to install. But really, you had me at recycled milk jugs.

If horizontal space is limited, make use of vertical space by hanging your plants. You can never go wrong with a watering can with long spout. Self-watering pots are ideal for plants like Ivy, Pothos and Maidenhair Fern. So low-maintenance!

My first discovery of a tiny house on wheels was through AirBnB, back in 2013, while looking for unique accommodations in New Zealand. It was an old truck and they built a tiny house on top of it. I stayed in the house truck just for a night but it opened my eyes to the possibility of living in such a tiny space. The idea made me happy. What a challenge to make use of every inch of space available. But I knew from the start that I couldn’t build a tiny house on my own, so I hired a builder with the condition that I would get my hands dirty too.

Living in my clutter-free and beautifully decorated tiny home is like being on permanent holiday. Since I only keep what is useful, functional and makes me happy, I feel more content and stress-free. And it is so easy to clean! With a 25 sq. m floor area (including the loft space), I can't have too much stuff. So the first thing I did was to downsize beyond my comfort zone. Downsizing is still a work in progress but I am getting there. Also, emptying the toilet bucket when it’s full!

Thanks to Dolly for sharing her story and her methods with us! See her work on social media:

Instagram: @tinymissdollyonwheels

Website: tinymissdollyonwheels.com