Tiny House, Big Benefits.
June 5, 2011 at 8:33 pm 1 comment
By: Amanda Artz
As a fresh out of college 20 year old, I’ve learned very quickly the realities of living on my own. Conserving energy is more important than ever, especially now that I pay my own bills. Rent and housing prices are outrageous, really limiting my options and anchoring me to specific areas of town. I wish there was a way for me to get off the grid; to choose exactly where I want to live, all while saving money and also living comfortably. After doing a little research, I think I found my answer, and maybe someday I can turn this little dream into reality.
So many people today have the McMansion mentality, and I believe there is no surer way of destroying our planet than embracing this view. Why not head in the opposite direction? Downsize your home, generate your own power, and maybe even make the structure completely mobile, so you can travel wherever and whenever you want. I’m not talking about living in a trailer, but rather, a Tiny House.
Jay Schafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company standing in front of his Tiny House. Photo courtesy of Tiny House Blog.
A Tiny House is a structure that ranges from 50-750 square feet. It can moved as desired and support alternative energy generation. A fully inhabitable Tiny House can be built for as little as $20,000. You can design and build your own, or go through a company such as Tumbleweed Tiny House Company in Sebastopol, California. Strict building codes can make it difficult to construct the perfect Tiny House, but websites such as tinyhouseblog.com provide tips and advice to work with and around them.
Easy to transport anywhere your adventures take you. Photo courtesy of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
Perhaps my favorite feature of these houses is the fact that they are so alternative energy friendly. In the video below, a Tiny House is powered by a mobile solar generator called the SolMan. For those houses in areas with less predictable weather, you could instead use a solar/gas combo generator such as the SolMan Action Packer to insure that you’ll always have available energy reserves. You could also easily install solar panels on the roof to utilize the available space, essentially taking yourself off the grid and making you completely energy independent.
A Tiny House seems like a great solution to a number of problems many people, including myself, are currently facing. Becoming a more energy efficient, sustainable individual would be such a freeing experience, and I don’t know about you, but I’m more than up to the challenge.
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1.
Grover | June 5, 2011 at 8:49 pm
This seems like a very interesting concept. It’ll be hard for it to become mainstream though, due to average American-perception of wanting everything “BIG”, so to say. (And all that psychology behind it.) I guess this must be the McMansion mentality you talk about. I just hope it doesn’t get pigeon-holed into a negative stigma like the Smart cars did.
Great read!