Starting Small
To all the people who are curious but just haven't gone there... This is for you.
About a decade ago I said to myself I will NEVER own my own home. But when I saw how easy it could be, I went tiny. Well, tiny for some, small for others. Sometimes for me, it feels too big.
Here is where it all started.
My friend had a small cabin off in the woods and when I walked down to his peaceful little home,
I thought - I could do this.
I said to him "I want a cabin like this!" Fast forward a few years and not only do I own a little cabin, I am helping others to fulfill their dream of living small in a BIG way.
When I went to school I studied pre-med. But was so interested in sustainable living that I switched my major. Learning about solar power and seeing how easily you can implement that into any house design, I wondered - Why hasn't the majority of the population gone off grid? I have come to the conclusion that people just don't know where to start.
For me it was this small shell I refer to as "my cabin" 12ft x 32ft. I have a beautiful porch, two lofts, no electricity bill, and all I had to do was give someone $200 to drop this puppy off - no questions asked.
Well maybe a couple...
With the help of my friends I insulated it, put up some dry wall, installed a propane heater, and slapped one solar panel on the roof.
I have a little battery that powers all my needs.
Now granted I don't live like the majority of the people that own a home. But I could have a big refrigerator and all the fixin's if I really wanted to. But when you go small you come to the conclusion
- Simple is better
So why go small?
I could break down costs.
Talk about a small foot print.
Minimalism is priceless, and a rising fad.
But really when it comes down to it...
What I enjoy 😉
Are the little things in life.
Less is truly more.
Easy Maintenance.
Sitting on the porch, immersed in nature.
I am not locked in...
I could give my house to someone
and start over and be happy about it.
I truly believe that
small homes are the future.
Affordable housing that is also movable!?!
Count me in.
3 Things to think about before you go small.
1. What are your needs?
By looking at what you need to survive you realize you don't really need that much.
2. Go without for a little bit.
Shut off the TV, go for a walk. Stop looking at your phone and start dreaming. Can I live with out the 42 boxes of random stuff (in the garage) that I have collected throughout my entire life? Hmm. It's okay if you can't let go, but ask yourself why?
3. Try small.
Try a small space out. Sometimes small can be too small. And even large can be too small for some. But realize that if you have a small space you don't have to be in it all the time.
As for living off grid I believe the majority of the population will be living off the sun and other alternative energies sooner than we think. They are now making solar panels that are like sheets of glass. Whole buildings will be powered by the sun and you won't even know it. So much energy from one building they will be selling their power back to the grid.
Okay well, I will leave you to thoughts of the future.
If you have any questions about going small, or living off grid, I would love to chat.
As you can see this is the first of many blogs.
Lynn Sausville
Manager of Building Beyond Green LLC
Check out our website
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