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Archive for the ‘Life Style’ Category

This Is Water

By on May 10, 2013   /   Life Style   /   4 Comments

Yesterday I found this video from a friend and fellow tiny houser that I thought was worth sharing.  The video talks about a whole slew of things, some I agree with, some I don’t, but it makes some really good points.  I like its commentary on how we have a decision to make on how we  perceive the world, how we make our way through our life is our choice.  He also made a really good point about how education isn’t just about knowledge, how it is about the ability to consider things around us that might often not be considered, but can have dramatic implications on our lives.

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Tiny House Living: Indoor Air Quality

By on April 7, 2013   /   Life Style   /   8 Comments

gerber daisyA little over a week ago I finished up a 2-week intensive training in Permaculture Design. It was an awesome learning experience and got me thinking about tiny house design in new ways.

For anyone who hasn’t heard of Permaculture, it is a term coined in the 1970′s  by Bill Mollison that follows a core ethic: to care for the planet, the people who live on it, and provide equal distribution of surplus. Permaculture design encourages folks to look to biological processes as a means of solving environmental problems and creating regenerative sources of energy, building materials and edible as well as medicinal plants for all peoples.

To be able to discuss solutions we had to go over the issues. Many of our Toxiclectures over the course of those two weeks had a lot to do with toxicity and public safety & health. It gave me pause to think about the quality of life provided by living in a small space. I find my quality of life to be equal and/or greater than living in a larger home.  One thing we definitely considered when building La Casita was material off-gassing. That’s one reason we really looked to reclaimed material but also a reason we tried not to use chemically produced paints, inks, varnishes or lacquers. We definitely used Great Stuff and the adhesive on the sheeting off-gassed. We attempted to balance that with the use of milk-paint and no-VOC paints indoors as well as tung oil on the Cyprus siding. Check out Ryan’s list of best low-VOC paints and non-toxic paints!

There’s a lot of toxicity to battle in daily life I had no idea about such as trichloroethylene (TCE) which is considered a potent liver carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute. This chemical is in lacquers  varnishes, paints, printing inks and adhesives. Benzene, a chemical in gasoline, plastics, oils, paints and rubber is known to cause skin irritation as well as many other health issues such as leukemia and bone marrow diseases. Formaldehyde is a third common chemical in products including particle board, facial tissues, grocery bags, natural gas and nail polish to name a very few. Exposure has been linked to asthma and cancer.

english ivyThe good news is that these chemicals can be absorbed by house plants! NASA conducted a study that explored the abilities of plants to provide better air quality. That research consistently showed that certain plants remove toxic chemicals from our indoor environments. In a tiny house carbon monoxide is an added concern. We have fans and often crack the windows but there have cold nights and we’ve noticed we aren’t getting enough air in our loft and wake up groggy and disconcerted. The top five plants that they found to clear the air of the three chemicals above and reduce carbon monoxide levels indoors are bamboo palm, chinese evergreen, english ivy, gerbera daisy and Janet Craig. To learn more, find the full report here.

There is a lot to consider when building and living in a small space but for mejanet craig plant indoor air quality ranks as one of the most important changes I can make to my overall well-being living the tiny life. Living in La Casita I’ve definitely learned that it’s the smallest of changes that make the biggest difference.

Your Turn!

  • What concerns about living the tiny life do you consider most important?
  •  How do you limit toxicity in your daily life?
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How to entertain, the tiny life way!

By on March 22, 2013   /   Life Style   /   3 Comments

Ever since I was little, I loved to throw a party! As a kid I thought, who doesn’t want to come over, swim in the pool, listen to music and sip koolaid? Now it’s more like who doesn’t want to hang out, listen to music, eat delicious food and drink beer? Since living in a tiny house our parties have gone from large affairs to more intimate gatherings and it has been a big adjustment. I’ve definitely got some tips and tricks though for those of you out there trying to figure out the entertainment aspects of living the tiny life!

bouncy castleTip #1: Get creative! We had a Halloween party one year and it was a cold one (for Charleston). So what did we do? We built a bonfire, invited friends with marshmallows, rented a jump castle and stocked a cooler full of beverages! Talk about immediate outdoor entertainment! Sometimes, the trick to partying the tiny life way is to keep everyone out of doors. This is really easy in the summer when the weather is great but what about when it’s chillier? Cedric has a winter birthday so we have to come up with alternatives. Perhaps an ice skating party or snowman building contest! It’s all about how you can creatively use your outdoor space. Another great trick is follow local outdoor customs. We got a keg, invited neighbors and had an oyster roast, an open air event in the South that you enjoy during the winter harvesting months. Rent a tent, make it an event! Here in Vermont we’re debating a sugar shack for a warmer type of entertainment!

Tip #2: Throw a dinner party! Or Sunday brunch! Everyone loves to be fed. I know of very few people who turn down free food. Plus, dinner parties are perfect for inviting one or two people and having a wonderful, more intimate event. Two is definitely the max number of folks we can invite and still serve comfortably. In the case of tiny 215912_2019225800037_2119919_nhouse living, my trick is to prepare as much in advance as I can. I make soup that I can re-heat, bake a crusty bread beforehand or put together a one-pot pasta dish. This makes prep easier and more manageable in a tiny kitchen plus it gives you more time with your guest(s). Also, if you are hosting in the winter months clear your hooks and storage area for guest items. I tend to stash Cedric and I’s clutter and winter wear, including shoes, in the loft. If we are having 1-2 people over plus their dog and our dog we remove Asher’s kennel and sometimes our ladder as well so we have plenty of room for 2 and 4-legged friends!

Tip #3: Rent out the roller rink! Or any other such venue for larger parties such as engagement celebrations, baby showers or blowout birthdays. You only have so much you can do in a tiny house. Cedric and I have had our birthdays at our favorite restaurants and then invited folks back for cake. We can’t serve more than two people a whole dinner but we can serve 4-6 a piece of cake. Going somewhere were many folks can join in a dinner or game of bowling and then having a smaller crew for a short period, such as sharing dessert, can assure that you end a birthday or any evening with those folks closest to you.

Tip #4: Foldable, storagable entertainment! Sturdy folding chairs and easy to store entertainment is a must in a small folding-islandspace! We have a 4 player Catan game, playing cards and a compact, homemade version of Rumicub that we break out for game nights. Trick with games? Buy a traveler’s version if they have one! They are compact and easy to store! We have a folding chair we keep handy hung on hooks. A small, folding side table can do wonders for increasing your space for games and dinners. Space savers are essential and they can make putting together a fun evening super easy!

Tip #5:  Relax and have fun! Don’t stress your event. The process should559707_10151266255539322_919314180_n be as enjoyable as possible. Putting together a tiny house gathering has it’s perks in that it’s very manageable. When you have a large space you can easily invite too many people and end up with an event that takes more time and money than you planned. The more casual and laid-back your approach to entertaining the more fun you’ll have hosting and enjoying your next tiny house party!

Your Turn!

  • How do you party tiny life style?
  • What kind of entertainment have you hosted in a small dwelling?
  • Any tips or tricks to share about organizing a tiny house event?

Via

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Relationships: The Art of Tiny Living

By on March 15, 2013   /   Life Style   /   8 Comments

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Lots of folks talk about utility and organization of physical space when it comes to living the tiny life. This is absolutely essential to creating a home that truly meets our essential need for shelter but I’ve found less conversations when it comes to balancing the emotional and mental aspect of relationships in a small space. I thought it might be helpful to discuss the ways that Cedric and I have been learning to navigate tiny living and ensuring the health and stability of our long-term, romantic relationship.

Designing private and communal space.

When designing La Casita, privacy was a big issue. We were trying to figure out how in the world we were going to create communal and private space in such a tiny structure! Cedric and I both believe it’s essential to have these designated areas to sustain a healthy relationship. At first, we tried to build two separate rooms downstairs but there was so much wasted space in the design we ended up tearing it all out and starting over! It was a tough decision but ultimately the best one.

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In our original plans we had an open loft space but after realizing we weren’t going to be able to separate the space downstairs, we decided the loft would be closed off. This has done wonders for our need for alone time. When one of us is in the loft, it feels like a completely isolated, cozy place that you can relax, read, work, meditate, write letters or take a nap. When one person is downstairs and one up, you get a feeling of separation that allows us to recharge and, in the case of a disagreement or high emotions, a sanctuary to cool off.

Open, honest communication.

Before Cedric and I moved in to La Casita, we decided to take a workshop on Non-Violent Communication.  Non-Violent Communication is a method developed by psychologist Marshall Rosenberg that focuses on reconnecting ourselves with our compassionate nature, even under the most trying of circumstances. It implements a non-judgmental, non-accusatory structure of expressing feelings and needs. You can’t hide from issues in anvc home the size of many people’s garden sheds! It’s absolutely impossible and if you try, conflict will quickly escalate. Cedric and I are constantly working on hearing each other compassionately and meeting each other’s needs and it is not without challenges but I’ve found that living the tiny life benefits our relationship in that we can’t let things fester. We have to face the issues that crop up.  Working on our relationship this way creates a continued emotional closeness necessary to living in such close physical proximity.

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Tiny Living: City Vs. Country

By on March 8, 2013   /   Life Style   /   14 Comments

When it comes to living the tiny life which is better? The city life or the country life? With the ability to move your home the possibilities are endless. Having recently made the switch from urban to rural tiny lifestyle, we’re assessing the transition. Here are some advantages and disadvantages we’ve experienced in La Casita.

The majority of folks I’ve talked to who live in a tiny house do so for economic reasons as well as ecological ones. Those were the big motivating factors for Cedric and I. Living lighter on the earth is of great interest to us as is meeting our needs with less money so our recent move got me thinking: is living the tiny life in the country greener and more economically sound than living in the city? In the city we rode our bikes to work, the americanogrocery store, the bowling alley, restaurants and most of our friends’ houses. Now that we’ve moved to a more rural area I find I’m driving a lot more. I definitely feel dependent on our vehicle rather than my bike. For me, living the tiny life isn’t just about houses, it’s my intention in everyday experiences. Being dependent on a car does not satisfy my need for a more intentional, regenerative existence.

There’s also the added expense of car dependency. Gas is more costly here than down south. Plus, with winter still in full swing we had had to buy a set of studded tires so we could get out of our driveway!  We’re both feeling as though it takes a lot more stuff to live the country life in the north than it did the city life in the south.

P1000287When it comes to aesthetics living rural has living urban beat-even in the winter! Life out in the country is proving exceptionally beautiful and much more quiet than our life in Charleston. There’s also a lot more privacy. Walking out the door in the city often met with someone staring at the house and wanting to know more about it. I loved talking with passer-bys but when you’re getting stared at on the regular, it starts to feel invasive. Plus, being packed in next to other houses does not provide the most scenic view. Here in Vermont we look out to the woods and up to a mountain and at night the stars are stunning. I’m definitely sleeping better at night without my next door neighbors yelling and drinking in to the wee hours of the evening!

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