Friday, November 2, 2012

Living in the Tiny house full time!

 

 

 Living in the house full time!

 
 
 I apologize for such a long time between posts. I could not for the life of me remember my password! So much has changed sense my last post. 
Currently we our living in the house full time. It is amazing! I love it so much! I can't believe the difference in my life now. I for one have so much more time. It is so relaxing. I am amazed how great everything has worked out! Nothing has failed. I don't feel so crowed or cramped. I do think I need to downsize more of my clothes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Not the best picture.
 
 
 
 

Works great!
 

Selling

 Yes we did put the house on the market for a short time. It was not because we did not enjoy living tiny.  Matter of fact I am beyond happy with my house. It was for 2 different reasons. The thought of carrying such a heavy load to Alaska begun to scare my husband and I. Fear can rule you if you allow it. The other reason was because of a circumstance that I thought I would need to tend to in my life. For the grace of God he worked these things out. I am still beyond afraid to move such a large house to Alaska. So are half the other people in my life. I have a game plan for this. One is to pack enough food to last close to two months. That is the amazing part of trucking your house. That way if God forbid I am stranded. No worries. I have food and water and heat. Basic needs will be met. The other is to give it to God. I have faith he can get me to our new home. Oh and to the others who complained for my listing price. Really!!!!!!!!!!! The materials alone cost close to $20,000. Why on earth would I just give away something I worked so hard on! Be realistic!
 
 
 
 

 

Off the Grid.

 
First let me explain what off the grid means to me. I have been getting several negative response to when David and I say we our off the grid. Everyone assumes because we still have a cell phone and an internet that we are not off the grid. I did not say hiding in the woods preparing for Zombies. I said off the grid. Meaning not connected to a power source or water source. I still have a lower amount of bills than you. So blah on you saying I am not off the grid. I eat all organic. My seeds can be dried and reused. Meaning I have food for life. I eat raw cow’s milk. I boil the water to drink. I don't have an electric bill. I do not have a water bill. I also don't have a mortgage. So I think I am pretty good. Writing that sounds pretty good. Boy! Now to explain. My husband and I met the most amazing person. He has been off the grid sense 1994. He has so much inside information. Coming into his house was amazing. Wood cooking stove. Amazing old doors. He has so much information. I thought we were going for maybe an hour to pick up a solar system. I think we stayed for 8 hours. He designs such an amazing system. He has a vent system for the corrosive acid that it releases. I never saw ANY system with that. He GAVE us a 5 foot trailer. He answers any question I have when I call. I believe I made myself a friend in this purchase. I can't really go into information about the system. I am still in the process of learning it myself. I can tell you that it works great. We also managed to lift a 230 gallon water storage container into the loft. It did somewhat change the space. This is fine. Our shower and sink is currently being feed by gravity. We added gravity pumps to add more pressure. Everything seems to work fine. We will be trucking water in from the base when we get to AK. This is fine. 230 gallons last close to 2 months. So it’s not often. Plus we have a system were the water feeds from the rainfall as well. Oh and today we purchased a windmill! Can't wait for it to arrive! So that means we have 2 solar panels plus eight batteries and soon a windmill!
 
 
Well I am just going to add some pictures to see the progress. I apologize for my horrible grammar and miss placed words tonight. I am exhausted from a long day.

 

 

The wood stove that is also a cook stove.





 
 

37 comments:

  1. Great post! Did you decide to keep your tiny house?

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    1. Yes we did. As it says in the post. Things worked out for itself. We may sell in 3 years to build a carvan or bus house to travel the country. Will see how it goes from there.

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  2. Can you please tell us who you bought the solar system from as well as their contact info (and price if you can. We too, are putting our tiny house on off grid land. We have 22 ac. of wood-land property in Tennessee. We are also wanting to do wind power as well... would like info from where you got your windmill. Thanks

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    1. The individual is located in NH. It is not a company. If you email me I can give you his #. I don't want to post his information on an open blog.

      davidvicki05@yahoo.com

      We purchased the windmill from homedepot. We can convert it as a backup to our current system. It will be the permany system during the winter in AK.

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  3. I came across this blog by chance and when I read your story and profile I was amazed at how you are living exactly how my family would love to live! I'm not sure how I would feel about a tiny home yet but yours looks great! We are also a military family, my Husband is obsessed with wanting to move to Alaska (I'm not sold just yet). We just started eating organic and have taken a great interest in being self sustainable ourselves. We are going to downsize everything we have when we move again, having so much stuff is stressful and time consuming (to clean)!!! Are you growing a garden, canning or just buying local? I am intrigued by your story, like I said, we thought of doing almost the same thing one day but I am so nervous! Not to mention my Husband is still in the military so we can't just yet. Keep posting please:)!

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    1. Hello! My husband is still in the Military. We our PCSing to Richardson. This house allows my son to always stay in the same home his entire life. The backyard changes and that is. We live off of only BAH. Because the bills alone only equal out to $600 a month. We have so much money left over. I can now offerd to leave my job. I was before working 40 hours a week. When my husband goes away for some time in the field, I can fly home anytime to vist family. It has improved my life hundered fold. Right now I buy my food from a local store, but several of the family grow gardens on this land. They always share what they have. I have not bought vegetables all summer. We also had bulls and cows and sheep some time ago. So the frezzer is still full of them. I have reusable seeds. I plan to grow a large garden in AK. The only reason we did not grow this summer was because I though we were PCSing early. My husbands unit knows how we live. They support it. Imagine how many military families live WAY beyond there means and end in horrible divorces. This allows my husband a stress free environment. I can support him full time at home and still have tons of money left over. Plus when he deploys. I can come home! I really really think the ARMY should offer tiny house plots to familys that build their own. This offers stable environments. My husband has one concern. Go to work.

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    2. This is exactly what we are looking to do but I am worried about getting stationed overseas. We want a tiny home for all the same reasons and I am having a hard time finding a place to put one that doesn't include a 45 minute commute to post. I have tried to accept living in as small of a place as we can find to attempt to simplify our lives but at the end of the day we are still loosing our home with every pcs. Plus because we have children "housing codes" require us to have a minimum of three bedrooms.

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  4. I love this blog, good for you guys. I am fortunate to have a travel trailer (self contained) that I live in during the summer, I have a room that I rent from friends in the winter. (Camper not on my property have to leave when snow flies)I used to think I needed it all, the bigger the better. You guys, I will be 40 in 2 months and EVERYTHING I OWN fits into the back of my GMC Sierra. That includes 2 kayaks, 2 steamer trunks, my futon, two mission oak chairs & my fathers stereo cabinet (god rest his soul)my killer vinyl collection & other odds and ends. I have never been happier.I also have a 1963 Garaway Camper that I keep at my bosses house for winter camping, everything runs on propane, original ice box, she was my first & some day she will go behind my truck so I can travel in the winter, & come home to Sterling, NY in the summer. Think simple...life really isn't that hard. <3 Tobs Lyskawa

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    1. I love how the vinly records is among one of the keep!!! When my husband and I first got married, he keep trying to convince me to move into a RV. We have been married 8 years. I wanted the "American Dream". Ugh I should have listened to him years ago! I hope you find a plot for your house!

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  5. How do you plan to get that house under the hundreds of bridges between you and Alaska? How tall is the house?

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    1. If you look in some of the older posts, the roof folds down. Making it no taller than an airstream. Prior to the build we had AARP send us all the heigh restrictions for 4 routes to are new home. We know all the road widths and height widths. Along with weight restrictions.

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  6. Very exciting for you! I am anxious to read more about your adventure!

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  7. I'm just curious, what is the thrill of moving to AK for everyone? The state is so delicate as far as the eco-system goes that I can only see problems ahead as it becomes more and more crowded.

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    1. It is cold and wet, dark and windy for 9 of 12 months, the other three months aren't as bad...it's expensive, the mosquitos carry off small dogs and young children.If i never have to go back it will be fine with me.

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    2. I will only be so lucky to have a large mosquito carry away my child. At this moment his father gave him a whistle. This sounds like a great idea! lol. I actually love love love rain. I wish it could rain everyday. I know that sounds crazy but I do. My husband and I go camping in the rain and go hiking. It never bothers me. I prefer to be in a state were I can explore nature. My son is homeschool, allowing me to take him on adventure to learn things. Which AK is great for!

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  8. I live in a tiny house too... a 400 square foot studio. I don't know how much longer my idyllic life style will continue as small houses are so frowned upon, but maybe, with God's blessing, I will live here ''just long enough'' -- I love the Tiny House movement for people who realize just how ''too much'' their lives have become and we're self-choking themselves. What a blessing to have a husband that understands electricity. I've been studying solar since the 70's and the first Mother Earth catalog! So good luck in Alaska. Never get so small you go from fun to poverty. Always keep that buffer of a nice warm blanket and foot booties, and a little candy and some toys for the children. Raise your kids up in what you do, and how you live. My children did that with children, and its so nice to have a family that close-knit. Remember that song, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love'' -- It never grows old. Thanks for sharing your journey.

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  9. Hurrah for you and your desire to follow your dreams! It never ceases to amaze me how many people want to help you live your life! Enjoy and have fun! We are retired military and looking to build our own tiny house on wheels for a second home. We will have fun checking in on you periodically to see how your journey fares. Good for you!

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  10. My husband and I are living our off-grid homesteading dream, currently in a travel trailer until we can build the cabin we want. The response to people who say one can't live off-grid with a cell phone and internet connection is simple--it is nearly impossible to be completely off-grid. If you drive on a road, you are on a grid. We have chosen to remove ourselves from the electric, water and sewer grids.

    I'm wondering if you're aware that a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, therefore your filled 230 gallon water tank weighs 1,840 pounds. If you are concerned about the weight of your tiny house, you will want to be sure the water tank is not full when you move it.

    I wish you all the best in pursuing your dream of living small!

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    1. Thank you for the math. When we move we will be using a uhaul. I will be putting the water container in the yahoo and filling it part way to have water for the travels. Along with food and the items in the house. The roof then will fold down. This allows for lighter travel. The house has to fold down because of height restrictions.

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  11. ==========
    Hmmm -- I thought all the plumbing going to your batteries was an auto-fill of some sort . . . now I'm thinking must be for venting the (flammable) hydrogen gas which the batteries generate only while charging. Must be a royal PIA to monitor water level in the batteries? Unless you're needing to heat your battery shed, seems there are lots easier ways to vent the gas? Hydrogen gas is lighter than air, so one vent down low (in the shed wall) and one up high and DONE. As a practical matter, unless your shed door fits extremely tight and has been weatherstripped as well, the odds of the hydrogen gas building to a flammable level are VERY remote . . . just sayin' . . . sometimes people massively over-engineer things and end up with not much bang for the buck.
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    sail4free
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    1. Wow. It really is not that stressful to monitor the batteries at all. Its really no big deal. It was orginally design for a different system. The man who built this has NEVER had a battery fail sense 1994.

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    2. Hmmmm.... we may need to talk to this mystery solar man! Sounds exactly like what we need at our property. =D

      LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way your roof folds down. That is TOO cool!!

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    3. You can find him on the NH craigslist. I asked to do a blog about him. His response was look him on craigslist....

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  12. This is so awesome... Good luck with all your dreams and endeavors!!

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  13. What a beautiful home you have made for yourselves!! May all your needs be met. Peace and love :)

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  14. It all sounds so very exciting. I pray it works out wonderfully for you. I look forward to seeing you next week :)

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  15. Great post. Building your dreams on God is a solid foundation, I believe. Good luck on your journey!

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  16. What a great adventure. Best wishes wherever life takes you.

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  17. Love to see everything is working out for yall!!! So exciting!! Wishing you the best of luck on the next leg of your adventure :-D

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  18. This is sort of an odd question but where did you get the miniature washer or dryer I have been looking for one of those it looked neat.

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    1. It is a dual washer and dryer. Made for RVs. I found it on craigslist. They have better ones on ebay.com

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  19. Hello there, my friend! I just can’t help but admire how remarkable your tiny house is. With a house like that, I’m pretty sure that you and your family are living harmoniously. By the way, I give you a round of applause for that solar panel. Having a solar panel installed is very cost-efficient and also environmentally friendly!

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  20. That is a very cool. I think its great you guys are doing what you want to do. Perfect.

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  21. This is neat. We r a young military family with no kids and wonder if this would be a good move for our lifestyles. Hmmmm

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    1. Hi Victoria here! We found it fundemanely helpful with the constant moving. We lived at fam camps, with many other military families. Unfortunately I became a gold star widow in 2016 and sold the tiny house. ❤

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