Ever wanted to turn your backyard barn or shed into a livable tiny house for guests or yourself? Even if it were only for the kids to camp in once in a while…

One of our awesome readers, Jean, sent me photos and information on how she converted this barn into a little home. At approximately 288 square feet, it’s not incredibly tiny, but you can take the same concepts and apply it to an even smaller structure. Jean bought a 12′ by 24′ barn with a loft and converted it by hand into a guest cottage.

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It All Started With This 12-ft by 24-ft Barn

Photos Courtesy of Jean H. [continue reading…]

So you want to find reclaimed materials for your tiny house project because paying upward of $20,000 for a one-hundred-something square foot home just doesn’t seem right. Fortunately there are people who have built their little houses for less than $10,000 using some of the tips in this article.

• DIY tiny house on a trailer for $5,500 by Matthew Wolpe
• Another one for $3,500 by Jenine Alexander

Finally, there’s Dee Williams, who you are likely familiar with. She built her humble house for around $10,000 after leaving her big house.

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5 Strategies for Acquiring Reclaimed Materials

Photo Courtesy of Nicolas Boullosa via Flickr and Faircompanies inside Jenine Alexander’s tiny house

3 Easy Tips on how to get Reclaimed Materials for your Tiny House Project

1. Be on the lookout for structures around you that are going to be demolished [continue reading…]

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to run into Meg and Joe’s tiny house tour on their YouTube channel.

Then I found their blog, Living Small Under the Big Sky, and was glad to read some of the inspiring quotes on living simply.

But when I say live simply I also mean living richly.. Just in a different way than most of society sees it. You know what I mean, right?

Tiny House Tour after Construction

After Meg and Joe finished the construction (thanks to the help of some friends and family) they were a bit fearful about moving it.

Fortunately, it towed perfectly fine without any issues. 🙂

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Photos Courtesy of Meg via YouTube and Living Small Under the Big Sky

I encourage you to watch it in action in the video clip at the bottom of this post. [continue reading…]

Yesterday Newt showcased Jenine Alexander’s $3,500 DIY tiny house on a trailer.

So today I wanted to introduce you to Matthew Wolpe’s humble abode.

So far it has run him approximately $5,500 in material costs and he seems to be near completion.

He designed and built it himself and it has everything you can ask for in a 120 square foot home:

• Insulation
• Full sized bed in a loft
• Complete kitchen
• Hot water heater
• Outdoor shower
• Composting toilet

On the exterior you might notice the beautiful reclaimed redwood siding which came from fencing and ended up running him just $1 per piece.

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Photos Courtesy of Matthew Wolpe via Oakland Tiny House and Just Fine Design

In addition he’s hooked it up with 120V electrical outlets and a greywater system to take care of used water. If you like what you see, I encourage you to check out the rest: [continue reading…]

Most tiny house builders have simplicity in mind but few take it to the lengths that Jenine Alexander did when she built her 128 square foot home in 2009. Using Craigslist to gather building materials, Jenine built a beautiful, cozy home for less than $3,500!

After three years of traveling on her bike, Jenine dreamed of having a place to call her own. To avoid sky-high real estate and land prices, she rolled up her sleeves and got online. Jenine built herself a cozy home with very little impact on her wallet or the environment by using determination, creativity, and a Craigslist account.

Yup, Craigslist. Other than screws, hinges and other fasteners, all materials she found free or cheap, used or salvaged, primarily through Craigslist.

Unable to find used plywood for sale, Jenine built her house frame out of fir she salvaged from an old chicken coop. Quaint double-pane windows, found used, let California sunlight stream into her charming home. Refrigerator insulation, salvaged via Craigslist, keeps the house warm. The beams in the house’s ceiling she picked up from a man who, once he heard about the project, offered her flooring as well.

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The story of how she built her tiny house for only $3,500 (seriously)

Photo Courtesy of Nicolas Boullosa and Faircompanies on Flickr

Jenine enthuses about waking up in a house she’s built with her own two hands.

[continue reading…]

If I told you that working in your backyard office will be a big trend in the future, would you agree?

Thanks to the Internet the idea is becoming real for more people than ever. The 45 second commute… Doesn’t that sound appealing?

Backyard Offices for the Information Age

The idea of converting a shed into a workspace or studio isn’t all that new. People have been doing it for decades and possibly even centuries.

But it’s certainly growing in popularity right now as writers, artists, consultants, programmers, web designers and other professionals are realizing they can be their own boss and build a sustainable business for themselves from anywhere in the world.

A Modern Writer’s Shed

I would absolutely love to have a modern writer’s shed to work out of so today I want to introduce you to a company called 3rd Space. They specialize in creating inspiring backyard office spaces for their clients.

The structures are modular so you can add on to your shed later and enjoy the most flexibility. The use of timber, Birch plywood and full-height glazed panels offers an unbelievable feeling while inside.

Outside you’re greeted by Red Cedar cladding which is durable and beautiful. Fortunately with 3rdSpace you can customize, configure, extend and relocate your structure with ease because it’s all part of the modular design.

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If you like this, I encourage you to look at the rest of the pictures and details: [continue reading…]

I don’t know about you, but when I first saw a tiny house on a trailer it gave me hope for my dreams.

So today I wanted to introduce you to Molly, Zack, and Neil. They’ve built their own tiny house and used it so they can chase the best spots to pro ski! That’s living the dream for them.

What’s your version of living the dream?

Tiny Houses so you can Live your Dreams

Life is short. That’s why I’m encouraged when I see people who are truly pursuing what they want out of life. We have scarce, precious time to pursue our passion. So what’s yours?

What is it that you’ve always wanted to do but have put off for whatever reasons? I bring this up because there’s nothing like the energy from someone who is enthusiastic about what he or she is doing. Don’t you think?

If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more!

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It is about learning how to dance in the rain.”

Photo Courtesy of Neil Provo [continue reading…]

I had to show you this tiny house on the beach…

The little home has three levels. When you walk into the first it’s an open porch with a hammock to relax on.

It’s a tiny stick-built structure with an upstairs balcony which is one of my favorite features.

Living the Dream in a Tiny House on the Beach

On the top level is where you can probably set up your own sleeping loft. If you look at the photo carefully you might notice that they left it open for the sea breeze to blow through.

Via Pinterest

I don’t know about you, but living here would be a dream come true for me. [continue reading…]