Family Turns Shed into DIY Mortgage-free Tiny House

Inspiration for Off-Grid Living

For those looking at off-grid options, taking a look at what other people are doing can give you some great inspiration for your own simple life project. Katie and her husband went to live off the grid on a piece of land they purchased in Manitoba, Canada, in the spring of 2018. Katie runs her own business making and selling her knitting and crafts, and is a stay at home mom as well. The couple wanted to create a full-on self-sufficient homestead and to live a simpler lifestyle to get away from the hectic nature of city living. They wanted more time to spend together, and with their kids so they didn't have to hustle as hard to afford a life in the city. Many families quickly realize how expensive it can be to live in the city and so it's becoming quite common to hear of people moving into a more sustainable way of life for affordability and for peace of mind. The couple bought their piece of land and decided to start out tiny so that the entire process would be more affordable. They bought a 16 foot by 52-foot premier portable building and finished it themselves. They increased the standard height of the tiny house and also created a larger loft area that extends over the entire main floor instead of one that just goes part way.

Designing a Functional Tiny House

They had some help from a book called Tiny House Floor Plans which includes over 200 interior designs for tiny houses. A tiny house that has all of the amenities of a regular home but mini sized. While some tiny houses are built on trailers making them mobile, the tiny house this family decided on was on a foundation which makes it a part of their property. It also makes it easier to build to your specific needs when it's on a foundation too. There are ways of packing a lot into these tiny homes, and as you can see with this one, they were able to create a very livable space for themselves in there. Other people build these smaller houses as accessory dwelling units or guest houses to accommodate family or Airbnb guests in. If you're making your tiny house a full-time house, it's a good idea to get it properly insulated for the climate you're living in which is what they did with their tiny house. Since they live in one of the coldest areas that regularly sees -45-degree Celsius weather in the winter, they made sure their home would be nice and warm.

Cozy and Sustainable Living

They added a wood burning stove which will easily heat the house for an affordable cost, and it helps to keep their power usage low since they are on solar power. The home's design is a gambrel roof type of home which looks like a small barn. Very cute for out in the country. They painted it a nice deep red with white trim, very classic farmhouse or barn house style. The front of the home features a nice covered patio and then leads into the main area of the home with the kitchen and living room which are open to each other. The flooring is really neat, and it's all reclaimed barn wood. The wood stove also acts as their cooking stove as well, which is nice, and they even have a TV in their living room. The kitchen is temporarily set up but will feature more cabinets and proper appliances. It's nice that they even have a main floor master bedroom. Then up in the loft is even more space for the kids. This is a great inspiration for those looking to build a tiny house and a homestead off the grid.