This weekend, Robert and I spent 2 days in Asheville at a Tumbleweed Tiny Home workshop. We sat in a room with 100 other people, just like us, with similar dreams regarding their home, and we learned more about what it means to build and live in a tiny home. And it was awesome!!
One of my biggest gripes so far in this process has been the lack of support from just about everyone. Our families think we're a little crazy for wanting to live in a smaller-than-"average" home, and our friends seem like they support us and are excited for us but we realized after talking to more people about it that they still thought we were a little weird for wanting to go this route. So sitting in a room with dozens of people who know exactly what you're talking about and where you're coming from is super refreshing!
So, what does tiny living look like?
Well, reeeeally tiny living looks like this:
This is the Lusby. It is a 117 square foot home that you build on a trailer. You can leave it stationary if you want, but most people build them to have some added mobility in their lives. There is a loft for a mattress above the two tiny rooms, and there is space for small appliances, such as a mini refrigerator and stove. If you are prepared to strip down and live simple, I would imagine 2 people could live in this with very little problems.
This is not the house we want for ourselves, it's just the model they brought to the workshop. And honestly, I'm hoping that if we show more people these pictures, they will be less appalled, shocked, and generally pessimistic when we show them our own plans.
Either way, I'm learning more to be excited about what I'm excited about with less apologies. So a tiny home is unconventional? Still excited. So our families think we're a little crazy and haven't thought through everything? Still excited. So I just cut my hair really short and my husband may not love it? Still excited.
Not directly related, but it translates, I promise.
So we decided to drive to Asheville for this workshop because we're ready to start planning and don't want to wait, but the great news is that the Tumbleweed Workshop is actually coming to Charlotte in June! I would love to meet more people who are on the same path that we are in this. Just meeting like-minded people this weekend was enough encouragement in itself. If you think you might be interested at all, you should go! It's not just about the novelty of living in a small home. There's so much more to it than that. There are factors like environmental impact, the benefits of simpler living, and the freedom of having less stuff and less space to manage.
Ella was the presenter for the workshop and she has her own tiny home: The Fencl.
Check it out! And let me know what you think, even if you don't ever want to live in a tiny home.
