From van life to tiny houses, the popularity of small-space living has exploded in recent years. Trading size for factors such as location, cost, and efficiency, more and more people are ditching the traditional American dream of a "house with a picket fence" and opting for unconventional living spaces. These days, people are making their homes in everything from boats to tree houses, converted military vehicles to truck campers.
The Draw of Living Tiny
Similar to the rising trend of Marie Kondo-style minimalism, tiny-space living enthusiasts tout how having less space and less clutter in their lives leaves more room for the important things, and gives them more flexibility to pursue what they truly love. The cost efficiency isn't bad either; tiny-living is particularly attractive in mountain towns and other popular tourist destinations, where soaring rent and housing prices can drive locals out of town. Those who choose to live a vehicle-based lifestyle can do so rent-free, and while a fancier tiny home can run around $60,000, many of them are constructed using recycled materials, or by repurposing a previous structure, such as a shed, into a living space. This is exactly what Rodney and Marcelle of Seward, Alaska did.
The Story of a Shed in Seward
Seward is a beautiful town in south-central Alaska. Situated on the ocean, visitors flock to the small town for fishing, whale-watching, and boat tours, and the town lives off this tourism. With such huge numbers of visitors every summer, Rodney and Marcelle decided to start renting out their regular home to guests during the summers. However, they needed a place to stay as well. Their solution was to build a beautiful tiny home in their 12x16 shed.
Groove-trimmed with nautical rope and decorated with artwork by Marcelle, the shed is a beautiful, homey living space. And with a two-seat recliner, a big TV, an open-space closet, a full kitchen, a lofted bed, and a shower, the home has everything needed to live a comfortable life. A deck with a grill, hanging basket, and herbs increases the living space and lets Rodney and Marcelle enjoy a fire and a glass of wine outside.
Rodney says living in a tiny home every summer allows them to evaluate their belongings every year and they get rid of anything they didn't use the previous season (the Hawaiian shirts stay though), reducing the overall clutter in their lives. They love sharing their main home with guests and plan on 'living tiny' indefinitely.
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