We’d like to make two announcements: firstly, WE’RE HAVING A BABY!

And secondly, we are selling our precious wee house to make room for a precious wee person. Alas, this particular tiny adventure finishes and another great one begins…

For Sale: 130sq ft Fencl, built 2011.

• Fully furnished, with propane 3 burner stove, fireplace and on-demand water heater.
• Option of water direct in, or water tank and dc pump.
• Built-in UV & sediment water filters.
Price: $49,000 (Canadian).

Frequently Asked Questions:

Did we get House Insurance?

We did not get any insurance for our tiny house. I think we just weren’t sure how to approach that and then never got around to it once we had it setled in. The thing is that we were not sure if it was going to be a problem that we built it. However, it dose fit within all the width, height, length and weight regulation for the road. So maybe it would be fine. We called Jay Chafer at one point to ask his thoughts as we had some consultation time with him. His take was that the cost of the house was the insurance (that is not a direct quote). Our main concern for it’s safety was on the road, but we had a extremely competent friend toeing it for us. Its not like we were toeing it back to the UK though. Hey speaking of the UK, for my friends back home, check out Aviva for insurance. Just discovered them this week. I hadn’t heard of them before. I know they are in multiple countries too, so you could maybe check them out for tiny house insurance.

Contact:

So, after much ado, Collin found an Ikea ottoman in Goodwill for $10, took an old pillow, chopped it up, and covered it with material that we used for decorations at our wedding, and voila! A comfortable footrest! Now we feel like Kings as we watch Frodo Baggins head to Mordor…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0sKe6OaG1I

It’s been a few months of life in our house over the summer and now fall since we’ve spoken. Sorry about that, I’m sure we both missed each other…

Our place has been really lovely to live in. Constant upgrades of bits and bobs, but that’s any house, no matter the size.

Now that winter is in the back of every Canadian’s mind, Collin and I are now getting our place ready for the sobering, cold, long season of white.

Here’s Collin capturing one of our strategies (And yes, we do realize this still frame of him is sexy) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfOmnNgAjf4

Here’s strategy #2 (No pumpkins were hurt in the making of this film):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYrN3MnU7Vk

My brother Michael visited us recently and was the first to sleep over in our house on the pull out couch! So fun to know that we can share our home, after all, what is a home without the ability to entertain?

So, we have moved to Southern Ontario, Canada with our Fencl Tumbleweed Tiny House a few weeks ago!

Collin & I are settling in wonderfully. The property that we get to live on is 100% private, full of tall trees & gardens, and has water and electricity hook ups. Our friends are allowing us parking for our car, as well as usage of their laundry facilities and storage. We are really blessed.

Let’s get to the good stuff: How are we REALLY living tiny?

Well, first of all, we had to downsize. A lot. We’ve only been married three years (two of those we had an apartment with plenty of belongings), but per usual, we did collect stuff. So, we had to get rid of tons, but still kept things that were important to us (e.i. music gear, art supplies, kitchen bits and bobs, and framed art work). Like I said earlier, we do have storage.

The first few days were overwhelming. We had boxes everywhere, like any other family who just moved house, but in a space this small, everything feels 100 times messier! So, once we got ourselves sorted with storage, kitchen organized, bathroom cupboard arranged and clothes hung, bed made, and furniture unburied, we could breathe.

How do you drain your sink, shower & toilet water?

We use biodegradable dish soap & shampoo, so our water can just be drained on site. For now, we are using an eave trough to drain both the shower and sink pipes just beyond the house. It is only grey water, as they say, so it will not harm the grass or soil. As for black water (toilet water) we have built a loveable loo (google it!). This is a bucket and saw dust method that does not require any plumbing. You cover what you add to it using the saw dust and it eliminates the odors, while helping it break down into compost. Seeing as we do not own the land, we cannot compost in the full manner, but instead take the full bucket into town to the water plant. There we can dispose of it for free!

How can you cook?

We have a three burner stove (propane fed), a bar fridge (with freezer) and a convection oven. I am an avid baker, so to go without an oven would feel too much like camping/roughing it, and this is our home. There is a spacious cupboard for storage, and quite a few shelves for jars of food, dishes, etc. The trick is to keep cleaning as you go!

Can you have people over? And what if you have a family?

Yes. We have a couch, and two Ikea sofa chairs. Also, we live on 2 acres of beautiful land and have outdoor bbq’s, campfires, and hang outs outside. As for sleeping over, our couch converts to a bed that can sleep two. Our storage loft about the couch can also sleep one (once we add a railing). In all: 5 can sleep over. When it comes time to have children, we figure a baby would fit in no prob. We aren’t the type of people who buy frivolously for ourselves, and will be selective as to what we’d add to our home in terms of baby items.

If you have other questions, be sure to ask them! This website is to be of help to others interested in trying alternative housing options.

To help give you a sense of it all, here’s a video tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3ga8n_Y9dY

Sorry, but it’s a mirror image taken off the webcam. So, imagine it flipped!

Collin helping Trevor back the truck to the hitch.

My brother also helping.

Hooking it up and making it safe.

My dad inspecting. Notice the silver tool shed on the truck; it’s for better wind resistance/gas mileage.

Trevor, the professional driver, explaining the process.

Baby Steps out of the yard. First few feet and looking stable.

Eying out the action plan for the steep driveway.

Street view. The truck looks bigger than my house!

Got it down the driveway perfectly. Now checking out the break lights.

Showing off our baby on the road before the long drive.

Getting ready to follow from behind.

On the road! A little nerve wracking, but it rode smoothly.

Collin, Katelyn and I as we pulled over to move our ladder inside to be more secure.

Driving through Listowel, I believe.

Approaching Grand Valley.

Trevor making a tight turn.

Our new yard!

Welcoming party on site as we position the house beside the water and electric hook ups. (We’ll plug in until we have the money to get solar and wind technology, and rain collection)

Wooden panels nestled in with the trees. Hello pine, meet your relatives!

Perfect. Thanks to Trevor, our driver, my parents, the Goudy’s and all who supported us in this move.

To come: how we are actually living in 130 sq feet. The good, bad & ugly.

Once we return from our trip to Glasgow, we are packing up to move! We will keep you posted on how we actually do it!

With much excitement we are happy to say that our House Warming Party is a mere two days away, and that means only two days left to make our house look like a home.

Collin has been seeing to the detailed task of plumbing, while I’ve been seeing to the varnishing of every square inch of pine (which includes our ceiling, walls, shelves, storage loft & sleeping loft). You’d think that in a house this size, every aspect of a build would go fast, but no. The core of every house has the same elements: electrical systems, plumbing, water filters, water heaters, heat source, roofing, foundation, etc.

Let’s just say that we’re learning LOADS! Respect goes out to all builders & contractors of the world.

Me staining the porch post.

Up to dry.

Collin in the plumber stance.

Rainy, cozy view out living room window.

Couch almost done (cushion getting sewn)!

Can you spot the best building tool?

Varnishing our closet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlKl1oO9RqQ

Video of our rainy day inside our house. Felt so cozy hearing the rain hit our tin roof. Reminded me of Nora Jones‘ song “Come Away with Me” when she sings “I want to wake up with the rain falling on a tin roof”.