
Okay, so how many of us actually know how much water we use and how much we actually need? How much power we use to heat or cool the house as opposed to what’s essential?
Part of the allure to setting yourself up in a tiny house is to take on the lifestyle that accompanies it.
Some people are surprised to learn that they are excited by a top of the range composting toilet, or an innovative solution to storage.
I know people who thrive on sourcing their own water, knowing where it’s coming from, and how much is used on a daily basis. Setting up your tiny home near a natural running brook or stream can provide great water for drinking, washing your clothes, and bathing before filling up for the tiny home. Getting back to nature like the general population did centuries ago is much easier than you may think.
Others love the mechanics of how things work, what’s needed to end up with the perfect tiny home, and how it will save them money. I have friends who love the quality sound of good speakers and an awesome stereo. A couple I know have even made their own speakers from scratch to achieve what they class as ‘optimum’ for their tiny space. They worked out the dimensions of the space, what power was needed, what angle the speakers would face, where ‘bounce’ would occur, where they would be seated or lying down, and where to best place the stereo for easy usability.
Then there’s the off-grid’ers who love the challenge of sourcing the best and most efficient solar panels, composting toilets, and off grid appliances to complete their ideal tiny home. For example, take the solar panel system you will need for your tiny home. After you have decided on what appliances you will need (do you really need a dishwasher for such a small amount of washing up?), you need to list them all to determine the amount of energy you need. Then you need to design a battery pack that will hold all the electricity you require (and know exactly how long it will last before you run out), and how many solar panels are required to fill those batteries up. I know people who think that daylight equals solar power. Wrong. Sunlight equals solar power, so if you have no sunlight for a few days, you can be sure that your batteries will run low. Lastly, you will need to choose the equipment that will transform that power into practical usage in your tiny home.
And like all these things, it takes research and a passion to end up with what you want. But once you get there and are living the life, you will wonder why it took you so long.