How To Build A Tiny House Recycling

Building A Tiny House With Salvaged Materials

Not everyone wants to build a house with all new materials. Some people want to use a combination of new and used; others want it to be built entirely with recycled material. There is no right way or wrong way.

The decision depends on a number of factors:

• How much money you have.
• How much money you want to spend.
• How much time you have.
• If you want to be environmentally friendly.

When using recycled materials, you have lots to choose from. Anything from traditional to eclectic.

Are you wondering how to build a tiny house using salvaged materials?

One option is to start with your design, find the materials you need, and then make the changes to accommodate what you find.

Here’s a great place to start with your house plan.

It’s as simple as visiting:

• A salvage store. You can usually find all kinds of goodies there, from small to large items.
• A dump. Most of the dumps we’ve been to have separate areas for trash and things that can be recycled.
• Trash pickup days. Tour around on trash day. Many times people will put out items that can be reused in your home.
• Online for sale by owner. You can often find what you need by keeping an eye out on places like Craigslist, Freecycle, and Kijiji.

We’ve used material from salvaged stores many times when doing renovations to houses we’ve owned. Our last project (a few years ago), we found enough laminate flooring to completely redo an entire floor in our house. Apparently a contractor had ordered the wrong color for a client and gave the entire shipment to our local salvage store. We just happened to be in the market for that type of flooring.

In all of these locations, we’ve been able to find windows, doors, and even furniture that are in good to great shape.

Doing it this way saves you money. And you can add character to your home.

Keep in mind that with non-traditional building material, sometimes you will need to modify your design to incorporate what you find.

You will also want to make sure that what you plan to use is safe, sturdy and will withstand time.

An added bonus is that you will avoid the issue of excessive chemicals that are present in many materials that are new.

Salvaged materials can be used for building your tiny house whether you want a traditional look or something that is true to your character. There are many more reasons to recycle than to buy new.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/how-to-build-a-tiny-house-recycling/ Joanne

Creekside Rental In Georgia

A Tiny House For Rent In Georgia

With summer coming upon on very soon, many people are trying to decide what they will do for their vacation.

Renting a tiny house is a good option. It gives you a roof over your head for the small amount of time that you would spend indoors. If you are like most people, you enjoy being outdoors for most of the day during the warmer temperatures.

Here is a place you can rent that won’t cost you a fortune.

It is approximately 256 square feet.

It has everything that you would need for your vacation: air conditioning (a must with Georgia’s climate), cable TV, wireless internet, a kitchen, bathroom with shower, and a fireplace for possible chilly nights.

If you have pets, you’re in luck as pets are allowed.

Something to note: smoking is allowed in this one.

It’s a log cabin that is situated in the Georgia mountains. It overlooks a creek. Unfortunately, there aren’t many pictures to really see what the cabin is like inside but if you want to see more before making a decision, you could write to the owners and ask for more pictures.

They say there are lots of hiking opportunities in the area, and lots of quaint shops to explore. And of course, lots of nature…

Sounds like it would be a very relaxing vacation. You get the best of both worlds – activities, shopping and a view. I find being surrounded by nature and small town shops something that I love for my vacation. That’s the whole point of a vacation – to relax and de-stress.

Want a little more information? Check out the listing and book it here.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/rentals/creekside-rental-in-georgia/ Joanne

Homes That Are Affordable

More Affordable Housing Options

With the continued high cost of housing, there are some challenges that most people want or need to overcome.

The expense and cost of living of a big house is an issue that is something that many people would like to avoid.

There are a number of options to consider:

Tiny housing – these are very small houses. They are generally anywhere up to 350 square feet in size. Everything is small within these homes – tiny kitchen, tiny living area, tiny bathroom, and tiny bedroom. In addition to the very reasonable cost to buy or build; the cost-of-living in one is minimal. They can be built in a permanent location or as a house on wheels.

Recreational vehicle (RV) – these can be a motor home, a 5th wheel, or a trailer. They come in sizes from very small (20 feet) to very large (40 feet). The size mentioned is in relation to Rvs, not permanent homes. They generally have everything you would need to live in on a temporary basis or a permanent basis. In fact, many people live in them full-time to save money, and/or travel without the expense of renting places wherever they choose to visit. An RV is basically a house on wheels.

The next two may be referred to by another name, depending on the country. The cost of the house, and cost-of-living would depend on the size and design but usually less than traditional homes. If a smaller size is selected, the costs would be lower.

Modular home – these homes are typically a little larger. They may be built off-location, transported to a piece of land, and constructed. Or they can be constructed directly on the land of choice. They come in sizes from small to large. They have all the comforts of home, and there are many plans and designs to choose from. With the larger size, comes the larger cost-of-living.

Manufactured home – similar to modular homes, they come in many sizes and styles. These types of houses are typically constructed right on the land. They also have all the amenities anyone could want and more, depending on the size.

Creative ideas – as an avid tiny house and simple living enthusiast, I’ve seen many very creative ideas that people have come up with to live in. From yurts, to luxury tents, converting trucks and trailers, and even a few of the larger cars. This type of living would not be for everyone, but I mention it because anyone can think of something unique by thinking outside of what is normal if that is what they want.

It is possible for anyone that wants to live a simpler, more rewarding life to find a place that has everything they could need or want, on a smaller scale.

There are many benefits that come from simplifying your life. I have mentioned these benefits in many of the previous blog posts – less stress, less cost of living, more time for yourself and family, and saving money. I keep mentioning them because they do become real and they do make life so much better simply by downsizing.

If you want to, you can check out some simple tiny house designs here.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/homes-that-are-affordable/ Joanne

Tiny Rustic, Modern House For Rent

Tiny Rental Home

Would you like to try out living in a tiny rental house? It’s a great way to see if it is really something that you would like.

When you go, keep in mind whether you are trying it out as a cottage that you build in your favorite summer location, or if it will be a permanent home for you. Keeping this in mind while staying there does make a difference in how you feel.

This one is so cute. Quite rustic but with many of the modern amenities you’d want for comfort.

Here’s how they describe their place:

At 350 square feet, it has a kitchen area, a living room, a tiny bathroom, and a clawfoot tub downstairs.

Upstairs you’ll find the loft bedroom with a queen size bed.

It was built and furnished with reclaimed materials.

As you can see in the pictures, it has a rustic, modern flair. In other words, if you are looking for a 5-star place to stay when it comes to all the extras that you pay for, this is not it. If you are looking to get back to the basics in a clean, well-done way – this is your place.

Explaining further – tiny house rentals are just as clean and comfortable as you will find in any house rental. You may not have all the extras that you get at a top rated hotel, but you will have everything that you need for an enjoyable and comfortable vacation.

Back to the basics – with you get private fenced small front yard and your own access.

Apparently there is easy access to walking and biking trails, restaurants, and lots of other things to see.

Overall, this very small house looks like it would be a really nice place for anyone to take a vacation. You can read a lot more about it here.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/rentals/tiny-rustic-modern-house-for-rent/ Joanne

Build Your Tiny House From A Shell

Tiny Inside House

Here’s your opportunity to take a tiny house shell and make it your own. Most of the exterior is done, including the windows and doors.

The inside is has been completely stripped and ready for your own design. Exactly how you envision it to be.

This means that your building time will be cut down considerably because some of the work is already done.

From what I understand, it will have to be moved from the current location but they say it is towable with a 1-ton truck.

The purchase price of $12,500 includes a fiberglass tub shower, 20 gallon water heater, Square D pro 100 amp, and a stainless steel sink.

The size is approximately 380 square feet.

It’s built like an RV (titled as an RV).

Right now, it is located somewhere in Mississippi. I guess you have to contact them for an exact location if you want to see it.

I think this is ideal. The outside looks quite nice. And you can finish the inside exactly the way you would want it to be.

Click here for all the information.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/for-sale/build-your-tiny-house-from-a-shell/ Joanne

Tiny House Magazine Issue 28

28th Issue Of Tiny Houses Magazine

The April 2015 magazine about tiny houses has been published.

As always, it is available in PDF format, or for you iPad or Android. Whichever is your preference.

This issue is 75 pages full of interesting and informative articles. Great for anyone just started out with learning about these small places, and for anyone that has been around for awhile.

Only $4.99.

Click Here To Buy It

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/tiny-house-magazine-issue-28/ Joanne

Here’s My Story

The “Why” And The Result Of Downsizing

For most of my adult life, I wasn’t truly happy.

I worked in jobs that I didn’t like (some I hated), jobs that were not what I really wanted to be doing. Like many other people, I thought it was something I had to do so we could live.

I wasn’t happy, but didn’t realize how unhappy I was until I made some changes to my lifestyle.

In reality, I was just coasting.

And then something happened that forced me to rethink how I was living.

I realized what I really needed was to feel happy and alive again.

With that realization came change.

We completely changed the way we were living our life.

It wasn’t an easy decision. It took a lot of thought, a lot of planning, and a lot of work. But it was worth it.

The end result is so much more than we ever could have imagined.

Fast forward a few years…

We are living a life that we enjoy. We are happy.

I am self-employed now, doing what I was meant to do. I should have done this many years ago.

We have a great work/life balance. Something that eluded us before.

We know now that there is no reason why anyone should live a mediocre life. A life full of struggles.

We are the owners of our lives….There is just one life and it’s ours to choose how we live it.

The catalyst for all the positive changes was when we downsized our house from a big one to a very small house. Everything snowballed (in a positive way) from that point on.

Two major changes that occurred from that decision were:

Our stress load decreased tremendously.

• We work when we want. Our work time is not dictated by anyone but ourselves.

We have been able to pay off most of our debts; we are now working on the only remaining one.

• Our “house” is very small. The cost of living is minimal.


• Because of the small size, it takes very little time to clean and/or maintain.


• This leaves of time and money for other things.

Which is a Huge Bonus!

But that’s not all!

We now have much more time for ourselves, our family, and friends.

The switch for living large to living small gave us the opportunity to reflect on our past life. The big houses we lived in were meaningless – nothing more than a status symbol. What people think is a reflection of success is more of a burden.

Life is not about what you have…

It is about how you live your life!

I made the decision that I wanted to live a meaningful life. A fulfilled life.

I want to live my life to the fullest.

That was not possible with all the demands from the way we used to live.

My fondest wish is that more people will realize that living a great life is more important than what you have. Those are just “things”; they don’t give meaning to your life.

Make plans to change your life for the better. It all starts with downsizing.

Take a look at some of the tiny house designs, and begin your journey to a better life.

http://affordablehousingdesigns.com/the-latest/heres-my-story/ Joanne