Less House, More Life. One Young Couple’s Inspiring Journey to Mortgage-Free Living

Have you ever given a good, hard thought about what freedom means to you? For many folks, it means having a secure job and a roof overhead, but some people go much deeper. Alek and Anjali wanted to live a simpler life, one free from debt and belongings yet rich with experience and one day they decided to just make it happen. Together with their dog Anya (there for moral support and not as much building expertise) they built the tiny house on wheels you see below, using custom designs Alek made with a design software called SketchUP. It remains one of the most popular and well thought out tiny houses on wheels we have seen and their story is truly inspirational. They prove that with less stuff to clutter your space and mind you bring more opportunity to live life and enjoy it with the ones your with.

aleks-tiny-house-1

Alek is a web designer by trade but has a passion for visual arts and architecture – and you can tell by the finished product he has a natural talent that extends well beyond the computer screen.

aleks-tiny-house-4

 

Through building this tiny house Alek and Anjali sought to reconcile a lifestyle that brings them closer with nature and community. Of course making the transition to living tiny isn’t without its own sacrifices and challenges, but those trade offs ultimately bring more happiness and fulfillment to their lives. Their entire journey is well-documented on their blog, and they began construction early in 2013. Built on an 8′ x 20′ trailer, this 160 square-feet space brings a lot of aesthetically pleasing elements into one design, from the warm wood, high end stainless appliances, and creative built-in storage solutions to the large windows that let light pour in.

aleks-tiny-house-5

 

Above you can see a good shot of the interior walls, which make use of build-in shelving and storage for books and other decorations. We also love that fan. Below shows off their well-appointed bathroom, truly a display of how great this design is, and you can see how they fit a ton of function into a small space.

aleks-tiny-house-6

“All this means more time for introspection, gardening, getting back to the simple things in life. A goal of mine is for this smaller dwelling to encourage me to be outdoors, to connect with my neighbors, and to foster collaborative, supportive community.”

aleks-tiny-house-3

aleks-tiny-house-2

Using sustainably sourced materials was a priority of theirs, and the house was built with a focus on efficiency, using double-pane argon-filled windows, high R-value closed-cell spray foam for insulation, and a metal roof with a unique cedar and metal siding. Inside they use LED lights to brighten things up for a low cost and efficient lighting solution.

aleks-tiny-house-7

aleks-tiny-house-8

Their initial journey began in Boulder, CO but today they’re looking to live in Northern California, near Sebastopol (which happens to be pretty darn close to us, yay!). You can follow their entire journey, from the initial build to their current living situation on their blog http://tiny-project.com/ or visit their Facebook page to stay up-to-date https://www.facebook.com/TheTinyProject

Want to build something similar?

If you’re looking for plans to build a house like this, you’re in luck. Alex recently published building plans for sale on their site plus they offer a lot of other great resources if you’re interested in getting started with your own tiny project.

 

Leave a Comment