One man’s quest to build and own his own mortgage-free castle on wheels
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Hi, I’m Ryan, and this is my story of how I am trying to take back control and freedom in my life. I’m going to share with you a great way to improve your lifestyle by examining your housing choices. Along the way, I will reveal the highlights and lowlights, joys and frustrations, in my attempt at reclaiming my freedom through building a “tiny house” (with my own two hands).
In this series of articles, I will share my experiences with the tiny house movement and what it’s like to build your own small home from the ground up, on a small budget, without sacrificing quality or ‘coolness’ and after I have lived in it for some time, to share with you whether or not reality lived up to my expectations.
Did I meet my lifestyle goals? Will the house be an amazing space to live in? Will I actually be able to work fewer hours and have more time for fun? Will potential mates laugh at me for having such a small house? (This is a valid fear of many men who look into tiny houses). Can my ego handle that possibility? What does it mean to be a “real man”, anyway? Are we to be defined by the size of our house?
Time will tell, and I hope you choose to take this journey with me by following my progress as I venture into unto uncharted waters.
I like to think of myself as a reasonably enlightened, spiritual, but masculine guy
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I like to think of myself as a reasonably enlightened, spiritual, but masculine guy who is oriented towards self-growth, personal challenges, and improving my character. I care about being a good father, an ethical businessman, and a responsible citizen of my community. Like you, I try my best to turn every situation and circumstance into an opportunity for personal insight and self-growth, and my housing choices are no exception.
Some background: at this stage of my life I’m forty-three years old, divorced, with a 9 year old son who lives with his mom and step-dad in another state. I tend to move around every few years because I like change and new places, and new opportunities when they arise.
To take control of my life, I realized I needed to ask and answer some hard questions |
In short, I have an incredible amount of control in my life as far as when and where I work, because I have been very intentional over the last ten years about creating freedom in my life as much as possible, which is why I take the financial risks and income fluctuation that come with being self-employed. I work from home as a marketing coach and consultant. I always assumed that I needed a big home since I spend so much time in my house.
To take control of my life, I realized I needed to ask and answer some hard questions and come to terms with what is actually important in my life. Like so many other people, all my life I wanted a huge house that everyone would be impressed by, and I was willing to forego deep friendships, neglect my marriage, and overlook creating a sense of community, all to work hard and long to earn the cash (or credit) to get a mortgage on a multimillion dollar home.
Only then would I be “successful”! Sound familiar? I feel ready to challenge these assumptions, and you may too.
I realized I had found my next big challenge! |
When I discovered the tiny house movement, I realized that I could enjoy even more freedom and flexibility, and have a really cool house, and work as few hours as I choose to, by “going tiny”!
This particular journey began with research into structures that seemed funky and cool—geodesic domes, yurts, strawbale and “earthship” construction techniques, cargo container homes, etc. I even considered buying and living in a converted school bus. But when I discovered small, portable houses built like a regular home, that enabled the owners to live mortgage and rent-free (or nearly so) I realized I had found my next big challenge!
Could this be right for you? If you sometimes feel like a pawn in someone else’s game, working at a job you don’t love, in a place you don’t love, all in the pursuit of the almighty dollar, maybe it’s time to examine your lifestyle, housing, and choices as a consumer (or non-consumer).
My identity and ego as a “successful man” is ready to be challenged |
I admit that my ego wants people to be impressed with my home. But as I get older, my priorities have changed. I find myself strongly desiring deep friendships within a real community, and most of all wanting a sense of real freedom – the freedom to work when I want and how I want, and not be forced to work long hours, just to buying lots of stuff (cars, homes, toys) just to impress people that I don’t know or really care about.
My identity and ego as a ‘successful man’ is ready to be challenged. I don’t know the Joneses and I don’t want to try to keep up with them anymore. F*ck the Joneses! And I suspect the big banks and credit card companies will do just fine without profiting further off my unconscious lifestyle choices (e.g. tendency to go into consumer debt to buy yet more stuff that I don’t need).
This desire for freedom and control has led me (this time) from San Diego, to Boise, Idaho, which has welcomed me with open arms. It was a great move, and Boise is a pretty cool town (who knew?). But then I started looking into the idea of buying a small piece of land and building some kind of alternative – something funky, cool, unique, and 100% MINE, with no mortgage, that I could build myself and customize to my heart’s desire. A setup, a domain, a ‘castle’ that would be 100% paid for from the start!
Building it so far has been a true pleasure |
Here is what I have so far: a twenty-five foot long, ‘two story’ mobile tiny house that will be 328 Square feet in total. Some of the cool features will be two lofts (one at each end), a large soaking tub and shower, 2 skylights, a glass front door, hardwood and cork floors, and 15 large windows. In fact, there are so many windows that I have dubbed her “The Lightbox”.
It will have a built-in reading area, a built in office with lots of storage, a fully functional kitchen and bathroom, a special cabinet that will house my guitars and amplifier, a wraparound deck, and hopefully room for a massage table, and even a tantra chair.
Building it so far has been a true pleasure, but at a price: my back is continually sore. At 43, you can’t do sporadic hard physical labor like a twenty year old can, not when you talk on the phone for a living. Going up and down ladders all day is like doing lunges – one hell of a workout. I have gotten hundreds of splinters, dings, dents, and shed blood many times. I’ve exhausted my savings. My social life has slowed down, too.
But it’s been a blast so far, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Up next is the roof, sheathing, and installing the windows and skylights, at which point it will start to look much more like a “real” house. I am happy with how it has turned out so far, and I am still very excited to live in my Lightbox.
You can follow my progress and get more insights on what it’s like to build a tiny house like this by visiting my blog at RyansTinyHouse.com and continuing to read this series of articles on The Good Men Project.
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Photo:Ryan Harris
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These homes help you live a much more fulfilling life. On budget, without material cravings, and just what you need. I built one using this guide http://www.amazon.com/Small-Home-Tiny-House-Estimate-ebook/dp/B00IKT3TW4 after selling my 2500 sq ft home I have never been happier.
Glad to hear it John. There’s something about smaller spaces / less stuff that just clears the mind and helps a person focus!
This is an inspiring story – and I can’t wait for the next installments. Downsizing is clearly so much better for the soul as well as the bank balance.
What did you find most challenging doing the build itself and do you think anyone can try what you have done?
Neil, absolutely anyone can do what I have done so far! There are young teens who have built houses, including a girl whose dad helped her get started, but then he died, and she finished it in his honor. Disabled people have done it, and those who are pretty much perpetually broke have done it using almost 100% discarded or “repurposed” materials. In fact I am writing another article (lovingly) challenging folks to move past their reasons of why they can’t get started. It’s always about self-limiting beliefs. I am not saying tiny houses are for everyone, but for those… Read more »
Seriously, I love what you are doing, Ryan. You are inspiring a different way of seeing one of those things most people think is just the “way things have to be”. I like your challenge of the status quo.
Thanks Jacob. I have always tried to question the “normal way” of doing things. I have owned houses in the burbs, lived on Navy ships, lots of small apartments, coffee farms in Hawaii, and of all of these, I am definitely most excited about the possibilities of simple living in a tiny house! Building it myself to suit me like a glove is probably the biggest reason!
-Ryan
I am very impressed! At 30 I am starting to feel my age so I don’t know how you must feel at 43, but if you have a desk job all day I am sure it is difficult. That is an excellent and well written article and I would agree with many of your points. Being hard of hearing, I don’t really pay attention to what other people think but it has taken me until 30 and living in 5 different houses with my wife in the span of 3 years to understand what we really want and need. Like… Read more »