I want to introduce you to Matthew a 22 year old who recently completed his own tiny house. He had never taken on a project like this before but learned along the way. I think his story is a real inspiration for us all. Matthew please take it from here:

When I was 19 I saw Jay Shafer’s Tumbleweed Houses and was in awe. I became infatuated with the idea of living as a young adult with no mortgage or rent payment like everyone my age that chose to live on their own. I began making blue prints/sketches every day trying to imagine what “my house” would look like!

Everyday moving the kitchen or altering the windows or what have you. I found a 8×24 car trailer on craigslist for $1,500 and bought it on a whim and said, “well, there’s no turning back now…” $10,000 and over 1,500 man hours later, I’m the proud owner of my tiny home!

On a part time server’s salary/musician’s salary (not a lot at all) I managed to save every dollar I earned and pumped it into the house as projects needed to be done. I had no idea what I was doing, all I knew was I wanted to have it so badly, so I made it happen. I learned how to build walls and install windows, floors, counter tops, operate nearly ever type of saw there is, run plumbing, electrical ( with the help of my father) somethings are better looked after by a professional haha!

Then after two and a half years I wound up being pretty much finished. It’s been my biggest accomplishment in my life to date, it’s taught me things that I wish everyone could understand, minimalism, perseverance, determination, conservation and how important all those things are in one’s life. In a lot of senses this house gave me purpose when I absolutely needed it.

Thank you for hearing my story and I hope I can inspire someone else to do the same.