Tiny House Blog

Our power was out all day yesterday and into the night because of a power pole going down. It got me thinking of having a backup source for cooking and power. Though  a little off topic I think this little stove is worth a look.

I enjoy backpacking, although I admit I haven’t been doing it as often these days. When backpacking there is nothing like a hot drink in the morning and evening or a hot meal at the end of the day. A good backpacking stove is a must if you wish to enjoy this.

I have been frustrated with the high cost of fuel for these types of stoves, the hassle of hauling it in and out, and so when I saw this little stove it caught my attention for several reasons.

1. Lightweight. The BioLite CampStove is designed as a lightweight backpackers stove but does not require you to haul in fuel. You can gather it where ever you are.
2. Charge your phone or LED lights. This you won’t find on most backpacking stoves. If you need to be contacted and need a charged phone or camera you can do it with the charger built into this little stove.
3. Have a backup system. Where we live the power tends to go out fairly frequently and you can be without power to cook, etc. This little stove could work as a backup system during an emergency or when the power is out. You could still enjoy a hot meal, charge your phone, LED lights, etc.

While you would not want to use this in your tiny home, how about out on your porch? This little stove will soon be available and while it is not cheap at $129 it is very comparable to other stoves of its size. I personally am seriously thinking of purchasing one for myself. If you are interested you can reserve yours at the BioLite website. Continue Reading »

If you need a small oven that does not take up lots of space and uses the sun to operate the Global Sun Oven may be what you are looking for. Following are features that make this solar oven stand out and is worth looking at for an oven for your tiny house. The cool thing is that this is also made here in America.

One Piece Collapsible Reflectors

The GLOBAL SUN OVEN® can be set up for use or taken down for storage in a matter of seconds. The reflectors literally fall into place at an angle that allows you to maximize the power of the sun.

The reflectors are made of highly polished, mirror-like anodized aluminum that can be cleaned quickly and easily with glass cleaner, and they will never oxidize or rust.

Spill-Proof Levelator

There is never any need to worry about your food spilling in a GLOBAL SUN OVEN®. While cooking, your food rests on a shelf that self adjusts to always stay level as you refocus.

Easy Temperature Monitoring

A built in thermometer allows you know the temperature at a glance.

Self-Contained Leveling Leg

As the sun is at different points on the horizon the GLOBAL SUN OVEN® can readily be adjusted to follow it. A simple adjusting leg allows you to choose from 9 angled positions.

Extremely Well Insulated

A thick batt of non-toxic insulation retains heat. Food cooked in the sun and left in the oven will remain hot for hours. Cold air is held out allowing the GLOBAL SUN OVEN® to be used on sunny days year around regardless of the ambient temperature.

Light Weight, Easy to Carry

The GLOBAL SUN OVEN® weighs only 21 pounds (9.5 kg), folds up like a suitcase, and is equipped with a handle for easy transport.

To learn more visit http://www.sunoven.com

I have also seen a couple of videos on Youtube for building your own sun oven so this could also be an option.

Watch how it works in the videos below.

When architect Lila Cohen and designer Teina Manu purchased a lot with a bungalow in Arizona, they decided not to live in the bungalow, but to make it their architectural office. Their home then became the 450 square foot shed at the back of the property. According to Lila and Teina, the shed was most likely built around 1916 and they wanted to retain the original style by re-purposing many of the items and materials found in the little structure.

Manu, who is a designer who creates custom furniture, wanted the home to be eco-friendly as well.

“Little and low-priced to me is green,” he said to Arizona Central.

The tiny house contains a small kitchen/dining area, a living room, one bedroom with a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a sunken tub. From the front door of the house, every room is visible except the bathroom. A full size washer and dryer are inside a closet and a tiny office area utilizes a vintage sewing-machine cabinet as a desk. In the kitchen the appliances are smaller than average and the eating area is a steel breakfast bar. The couple had a stove custom made and they use Japanese shoji screens to separate the bedroom and living/cooking area. In fact, every door in the house is a sliding screen door. Continue Reading »

Recently we looked at a folding shower and Greg a reader of the blog sent me a link to this interesting concept that could help conserve space in a tiny/small bathroom. The SinkPositive is promoted as a way to:

1. Conserve Water – Fresh water for your hands, grey water for the bowl.
2. Save Money – Put money in your pocket by detecting costly leaks and reducing water bills.
3. Manage Small Spaces – Get more elbow room with the ultimate small space solution.
4. Touch Free – Eliminates interaction with germs on faucet knobs and handles.
5. Engages all Ages – Convenient and immediate visual cue inspires hand washing of even the smallest hands.

As a retrofitted sink basin, SinkPositive replaces a toilet tank’s lid to enable a touchless hand wash with clean, supply line water before redirecting the used (grey) water to the toilet bowl for the next flush.

Learn more about the SinkPositive at their website. http://sinkpositive.com

Please tell me what you think of this option for your tiny/small home.

Another of my jobs (besides writing for the Tiny House Blog) is taking care of my elderly mother’s five acres, located in the high mountain desert of Nevada. The property consists of a 2,000 square foot house, a large yard with hundreds of trees, a barn and a tiny house located at the back of the property.

The house was built in the 1980s as a guesthouse and has been used for numerous guests and visiting family members. It is 12 feet by 8 feet, single story, on a cement slab foundation, insulated, and has electricity and a wall mounted heating unit. The interior is a single room with a tile floor, three windows that look out on the nearby Tahoe Range and the garden and skylights that face south. The ceiling has charming rafters and is decorated with items from my mother’s native Denmark and Sweden. Continue Reading »

For a tiny house or small studio apartment a folding shower just might be the answer. This shower when folded up looks like a built-in cabinet. It is easy to install and remove and comes in several different colors. The shower uses thermostatic valves to pour hot and cold water for a relaxed shower experience. You can learn more at the Supiot website. If you are the do-it-yourself type person, take this idea and create your own version.