Historic homes have plenty of charm and character, but are often short on space. This is especially true when company arrives. Ybor City resident, Judy Greer, has found an affordable solution to that problem: she is installing a guest cottage behind her home. Designed and built by Historic Shed, a … Read more
As my husband and I began mapping out the interior of our rustic shed-turned-cabin in Montana, he knew we wouldn’t have plumbing, and I knew I didn’t want to deal with chemicals or smells. With two small children and weather that can range from -20 to 85-degrees Fahrenheit, we also didn’t want to deal with schlepping outside for potty breaks. Building our own humanure toilet turned out to be our perfect solution.
With only 12x20 feet of living space, the whole cabin is virtually a kitchen/bedroom/bathroom. We had to choose between putting the loo by the hot stove (not safe for children) by the hide-a-bed, or in this quiet corner. While some question the cleanliness of pooping so close to a food prep area, one must remember that this is not a flushing toilet that sprays bacteria into the air with every flush. Your backside seals the toilet while you do your business. There is no splash. Compost debris quickly covers the deposits, and the lid is shut immediately. Also, having water within easy reach is a must for cleaning up "accidents." We hope to adjoin the outhouse to The Shabin in the near future.
We get quite a few jokes from friends and family about our “lovey loo,” but I would take our lovely-loo over a honey bucket any day! It’s a bucket inside a wood box, and we cover – um – the deposits with sawdust. it has a real toilet seat on it for looks and comfort, but it is what it is, and it works very well.
Recycled red outhouse behind The Shabin always stinks!
I covered the Climate Rite air conditioner about a year ago and Todd Arend recently sent me information about a new model coming out July 22 that is better geared for small small home. Here are the details. CR-7000 model is brand new to the market starting July 22. The … Read more
Kirsten from faircompanies.com just sent me her latest video, which I promised you a couple of weeks ago. More on that in just a moment. First, I want to introduce you to Debra and her family. Debra says, “I have never been a ‘hippy’ type – I like painted fingernails … Read more
Guest Post by -Derek “Deek” Diedricksen (by example of a recent FREE CLUBHOUSE-SHED/Playground Set in the Massachusetts area (the following is a ROUGH excerpt from an in-the-works salvage chapter on tiny houses that will be in my follow-up book to “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks….” a micro-cabin design collection) We’ve had quite a … Read more
Nearly 85% of college graduates move back home after they finish school. George Hemminger, who runs the YouTube channel Survive and Thrive in the New Economy, has a small solution for these “boomerang kids”: build a tiny house.
