The forgotten and ignored are my tribe.

I’ve heard it many times over the past couple of years that one must “find their tribe.”  Conceptually, I understood this, but I only recently resonated with it.

The face of homelessness and the working-poor has changed drastically since the housing-bubble burst. I aim to be one part of the solution and building this Tiny House is the first step.

This will be my home, my mobile office, a testing ground where I learn what not to do, and the model home used as an example of what I’d like to build for others. This will be a life-changing endeavor, and not just for me.

Ultimate goal: live in a tiny house while building shelters for others and operating a mobile food kitchen.

Wanna help me get started?

Can she do it??

I’ve worked on Habitat houses, building remodels, cars, repaired and refinished furniture, so I know my way around a toolbox.

I’ve also studied my building plans, attended a builders workshop, compiled a list of the materials, fixtures, and tools I’ll need, and have taken a realistic look at how long this is going to take: about 500 hours.

Yep. 500.

Since I work full-time already, I’ll be dedicating nights/weekends to building this house.  At that rate, it should take about a year to finish. (If we raise enough to allow me to dedicate myself entirely to building this tiny house and/or hire a few extra hands to help out, we could be done in just a few months!)

I’ll definitely need to hire some help for the bigger items, like raising the walls, but we’ve got lots of people who could use the work and I intend to enrich my community as much as I can through this project.

Yes, “community” includes you!

I know there are lots of questions, curiosity, and good old fashioned excitement around building and living in tiny houses. Let me be your guide!

Every step along the way, I’ll share:

• The decisions being made
• Lessons learned
• Progress reports
• Lots of “behind the scenes” footage
• And don’t forget to ask questions — I’ll share questions with the group and do my best to answer every one of them!

You get to be a part of this process without even breaking a sweat! 

Take a look at the entire process here! This is an easy way to keep track of how far along we are and I’ll cross things off the list as they’re completed.

And I mean it when I say you’ll be a part of this. Every member of our new tiny house building community who backs this project with at least $25 will have their name written on the frame of the house. You will literally be a part of this. (Want to have a part of this, too? Check out the full list of Community Perks below!)

Community Perks!

$5 – Eternal gratitude!  As well as blog & video updates throughout the project.  These will include project updates as well as decision details — how do you choose a toilet for a tiny house?  What about cooking?  Electric or gas appliances?  On-grid vs. off-grid water and power systems?

$10 – Vote on the house name! The winning name will be permanently burned onto the exterior of the house. (I’ll send you a really great digital photo!)

$25 – Your name written on the frame of the house. (I’ll send you a really great digital photo!)

$50 – A copy of one of the design sketches. (Not a photo.  A physical copy!)

$75 – A signed piece of the house! Yours to do with as you wish (shrine, paperweight, cane topper). There will be lots of scrap material after cutting all the boards. Let me send you a piece!   (US Shipping Included.  Will add $15 for international addresses.)

$100 – Invitation to a 1-hour webcast where we talk design, decisions, and answer your questions!

$150 – Suggest a name for the house!  These names will be voted on by all the backers and the winning name will be permanently burned onto the exterior of the house.  (There may be a bonus for the backer who suggests the winning name!)

$175 – A 30-minute Skype call! Ask questions, take a virtual tour,… dealer’s choice!  (Limit: 50)

$200 — A customized souvenir, just for you!  Have your custom graphic (a combination of the completed Tiny House and your name that was written on the frame) applied to a select product of your choice.  (US Shipping Included.  Will add $15 for international addresses.)  Example graphic (this will have your name and all the real details & images from this Tiny House) with your choice between many items, like shirts, ceramic mugs, travel mugs, mouse pads, aprons, ball caps, bags, posters, etc.

$250 – An invitation to the housewarming party! This will be in Atlanta, Ga, so you may need to travel… but you’ll get the Grand Tour in-person! Photos, hugs, BBQ, the whole thing. See what you helped create!

$500 – I will bring the house to you!! I’ll embark on a road trip across North America once the Tiny House is finished and will come visit your city so you can get the Grand Tour in-person! Photos, hugs, the whole thing. See what you helped create!

$1,000 – An overnight stay in the Tiny House! Yep, not only will I bring the house to you, you get your very own slumber party! (Room for 2)  Sleep in what you helped create! (I may even cook breakfast for you!) 

$2,500 – A full weekend in the Tiny House and consultation on design plans for your own tiny house and/or community enrichment initiatives you have in mind.  This can be a weekend workshop all to yourself OR you can invite others who want to join the conversation and we can have a group session.  Your choice!  (If you want to have a group workshop, consider going in on this perk together!) 

What do these pledges go toward?

I’ve provided a detailed list of building materials, fixtures, and tools here.

The highlights!

• Tools: $375 (Total cost: $1,670; Already got it covered: $1,295)
• Building Space: $2,400 (12 months @ $200/mo.; If we build it faster, this gets cheaper!)
• Appliances/Fixtures: $6,022 (Total cost: $15,932; Already got it covered: $900; Can add sometime after the build is completed: $9,010)
• Trailer, Framing, Windows & Doors, Cabinetry, Roof, Exterior Trim, Fasteners, Interior Finish, Plumbing, Electrical, and Miscellaneous (Hurricane Ties, Rafter Straps, Door Lock, etc.): $18,410 (Total cost: $18,410; Intend to use as much reclaimed, re-purposed, and leftover materials as possible, so this is a conservative estimate… but it’s still realistic.) 
• Labor: $0 (Total cost: $9,000; Already got it covered: $9,000; I’ll be doing the lion’s share of the work! If we raise enough to hire some extra hands, I’m happy to share the load.)

I’ll be using as much reclaimed/re-purposed material as possible to reduce waste and (potentially) costs.

Risks & Challenges

1. I’m hardheaded and like to do everything myself, but let’s be real… I’m just one person and may not survive building this whole thing on my own.  (Raising the walls will take more than just me!)  This is going to be an exercise in learning to accept help and I’m ready to learn.
2. Sourcing gently used, reclaimed, leftover materials for this build. I know the materials are out there and available. I’ll need some help finding them and it will take a little longer to acquire materials this way. Ordering things is much easier and very predictable, but I think it’s important not to be wasteful.
3. Weather. Honestly, heavy rain and cold weather could put a damper on building something like this, which is why I’m looking for a warehouse or workshop in which to build the tiny house. This will provide protection from the elements (for both me and the tiny house) until it’s road-ready, as well as provide a secure location to store all the materials and tools, so I can take excellent care of everything that is so generously donated, loaned, and purchased for this project.

The more realistic the approach, the more successful the project will be, right? 

When can we get started??

If enough kind, thoughtful, socially progressive, loving, smart, and sexy people help out with this project, the ready-to-use flatbed trailer will arrive 4-8 weeks after this campaign ends and the intense, harrowing fun can begin!

I’m looking forward to dedicating my life to something bigger than myself.

I certainly hope you enjoy this project. It takes a village to raise a child and a community to build a house — I’m asking you to become part of my community, if you’d like to. I welcome you and my undying gratitude is yours.

Are you ready?
Let’s do this! 

What about stretch goals?

What happens when we meet the initial project goal?  We get to do more!   ššš›››

• Want a film crew to document this project for us?
• Want to hire some extra hands to help with the build?
• Want to support local artists by incorporating their work into the house?
• Want me to work on this full-time?
• Want to start a fund for future builds?
• Have another idea?  Let me know!!  Remember: you’re my community, so you have a say in what we do!

XOXO,

ššš›››

(or “Meet My Friend, Jordan”)

There’s a trend I’m seeing and I couldn’t be more proud of my fellow human beings.

You want to be a part of this.  Seriously.  And I’m doing what I can to make it easy for you!

(Or, why I stopped tracking my runs)

There’s nothing inherently wrong with metrics. They can be quite useful. The problem is with how we use them.

June 3 – 13, 2013 

Australia: it’s not really trying to kill you. Yes, the most dangerous versions of everything live in Australia, but you probably won’t see any of them in Sydney.

My friend graciously offered up her apartment during my stay while she traveled for work — a fabulous location right up the hill from Luna Park in North Sydney. The down side: only crossing paths with my friend for about 20 minutes. The up side: the gift of my friend’s beaux as a tour guide!

Ideal weather conditions for a 4 mile hike? Rain. Not the “tie up the cars so they don’t float away” kind of rain but the “is this rain? …it’s kind of misty… oh, wait! Big drops now! …nope, misty again… I like the drowned-rat look. It works for me” kind of rain.

Haven’t stopped giggling since I heard about this beach and the ferry ride to get there. (Inside, I’m 12.)