Friday, February 15, 2013

The bliss of having less

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the downsizing I'll need to do before moving into my tiny house permanently.  I don't have an attachment to things the way others I know do.  It may have something to do with the fact that my belongings have been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed multiple times in my life.  It also may have to do with my somewhat nomadic nature.  Most likely it's a combination of these and many other reasons.  I'm going for real simplicity in my life.  Less space, less possessions, less hassle!!  I think about all of the ways all of the 'modern conveniences' suck the time, money and joy out of our lives.  

I'm seriously thinking about going primitive with my tiny house life.  Like no plumbing or running water primitive.  I know it seems like a strange idea to most people, but I have some experience with living without  running water or indoor plumbing.  Going this route will also cost me less in the building costs.  The small amount of power I will use will come from a solar system.

When I was a kid my family had friends who owned 14 acres in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia.  The property was directly on the Perkiomen Creek, so it became known as 'The Perk'. Our family spent a lot of time there in the warmer months & summer time.  We used 2 modified truck bodies, a screen house and an outhouse for our campsite.  There was no running water and for many years no electric service.  We loved going there and had to do things a lot differently than we did at home in the city.  I learned a lot those summers, things that I value even more now than I did then.

My plans involve using enamelware basins, pitchers, a galvanized wash tub, a chamber pot and composting toilet.  I'll use a couple of basins for washing dishes, and another basin along with a pitcher and chamber pot for a washstand type bathroom set-up.  Round this primitive bathroom out with the wash tub, which I'll pair with a portable camp shower with a curtain on a hoop setup and a composting toilet and you've got your very own 'indoor outhouse', lol!!  I'll just compost and filter what would normally be mixed with fresh water and sent through a septic or sewer system.

I think if I incorporate work into my daily life, I'll be able to stay active longer.  Taking care of a garden, a compost system and a grey water filtration system are chores that shouldn't be too strenuous, but give me enough exercise to stay limber and strong into my old age.  Add riding a bike for transportation and I'm good to go!


1 comment:

  1. Oh and the Wonder Wash and wooden folding drying rack for laundry!

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