Yesterday's open house was a whirlwind. I'll admit that I
spent the morning fairly certain that no one would come- the weather was weird,
Sundays are lazy, and I sometimes lack social confidence.
But you, tiny house people, did not let me down. At exactly 12:58, a throng of
people appeared, trudging through the mud. Children, farmers, urbanites,
college officials- an incredibly kind and interesting crowd filled the house
from start to finish. There was even a line outside!
One lovely lady brought me daffodils; another family brought
me a cake from a favorite bakery. Everyone brought questions, cameras, and
positive reinforcement. I wish I'd taken more pictures, but I was so busy
answering questions that I didn't get a chance! Here's a few photos I snapped:
Some of the first attendees- laughs all around
No problem getting up to the loft
Tumbleweed staff member Adam Gurzenski even sent his parents over!
Relaxing after a long day with friends and a delicious cake
If you attended and took more pictures, please send them!
Per my mom's request, I also started a guestbook. It was a great
way to track where people were coming from- I had guests from Connecticut,
New Hampshire, and all over Massachusetts,
including Boston!
Thanks so much to those who made the journey- it was a blast having you all
around!
If you didn't get a chance to make it, or if you did and want to come back, please continue to check in with the Tumbleweed blog- I'll have another open house soon!
Recently, I wrote about my plans to live in a tiny house for my last semester of college. In a week's time, my Fencl will finally be arriving on my campus! You could say I'm excited- I've gained some serious calf muscles jumping
through hoops for the last two
months to make this happen. For those who are curious, especially
college students who are interested in trying something similar, here's what my
process looked like:
The Proposal
It began with a fairly lengthy proposal that I drafted at
home in early December. I outlined all of the reasons why my school would
benefit from the presence of a tiny house, given our emphasis on sustainability
and alternative lifestyles. I emphasized that I would not need the school's
money or resources, just their permission and support.
My beautiful view-to-be
I sent this proposal to my college's president. I never
heard back from him! Luckily, someone else in the office intercepted my
proposal and directed me towards a newfangled student project approval system.
Through this system, I was able to communicate with all of the individual staff
members on campus that would need to personally approve my project
The Conversation
We had a lengthy back-and-forth regarding zoning, utilities, placement, and
everything else imaginable. The staff members were interested and supportive,
but still committed to doing a very thorough job- naturally, I found this
frustrating. Even when it seemed like everyone was on board, there was no clear
sense of approval. I wanted a giant stamp of my proposal that said
"yes!"
The Plan
I made a chart of my proposed off-grid utility usage plans,
including back-up solutions and alternate ideas. The biggest issue was, big
surprise, dealing with my own waste. Turns out this is tricky territory on a college campus.
I'd originally hoped to use a composting toilet, but health people gave that a
raised eyebrow.
My generous friend- thanks Hazel!
I'm going to start the semester using a nearby friend's toilet (above), and work with
interested students throughout the semester to develop an alternative that
everyone can feel comfortable with.
Scouting it Out
The spot!
Last week, I met with the guys who run facilities and
grounds. We discussed some potential solutions to my utility woes, and took a
field trip to some potential house sites. Finally, we found the perfect site- I can hook up to the school's electricity while I work on getting solar panel donations. I
did a little dance on it to mark my territory.
Waiting (Is the Hardest Part)
Squatting in the living room
Now, I'm waiting patiently. I've been squatting with three
of my friends in their bachelor pad. I thought I packed light this time around, but my possessions seem to be traveling around the apartment a bit. My scruffy friends have mentioned that they're growing tired of me. I think they'll make it one more week, as long as I do some dishes.
Stay tuned, folks in the Western Mass area- I'll be having a housewarming gathering/open house late next week!
Some of the first attendees- laughs all around
No problem getting up to the loft 
Tumbleweed staff member Adam Gurzenski even sent his parents over! 
Relaxing after a long day with friends and a delicious cake 
My beautiful view-to-be 
My generous friend- thanks Hazel!
The spot! 
Squatting in the living room