An introduction to the rise of living off-grid in 2022
During the last 20 years, we have seen a considerable rise in the popularity of people taking the plunge, selling their homes and living off-grid. But what does living off-grid actually mean? During the 1960s, moving out of society and living in communes or on the road was popular, but as with any fad, this eventually died out. This trend is coming back but with some significant differences that seem to be helping wooden home off-grid living a thing of the future.
This month, Handmade Hideaways looks at the advantages of living off-grid and how modern technological advances have made this venture even easier. With the pandemic showing just how fragile something can make our world and everything we rely on, we are now looking for a sustainable future that supports us to have the same comforts we have become accustomed to without relying on supply chains.
The benefits of living in a wooden home full time
Living off the grid means living in a self-sufficient manner. The connection with the electrical grid is severed, either partially or entirely, and you produce all the energy you need yourself. You can live in a wooden house or even a cabin. Many people are beginning to recognise the benefits of going off the grid. Let’s take a look at the benefits you may see from living in a wooden home:
A healthy lifestyle
Generally, living in a wooden home off-grid can lead to a healthier lifestyle. You are more at one with nature, and being surrounded by wildlife (depending on where your plot is) means you are more open to walks and spending time outside. Growing your vegetables in a garden right outside your door, raising chickens and tending to your outside work will bring you a new and healthy lease of life.
Downsizing is popular
Gone are the days when we need huge houses to feel comfortable or store our material possessions. We are doing away with these comforts and opting instead for smaller, simplistic lifestyles where we can spend time getting new experiences rather than buying new things. With a wooden home, you will be living in the space that you need – everything will be more compact but no less stylish or practical for your needs.
Bringing the comfort
Living in a wooden home should not be filling you with images of chattering teeth and hundreds of blankets. It has never been easier to keep your home warm with modern advances in home comforts. The use of fireplaces and stoves feature in many wooden houses, and the material used for your wooden home is a naturally good insulator.
Freedom and self-sustainability
Part of living off-grid in a wooden home means potentially not being connected to a water supply or power grid. Whilst this may sound terrifying, to begin with, when you break it down, this could be a much more cost-effective self-sustaining exercise. Installing natural water tanks outside your wooden home that collect water and make it safe to consume is entirely possible. Working with solar panels attached to the roof of your new home will mean you are generating all the electricity that will power your home. A trusted wood craftsman will be able to give you advice about where is best to store your utilities.
Give yourself a sense of accomplishment
When you sit back at the end of a long day, you want to feel as though you have accomplished something. Creating a self-sufficient, environmentally friendly home and openly practical for your wants and needs is a huge accomplishment! Owning your wooden house off-grid is a great accomplishment that you and your family should be proud of.
Protecting the environment with your off-grid wooden home
If you are concerned about your carbon footprint’s impact on the environment, living off-grid may seem like a great step to reduce that impact. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to abolish your carbon footprint altogether. Living in a wooden home off-grid is environmentally friendly because of the renewable energy sources that most off-grid homes utilise. This could include solar or wind power. Using renewable sources in your home means you are less reliant on fossil fuel or biomass energy, which is known to damage the environment with carbon emissions.
The chances are, if you are planning to live self-sufficiently, then you will want to grow or rear your food using the land that you have available. You could set up your vegetable patches, have a chicken coop and look at keeping livestock on your premises. By taking this extra step, you will be purchasing fewer imported items that harm the environment.
Recycling materials is also key to living a more environmentally friendly way of life. Reusing your old newspapers as kindling, finding wood locally to keep your fireplace going, and turning your food waste into compost for your land are just a few ways that you can limit your product buying and use the natural materials that surround you.
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Handmade Hideaways are here to support your off-grid wooden home
If you are thinking about living off-grid in a wooden home this year, you will need to work with a trusted mastercraftsman who has experience creating bespoke wooden homes that will provide you with all the luxuries you need to live comfortably. Since 2017 Handmade Hideaways has been providing beautiful wooden creations for clients across the South East, but our experience comes from working with wood for over 22 years.
From commercial treehouses to beautiful custom made garden buildings, Handmade Hideaways has worked on many projects for clients looking to have something completely unique. If you would like to speak to us about your plan for sustainable living, get in contact with the team today and together, we will set about creating the perfect wooden home for you and your family.