On 13 Sep 2017, I gave a presentation via Skype about the small home and tiny house movement to an 8th Grade Pre-Engineering class at Lee Burneson Middle School in Westlake, Ohio. Here’s a video of the presentation.
FOR SALE: Mobile Hermitage Tiny House
The Mobile Hermitage is ready to continue on it’s journey. This is a great opportunity to purchase and enjoy this delightful tiny home. The home is for sale as described here:
Tumbleweed XS for sale.
Kermit the Mobile Hermitage was built in 2003 by Jay Shaffer and Gregory Paul Johnson – author of “Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned From Living in 140 Square Feet.”
This 10×7 one axle house is easy to tow You need an F250 or bigger. Sleeping loft with queen futon included. AC/DC electric with two solar panels. Propane heater needs a repair, but it gets the place too hot anyway. A portable ceramic heater is included. No bathroom, but room for bucket composting toilet. No water hook-up.
New stain on exterior 2016. Original history here: ResourcesForLife.com/mobile-hermitage.
$16,000 Located in Newark DE. You pick up. Please message me if interested.Thank you! I don’t want to sell, but I have to. Life stuff.
Dragonfly Leathrum
Contact: Facebook.com/Dragonfly.Leathrum
Location: Camp Whistle Pig, Newark, DE
Listed on Facebook Here
Spread The Word!
Thanks to everyone who is helping get the message out about this home. The map below shows some of the recent visitors to this page. Click here or the map image to enlarge.
Determining the Right Size BTU or Ton Air Conditioner Required Per Square Feet of Space
The following table provides a guide for choosing the right size air conditioner based on the area needing to be cooled. The Air conditioner output and capacity is measured in BTU per hour. This chart includes areas from 100 square feet up to 2,500 square feet for comparison.
| Area To Be Cooled (square feet) | Capacity Needed (BTUs per hour) |
|---|---|
| 100 up to 150 | 5,000 |
| 150 up to 250 | 6,000 |
| 250 up to 300 | 7,000 |
| 300 up to 350 | 8,000 |
| 350 up to 400 | 9,000 |
| 400 up to 450 | 10,000 |
| 450 up to 550 | 12,000 |
| 550 up to 700 | 14,000 |
| 700 up to 1,000 | 18,000 |
| 1,000 up to 1,200 | 21,000 |
| 1,200 up to 1,400 | 23,000 |
| 1,400 up to 1,500 | 24,000 |
| 1,500 up to 2,000 | 30,000 |
| 2,000 up to 2,500 | 34,000 |
Additional Considerations
- If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
- If the room is very sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
- If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 BTUs for each additional person.
- If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 BTUs.
- Consider where you install the unit. If you are mounting an air conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can send the airflow in the right direction.
Measuring for Central Air Conditioning Systems in Tons
The basic formula for determining the required tonnage of a central air conditioning system is as follows:
( ( House square footage times 30 then divided by 12,000 ) – 1.0 ) = Required Tonnage
If you live in an area that has higher temperatures during the summer (such as 110 degrees in the desert) then don’t subtract 1 in the formula above.
To determine a more accurate size for your region, use the chart below.
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Sources (as of 11 May 2017):
Florida Organization Seeks Tiny House Plans for Life Empowerment Outreach Project
According to a recent report by the Sentencing Project, in the United States approximately 100 Million people have a criminal record and over 2 million people are currently in jail or prison.
For these people, having even a minor criminal record, such as a misdemeanor or even an arrest without conviction, can create an array of lifelong barriers that can result in isolation, substance abuse, depression, poverty, and even worse criminal trouble in the future.
As a result, numerous companies have been established by or for ex-fellons to have the training, employment, resources, and conditions needed for success — everything from bread companies to restaurants, and starting soon, a tiny house manufacturing company.
Below is a letter from Michael Jalazo who is working to help launch “Second Chance Tiny House Manufacturing Corporation” in Florida which will help homeless people as well as people with a criminal record, to get education, jobs, and housing.
It’s the first program like this in the nation that we’re aware of, and we’re excited to have the small house movement being embraced by those working to create re-entry opportunities. We wish them the best of luck with their endeavor.
Presently they are needing help with small house plans and designs.
Please help in any way you can.
Greg Johnson, President/Director/Facilitator
Small House Society
Date: 26 Feb 2017 @ 1:22 PM EST
Re: Building Tiny Houses to Change Lives
Hello-
My name is Michael Jalazo, and I am the Executive Director of Pinellas Ex Offender Re Entry Coalition (PERC), a nonprofit in Pinellas County, Florida (Tampa Bay area) that helps formerly incarcerated individuals get back on their feet upon reentry into society. PERC is proposing an exciting social enterprise project to a local foundation for support and I am hoping you’ll partner with us. We’re creating a workforce development program that will train former offenders to construct eight tiny houses in one year. This on the job training will lead to full-time construction job opportunities with the City of St. Petersburg for at least 32 hard to employ formerly incarcerated individuals.
By teaching ex-offenders to construct tiny houses they will develop a tangible skillset that will reduce their chances of returning to incarceration. Workforce training refocuses these individuals’ time and efforts on prosocial activities, making them less likely to engage in riskier behaviors. Attaining a job will enable them to generate income, enhance self-esteem, improve physical and mental health and become self-sufficient. Once self-sufficient, former offenders will come full circle, contributing to society rather than being supported by government and social services.
This project, titled “Second Chance Tiny House Manufacturing Corporation” will yield tiny houses for profit, in turn creating a sustainable business. We will also work with the Pinellas County government, the city of St. Petersburg and the Homeless Leadership Board to populate empty lots with tiny houses to create rapid housing to reduce homelessness in Pinellas County.
A number of partners are already involved in this project, providing stipends for training and lots to build on. An experienced contractor who is also a veteran in recovery will lead our efforts. However, we are in need of plans and designs for tiny house construction. Will you help turn around the lives of these in-need formerly incarcerated individuals by collaborating with PERC and donating tiny house plans?
Time is of the essence. We are submitting our grant proposal at the end of this week – please reply to this email and tell me that your company is in! PERC is a nonprofit, so your contribution will be tax deductible.
Thanks!
Certainly, feel free to call about details.
Michael D. Jalazo
CEO/Executive Director
Pinellas Ex-Offender Re-Entry Coalition
727-656-4989 Cell
855-505-PERC (7372)
Clearwater: 727-408-5260 Ext 208; St. Petersburg 727-954-3993 x201
Fax:727-600-8096;
Email: mjalazo@exoffender.org
Web: www.exoffender.org
EVENT: Joshua Becker – “Becoming Minimalist” – 9 March 2017
Becoming Minimalist:
Invigorate Your Life,
Because the Best Things In Life Aren’t Things.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
The Marriott, Cedar Rapids
Event Schedule
Registration: 7:30 a.m.
Breakfast & Networking: 8-8:30 a.m.
Keynote Presentation: 8:30-9:30a.m.
Cost
$40 per person or $350 Table of 10
Program
Click here to download the event program in PDF format.
Don’t Settle for More
Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter, and we tire of cleaning and managing and organizing. While excess consumption leads to bigger houses, faster cars, fancier technology, and cluttered homes, it never brings happiness. Rather, it results in a desire for more. It redirects our greatest passions to things that can never fulfill. And, it distracts us from the very life we wish we were living.
Learn to Live a Better Life With Less
In his presentation, Joshua Becker will help you:
- recognize the life-giving benefits of owning less
- realize how all the stuff you own is keeping you from pursuing your dreams – craft a personal, practical approach to declutter your home and life
- experience the joys of generosity
- learn why the best part of minimalism isn’t a clean house, it’s a full life
About the Keynote Speaker
Joshua Becker and his young family were introduced to minimalism eight years ago. Since then, Joshua’s story and writing have inspired millions around the world to find more life by owning less. Today, based on his thoughtful and intentional approach to minimalism, he is one of the leading voices in the modern simplicity movement reaching over 1 million readers every month.
Joshua is the founder and editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to intentional living that was named by SUCCESS Magazine as one of the top ten personal development websites in 2015. He is also the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of Simplify, The More of Less, and Clutterfree with Kids. He has contributed to TIME magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, and Christianity Today. He is a frequent guest on HuffPost Live and has appeared on numerous television programs, including the CBS Evening News.
Event Program
The event program is available as a two-page PDF file, and provided below as two JPG images.
American Tiny House Association – Board of Directors
Palmetto, FL (December 12, 2016) — The American Tiny House Association (ATHA) has elected its 2016-17 board of directors. Details are below.
About the American Tiny House Association
Founded in 2015, American Tiny House Association is the premier organization dedicated to ensuring tiny houses are accepted as viable dwelling units. Members advocate locally and nationally, providing education and support to enthusiasts, municipalities, key housing organizations, builders and other professionals to help people to legally live tiny.
Benefits of membership include access to resources, solutions to building and zoning codes, connections with city planning and construction experts, and the tools to engage with local governments. For additional information, visit the web site at AmericanTinyHouseAssociation.org.
Board of Directors
President: Chris Galusha
Galusha is a construction consultant and advocate for safe, affordable housing. Since 2010, he has focused on the tiny house industry and works to teach and mentor those interested in construction, regenerative agriculture, and land development. He is currently director of construction for a veterans organization, developing tiny home plans and construction training programs in the Dallas, Texas area.
Vice President: Amy Turnbull
Turnbull studied community development and housing as a graduate of California State University and brings her passion for tiny to ATHA. She is an advocate of accessory dwelling units (ADU) and hopes to build an ADU on her property in Great Barrington, Mass.
Treasurer: Lisa Ward
Ward is the founder of TinyHomesClassified.com. She has worked in private commercial and residential real estate finance industry and government sector for more than 20 years, with a focus on partnerships for affordable housing, mixed use development and land preservation.
Secretary: Ginger Reichl
Reichl is the CEO of Parvus House, a tiny house design firm, and is president of Pinstripe Marketing in St. Petersburg, Fla. She is an advocate for tiny homes as an opportunity to solve a variety of problems including transitional housing communities for the homeless, veterans, youth aging out of the foster care system and more.
Director: René Hardee
Hardee transitioned from a mere tiny house enthusiast into a true tiny house change agent by petitioning her town of Rockledge, Fla. to create a brand-new, tiny house community zoning ordinance, and is currently building the city’s first tiny house community.
Director: Aaron Kipfmiller
Kipfmiller is the design and construction manager for Great Lakes Tiny Homes in Jackson, Mich. Responsible for conceptual designs and construction documentation. He also manages the zoning intelligence service to provide detailed analysis of zoning requirements for potential property locations.
Director: John Kernohan
Kernohan and his wife, Fin, live in a 304 square foot tiny cabin in Eatonton, Ga., and host the Facebook blog, “Beloved Cabin.” They also created and continue to plan and manage Tiny House Festivals, and regularly contribute to blogs, presentations and other publications about tiny living.
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The JotHouse Online Interactive Small Home Planning Survey
In 2007 we learned of the inspiring small homes from the wonderful people at JotHouse.com. Now, you can visit JotHouse.com and use their interactive online survey for those planning to build a small home. Take a look! http://JotHouse.com/
Event: The Charm of Living Small on 20 August 2016
20 August 2016
2-4 PM
Marion Public Library
Join us for the Small House Symposium on 20 August 2016 from 2PM to 4PM.
The event will take place at the Marion Public Library, Meeting Room A, 1095 Sixth Avenue, Marion, IA 52302 [Map]
You can learn more on the library event description page.
Small House Event – Cedar Rapids – 19 July 2016 at 6:30 PM
Date: 19 July 2016 / Tuesday
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM [Event Page]
Location: Cedar Rapids Public Library [Map]
Room: Beems Auditorium Combined A & B
Description:
An evening with Greg Johnson, President of the Small House Society, who will give a presentation on the trend toward smaller living, and the popularity of tiny houses (those less than 500 square feet) in particular.
Layne Stark, who makes his living in carpentry and has built his own tiny home, will also share his experiences.
There will be time for questions and answers, as well as discussion. If the ideas of downsizing, living simply or freeing yourself of the burden of a larger home appeal to you, join us for this event!
Amazing Tiny House Renovation Project!
“The home, which is 12 feet square and two stories was originally built 30 years ago, when no roads existed in the area. The original builder had to hike in with lumber and a chainsaw to build the home with.”
Greetings readers of the Small Homes Society!
My wife Anna and I are honored to join your ranks as farmers and small home owners. We are embarking upon on the next step of our journey, a journey that has been in the works for us individually for well over 10 years. A journey that will help to bring about change in the world.
When I met my wife 5 years ago, we discovered that we both had dreams of making the word a better place through our shared passion of farming. My wife has a degree in environmental science with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture and had managed a few farms. I had been doing urban farming in Los Angeles and specialized in hot pepper production. Together we started small with a plot in a community garden in Cleveland, Ohio. There we spent two years supplying local business with naturally grown produce and the occasional jams and jellies.
From there we packaged up the car and ventured west to Northern California in search of the next phase of the dream. We are proud to announce we have found it! We have just started our crowdfunding campaign (www.gofundme.com/psfarms) with the goal of helping us start our 10 acre farm. The farm will be sustainable, organic, solar powered, and have a tiny home which will serve as our living space.
The home, which is 12 feet square and two stories was originally built 30 years ago, when no roads existed in the area. The original builder had to hike in with lumber and a chainsaw to build the home with. Once our campaign is over we will take the building down to its studs to make it livable again, all the while incorporating traditional and natural building techniques allowing the tiny home to be energy efficient and cozy!
The farm itself will provide produce to our community, help to reduce the countries dependance on fossil fuels, and serve as a place to educate the children of our community about the importance of their food choices. But before all that takes place, we need your help. For just the price of a weeks worth of Starbucks Coffee, you can help us reach our goal! Every donation counts and we have some wonderful rewards set up for different levels of donations. We would be honored if you would be willing to help and spread the word on Facebook about PS Farms!
Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/psfarms
Donate at: www.GoFundMe.com/psfarms
