All the water we’ve missed this spring seems to have saved itself for September. What a bucketload of water! It’s a real swamp around my house, but thankfully I’m high and dry. It’s nice that my water tank is loaded, but that’s only helpful with a working water pump… Unfortunately, it broke down. I have […]
Are you sure about that?
Jane asked me to write a blog about how to deal with advice and concerns from the people around you, when you choose your own path and stray from the beaten track. In her case, this involves living in a gypsy wagon. I really liked the idea of writing about this, because you could come […]
Down South
Hi everyone, I’m back! Back from the sunny and insanely hot southern states of the USA. Lucky for me the weather is really nice here, so I can gradually adapt. Oh man did I have the best vacation ever! I can really dig southern USA. August may not be the best month to travel around […]
The Young Climate Movement
Yesterday I attended the climate dialogue of the Young Climate Movement (Jonge Klimaatbeweging) where I was asked to speak as an expert on the subject of residential living. This was a great honor for me. I really think the youth has the future, but only when we give it all we’ve got to build a […]
Setting boundaries
Ever since I’ve been living in my Tiny House in Alkmaar, my house has received a lot of attention. That means unexpected visitors at unexpected times. At first I had strangers at my door on a daily basis. They had read about me in the paper or had heard me on a talk show. In […]
Meaningful work(s)
In November last year I decided to quit my job and say goodbye to the office where I’ve been working for eight years, and to completely dedicate my time to my own company and to Tiny House Nederland. Part of it was necessity; I had to make a choice. I couldn’t do both anymore; it […]
Off-grid solar in a Tiny House
Now that I’ve been living in my Tiny House for over a year, it might be interesting to see how I’ve managed with my energy consumption, and if my solar-powered system has enough capacity for me (like we calculated). Sit back and enjoy! In my blogpost ‘Tiny House techniek: zonne-energie installatie’ I’ve written down the choices […]
A pocket neighbourhood? Yes please!
A few months ago I ordered the book ‘pocket neighborhoods’ written by Ross Chapin, an American architect. I had already come across his ideas numerous times online and each time I got excited. In his view a lot of things come together that have long been brooding in my own mind and heart. It expresses a […]
Is there any hope for us?
This week I saw a few messages on my Facebook timeline that left me angry, down, and made me feel like there is only a small group of people calling for help while the big masses keep on living like there’s no tomorrow. All the while, the people who can actually make a difference in […]
Energy for two
Of course it’s wonderful when you’re able to live off-grid in a Tiny House, and generate and store your own energy. I think it might be the best way to become aware of your own energy consumption. And changing your consumption pattern starts with awareness. But, not everyone has the ability to live like I […]