Relaxshax's Blog

 A tiny housing newsletter of sorts…..lots in this one!

      Upcoming we have some cool guest posts and interviews from the likes of Gaby Sunheart, Tammy Strobel, and Andrew Odom (from tinyrevolution.us)- I just have a ton of catching up to do! I’ve also been prepping for the Tumbleweed Miami workshop I’m hosting, planning a potential “Shoft” (Shed with a Loft) build for someone in state (a micro guesthouse more or less), AND pecking away on a 14′ shantyboat-like structure for a future video. All in time…all in time…..
     Oh yeah, I’m also working towards that July 6-9th Vermont Workshop on Tiny House/Cabin Building– WITH some building, speaking guests, tours of tiny houses, and more. We already have some interested parties- and again, the first FIVE in, get a free copy of Lloyd Kahn’s book “Tiny Homes, Simple Shelter”. We’ll also be doing some solar cooking, a little demo on log cabin notching and more! This workshop is going to be great. “TINY HOUSE SUMMER CAMP” is what we’re calling it. Kidcedar at gmail dot com if interested. Full roster is coming soon. Sleep space/lodging (either tenting it, or staying in one of our cabins) is included- first come, first serve (those who sign up earliest), and a couple of meals too…

ANYWAY….. since many of you know I love scavenging for materials, here’s a solid idea from one of our blog readers…..

This photo is just bizarre, yet strangely interesting in a way I can’t really describe- a combination of peaceful and EERIE. I’m not even sure if the photo is real. Is it a scale model in miniature? A photo shopped job? Still, its a tiny fixer-upper for sure….

Today’s been a fun/interesting day- gloomy though (weather-wise), like the “sand storm”-looking sky in this photo. I woke up this morning, and having still not picked up a new coffee maker, it was back to a dose of stove top “Cowboy Coffee” to get the morning going….ever try it?- VERY easy to do, and tastes fine, you’re just left with some grinds in your mug….

Hmmm…since we’ll be hanging ’round the fire at night for out Vermont Tiny House Building Workshop on July 6-9th- we just might have to mess with some cowboy coffee, paper bag donuts, burgers on a rock (cooked on a hot rock), etc…. more details coming soon on that! Below is ONE of the cabins that some of the attendees will be welcome to stay in…. its been featured in several books, newspaper, tv shows, and blogs…speaking of which….

 First FIVE to sign up for the workshop will also get a free copy of Lloyd Kahn’s new incredible book- “Tiny Homes, Simple Shelter”– easily one of the best tiny housing/homemade housing books out there. A $25.00 value.

Also- Tumbleweed Miami (which I’m teaching) still has a $100 off special for the next two days- click below to find out more- MANY guest speakers….and we might add ONE MORE soon….

I just did an interview this morning for the Miami Sun-Sentinel- a huge metro paper that interviewed Jay Shafer and I on the small housing scene- once that runs, this workshop could get nuts, so check it out now- while you can still save $100!  HERE’s THE LINK YOU NEED…. 

 Derek “Deek” Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts “Tiny Yellow House” TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” which you can check out by clicking HERE.

A Book For Your Bookshelf ABOUT Bookshelves….New from Alex Johnson….

Just watch that head when you stand up! Yeowch!

     Even though I’ve been a fan of Alex Johnson’s Shedworking.co.uk site, a blog dedicated to small guest homes and work shed conversions, I had no idea that Alex additionally ran a site based on his fascination with unique bookshelves, and less of an idea that he was authoring a book on the very same subject! He’s certainly a busy guy and the result is a very fun, colorful, and slick, coffee table style book that is absolutely loaded with some insanely creative spins on good ole’ bookshelving. Bookshelves with desks built into them, one’s shaped like animals, elastic-band shelves, shelves you can lay inside, and ones that hang like garments in a closet- its all inside this really offbeat and niche-interest, but SO COOL- book. For all the tiny housers and small space dwellers out there, yes, there are certainly some interesting, and fitting ideas in this one- afterall, what are bookshelves but organizational storage? www.theblogonthebookshelf.blogspot.com

My favorite is the tread/stairs bookshelves below- I wonder how much weight they can bare, or if they could be strengthened so as to provide access up to a sleep loft in a cabin, while also serving as book nooks?

I’ll also soon have a review up for “My Cool Campervan”, as well as on a few other tiny housing/small living/mobile dwelling books that have recently come out….

Not so much a space saver, but its a TINY HOUSE-shaped bookshelf- I couldn’t resist!

 

 Derek “Deek” Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts “Tiny Yellow House” TV on youtube, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” which you can check out by clicking HERE.

This one’s so fun/funky that it could make for its own “printed wall hanging OF a wall”. LOTS of time must have gone into this, and I wonder if the boards were found “as is” or painted, and retouched individually. A time consuming, but easy, project I’d imagine- just watch out for old lead painted wood!
     I’d LOVE to deck out even just one wall of a tiny house, cabin, or even a treehouse with something like this. My brother Dustin has a pallet wall in his home from a ton of forklift pallets I dumped at his house for him, and it looks great- we’ll have to do a video at some point still…

 Derek “Deek” Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts “Tiny Yellow House” TV on youtube, teaches workshops for the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Wow….check out this Swedish woodland cabin that you can rent nightly! Quite the chameleon- a rustic heap (which I love), on the outside, and swanky on the in. A working fireplace is sure to keep it warm, but I don’t see a single window(?)- still, I love how simple this little cabin/micro-rental is….Apparently, its one of a few cabins on this property….I’m digging for more info, or anyone who has it, please post it below…

Derek “Deek” Diedricksen runs the blog Relaxshacks.com, Hosts “Tiny Yellow House” TV on youtube, teaches workshops for the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, and is author of the tiny house, fort, cabin, treehouse, and cottage design book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” which you can check out by clicking HERE.

Thje $40 shelving unit- without the electric blue trim (which I’ll get to at some point)

Made from extra plywood I had laying around, a few pine planks, and cheap batten strips this lil’ truck and toy display case I built (it took a grand total of about 90 minutes- $40 in materials) is one example of just how to utilize the wasted space behind the doors in one’s home- particularly helpful in small or tiny houses. The shelving here serves as both out of the way storage, and a low key display case of sorts. The shelving was measured to be just under the width of the door’s trim, so that the door can still fully swing open to this 10′ by 10′ shared bedroom. This is one of the space saving tips from my book “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks”.

This was built for an upcoming mini video “Tiny House Thrift”- for Tumbleweedhouses.com and blog. I’ll also toss it up on www.youtube.com/relaxshacksdotcom