Cabin living is much different from city living or even suburban living. There are a few things you need to know before you take on such a huge lifestyle change. You can have a cabin styled home in or near the city, but real cabin life requires a bit of know-how when it comes to living off the grid. We are talking here about building cabins in wooded areas or remote country areas.
Here are some things you should know about the cabin lifestyle before buying or building a cabin home.
You may actually be off-grid, meaning that you may need to provide your own electricity, water source, and heat source for the winter. There will most likely be no “gas company” to pay every month. You will probably have to get the lines run yourself with your own money. The electricity hook-up will be the same. As for water, you will probably need a well. Many water wells are electric these days, so you will need to account for that fact. Also you will need to decide how you are going to heat your home if you are in a climate where the seasons change. Will there be electric or gas heating or will you install wood burning stoves and fireplaces?
You may be alone with no neighbors. For some people this may be a dream come true, and that is fine, but for others who may be used to a more urban type of living, the idea of the nearest neighbor being 20 miles away may be daunting. You must prepare yourself by having a storage of food and other items you need, like band aids, meds for colds and flus, food that does not spoil and some place to store it. If winter is near, you may need to gather and cut enough wood for the entire season, because if a cold front hits at the last minute, the nearest store may be miles away and it may be too dangerous to drive. Be prepared with batteries for flashlights if a storm takes your lights out. These are all things you used to walk next door to borrow. If you’re living a true cabin life, you may not have that luxury.
The key is to be prepared to supply your own needs, whether it is a water source or a dozen of eggs. Living the cabin life may make it extremely difficult to get these supplies if your neighbor is a 30 minute drive away.
photo: Pinterest via Moorea Seal
