Joshua Engberg - Tiny House Basics: Living the Good Life in Small Spaces

Tiny House
Basics

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Living the Good Life in Small Spaces

Joshua Engberg and Shelley Engberg

Foreword by Derek Deek Diedricksen, Bestselling Author of Microshelters

Praise For Tiny House Basics

Outstanding! Josh and Shelleys book not only gives us a new perspective on what happens behind the TV cameras, but more importantly, it gives us a behind-the-curtain view into the realities and challenges of building a tiny house. The format is easy to understand, thorough, and a must read for anyone whos even THINKING about building a tiny house. The good news is that I now have another resource to add to my tiny house library. The bad news is that Ill have to cancel my own plans to write a book because I think theyve covered it all!

Michelle Boyle

W riter at My Empty Nest & My Tiny Perch

Tiny House Basics gives you a front row seat to the mindset and process of becoming a tiny house dweller for the long haul.

Steven Harrell

O wner of Tiny House Listings

Shelley and Joshua offer great advice on how to make a tiny house work for two. They demonstrate how a strong foundation and good communication are essentialnot only in building a tiny house, but in living and thriving in one!

Alek Lisefski

F rom The Tiny House Project

It is one thing to read a book about the theory of a transition. It is quite another to read one based on someones personal testimony of transition. Joshua and Shelley have nailed it in regards to balancing tips with case study. Their emphasis on being realistic in all things - from design to daily living - is both important and inspiring. In my 9 years of being active in the modern tiny house movement I have not yet read such a well thought out book for those at all stages of the going tiny process.

Andrew M. Odom

T iny r(E)volution, Author, Speaker, and Practical Strategist

Tiny House Basics is honest about the journey . Joshua and Shelley get you thinking about what you can do to live a little simpler, even if youre not building a tiny house.

Mario Soto

T iny House MD.

Andrew and I live and work together full time in our tiny house and we know from firsthand experience what challenges these circumstances present. Shelley and Joshua totally get it too and have learned the secrets to a successful and thriving relationship in a small space. In Tiny House Basics they eloquently share valuable tips that anyone can greatly benefit from, whether they live tiny or not.

Gabriella Morrison

T iny House Build

With the creativity, quality and success of their tiny house build, Joshua and Shelley of Tiny House Basics have proven themselves to be experts in the tiny house community.

Jewel Pearson

T iny House Trailblazers

T o our loving and deserving parents:
Eric and Helene Engberg and Julie and James Mulligan.
You guys have supported us throughout this wild ride in
more ways than one. We are forever grateful.

P S: This book is best enjoyed with a shrimp cocktail.

Contents

Foreword

By: Derek Deek Diedricksen

A uthor, Designer, Builder, Youtube host of RelaxshacksDOTcom, and former host of HGTVs Tiny House Builders

I ll be honest in initially stating that I have a rather short attention span. Add to the the fact that I travel to teach workshops, speak at tiny home festivals and shows, build and design tiny structures, and have written a string of books on the subject matter, and you might start to see a painted picture leading to the fact that, in reality, I dont impress easily anymore. It happens. It bums me out a bit too as I realize Ive become a bit jaded while so constantly immersed in the small housing scene. These days, having personally filmed and toured hundreds of small structures, and additionally having spent the night in dozens upon dozens of them, it takes a heck of a lot to turn my head, and it takes far more to wow me. Well, only a couple years back, during a late night tiny house online binge, I stumbled upon a funky, modern, bright, fun, and daring little house that turned out to be owned, built, and designed by, yep, Joshua and Shelley Engberg. This one had all the things I loved- open space, an abundance of windows, bright and selective pops of color, and one of the cooler kitchen and entertainment spaces Ive yet to see. Furthermore, beyond all that, it just looked, felt, and, well, was, different from so many houses I had come across. The 8 accordion window didnt hurt either. For a moment, as it

happens every now and again, the jaded veil was lifted, and I was both inspired, and given a hint of the feelings I used to get when I was seeing my very first tiny houses well over two decades back.

Its funny how things sometimes work out, connect, and happen. Fast forward to the present, and things have gone from my seeing a mere glimpse of the Engbergs home, to us getting together for dinner in Massachusetts on their US road trip, later walking the streets of Los Angeles with them in search of street truck burritos, to eventually actually working and building with this duo. Somehow, at some point, as often happens in this scene, things turned from a passing mutual admiration in architecture, to a friendship with this opposite coast duo. I aint complainin. Not only are the Engbergs good, honest, and adventurous people, but they are a wealth of tiny house design, decor, and construction knowledge as well- as youll soon see. So take this text-journey with them, allow them to lead you through the ropes, tricks, tribulations, and perils of designing micro dwellings, and realize that through it all, youre in good hands.

Introduction

Who Lives In These Tiny, So Called Tiny Houses?

T iny Houses are like the kittens of regular-sized houses; theyre small and adorable and are oozing with charm in their little bite-sized frames. We cant get enough of seeing these little guys on TV and on social media, but who are the people actually living in them? Many may want to stereotype people living in a tiny house as those with either no dreams or jobs, earthy folks who want to only live off the land and make their own essential oils and shampoo and play in their gardens all day. This was a common stereotype, initially. Sad to say, thats what came to mind when we thought of tiny houses back before we knew what they really were. Fast forward several years and here we are, now living in a Tiny House for some years now and we love it! Here is a little background on who we are, were, and what made us decide to take the tiny plunge.

We are a young couple in our early thirties who live in the San Francisco Bay Area. We got married in 2011, and after we were married, moved in together to our 1,300-square foot rental house. We were what seemed like your common newly married couple who lived in an expensive area, working full-time, and more often than not, working much more than full-time.