Maybe you have made it here after reading about Off The Grid Living Ideas: Stater Pack , if not feel free to click that link and take a look. That first excerpt went over some of the more common off the grid living ideas. I want to go a bit deeper and focus on the more unique and mobile off the grid abodes.
As i’m you are aware off the grid living has recently become a sought after life style. I way to leave the life you were born to behind and start fresh. Once the interest grows it is quite difficult to beat back. With that being said let me show you a few ways to take the leap.
School Bus “Skoolie’”
Yes all of those old, big and beautiful school buses that used to ferry children to and from school, every once again taking them across the city for a sporting event or field trip are being repurposed. You can consider this one of the greatest forms of up-cycling because honestly what can be done with a school bus when it’s time with the district has come to a close? You can either scrap and and recycle it for metal or give it a new life. That new life is the Skoolie.
The idea is you get an old well used bus and convert it into a home. Some of these sport full bathrooms with tubs, roof top decks, even proper home offices for work on the road. One of my favorites was a full mobile gaming station where you could immerse fully into the game for hours and forget you are probably sitting where some kid threw up on a trip back home from school.
The Skoolie provides ample roof space which is a great addition when living in a vehicle and of course rows of windows everywhere for natural sunlight and ambiance. People do tend to cover these up when on the road so they don’t have to make eye contact with strangers while sitting in a tub or eating dinner but it’s apart of the mobile life. Most that I have been in even have full kitchens and fridges which is rare in a recreational vehicle. This makes the Skoolie a perfect way to get into off the grid living
Tiny Home Trailer
This one may not be as unique as the Skoolie but still deserves recognition. When I say tiny home trailer I mean a house built on a trailer that was once used for something else besides living in. More upcycling!! I am also talking about the ones build from scratch, from the bottom up.
These have been growing in popularity but are normally set on a plot of land somewhere as opposed to on the road as the trailer was originally intended. They come in all shapes and sizes exterior wise but are typically down in a long rectangular fashion as it’s the simplest. The cladding is where things typically get exciting, seeing a cedar shingle trailer flying down the interstate is a sight or a glass clad jewel.
The interiors are typically full of creature comforts for a life of enjoyment and pleasure on the road but can also be small and quaint with just enough room to sleep. Tiny home trailers are a great option to get in the game. They are a bit pricey if you go big due to having to build them from scratch, but well worth it in the end. You could also go with a smaller build for a low cost off the grid escape.
Off Road Utility Vehicle
This is typically the repurposing of an old active or surplus military vehicle and making it into a mobile home, while keeping those tank like features intact. These are typically all terrain vehicles which separate them from most others on the list as they can literally travel anywhere off the grid. They can make it to the most remote locations with a little bit of skill and luck. Some of the Skoolies are 4×4 but are usually too long to traverse more hazardous driving conditions.
These vehicles will always stand out. I hardly see them in the United States but I saw my far share overseas. The key to this one is making sure the space requirements you need are met since the layout will be a bit smaller and essentially fixed. They will also most likely be atrocious in regards to gas so that is something that should be consider as well. I would say the wow factor of these type of vehicles outweighs those issues by far. I would love to build one of these when I get the chance.
Box Truck
You may not have even thought it was possible but box trucks make amazing canvases for building a small house. Once again you are up-cycling by giving an old Uhaul, UPS or some other company truck a new lease on life. On top of that designing and building are relatively simple if the box is in good condition. The only issue you will have are there are typically no windows but you can add a few where you see fit after reinforcing the frame
These have great layout with the majority having high ceilings and being nice and wide as well as long. You can build a full bathroom, kitchen, living area and also turn that upper deck area into bedroom loft if it was an older moving truck. The possibilities are endless with this one and the good thing is you don’t really have to build from scratch. The box is already there, all that is left is to insulate it, frame and build.
These box trucks are typically a stealthier option if you want to live in the city and not let people know you are living in your vehicle. Of course you can’t add windows but you can do skylights instead so you don’t feel caged.
Limitless
Keep in mind these are just a few of the options out there but the possibilities are endless. Pay attention in your daily life and you may start seeing things that can be turned into nice homes. It happens to me all the time.
Remember off the grid living ideas are just that ideas, that can be as big or as small and confined as your imagination allows. Despite that if you want to get off the grid you will have to bring those ideas to life.
Let me know in the comments if you like the ideas presented, or if you have some unique ones I may not have considered.
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