Ashlee Fazio – Destiny Dweller

The following is a guest post from Ashlee Fazio, 25 year old homeschool teacher from New York. (The beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley is where she calls “home”, about an hour and a half train ride North of the Big Apple.) She blogs at Destinydweller.com and you can find her on social media at Facebook, Instagram (@destinydweller), Snapchat (@destinydweller), and Youtube.

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Welcome to my oasis on wheels, the most simple and adorable thing that I have ever laid eyes on. From the outside, the red roof draws your eye and can distract you from many of the amazing features that it contains. My house is completely off the grid which means that I can park my home ANYWHERE and have it fully up and running: on the beach, at the top of a mountain, in the middle of the rainforest, in my mom’s driveway… ANYWHERE!

Key off-grid features include:

• 6 solar panels with mounts that can be placed up to 100 yards from my home
• Wood burning stove as my sole heat source
• Nature’s head compostable toilet
• Rainwater collection system boasting two 50 gallon rain barrels and multiple filters
• Propane hot water heater and stove top
• Now let’s make our way inside…

The collapsible porch is the newest addition to my home. It is a quaint 36 square feet which can be broken down and slid into the house for easy transport. I love sitting on my gravity chair and gazing up at the stars on the darkest nights.

Open the door and you will get a pretty good glimpse at my soul. The “interior design” is what came of me taking my soul, the things I hold dearest to my heart, and tossing them onto shelves and walls.

The wood-burning stove keeps me warm all winter as I lounge on my convertible bean bag chair or relax in my hammock. (Yes, I have a hammock in my house!!!) The night sky comes to life on my ceiling as the moon shines down surrounded by glow in the dark constellations.

My tiny dining room table flips up from the wall with enough room for three people to sit comfortably and enjoy a home-cooked meal as the aroma fills the house. When I am done, I flip the table back down to create more space.

Walk past my shelves of books, elephants, and buddhas as you make your way into my closet with double rows. Any lady could fit all of the clothes, shoes, and accessories she needed into this beautiful space.

The kitchen is equipped with a three-quarter fridge and freezer, stove top, sink, and washer/dryer hook ups. Who said going tiny meant you had to sacrifice the comforts of home?! With more than enough storage for all of my dishes, cups, and utensils as well as my food and spices, organization has been no problem.

Now, to my favorite room of the house: the bathroom. As you step inside you walk into a rainforest and shower under a refreshing waterfall… Or at least that was the idea in my design. Take note of the tiny tub (which I can actually bathe in!) and the compostable toilet. Would you mind awakening to this every morning?

Lastly, make your way up the ladder to my lofts. One acts as a small storage space for all the things I do not need very often: photo albums, snowboard, board games, etc. The other serves as my bedroom with enough space for a queen size bed, hamper, bed stand, and shelving unit. The skylight allows the sun to wake me up every day and the many windows throughout the house allow the grasshoppers to lull me to sleep.

Going tiny was far and beyond the best decision I could have made. I realized that I did not need more “stuff” to be happy. I did not need a large space to feel whole. I did not need to do what everyone else was doing just because everyone else was doing it. For me, going tiny has allowed me to slow down and really experience life. It has given me the space (ironically) in my life to look within myself for answers to my life and my future rather than constantly looking for outside guidance. It caused me to think more deeply about the amount of wasted time, space, money, and energy that had consumed my life. Giving up everything to go tiny gave me everything I needed to appreciate life.

Also, on a more tangible level:

• I am able to travel more, especially spontaneous adventures.
• I have donated countless clothing and home items to those who really need it.
• I began writing a blog to document my journey.
• I started a garden.
• I learned basic “handy-man” skills.
• I have a place to call home.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope to see you again real soon! xoxox

Learn more about Ashlee Fazio, a 25 year old homeschool teacher from New York. (The beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley is where she calls “home”, about an hour and a half train ride North of the Big Apple.) She blogs at Destinydweller.com and you can find her on social media at Facebook, Instagram (@destinydweller), Snapchat (@destinydweller), and Youtube.