Alternative living – Part 1

What constitutes a “home”?

So when you were growing up, did you think of what your perfect home would be like when you were older?

What did it look like? 

What did it feel like?

What were the smells and the sounds that came to mind?

I’ll let you picture that for a few minutes.  Of if you didn’t have a vision as a child, what can you envisage now?   Maybe you are already in your perfect home.

Okay, so in this exercise it is likely, on my own estimations, that the majority of people in the developed world would think of a house or a flat as this is what they have been brought up to want in life.  This is maybe what they lived in as child or what most people they know reside in. 

I can say that up until ten years ago I had no designs to live in anything other than a flat or a house.  I could say that this was part of my social conditioning and perhaps I had just never entertained the idea of alternative living.

So of course although the majority of people may elect to live in bricks and mortar, what would the alternatives be?  Interestingly enough, in recent years, alternative homes have been featured in the mainstream media more and more through self-build and design programmes like George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.  There have been some novel designs on that show, like an airplane cockpit converted into a living space or a 10 foot high futuristic looking “man cave” with 360 degree views.   This has definitely given people a lot of food for thought when it comes to home design on a smaller scale.

Homes across the world come in different shapes, styles and sizes.  In many cases they are reflective of the country’s climate and environmental conditions, economic situation, having access to local raw materials and cultural preferences.  Some examples of small-scale, eco-conscious and more sustainable homes are the cave homes of Tunisia, the rondavels/round houses of South Africa, the Yurts of Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia and the Igloos of Baffin Island, Canada.  Source: Different-types-of-houses-around-the-world. The picture above is of a Basotho tribe village in South Africa containing clay huts rondavels with straw roofs. 

What is there to gain from downsizing?

So why would anyone choose to downsize their life or live in a caravan, a boat or another smaller abode?  Some people say to me, “I couldn’t do that lifestyle. I like my big house, the space and need room for all my stuff!”.  That’s absolutely fine as it is down to personal preference and a small home may not be suitable for big families or someone less physically able.

Well, for me initially, my decision to downsize was related to a desire for a change in lifestyle.  I was comfortable in my flat with all my mod cons but I had a deep longing which craved something different from the norm and a new challenge.  I also liked the idea of working less and minimising my domestic outgoings.  My time working in the rat race and commuting into London every day had proved exhausting and I frankly needed a break and a change of scene! 

After my partner got a job as a campsite warden, I spent time visiting him in the caravan before I moved in so I had a taste of what the lifestyle would be like.  I guess my heart drew me there to be with my partner full time as up until that moment we had been engaging in a long distance relationship. The campsite we were on had beautiful views of the South Downs hills in Sussex, England and this was a lovely sight to wake up to in the morning.  It felt like being on holiday all the time.  Although maybe not so much for my partner who was working whilst I was a lady of leisure taking a break from working!

Was the lifestyle shift worthwhile?

Of course, there was an acclimatisation process which was not always easy and it took time, a good few years, to really appreciate what the lifestyle was all about.  For what I had gained in terms of the stronger connection with nature, for example, and the appreciation of what is important in life from a scaled-down lifestyle, I also felt a longing for some of the conveniences I was used to.  Why had I attached so much importance to having a normal flush toilet, a power shower, running water, and a fully-equipped kitchen, for example?

I can honestly say it was only once I was living in a small caravan full-time I fully valued those conveniences.  How often, for example, do we it take for granted that we can turn on the tap and have running water, that we can flick a light switch and illuminate a room in seconds, that we have easy access to heat, and that we have a comfortable bed to sleep in?  Now my partner and I are still pretty comfortable in our caravan with many modern amenities so we can hardly say we are roughing it!  The compromises we make, for instance, are in having less space, having to fetch our own water and disposing of our own toilet waste.  The latter has never been my favourite job but I have learnt to appreciate it as a necessity to enjoy this lifestyle.

So here are some of my favourite aspects of caravan living:-

• Being closer to nature
• Meeting like-minded people who appreciate this lifestyle
• Being able to move around and experience different environments
• That holiday feeling on a daily basis
• The cosiness in the winter, especially as the van heats up quickly
• Having a home on wheels means that you have the flexibility of moving elsewhere e.g. if you have annoying neighbours you can leg it or you just fancy a change of scene!
• Never needing to pack when taking the caravan on holiday
• Reduced living expenses
• Feeling more of a sense of freedom

I have to say that whilst I struggled at first to adapt, I really do love this life now.  I guess for us this is a half-way house between living in a flat/house and living a completely self-sufficient lifestyle where you make your own electricity, create your own water supply and become less reliant on public services.   However, one day we hope to become more self-sufficient and will use our current circumstances as a stepping stone into that way of life.   In the present economic climate and with buying a house or flat being such a financial burden and unfeasible for so many people these days, many more people are considering this lifestyle.  There are growing alternative living communities online and I have definitely noticed a shift in popularity with many more people wanting to live this way.  I can’t say it’s always easy,  and you do face challenges in terms of navigating the law and planning permissions etc, especially as this is not considered a social norm. However, I’m hoping that one day it will be more accepted in society to have an alternative living situation so that people engaging in this lifestyle can live peacefully and respectfully alongside flat and house dwellers.

What might the future of homes look like?

It will be interesting to see how society develops in respect of living conditions.  Many of you reading this could well be living in the Smart Homes of the future with home automation where all your home devices, such as your lights, your washing machine or heating system could be operated remotely via a smartphone or other device. 

Voice command technology systems are already in many people’s homes so we are well on the way to this being a reality for many people.  I can completely understand the attraction of wanting these systems in your home and venturing into a future world which was mere science fiction fifty years ago.  However, I suppose for any gains, there may be some sacrifices in terms of being more open to corporate and government surveillance, the risk of data privacy being compromised and the increased exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) which have raised potential health concerns.  I won’t go into depth on this subject at this point and will cover this at a later date.  It goes without saying that the more minimalist and back to basics lifestyle comes with its own challenges and compromises too.  It will of course come down to your choice in how you want to live.

Will it be a more rural, and back to nature lifestyle where you are living off the land and making your own resources or will you be in one of the Smart Homes of the future with all the benefits of the technological and Artificial Intelligence (AI) lifestyle advancements?  Or could there be a way of balancing these lifestyles to achieve both so technology works safely and sustainably in harmony with nature? You will ultimately know deep in your heart and through your intuition what lifestyle attracts you most.  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. 

And just remember that what you think now may well change in five or ten years time as society and your own life circumstances and priorities change.  Like I said, I would never have dreamed of living in a caravan this time ten years ago.  Society changes, we change and with change comes growth and evolution of the human spirit.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to alternative living.  This is Part 1 of this series focussing on different perspectives for how we live in today’s society.

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Credits: Image 1: lowphoto – Adobe.  Image 2: Big Mouse – Shutterstock