Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for Jamie and Brad Bigelow, they saw an opportunity for creative living in a place most people only see fit for discarded items.
Breathing new life into an end of the line receptacle, the two decided to remodel a dumpster into their new vacation home.
As part of a bigger tiny house movement, people all over are leaning toward a minimalist life for more freedom, sustainability, and simplicity. The need for an affordable vacation home came from visits to the couples’ friend’s ranch in Florence, Arizona. Frequent trips out there increased the desire for a manageable home base they could regularly stay at.
Setting out on a real estate path not often taken, the couple purchased an old dumpster for $800. Utilizing Brad’s general contracting skills and enlisting the help of family and friends, they transformed the 176-square-foot space into an amazing home away from home.
The tiny getaway now offers an indoor wood-burning stove and comfortable sleeping for two. It even comes complete with a spacious wood deck constructed from scaffolding plank found in California. Among the popular movement to rely less on outside sources of power, the little cottage-like abode is totally off the grid with no electricity or water. The couple does fine with a small generator for lights and they use an outhouse next door.
It wasn’t a seamless transformation — the two admit to challenges in cutting openings for windows and doors and securing siding, drywall, and studs. Like any great result, it didn’t come without some trial and error but Jamie and Brad are thrilled and proud of the outcome.
Adding personal touches to their new vacation home was half the fun. The couple sourced the statement green windows from a salvage yard and decorated the interior with unique vintage furniture in keeping with a timeless desert theme.
The total cost of their dumpster renovation amounted to $13,000 and proved anyone can design their dream home away from home. In seeing the potential for the extraordinary in the everyday, and diving headfirst into a new task with a little patience and creativity.
To see more of their rule-breaking real estate take a look at their Instagram.
