The concept
Moving from a standard 3 bedroom home in Mount Albert to a tiny house on a large rural property out west of Auckland, with a very young family, seemed crazy to some of Josh’s friends. But Josh is convinced it is perfect way to bring up his kids. Reminding him and his wife of their childhoods in the islands of Fiji, it keeps them focused on the things they value and makes them appreciate what they have. They have been renting their Unit2go 32m2 Long Cabin for just 2 months but are thrilled with the change (they were renting a smaller one before). It sits on a large plot of land they are leasing which they use for Josh’s landscaping business and to create a market garden.
The design and build quality (from a designers’ perspective)
Josh, a trained architectural designer, weighed up the size, quality, price and standard carefully against the competition and concluded the Unit2go design is good. Josh says he likes the window placements, having them on both sides in particular – other designs from others only have one side. There is a sliding door that you can alter to make another room which is good. It is warm, cosy and easy to heat, you can tell the build and insulation has been done properly. And they like the small power bills.
This is the right length for them too, at 10m long it feels big enough for the family, although ideally in future he’d add a loft upstairs. One day Josh would like to buy one, likely using the Unit2go finance option.
Lifestyle and kid’s upbringing
Josh grew up in America, his wife in England but they are both from Fiji originally. They have decided to settle in NZ partly because it’s a good middle ground, but mostly because of the relaxed lifestyle. The way of living here really suits them. They are both fans of outdoor living, simplicity, camping, tramping. They’ve been following the ‘tiny home’ lifestyle idea for a while, and jumped onto it when they got the chance. They wanted land, to be able to grow things, and be creative with the resources they have. Living in a tiny home compared to the crazy rental prices in Auckland, means they can merge business and life together. Getting this farm started (the market garden), means their kids can grow up with the lifestyle they want for them. It is a dream of living simple for them. They still have community, other families and schools only 10 mins away in Henderson.
This lifestyle means Josh’s wife doesn’t have to work, and he doesn’t have to work all the time, or can work nearby on the land next to their house. Their son is always outside playing, and has to be reminded to come back inside sometimes.
Josh says, “Raising our kids in a tiny home, shows people that it’s possible, you don’t need a big house to raise family. You need a nice cosy house. There is a lot of growth happening in everything here, kids, garden, the way we perceive life. It is a season of growth which gives us a very positive, happy feeling. Tiny living unlocks your capacity, giving a feeling that you’re able to do this, it brings freedom, play and creativity, utilising what you have. We’re heading into unprecedented times, things are out of control and this feeling of freedom with simple things, means we can really appreciate life. It also connects us back to our roots in the Fiji islands, this is what we had growing up, we never knew about what a lot is. We’re coming full circle back to something familiar. I’ve always been a person to do what I love, I want to pursue gardening more and I can here’.
Josh strongly recommends Unit2go homes to anyone who asks. He is also a strong advocate for this tiny-living, nature-filled, outdoor lifestyle of fun and freedom!
