Polishing Humility: Reclaimed Wood Projects

Finally, I have finished a couple of small woodcraft pieces made from reclaimed objects. I forgot how damn fulfilling it is to work with little more than a few pieces of wood, limited tools, and one's own hands and imagination. I'm beginning to think of the salvaged materials I've been gathering - wooden pallets, fenceposts, etc. - as small totems reflecting the rapidly vanishing American traditions of manufacturing and labor. These are objects that have been scarred and weathered by worker's hands, steel tools, and heavy machinery. They have been stained with the grease, debris, and dirt of warehouses, truck trailers, and factory floors. They have bits of nails, screws, and staples embedded in them, sometimes producing a rich patina of rust and the earliest evidence of decayed metals. They are simple, humble, utilitarian, and designed for work. They remain sturdy and eager to be used. There is an integrity to these materials that cannot be reproduced or mimicked. The more I've worked on these small little objects, the more I've learned to respect the materials and appreciate the history they represent.

toward tiny: 3 Ways I'm Trying To Radically Downsize

In my last post, I discussed why I want to build or purchase a tiny house (I'm beginning to lean strongly towards building).  As I mentioned in that post, my main concerns are the financial and lifestyle benefits that radical downsizing can offer, at least for me. But, how does one go about downsizing so dramatically? I don’t necessarily have a large number of possessions, but I certainly have more than can be crammed into a structure less than 200 square feet. And I definitely have more than can be comfortably or practically housed in such a small space.  So, the downsizing plan is already underway. Here are some of the strategies I’m undertaking in moving towards tiny:

1. Being Creative