Any college student knows that housing costs are unbelievably high—where does the money from our residential fees even go? Certainly not to our flooding communal showers and sterilely decorated dorms (would it kill to add some color to those walls, colleges?).
Well, if you’re anything like Joel Weber, you can avoid those debt-inducing costs and build the living space of your dreams. All you need is $20,000, some property and a love of simplicity.
According to Today, 25-year-old University of Texas student Joel Weber decided he was done with dorm life (and the impending debt) and took charge of finding a new living situation. His solution? Build a 145-square foot lodging inspired by his childhood love of treehouses.
This stylish space is definitely not a just house, but instead a full-blown home (see all of the photos here). It’s got a loft with a bed and room for guests, a kitchen, and reading and working areas. There’s not yet a toilet, but that’s no challenge for Weber. He simply shares with another house that’s on the same property.
What we love most about Weber (other than his adorable surfer style) is that he’s totally in it for more than the savings. After completing some gap-years in Central America before college, Weber felt inspired by the modest living conditions people around the world accommodate to. If they could do it, so could he, all with an environmentally-friendly mission in mind. Weber’s got a heart of gold, hoping to install solar panels and rain-collecting devices to live as naturally as possible. When asked about his future residency, once his time in college is completed, Weber explained that his mini place is totally adaptable for a family when the time comes. In a quote from Today he asserts that “it’s not the square footage, it’s the love that goes in it.” We’re fawning.
A design major, Weber obviously has more skill than the average twentysomething student—but that won’t stop us from fantasizing about a tiny home of our own (Here come the “Tiny Home” Pinterest boards). And if there’s anything to learn from Weber’s maturity, it’s that when it comes down to it, experiences are far more important than any possession. Or, that everything’s cuter when it’s miniaturized. Probably both.