A 36-year-old man from Denmark left his job and constructed a small wooden dwelling in the forest for less than $13,000. Explore the interior.

For many years, Anders Boisen, a 36-year-old man, resided in various apartments throughout the city of Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest metropolis.

Boisen, despite having a comfortable living situation and a job in city development, felt confined by his lifestyle and societal pressure to conform to expectations at his age.

He explains that he felt claustrophobic living in an apartment, not due to its size but more because of the restrictive lifestyle it imposed.

Boisen discovered a YouTube channel showcasing individuals residing in off-the-grid tiny homes during that period.

"He says that he found the experience very inspiring and it opened his eyes to a new possibility where he could live more economically free and sustainably. If he could construct a house that is self-sufficient and in harmony with nature, he believes he could gain a deeper understanding of life on a philosophical level."

In 2018, Boisen left his apartment and moved into a garden house where he came up with the idea to build a tiny home of his own. However, in a few months, his mobile tiny home was stolen.

"We didn't find it, although it was widely reported in the news here in Denmark," Boisen says.

In the spring of 2020, after working on it on and off for eight months, Boisen finished the tiny home that he started building the previous year.

He built most of the structure himself and estimates he spent between 80,000 to 90,000 Danish Krone or approximately USD $11,366 to $12,787.

The small dwelling measures 21.3 feet in length and 6.6 feet in width.

For more than a year, Boisen resided on a land he rented.

Boisen left his job to focus on completing the construction of his tiny home full-time. He established a Facebook group to document his journey and enlisted the assistance of some members in the building process.

"I recognized the personalized nature of this home because I constructed most of it myself, infusing it with my own memories and choices. However, it also contained the memories of those who assisted me, making it significantly different from what I had imagined, having a contractor construct a house for me."

Boisen has shifted his career from his previous job to creating content for YouTube and delivering talks on tiny living and off-the-grid lifestyle.

Boisen recalls with fondness the experience of constructing his small dwelling, but acknowledges that the process was fraught with technical difficulties, such as relocating the house and repairing a damaged roof.

Boisen says that when he moved the house, it tilted to one side because he hadn't secured the framing enough, making it difficult to correct later on.

The setback left me feeling down. Although in my dreams I imagined burning the house down to solve the problem, I knew it was impossible. It was stressful, but I found it amusing.

Seeing the completion of the tiny home he built gives Boisen immense satisfaction, despite the challenges he faced.

"Boisen describes the feeling of building a dream as a giddy excitement that comes from realizing a long-held desire. He explains that it was more than just constructing a roof over his head; it was a new beginning in his life with the potential for many positive outcomes."

In September 2021, Boisen purchased a 17,800 square feet plot of land outside of Aarhus for 160,000 Danish Krone, or USD $22,791, as per CNBC Make It's review of the documents.

Boisen describes the property as being located at the end of a dirt road with no immediate neighbors, featuring a meadow and a large forest adjacent to it, making it feel larger than its actual size.

After a month, Boisen relocated his tiny home from his rental property to his newly acquired land.

Living off the grid in a forest

Boisen ensured that his small dwelling was fully prepared for a life off the grid, which he defines as being self-sufficient in terms of water, electricity, and heat.

The house is equipped with a rainwater filtration system, solar panels, and batteries for energy storage.

Over four years, Boisen has resided in a small dwelling and experienced power outages multiple times but only ran out of water once.

He closely monitors his water tank, takes brief showers when it's running low, and strives to conserve water in other ways.

He says, "I often feel like I need power, but then I question whether it's the lack of power or the amount of power I'm consuming. This has been a part of my journey."

During winter, Boisen reduces power consumption and adopts a more sustainable lifestyle by storing milk and condiments outside in the cold rather than relying on an electric fridge.

"Boisen's goal was to learn how to consume less resources while still living comfortably in a tiny house. He aimed to make the tiny home livable and adjust his behavior and need for resources. The house encouraged him to change his behavior."

Boisen's permaculture garden, defined by Better Homes and Gardens as one that "builds soils without synthetic inputs," contains a variety of produce including potatoes, berries, apples, leeks, cabbage, and herbs.

"I aim to cultivate long-lasting plants to maximize my yield over time," he remarks. "My food production will be expanded significantly from an experimental stage to a larger scale next season, with a substantial increase in the size of my garden."

Boisen views his pursuit of self-sufficiency as an extension of his journey to grow his own food.

"Gardening teaches me how to be more in harmony with the seasons and nature. To grow food, I must learn a great deal about gardening. I find joy in the fact that each season brings its own unique types of food, so I am always anticipating something new and always consuming locally and seasonally sourced produce."

Boisen utilizes his food waste to nourish his chickens and transforms it into compost for his garden's soil.

Boisen has completed the initial work on the tiny home and is now preparing to sell it. He has added a mud room and upgraded the water filtration system.

Boisen is preparing for the future by building a tiny home that is practical for a family and self-sufficient lifestyle.

He plans to finish the new home next spring.

On November 15, 2024, OANDA conversion rates were used to convert amounts to USD. All figures are rounded to the nearest dollar.

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