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Down East Magazine has declared 2010 "The Year of the Yurt," and though they were talking vacation, it got me thinking big picture. Could I live in a yurt? Despite the recent yurt enthusiasm, yurts have been around for a long time. Yurts are actually the traditional housing of many Mongolian people and there's evidence of yurt living dating all the way back to the nomads. But more recently as a result of the high cost of housing and increasing interest in living off grid, yurts have made their way to the mainstream.
My husband and I recently discussed the prospects of living in a yurt in our plight to reconnect with the land and live with as little as possible. It's amazing how over time, no matter how careful you are to avoid clutter, we all become hoarders. We currently live in a 900 square foot apartment that I'm determined to keep clutter-free. We go to Goodwill with a full load at least twice a year, and even still, we've amassed a room full of "stuff" in our storage closet in the basement. And so, there are thoughts of leaving it all behind. If you're considering the same, here's what you need to know:
Obtaining a Yurt
You have a few options when it comes to choosing a yurt but all of them require that you have some small notion of building. You can build your own yurt if you like. If that's a reality for you here are some building plans to get you started. For most of us building a yurt is way too difficult, but you still need to build, or have built, the platform that your yurt will sit on because it doesn't come with the cost of the yurt.
Yurts range in cost pretty dramatically from about $4,000 to $15,000. This all depends on what you need. You can get a good sized 450 square foot yurt for between $6,000 and $7,000. Remember that yurts are about the best use of space possible because they're round, so you won't need the space that you would in an apartment. Ensure that you get insulation for your yurt and that you waterproof both sides of your platform so that it doesn't mold.
Where do I put my yurt?
First off, make sure that any land that you would put the yurt on is zoned for yurts. Don't buy a piece of land and then realize that yurts aren't aloud. Secondly, land is obviously way less expensive than buying land with a house but if you have a family member who will let you throw up your yurt on their land, even better.
What about facilities?
If there's a well on the land then you have access to water already, but if not, you can do all sorts of creative things like catch water off the roof of your yurt, or build a holding tank and have water trucked in. And you can purchase a composting toilet, which doesn't require any water, for around $1000 and up. Many appliances can run off batteries. Solar panels can also serve to power the house with a back up generator when there's not enough sunlight. Also consider a solar hot water heater or heating your water up by hand on a wood burning stove. Think innovation. This yurt is an incredible use of space.
First off, Try a Yurt Vacation
You may want to stay in a yurt for some period of time to see if you're a good candidate for yurt living. Yurt vacations are offered all over the place. Pacific yurts has a listing of yurt vacations across North America.
More on Yurts:
5 Good Reasons to Consider Living in a Yurt (Really)
Are You Ready To Live in a Yurt?
Living in a Yurt
