Nory’s Green Nest – Tiny Home Living

By Nory Simoneaux

I have been incorporating greener ways of living into my day-to-day life since before I can remember. It is something I take seriously, but also something I try to keep interesting. When I visit people, shops, and restaurants around town, I love to gather tips on what they are doing to live green and incorporate them into my own home. In this “Green Nest” series, I’ll be sharing their stories and tips on green living.

A few months back, I met Jess Young McCaffrey, owner of Phoenix Makes, an eco-conscious, mama minded, baby safe Mala jewelry Design Company. She and her husband, Scott, have been living in the Wilmington, North Carolina area for 10 years and have recently decided to take their green living to the next level: they are building a tiny house! Who better to take some eco-friendly queues from than two people who are building their entire lives around green living? Literally.

Green - Tiny House 1

Jess, her husband Scott, and their baby Phoenix pose with their future tiny home…a semi truck that they will be converting. 

Nory Simoneaux: When did green living become a focus in your life?

Jess Young McCaffrey: When I was 16, I started an environmental concerns club at my high school. We started recycling in school, so it really started then. Later there was an awesome couple I used to house and dog sit for and they taught me so much about greening my home before it was cool. They really got me thinking about more than just recycling, that it also mattered what I put on my body.

Green - Tiny House 2

The blank interior of the truck when they began.

NS: What were some of the small steps you took to get started?

JYM: When we moved to Navassa, NC, it was the first time we did not have recycling pick up and it made me start thinking about some hacks to greener living. Using less packaging has been a big thing for us. There are little things like using reusable materials for my lunch to making sure I do not just order one thing at a time online, we try to wait until we have 10ish things we need so they can all be boxed together. For me it is more about what I am not doing as opposed to what I am doing, so I can use less to have a smaller impact. This also extends to my business. I only use repurposed packaging when sending my orders.

Green - Tiny House 3

Insulation and wood planks begin to form walls. 

NS: What led you to tiny house living?

JYM: We aren’t perfect in our green living! But since having our first child, we’ve both felt really called to live up to more of our ideals. The tiny house really challenges us to do so. It also allows us to travel more, be outside more, and detox electronically a bit as a family.

NS: What are some misconceptions about green living or reduced footprint living you often see?

Green - Tiny House 4

An electrical panel and wiring is installed.

JYM: That you have to have a lot of money. If you think creatively about it you can find ways to make greener living obtainable without spending any money. For example, I want a hybrid car, but that is not in our current budget, so I instead think about how I can drive less to obtain a similar goal. It becomes a habit before a lifestyle.

NS: What’s been the trickiest part of green living for you and your family?

JYM: Time. I mentioned packaging is a major focus for us, and that includes how our food is packaged. It takes time to prep food, to have fresh juices at home, and it is really easy to just buy one that is in a disposable container. We try to eat at home or have a reusable cup option as often as possible though!

Green - Tiny House 5

NS: What are some of the creative ways you live a green life?

JYM: We are pretty standard! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I am really religious about health and beauty products so I think the most creative I get is when I am making my own products. I swear by coconut oil, I know it is silly and trendy, but it is budget friendly and green.

Green - Tiny House 5

The future bathtub!

My Final takeaway: It was wonderful to meet with someone who makes a conscious effort to live green, and to get ideas that I can immediately implement into my life. I love Amazon as much as the next person, but going forward, I’ll strive for my family and me to set a 5-piece minimum on all Amazon orders! Not only will that decrease packaging/plastic use, but the energy it takes to ship our products will be cut down, as the UPS truck won’t be stopping at our home multiple times a month. With the holidays quickly approaching and online ordering more popular than ever, I would love to see others challenge themselves in this way too!

Thanks to Jess for opening her tiny doors to me!

Nory Simoneaux is a broker with Nest Realty Wilmington. With an eye for detail and great passion for customer service, Nory strives to handle each transaction how she would for a close friend or family member. 

Spread the love

Written by
Posted in Asheville, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, New River Valley, Shenandoah Valley, Wilmington
Tags: , , , ,
Comments closed

Comments are closed.

Join our Newsletter

×