Our Tiny House on Wheels: Commas That Separate a Series

Building Log: Our Tiny House on Wheels

1My family is building a tiny house on a flat trailer in Uncle Tomasz's driveway. When it is finished, it will have a kitchen, a bathroom, a reading nook, and a sleeping loft. The whole house will be shorter than a school bus, so every inch has to count. Instead of a closet, we will use hooks, baskets, and drawers under a bench. Grandma says a small home means less cleaning, smaller bills, and more time outside.

2In March, we gathered lumber, nails, screws, and a long list of tools. Uncle Tomasz showed my cousin Keoni and me how to measure twice, mark the board, and cut once. Keoni clamped the boards to the sawhorses, I marked the lines, and Uncle Tomasz ran the saw. We wore safety glasses, work gloves, and sturdy boots every single day.

3By April, the walls were standing. Uncle Tomasz checked every wall with a level, a square, and a long tape measure. We pressed soft insulation into the spaces between the boards, stapled a plastic sheet over it, and covered everything with thin wooden panels. The insulation will help keep the house warm in winter, cool in summer, and quieter during storms.

4Building the loft was my favorite job. The loft sits above the kitchen, under the curved roof, and beside a round window. We gave the ladder flat steps, a sturdy rail, and a hook for a lantern so that Grandma can climb it safely at night.

5Next month we will paint the door, hang the curtains, and carry in our books. Keoni wants a blue, yellow, or green door. I want a red one. Grandma has already sewn curtains with stripes, stars, and tiny moons. We might flip a coin, play a game of checkers, or let Grandma choose. Either way, our tiny house will be ready before the first snow.