HOME GOOD TO BE HOME GOOD TO BE

from Lake Oconee Living - Summer 2023

by Times Journal Media

Summer 2023

The eighth annual Tiny House Festival returns to Georgia’s Lake Country

STORY BY EMILY WHITTEN

For John and Fin Kernohan, great joy can be found in the smallest of actions.

It is a way of life they would sum up by saying, “do something big in your world…by simply doing something tiny.”

They do this by finding ways to help others every day, giving to charity through their organization, the United Tiny House Association and living in an off-grid, 304-square-foot cabin. They are inviting the community to get a glimpse of their way of life when the eighth annual Georgia Tiny House Festival rolls in to town this summer. The festival will take place June 24 and 25 at the Madison Lions Club Fairgrounds, off Fairground Road in Madison. get a glimpse of their way of life when the eighth annual Georgia Tiny House Festival rolls in to town this summer. The festival will take place June 24 and 25 at the Madison Lions Club Fairgrounds, off Fairground Road in Madison.

Attendees of the festival can tour a variety of homes, talk with tiny home builders and residents and attend workshops on topics such as building, zoning, downsizing and off-grid applications.

About 50 tiny residences will be at the event, including tiny houses on wheels, “skoolies” or bus conversions and van conversions.

These will include John and Fin’s 148-square-foot firehouse-style tiny home: Tiny Firehouse Station No. 9 – a tribute to firefighters and first responders.

“It’s a cornucopia of small-spaced, living places,” John said about the festival, which will also include entertainment, speakers, and artisans.

“We hope that folks come out and just have a grand old time,” John said.

This event with be John and his wife’s eighth in Georgia and their 29th UTHA for-charity tiny house festival held at venues across the country. During those years, they have raised more than $770,000 but this upcom- ing event in Madison is extra special.

The pair held their very first tiny house festival in nearby Eatonton in 2016.

“As they say, it’s good to be home,” John said.

In recent years, the Kernohans have appeared on numerous television programs and are always ready to talk about the importance of affordable housing the tiny home movement can provide.

“We’re just trying to get tiny homes recognized as a viable option,” John said.

Through their travels, the Kernohans have talked with many people about the financial stress and fear of losing a home. They have found that this can often make other problems of life seem even harder.

Georgia Tiny House Festival

June 24-25

10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

1311 Fairground Rd., Madison

Tickets: $20 at gate or discounted online at unitedtinyhouse.com

Owning a lower-priced, tiny home can reduce that financial burden and remove some of the stress, often allowing people like the Kernohans to live a debt-free life.

“When they have the safety of a roof over their heads, it allows them to focus on other things,” John said.

As for the small size, tiny home dwellers often find they adjust to the tight living quarters, reduced storage space and enjoy embracing a simpler way of life.

For John and Fin, their tiny house journey began more than 11 years ago when they built their first tiny home, a 304-square-foot cabin. When not on the road traveling to festivals, they continue to live in that cabin on 16 acres in Putnam County.

They now own a variety of tiny living places including three tiny houses on wheels, two yurts, two geodesic domes, three bell tents and a skoolie.

But John will be quick to admit his life once looked quite different. Health concerns and his relationship with Fin led him to reevaluate many aspects of his life.

At this time, he was living in a large house full of possessions. The house even included what John called a “junk room” containing everything from sporting and hunting equipment to even a suitcase full of clean socks.

He began having conversations with Fin about the things he had in his house and why he had them.

For example, he realized he did not need numerous coffee cups when he used the same cup every day.

He did not need many kitchen plates when he preferred plastic plates when entertaining guests.

“One would be surprised at how much stuff in their house they don’t use or need,” John said.

Their introduction to the joys of tiny house life began overseas. They took a trip through the canals of England while living on a narrow boat.

With that, they discovered they liked living “tiny” and as John described living in close proximity is

“kind of our jam” and “personal space is what you make of it.”

John discovered he does not miss having a “man cave” and he can step outside or go for a walk if the walls ever start to close in around him.

Tiny home residents adjust to having less storage and builders keep developing new, innovative ways to meet that need.

“One can be very creative in how they design their storage,” John said.

Every square foot can be utilized for storage with compartments hidden in furniture, the floor, stairs and the walls.

Newer homes come equipped with the latest kitchen appliances and the latest technologies in solar power, for example.

Retractable second floors also are more common especially for tiny homes that are seldom moved due to need and expense.

“Most tiny houses on wheels are not nomadic,” John said. For this reason, John is seeing a growing number of skoolies and van conversion tiny homes. People like the ease of movement they provide.

“We’re finding that the nomad lifestyle is becoming more and more the norm now,” John said. “Buses and vans are moving all the time.”

And for the Kernohans “simple doing something tiny” has become a way of life they have found to benefit them in many ways, including emotionally and financially and in their relationship with each other.

“Our life is enriched 20-fold and keeps being enriched by living this lifestyle,” John said.

For more information on the Eighth Annual Tiny House Festival visit: unitedtinyhouse. com/georgia-tiny-home-festival/