“There was no big aha moment,” says Elaina Jindra, a public school dean who lives in a 350-square-foot yurt with her husband, Zach, in rural northern Wisconsin. “Over time, we just grew curious about what life could look like and wanted a new experience.” Today, Elaina gives us a tour, with photos by Xee Vang…
On changing things up: Zach and I lived in a house in Milwaukee, when we realized that we were at a stage in our lives where we could uproot ourselves and do something different. So, we quit our jobs, purged 65% of our belongings, and put our house on the market.
Dining table and chairs: thrifted.
On choosing the yurt: We considered things like moving abroad, getting a tiny home, or living out of our Subaru Outback, but in the end, living in a yurt felt like the easiest and most cost-effective option. A tiny home can be expensive, takes longer to set up, and has utility costs. A yurt comes in a DIY kit that we could build in one day.
Sofa: Crate&Barrel. Light pendant: “I made this pendant using an old shade from a Target lamp we got as a wedding gift.” Basket: World Market. Desk: vintage.
On planning: It took us 15 months to find a piece of property that didn’t have any county rules, since those usually require lots of building permits. Before we officially bought the land, we were out here marking the yurt’s dimensions with our footsteps in the snow, and measuring out each piece of furniture that we’d be bringing.
Stove: Ace.
On yurt necessities: You cannot survive in a yurt in Wisconsin without a wood stove. Also, candles. You gotta have that cozy, intimate lighting.
On neighborhood critters: When living in a yurt, you can hear everything. The spring peepers and loons are incredibly loud. There’s also a big owl that perches itself on a tree nearby and hoots all night. We’ve heard howls from a neighboring wolf pack. We never have those peaceful evenings that we envisioned we would get out here! But hearing the sounds of wildlife is amazing.
Bed: West Elm. Throw pillows: made by Elaina. Rug: thrifted.
On thoughtful details: A lot of yurts have a tight lattice with a vinyl interior, which many people prefer because the vinyl is very durable and lasts for years. But we chose a yurt with a very large lattice and wool interior. Aesthetically, it’s a lot prettier. We also want parts of this yurt to decompose, so we can leave as small of a footprint as possible.
On living without Wi-Fi: We don’t have Wi-Fi but we have really good cell service for calling and texting family and friends. We also live three miles from a trailhead that has excellent Wi-Fi, vending machines, and overall good vibes. Zach is a wedding photographer, so we go to the trailhead when he needs strong internet connection to edit photos and upload clients’ galleries.
On a smart meal hack: One of the ways I clean out the fridge is by gathering whatever bits and bobs we have leftover and throwing them on a pizza. I call it ‘garbage pizza’ and it’s inspired by Anne-Marie Bonneau, the Zero Waste Chef. I’ve been obsessed with her since college. She’s inspired me to get creative about eating everything in the fridge, instead of tossing stuff out.
On an eye-opening habit: A couple years ago, Zach and I started keeping track of what we spent our time and money on. At the beginning of each month, I always predicted that my spending would be low because ‘I don’t buy anything.’ However, by the end of the month, I would realize that wasn’t true. Now we’re actively trying to avoid buying things we don’t absolutely need.
On a much-needed break: As a dean, I spend most days indoors at work. Since the school district is small, I wear a lot of hats, but essentially I am there to support staff and students. I usually do something outdoors right after work, and then I’m pretty happy to be nice and cozy with the fire when I get home.
On forming new rituals: Everything out here takes a bit longer. Sometimes, after a long work day, I don’t want to do the dishes, then haul and dump our seven-gallon jug of waste water outside. When chores come at the wrong time, they can feel annoying. But we knew about all of these trade-offs beforehand, so we try not to complain.
The yurt in the winter.
On winters: Winter is our favorite season because it’s ultra cozy. Last year, a couple days got down to the negative 30s. But we just kept the wood stove going.
On sweet realizations: Zach and I got married when we were both 23 — we were babies. I feel so lucky because even though we didn’t know who we were back then, we’ve managed to grow well together. None of this would have been possible without him believing that we could live happily in a 350-square-foot home. He pushes me out of my comfort zone.
Sauna: SaunaLife.
On a wood-fired sauna: We don’t use the sauna much in the summer but love stepping inside it in the winter. It’s our #1 party move when hosting friends.
On living off-grid: We have a generator that we charge with solar panels, so there is running electricity. We also have a back-up gas generator that we use every three to four days in the winter. But if things ever stop working, we’ll be okay. We’re both avid backpackers, so we’re used to going days without access to hot water or electricity.
Solar-powered shower: Outsunny. Outhouse: “It was actually made by some people in our local Amish community.”
On showers: We have a solar-powered shower, which we use in the summer. For the rest of the year, we take our showers at the gym! Getting a membership to a nice gym and utilizing their shower is a frugal minimalist hack. Ours is only nine minutes away, and it has all the amenities we need. We often end our day there and have made friends with the staff.
Yurt: Yurta.
On mixed reactions: It’s funny to hear people’s responses when we tell them how we live. Some people are like, ‘You know, you don’t have to live like that, right?’ or ‘I can help you out if you need it.’ And then other people are like, ‘Oh my god, that’s so cool!’ and want to know every detail.
On big realizations: Living here has clarified what resources we need to actually thrive, not just survive. And we’ve learned that we don’t need that much. We feel so lucky to be able to take this chance and explore. Living sustainably was one of our motivators for living in a yurt, but we also wanted to slow down. To notice when the wind is blowing and pay attention to the fullness of the moon.
Thank you so much, Elaina!
P.S. Many more house tours, including an architect couple who lives in a spaceship apartment and a 175-square-foot apartment in New York City (“I just call it ‘my room’”).
(Photos by Xee Vang for Cup of Jo.)
