A couple sold all their belongings to move into a tiny off-grid “shed” debt-free—complete with a greenhouse bathroom and a fish pond in the kitchen.
John Kernohan, 61, and his wife, Fin, 44, met online in 2010 and fell in love despite living over 4,000 miles apart.
Mr. Kernohan, from Miami, Florida, invited Fin, a Thai native who'd been living in London, to move to the United States with him after they married in 2012.
Fin had an “adventurous spirit” and had previously lived on a narrowboat and in an attic, as well as being a regular camper.
She suggested selling Mr. Kernohan’s spacious Miami home and moving into something more quaint—such as an off-grid cabin.
They sold almost all their possessions and moved into a 304-square-foot shed structure costing just $6,500.
They then spent a further $6,000 kitting it out with furniture and electrics—as well as some unique adaptations.
Despite being just 304 square feet, their unique space boasts a bathroom that doubles as a greenhouse and an outdoor kitchen with a pond full of koi carp.
Mr. Kernohan and Fin have lived their unique off-grid life for 12 years—expanding their land as they go.
The couple, now both short-term getaway hosts and event organizers, aim to show “it’s possible to live off-grid without roughing it.”
“Fin made it clear when she came over to the States that she didn’t like how big it was,” Mr. Kernohan said. "We came to realize being in a small space together was more what we enjoyed.
“Fin said one day she wanted us to build our own home together—when she sets her mind to something, that’s the way it is.
“We sold pretty much all our belongings we had in Miami and in London and bought our first shed.
“When we started out, about six months in, I thought we'd made a mistake because we never had any space.
“But 12 years on, I love the small space and can’t imagine living differently.”
Mr. Kernohan and Fin met online in 2010 despite living on opposite sides of the world—and traveled back and forth between Miami and London while dating.
When Mr. Kernohan stayed in the UK for a while, they rented a narrowboat to live on together and enjoyed it.
When she visited his three-bedroom Miami home, she made her feelings about the size clear.
“We had a joke conversation where she said, ‘I don’t know where this relationship is going, but I’m never going to clean this place,’” Mr. Kernohan said. “I joked I’d hire a housekeeper—and she responded suggesting getting somewhere smaller.
“The seed was planted.”
In 2013, Fin moved to the United States to live with Mr. Kernohan permanently and convinced him to go off-grid by saying, “I love the man you are when we’re out in the woods.”
They started by leasing a plot of land for $1,200.
Soon they were moving into their first shared home—a 304-square-foot cabin in rural Georgia costing $6500, which they paid for by selling most of their possessions.
They spent a further $6,000 on the cabin’s plumbing, electrics, and insulation and kitted it out with furniture and equipment before moving in permanently.
They live off-grid, fully powered by solar and thermal energy, as well as using a biogas system—creating cooking gas from their non-compostable waste such as leftover meat.
While small, they’ve made their home their own—and over the years added quirky details to their greenhouse, bathroom, and kitchen.
Their kitchen even features ponds complete with seven koi carp and eight other tropical fish swimming around.
Over time, they bought their land outright, then bought additional pieces of adjoining land as they became available.
They now own 16 acres, having spent $83,000 on it as well as acquiring an extra building and a well as part of the deal.
As the space grew, they even began to add additional structures—separate cabins, domes, tiny houses, and a yurt—which are now their primary source of income as the couple list them on Airbnb.
It is their full-time income, bringing in $3,000 to $5,000 a month.
It’s now been 12 years, and they’re as happy as ever—living debt-free because they didn’t need to get a mortgage.
They even run “tiny house festivals” to bring together like-minded off-grid lovers, as well as workshops and other events at their homestead.
“When we started out, I thought we made a mistake because we were always on top of each other and never had any space,” Mr. Kernohan said. “She said, ‘If you want space, we have acres and acres out there, go take a walk.’
“I realized she was right, it’s what you make of the space, not its size—personal space doesn’t have to be a room.
“If we ever get annoyed at each other, we just get over it real quick—we resolve the negative vibe and move on.
“We have friends in big houses near us on the lake, and we go there for parties—but now I can’t believe we used to live that way.”
Fin said, “When I met John, I already knew how I wanted to live my life, and it wasn’t that hard to convince him.
“As a hunter, he’s always in the woods, so I sort of knew he’d like it. If he didn’t, he’d have to! When I have a vision, you’re with me or you’re out!
“Every single morning when I get up, I’m like ‘Man, I am living a dream—this is how I envisioned I'd live my life.’”
