We sold all our belongings to move into an off-grid shed in the woods – our outdoor kitchen boasts a fish pond

A couple have revealed how they sold all their belongings to move debt-free into a tiny off-grid ‘shed’ – with a greenhouse bathroom and a fish pond in the kitchen.

John Kernohan, 61, from Miami, Florida, and his wife, Fin, 44, met online in 2010 and fell in love despite living more than 4,000 miles apart.

John invited Fin, a Thai native living in London, to move to the United States with him after they married in 2012.

She suggested selling John’s spacious Miami home and moving to something more special, like an off-grid cabin. They sold almost all of their belongings and moved into a 300-square-foot shed that cost $6,500.

They then spent another $6,000 to outfit it with furniture and electricity, as well as some unique customizations.

Despite being only 30 square meters in size, their unique space features a bathroom that doubles as a greenhouse, and an outdoor kitchen with a pond full of koi carp.

Fin had previously lived on a narrowboat and in an attic and was also a regular camper. John and Fin have been living their unique life off the grid for twelve years, expanding their land along the way.

The couple, now short break organizers as well as event organisers, want to show that ‘it is possible to live off-grid without straining it.’

John said, “Fin made it clear when she came to the United States that she didn’t like how big it was. We realized that we enjoyed ourselves more together in a small space.

‘Fin said one day that she wanted us to build our own house together – if she sets her mind to something, that’s it.

“We sold pretty much all the stuff we had in Miami and London and bought our first shed.

“When we started, about six months later, I thought we made a mistake because we never had room. But twelve years later, I love the small space and can’t imagine living any differently.”

John 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 John spent a while in Britain, they rented a narrowboat to continue living together and enjoyed it.

When she visited his three-bed home in Miami, she made her feelings about the size clear.

John said: ‘We had a joking conversation where she said, ‘I don’t know where this relationship is going, but I’m never going to clean this place up.’

‘I joked that I would hire a housekeeper – and she responded by suggesting we move somewhere smaller. The seed was planted.”

In 2013, Fin moved to the US to live with John permanently, convincing him to go off-grid by saying, “I love the man you are when we’re in the woods.”

They started by leasing a piece of land for $1,200. They soon moved into their first shared home: a $6,500, 300-square-foot cabin in rural Georgia, which they paid for by selling most of their belongings.

They spent another $6,000 on the cabin’s electrical installation and insulation, and outfitted it with furniture and appliances before moving in permanently.

They live off-grid, powered entirely by solar and thermal energy, and use a biogas system, creating cooking gas from their non-compostable waste, such as leftover meat.

Even though they were small, they made their home their own and over the years added quirks like a bathroom and kitchen in a greenhouse.

Their kitchen even features ponds, complete with seven koi carp and eight other tropical fish swimming around.

Over time, they purchased their land outright and then purchased additional tracts of adjacent land as they became available.

They now own 16 hectares of land and have spent $83,000 on it, including purchasing an additional building and a well as part of the deal.

As the space grew, they even started adding additional separate cabins, domes, tiny houses, and a yurt — which is now their main source of income, as the couple lists them on Airbnb.

It is their full-time income, which brings in $3,000 to $5,000 per month. It’s been twelve years now and they’re as happy as ever, living debt-free because they didn’t need a mortgage.

They even organize ‘tiny house festivals’ to bring together like-minded off-grid enthusiasts, as well as workshops and other events at their homes.

John said: ‘When we started I thought we had made a mistake because we were always on top of each other and never had any space. She said, ‘If you want space, we have acres and acres there, go for 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 with each other, we get over it very quickly – 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 like that.”

Fin added: ‘When I met John, I already knew how I wanted to live my life and it wasn’t that difficult to convince him. As a hunter he is always in the woods, so I knew he would enjoy it.

“If he didn’t, he should! When I have a vision, you’re with me or you’re gone! Every morning I wake up and I think, ‘Man, I’m living a dream – this is how I imagined I would live my life.’