Your Guide to the Cabin Lifestyle

Living in a log cabin is a great option for people who want as much freedom as possible. Whether you’re buying a cabin or building your own, they have plenty of appeal. Living in a cabin is generally economical, and most who follow through with the idea find that it leads to less stress than the traditional rat race.

Building a cabin is also more environmentally friendly than other types of houses, and the lifestyle is a great way to go green in general. You’ll be closer to nature, have high energy efficiency, and potentially experience a lifetime sense of achievement from cabin living.

Regardless of your reasoning for your desired lifestyle change, the following are the essentials you’ll need to know for living in a cabin.

Floor plan

When thinking about a log cabin, you may be envisioning the days of old, where there was a single room dwelling with a stove and fireplace to keep everything warm. While you can still find those items in a modern cabin, today’s cabins generally come equipped with the advantages of the modern home.

This point applies more to those planning to build their own cabins, but it means that there is no “one size fits all” floor plans for cabins anymore. These days, a two story log cabin is a possibility, and they’re often reinforced with stone or other, more sturdy materials.

You can also consider adding a porch or deck for cooking or other recreational activities. Your cabin’s floor plan should be similar to that of a modern house, and a cabin in the North Carolina mountains won’t be missing anything that you would find down in Raleigh houses.

Location, location, location

As with pretty much any real estate endeavor, the location of your cabin is extremely important.

If you’re considering a cabin, then you’re probably already thinking about a rural landscape away from the hustle and stressors of cities and towns. There are several suitable states for a log home, and looking for cabins for sale in North Carolina or other mountainous states is a good first step.

You want to take the climate of the area into account as well. Depending on how the cabin is built, you might want to choose a more arid climate to prevent damage to the logs. At any rate, you’ll want generous roof covering to protect from the rain.

Décor

When it comes time to furnish and decorate a cabin, many owners decide to go with an overall theme.

It’s perfectly fine to go with a rustic look with some classic amish furniture, but you don’t have to let your imagination end there. You could go green with a nature theme or decorate based on your location. While wooden furniture is fine, you’ll likely want a softer couch that should match the wood of your cabin.

Speaking of furniture, you’ll need some outdoor stuff as well. This will let you enjoy the natural beauty of your location more and make it easy to relax outside. Rocking chairs and hammocks are good choices.

Outdoor living

As you would expect, you’ll be living much of your life outdoors when living in a cabin. Hunting and fishing are common activities among cabin owners, as is recreational shooting. Of course, if you aren’t a fan of these, you have plenty of other options depending on your location, like hiking or rafting.

These days, there are even plenty of social media options for those with outdoor lifestyles, so it’s easier than ever to find like minded people. The cabin lifestyle can be a bit of an adjustment, but if you’re looking for a change in life, it may just be the best thing you could do.