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OFF THE GRIND

I quit modern life and built a £200 off-grid home with tree branches – now I live in the woods by candle light

A WOMAN has told how she quit modern life and built a £200 off-grid home using tree branches.

Holly Berry now lives in the woods by candle light after moving into her "traveller inspired" wagon.

Holly Berry in her tiny off-grid home
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Holly Berry in her tiny off-grid homeCredit: Jam Press/Holly
She built it for £200 using tree branches
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She built it for £200 using tree branchesCredit: Jam Press/Holly
Now she lives in the countryside after growing up in Bristol
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Now she lives in the countryside after growing up in BristolCredit: Jam Press/Holly

In 2020, she decided to utilise her DIY skills and began building her off-grid home, which she estimates only cost £200 to build.

Now, the 23-year-old has shared insight into her living situation, which includes solar power, a wood fired log burner and fold-out sofa bed.

The environmental charity worker said: "The peace, tranquility and reconnection with nature is definitely the best remedy for mental health.

"As I sit by my fireplace in candle light, with a mug of hot chocolate and a cat on my lap, I feel as though it's all worthwhile.

"I care a lot about sustainable living and I have always felt that I could not contribute to the massive amount of waste that comes with a house.

"I use solar panels for all of my electricity, and I use a wood burner for heating, which uses drastically less energy.

"In the past, I have worked on construction sites building large domestic estates, and saw first hand the vast amounts of unsustainable materials and waste that modern housing builds use in this country."

Holly began with collecting construction timber scraps from skips, bins and waste from building sites in a bid to create the 21.5sqft cabin.

Starting with building the fame, she used branches from a tree and bent them over to create a "bow" roof, along with placing stretched insulation on top to create a waterproof barrier.

After a few months, her tiny abode was complete and now, she's enjoying living in the midst of the British countryside.

Holly loves living in her tiny home
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Holly loves living in her tiny homeCredit: Jam Press/Holly
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