Molly adopted a self-sufficient existence, living off-grid in a secondhand Mongolian yurt in northern New Mexico’s lonely high desert. She bought the handcrafted yurt for $2,800, which included a wood-burning heater to keep her warm on cold desert evenings. Built by Mongolian artists, the yurt is comprised of natural materials such as a robust hardwood frame and a heavy-duty cotton canvas embellished with traditional hand-painted motifs. Molly now lives on a 15-acre ranch she co-owns with two brothers.
Each sibling is building their own home on the property, resulting in a small, off-grid community centered on sustainability and simplicity. Why she chose to live off-grid. Molly’s decision to live off-grid stemmed from a strong desire to reconnect with nature and feel at home after years of moving about. “I decided to move off grid last summer, and I knew going into it would be a challenge, but I do love being in nature,” she told me.
Her childhood in the Appalachian Mountains instilled in her a lifelong appreciation of the great outdoors. After nearly three years of traveling in vans and trucks, she felt ready to settle down. “I really missed that home space,” Molly explained. “So just having home again has been so nice.” She eventually discovered a used 13-foot Mongolian yurt on an online marketplace.
It originated with Groovy Yurts, a firm noted for its realistic designs. “I got a really good deal on it,” she remarked, adding that it had a wood stove. Despite its diminutive size, she finds the yurt ideal. “Really perfect for a single person,” she added. Living off the grid in a traditional yurt The 13-foot diameter yurt has a circular configuration with a three-wall timber frame for strength and support.
“Honestly, it’s kind of waking me up to changing my idea of how I want to live in the future,” she said with pride. Visit Molly’s ultra-tiny yurt and watch how she enjoys living off-grid in the video below: