Leaving the city behind for a more sustainable life might seem like a pipe dream for some, but one couple has provided an insight into how they were able to do so.
Cody and Summer have been using their Can'tContainUs (@cantcontainus) TikTok account to document how they moved 700 miles away to a countryside area to start a new off-grid life in a converted shipping container.
In a summary video recapping the two years of work they have put into the project, the pair revealed that they remodeled and sold their old property and purchased undeveloped land where they would begin their new life.
@cantcontainus Over the past two years, I've slowly watched my priorities change. I used to be materialistic, wanting the next best thing, and always pictured an "Agrestic little boxes on the hillside" type of life. It wasn't until I met Cody that everything changed for me. I think before I was just getting by occupying my brain with frivolous things that made me happy, instead of dealing with my problems, and truly finding happiness within myself. He taught me that happiness does not come from money but how you live. It comes from taking every moment, and truly making the most of it. It comes from loving yourself and forgiving yourself. It comes from remembering that you are only human, and you truly only have one life to live. So as my priorities change the way that I spend my money changes. If we would've waited until we were financially ready to build this home and make this move, we would still be waiting. And while we have to do without sometimes, and make sacrifices, our life is so much more full. So if you keep telling yourself "well I'm just waiting for this to happen" or "once this happens, I'll be ready"… I'm here to tell you that some thing is always going to come up. And you just gotta do it. There's never going to be a right time, so the right time is now. Take a chance. Take a leap of faith. Remember it's not going to be easy. But work your butt off every single day and I promise the reward is so much sweeter. #homesteadjourney #homestead #escapethecity #buildingoffgrid #doityourself #intentionalliving ♬ original sound - Can'tContainUs
They purchased two shipping containers: one to store their remaining items and another to turn into their new home.
They did all the labor themselves, using YouTube videos, Google searches, and good old-fashioned trial and error to bring the unconventional dwelling to fruition.
To help work the land and make the most of the natural resources at their disposal, they bought second-hand farm equipment and a sawmill to process lumber.
"There's never going to be a right time, so the right time is now," they captioned the post. "Take a chance. Take a leap of faith. Remember it's not going to be easy. But work your butt off every single day and I promise the reward is so much sweeter."
Their TikTok account has plenty of videos showing the ups and downs of the whole process, but the results so far are truly stunning, and viewers have been effusive with praise — while also expressing some amount of jealousy.
"You've already accomplished so much!" one user said. "It's been amazing watching your journey."
"One day, this will be me," said another.
Other videos show how they have built a chicken coop to provide eggs and a greenhouse to grow microgreens, and they've also documented their daily routine and their experience installing and living with solar panels, which provide clean, free energy to power their home.
@cantcontainus Is solar really worth it? Thats for you to decide. #solarsystem #homestead #offgrid #nourisheveryyou ♬ Lo-fi hip hop - NAO-K
It's a lifestyle to aspire to, especially since they are relying less on dirty fuel – which creates planet-warming pollution that contributes to global heating – for their day-to-day energy needs.
Out in the countryside, getting back to nature and leaving the stress of urban life behind, Cody and Summer appear to be thriving.
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