Days spent kayaking and swimming in the lake, rustic meals outside with just the sound of birds, and curling up by a cosy log fire… living in a cabin can feel like a dream. Most people who have a cabin think that it’s just a summer getaway, but believe it or not, you can live in your cabin full time.
If you’ve not got any chains to the city, and love getting away to your slice of rural paradise, there are definitely ways to make it liveable. If cabin life throughout the year is your dream, let’s show you how to achieve it!
Make it a multi-seasonal space
Most cabins are designed with the idea that you’re not going to be spending much time in them. They’re created for the summer months when most people using them will be spending a lot of time outside.
Therefore, you want to make your cabin into a winter space. You should put together different areas to make it feel like you have separate rooms (even if you don’t). For example, put a table in a set area and designate this the ‘dining’ area. Pop a sofa in the other corner and call this your ‘living room’. Having set spaces will really change the way you think about the space and turn it into a home.
Remember that winter will come: and be prepared when it does
Preparing your cabin for winter is the best way to ensure that you’ll be able to live in it year-round. Cabins are equipped for summer – but with the right adjustments, you’ll be able to thrive in winter too.
There are a few things that you should remember to do to equip your cabin structurally for the winter:
- Clean your exterior walls thoroughly.
- Check that the stain of all of your logs is still intact, and apply another coat of stain if necessary.
- Seal gaps in the logs, to ensure that the wood doesn’t get damaged and no bugs or water can get in.
- Clear the gutters thoroughly.
- Clean your chimney.
- Add insulation to your pipes.
Also, ensure that you have adequate heating installed. You may have an open fire, or a full heating system already installed. You could also use standalone heaters to make some spots of the cabin warmer.
Clear away your seasonal items
If you make your cabin seasonal, it will feel more like home throughout the year. When winter comes, get your fluffy blankets, thick curtains, and winter decorations out of storage and make the cabin feel wintery.
In springtime, put away all of these items and trade them for fresh flowers, lighter throws, and your summer clothes. This is a great time to do a spring clean too!
And where do you store the items? Try on top of cupboards, under beds, or in unused draws and shelves.
With the right precautions, living in a cabin year-round is entirely possible! Follow our simple steps, install some TruLog Steel Siding and you could be enjoying cabin life this winter.
