Yurt provides cozy home for those wanting to live simply

One university student has found cozy and cheap housing in B.C. in the form of a yurt — a Mongolian-style tent that he built himself last summer.

Michael Jeffery says the spacious tent is the perfect solution for students who spend most of their time outside their home anyway.

The Thompson Rivers University student says he does not need many material things to live happily, echoing the sentiment of others who live in similar-sized micro structures.

In fact, his lifestyle has inspired some of his classmates who are "stoked" about the idea to build their own yurt.

"There was talk about more people building yurts or tiny homes or just little structures to live in … people like the idea of a cheap simple way to live," he said.

He says what started as a personal project may turn into a side business — building yurts for other people who want to live simply.

The yurt does not have running water or electricity. 

It's all part of the outdoor lifestyle, said Jeffery, who sometimes paddles his way across the river to school in a kayak.

How to winterize your yurt

Jeffery taught himself masonry in order to build a stove for his home. He says the yurt acts as an excellent insulator.

"The heat rises up through a chimney that's inside the metal canister … [the yurt] holds the heat for hours."

Living in a yurt has brought him closer to nature, said Jeffery, who spent last year's winter in Saskatchewan.  

"It's cozier. I love it when it snows out here. It gets really beautiful."

To listen to the full audio, click the link labelled: A winter update to living in a yurt.