Cabin, the sharing economy | Disadvantages of sharing a cabin and how we overcame them

About half to Residents of Norway own or have access to a cabin. “Going to the cabin” is a kind of ritual, a mythical act that occurs on weekends and holidays. In our thoughts and stories, we do this often, and in practice much less. Among those who do not have a cabin, but want to have access to it, most are young people under 45 years of age.

Previously it was for “Going to the cabin” is an exclusively positive idea, if we ignore the social and cultural differences that have always existed. The cabin was largely reserved for those with the most money and free time to use it. However, the stories about old, scattered family cottages represent good, quiet times, connecting with the people you love and with the surrounding nature. At the very least, hut life meant performing a number of small rituals around the base of your hut; Routine procedures upon arrival, during stay and upon departure. Walks to take, games to play, unique ways to solve things.

Today the cabin also exists Accelerate negative associations. New cabins create a greater difference between rich and poor, cabins have become property speculation, and we are rightly seeing the degradation of nature.

This winter his girlfriend And I lived in a cabin. We carried wood and water, and lived quietly, very quietly. During January and February we saw only a few people. Only on weekends were we able to catch a glimpse of the light in one of the other 14 cabins around the 3-4 square kilometer lake. The empty cabins prompted us to implement an idea that has been brewing for some time: the cabin sharing project.

The verdict was nothing The method is simple, but from the summer, three families with young children will have the same right to use the cabin as us. Initially, we will test the scheme for two years. Sharing a cabin has obvious disadvantages. But here is the list of objections and how we overcame them:

Availability. The thing about owning a cabin is that we can go there whenever we want — preferably spontaneously, when the weather and calendar permit. This is also our affliction; Feeling like we should have been there, we made use of the cabin as much as possible. Sharing a cabin with multiple people will also free us from choice every weekend. Maybe less access results in more cabin use? And so that we can abstain with a clear conscience?

In practice, we will do that We have a good overview with the shared cabin calendar and where we can book. Predictability and availability will still be much better than with “open” cabins.

The decision was by no means simple, but from the summer three families with young children will have the same right to use the cabin as us.

Not having to pack. One of my biggest objections was comfort. In contrast to other hiking lifestyles, we can go to the cabin without carrying much with us. Bed linen, extra clothes and basic food are already in place. We now realize that this is still the case. The plan is to outfit the cabin with boxes for each party, so that everything that is completely personal can be kept in there. We share everything else and create a messaging group to share information about what's missing from common goods, toilet paper, and candles.

Family cabin. The idea of ​​other people entering our place, our cabin book, our photos and our memories, was another attraction. The cabin is the temple of our family ties and belonging. And so it will continue! Visits from others will not threaten our time and experiences in the cabin and its surroundings. If we want our cabin book, and our photos, it can stay in our trunk until we arrive.

Read also

If your cabin costs $19 million, you might as well incur the nature tax

Other benefits? But maybe we should have a shared cabin book? Maybe it would be nice to read what other people did to enjoy their time, where they were on trips? Maybe they find better solutions to things and things, and shared joy is double joy? There is less cohesion and real community today. By making arrangements for this on the combined service weekend each year, we will also have more people looking after the cabin.

A real obstacle to However, sharing a cabin means that rental income from cabins is taxed on the same lines as other rental properties. We intended to make the parties rent cheap: NOK 10,000 per year, which would just cover the running costs. But to cover the 22 percent tax, the rental price will be NOK 12,500 per party.

Tax is a system for sharing. With a change in cabin policy, and better incentives – not to make cabins an object of speculation, but to make better arrangements for sharing a real cabin, it would have been possible for more people to participate in cabin life without increased use of resources, and further degradation of nature. There are enough cabins, if we just share.

Read also

When will we see a change of pace in the massive cottage industry?

Read also

Not all cabins are equally hostile to nature. The left understood this.