Man ditches job to live in a Hawaiian treehouse he built
TikToker gave up his life in the city to live in a self-built treehouse in the middle of the Hawaiian jungle.
Robert Breton, 35, gave up his life as a supermarket checkout in Northern California to live the way he wanted to “preserve nature in general.” He has been living remotely since 2011, when he traveled across the US in a van to find the perfect spot. build a house.
He bought the land using his monthly income from TikTok and said he was not “missing out on anything” from his past life.
In 2020 he decided to settle in Hawaii and bought a quarter acre of land plus building materials for around £24,120.
It took Robert two years to build his 200-square-foot treehouse and it is now a fully functioning home with shower, toilet, bedroom and living room with hot water and double glazing 40 feet off the ground.
It grows and eats over half of its food from its greenhouse.
Robert spends about £20 a month on Wi-Fi, but he has no other bills – other than occasionally buying food he didn’t grow and gas for cooking.
Robert shares his unconventional lifestyle on TikTok, where he has over 840,000 followers, to “encourage others to return to their roots and appreciate beautiful nature.”
He makes a living through social media and his New Earth Organic supplement business.
“The tree house is my living space, it has a bedroom, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom,” said Robert.
“It’s definitely livable, beautiful and functional – I collect rainwater from the roof to drink and it flows into the kitchen and bathroom.
“I also have solar panels for electricity, I use them for my kitchen and Wi-Fi to make TikTok – I really don’t miss my old life.”
He sees that this is how he will live the rest of his life.
Robert made sure to build everything for his treehouse according to safety regulations, but he did not need to buy a residence permit as he is in an “unregulated agricultural zone”.
He said, “So the structure had to be built slowly, then the foundation and walls were put up, and then the metal roof took many months.
“Once it was over, I could start living inside, so many meals and nights I spent outside under the stars and in the rain.”
Robert cleared the jungle land without using heavy machinery or a bulldozer. The total cost was around £12,000.
It was a little difficult for him to adjust at first.
He said, “I can’t get pizza delivered, no one can pick up my trash or deliver my mail to my house – it was a little weird at first.
“But I think it made me realize that we all need to be more mindful of our trash — I compost everything I can and try to keep waste low.”
“I think that each of us as an individual should be aware of our garbage, the water that you have to bring yourself, and the food that we grow.”
He grows sweet potatoes, kale and microgreens, then buys grains, quinoa and supplements from a local town an hour away.
“In the future, I want to continue doing this with my family and teaching, learning and living a sustainable life,” he added.
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