I have said the same thing many times over the years – that I love my house or apartment and I wish I could take it with me – somewhere else. As much as I love The Nest (my adorable rental home in Birmingham), it’s never been the best of neighborhoods. Now with some changes on the horizon, old neighbors moving out, new moving in – I’m feeling more of a little push to relocate. If it hadn’t been for COVID, I would have already been gone after I got my master’s in 2020. Anyway… 

This is one of the many reasons I want to live tiny, I really do get tired of being in the same place for too long, not that I plan to move every year (but I love having the ability to do so if I want). Since the transition to that kind of life doesn’t happen overnight (as I am painfully learning), I try to keep my ambitions fed by traveling and experiencing new tiny dwellings so that I can borrow great ideas.  

In a last-ditch effort to squeeze out an “end of summer” beach trip, I headed to my go-to location of Gulf Breeze (Pensacola, FL), and ended up booking a THOW in the same RV park as the very first one I ever visited.  

There is nothing fancy about this RV park itself, but even with renters coming and going, you wouldn’t really know it. The RVs and THOWs here appear to never move and there’s a sense of permanency. A short walk down the green residential roads and you see million-dollar homes with private docks on the bay. What’s really incredible to me about this neighborhood is the sense of community, regardless of one’s choice or capabilities to live in an RV or a mansion, everyone benefits from this amazing waterside niche.  

I now recognize the man with the husky dog who checks his crab traps at dusk. The hipster dude who brings his dog to swim in the boat ramp access, and the old man with the raggedy dog feel like old friends. I love watching the sunset on the water with the now familiar view. It is only my third “long weekend” here.  

What I like even more about this neighborhood is having the opportunity to experience tiny living, at least on some scale, before leaping into a commitment of my own. There are a lot of ducks to get in a row even before considering major steps forward, but as I often preach – you must enjoy the process or journey, and not just the destination.  

“Tiny Luxury,” the name of this trip’s THOW, is the best I’ve stayed in so far. It’s a newer model, more modern inside with clean lines and white walls and ceiling. The darker wood accents are a great contrast and in-line with what I am thinking for myself. This visit has changed my mind about my design approach – again.  

The “Tiny Luxury” was/is the first THOW where I’ve been able to comfortably sleep in the loft bed. Ok yes, you have to crouch, and I’m not going to lie, the hardwood floor on my knees just about killed me (I’m old and have arthritis for real folks). A little carpet could likely solve that issue, as well as the slippery stairs concern. Other than that, I sat comfortably upright in bed for book reading or TV watching. It might take some getting used to going up and down the stairs, especially in the middle of the night, but there has to be a trade-off somewhere.  

I loved the bathroom, which is bigger than the one I have now, and most apartment bathrooms. The washer/dryer combo in this THOW looks really incredible, but it’s also huge. I am so glad that I made the choice I did with my recent compact washer/dryer stackable. It is going to be perfect for the future tiny. I have also given up on any idea of a compostable toilet – seriously f*** that.  

I didn’t feel like I was in an RV in this house.

If you were blindfolded and walked in here, you wouldn’t have that thought it either. The layout is super-efficient (especially the kitchen), and even though I’d have to make a few adjustments, I felt like I’ve lived here awhile, not just for two nights.  

The weather cooperated for the entire trip as far as not raining me out of beach time, but it was unbelievably hot and humid. The ocean water was like a lukewarm bath – lovely – but just a hair of a reminder, even on one’s vacation, that we are amidst a geological climate change. Luckily, the THOW had air conditioning. 

I received a great guest review when I left and gained some valuable build information. It was hard to leave when it felt so much like home, but I have a recharged focus to get my ducks lined up and ready.