Category: Lifestyle – Vendor Review

TINY TRAVELER

Published on by Tammy Blue

“You’re taking your cat?!” You can imagine the tone and surprise in that response when I mentioned to my co-worker that I chose to take Yang (my rescue cat), with me on a weekend trip.

I have seen a plethora of accounts on Instagram with cat owners proudly walking their felines down a hiking trail or beach – so why not? Although I draw the line at taking them ALL on a trip at the same time or ever putting them in a ridiculous situation that could be a danger – it was a great experience and I know Yang had fun.

For this tiny traveler getaway, my focus was on a destination that wasn’t too far from Birmingham (just in case he got so stressed out I had to bring him home). Although I had been up to the area on a previous trip last year, I decided on Fort Payne, Alabama because I found the most interesting stay – a tiny bus.

The host (Tanya) was super fantastic. She was very pro-cat and was excited to have someone stay in her place with a cat. The best part was, she didn’t charge a pet fee and asked for pictures. Yang and I felt very welcome there before we even arrived (which is usually not the case for cat travelers).

Before we hit the road, I set up the food and water for all the other cats staying at home. I think Samson and Delilah were happy to get a little breather from Yang’s endless supply of kitten energy. I was really excited to try the “car pods.”

A few months ago, I invested in a travel friendly carrier that has more room to accommodate all three cats at one time. And since Samson doesn’t travel well (nerves), I wanted room for an actual litter box for the times he has to be in the car. This worked perfect, although Yang didn’t use it at all during the commute. He was pretty good (for the most part), and only tried to claw his way out a few times. So far, he’s been unsuccessful in escaping that, or his harness (yay!).

The drive wasn’t long at all, less than two hours, and the surrounding farms reminded me a lot of Pennsylvania. The bus was more of a permanent fixture with add-ons of a downstairs master bedroom and large bathroom. They built a loft bedroom above the bus with interior ladder access and room enough to stand!

The best parts were the added front porch and roof decks, which lost a little glory in the gloomy winter weather but were still really enjoyable. When we arrived the weather was nice, and it was still daylight. The property is well lit but completely private so it really felt like being off-grid; especially since there was no WIFI or live TV.

I had decided to cook most of the weekend meals in the “bus” because there was really nothing around restaurant-wise. Unloading the car didn’t take long, I left Yang inside his portable backpack carrier with the door open, but he wasn’t quite ready to come out.

After I finished organizing and doing my own exploring, I attempted to “Yang-proof” the bus and get a good idea where he might run to if he got scared. There was a lot of space under the bed downstairs. I had to make sure there wasn’t anything under there he could get stuck in – so I laid down on the floor and scooted myself under the bed to check it out (yes, really).

If you have ever had to fish a cat out of a piece of furniture, you understand why I needed to be sure. Luckily, all that was under the bed were Tupperware storage bins for the host supplies, and although I wouldn’t be able to reach him if he decided to camp out there, he wouldn’t be able to hurt himself or get stuck.

It was not lost on me that the host is a clean person, which I appreciated, because the under the bed experience could have gone either way. Then I realized the plants were going to be an issue. Luckily, the bathroom was huge enough that I moved the live plants in there and was able to close the door. This was necessary anyway since Yang managed to get stuck behind the washer and dryer in the bathroom the very first time I used it.

The ladder to the loft wasn’t going to be an issue, there was no way he was going to get up there, so I felt confident letting him have the run of the bus. I went outside to explore and take some pictures and didn’t see him when I came back in, so I started to look for him and call his name.

I walked over to the loft ladder and looked up – there he was, with his adorable face looking back down at me. “How the hell did you get up there?” I asked him – half impressed but mostly pissed. By that point, he was attempting his first descent down the ladder, and I was having tree climbing flashbacks from when he and his brothers were tree climbers.

Turns out, the shelves built behind the ladder gave him just the right path to maneuver up it. I relocated the shelf contents so he would have more room but ended up having to assist him with coming back down more than once. He was adorable about it though. It was like he was a little kid who finally had his own dream bedroom.

I’ll admit, I loved it too. The loft was super spacious and because you were higher up, it felt like a treehouse. Could I someday have my master bedroom loft be this open in a tiny house? I did a half-assed guesstimate of the height of the bus and the addition (most THOWS have a 13’ limit) – this seemed pretty close. I won’t mind at all sacrificing a little bit of headroom on the lower level under the master to give me that type of loft space – SOLD.

The loft window is also how me and Yang accessed the roof deck. The sliding windows in the loft are huge and there were no screens. I am 100% sure that the host doesn’t intend for her guests to get out on the deck, but it works. I put on Yang’s harness and leash and carried him out to the deck. We sat down on the furniture and watched a little of the sun setting.

Yang was curious but cautious – and although I didn’t think he had any desire to run away, I did not want to have that kind of evening, so I kept him on a short leash – literally. We came in after the sun went down and I popped in a DVD while I made dinner. We felt very much at home.

Whenever I travel, I usually wake up in the middle of the night for some reason or another, and in this case with Yang it happened a few times. Cats are night creatures, and since he didn’t have his typical playmates, he kept himself occupied with other enrichment. Luckily, he didn’t destroy anything, or hurt himself going up and down the ladder – so all was well.

I left Yang alone in the bus to take the 20-minute drive to an old antique mill that was now a consignment shop and restaurant. I wasn’t gone for very long but had a lovely time talking with locals during lunch and shopping. I fueled up the car, got some morning road drinks, and headed back to the bus.

When I got there, Yang was nowhere to be found. I didn’t panic – at first. I put stuff away, visited the bath/plant room, and then started to sweetly call his name. “Yang…Yang-y baby…Yang-y….YAAAANNNNG-YYYYYYY.” I crawled under the bed and shined my phone light to get the eye reflection – he wasn’t there. Same for under the couch. He couldn’t get IN anything…and I was sure the bathroom door stayed closed the whole time I was gone. But I checked behind the washer and dryer anyway. He wasn’t there.

I checked drawers (there is a way to get stuck in those, he’s done it before), but there really wasn’t any furniture. Then I panicked and thought he somehow got the upstairs window open and went outside. I “ran” up the ladder as fast as that is possible to do – turns out that isn’t a good idea. I don’t know exactly how I managed to do it, but I slammed both kneecaps on the lip of the shelf behind it and it about knocked me on my ass.

I laid at the top of the ladder in the loft – the window was closed, of course. “Where the hell was this cat??!!” There was nowhere to hide in the loft, so I knew he was downstairs, somewhere. I somehow managed to get down the ladder and popped two Aleve immediately knowing that I was going to really be sore in a minute.

I got down on the floor one more time with the phone flashlight and whether he had just moved there, or was there the whole time I’ll never know, but Yang was curled up in a little fluffy ball of cuteness, hidden by a piece of ripped fabric under the couch. “Yang – ugh….” Then of course, he got up, came out, and stretched.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. I enjoyed watching some movies, taking some pictures, and reading for pleasure again. I picked up Spare by Prince Harry and am really enjoying it so far. I was sitting on the downstairs bed reading when Yang decided to make his attempt of running up the ladder. I could see his thought process but how can you warn a cat that it’s not a good idea? With a full forced running start, Yang managed to clear two rungs, but then hopelessly lost his footing and tumbled down the shelves onto the floor. Shit – that was exactly what I was worried about, but no attempt I made to “block” the ladder had proven ineffective.

He seemed to have learned his lesson, because he took the cautious way up for the rest of the trip and didn’t appear to have hurt himself. I felt his pain though (as my knees are now a blue and purple color). Yang did discover the express way down however – leaping from the top of the loft to the downstairs bed.

The laws of physics would almost appear to contradict this possibility, but if there’s a will, there’s a Yang. He did it multiple times and scared the crap out of me each time he did it. Especially when I was ON the bed. That second night, something else happened – we met Ms. Kitty (the neighbor’s black cat). She came over when I was cooking s’mores around the firepit. I fed her (of course) and she hung around outside the whole time. I could see Yang’s curious little face looking out the front bus window.

Her presence added a challenge because she wanted to come in, and I didn’t want Yang to come out to see her. To be safe, the next morning I put Yang in the carrier so that I could open/close the door to load the car and not worry about him bolting. She wouldn’t leave even when we were pulling away!

Overall, this tiny adventure was my first with a cat in tow, and it was a really fun experience. Yang and I got to do a little bonding – away from the other animals and house, and it was good to discover that he has a very good temperament for traveling. It also felt like home more so than any other visit I’ve taken like this so far. I know when the time comes for us to move into our forever dream stay, the lifestyle will suit us.

Links:

OneForPets (“car pods”)

The Little Bus Stop (Airbnb)

For more pics – visit my FB page!

SIMPLE CHANGES

Published on by Tammy Blue

For the past year, I’ve made a considerable effort to start purging excess belongings and inching my way towards preparations for tiny house living and a simpler lifestyle. It has been extremely satisfying to really look at areas of my life and see where I can be more mindful with my choices.

Recently, I’ve made a few changes that contribute to this journey I’ve begun taking you on – my path to tiny, so I wanted to share them with you. Some of the changes I’ve made came from a desire to live more thoughtfully, while others came from necessity.

Necessity – Washer & Dryer

For the first three years I’ve lived in Birmingham, I took my clothes to the laundromat. I was no stranger to it, having had to use public or shared machines since 2014 (and a decade before that when living in California apartments).

When a friend of mine was selling his washer and dryer set, I decided to get them. I had very little money at the time, so it was a luxury to drop a few hundred bucks to get machines. I was ecstatic. They weren’t much to look at and extreme money guzzlers (water/electricity), but I no longer had to get creepy looks from the laundromat owner or deal with always having to get quarters. They lasted almost three years.

The dryer died first. To be safe, I requested maintenance to come to the house to check that the vent was clean and there weren’t any electrical issues. Turns out, the dryer could have been repaired with a simple part, or it could end up never working again. Instead of putting a Band-Aid on these machines, I decided to take the opportunity to research THOW friendly washer and dryer sets.

The talks I have had with people who live in tiny houses has taught me that the all-in-one machines simply don’t cut it. There was also the fact that I am not currently living in a tiny house yet, and I wanted whatever I chose to work in either place. I started my research and even checked with a tiny house builder I trust. I ended up finding and liking the brand – Equator.

Right on cue, I started feeling a lot of anxiety knowing I was going to be spending money on brand new machines. That always seems to happen whenever I make an “adult” purchase like a car, or most recently, a mattress. When I was growing up, appliance breakdowns were always met with stress and frustration. The frantic handwringing to try and figure out if it can be repaired cheaply or if a “new” used one had to be purchased.

I had never had a brand-new washer and dryer or purchased a big appliance before. If you have never really spent money on these things, the feeling is hard to explain. Can you believe I actually had the thought that since it was “just me” I shouldn’t get something so nice? Thankfully, I quickly snapped out of my insanity and came back to my intent to live my best life. I was going to buy the damn expensive washer and dryer I want – fuck it. And so, I did.

Of course, I invested in Lowe’s 3-year protection plan (out of sheer fear these things would break down after a week). I went with an “unknown” brand instead of the Whirlpool tried and true and was certain fate would make me regret it. I’ve had the machines since July, and they are fantastic. They look funny sitting side by side because they are made to stack in a tiny space, but I couldn’t be happier with them! I know they are going to look great in the tiny house (one of these days).

The compact machines still hold and wash a full load of laundry, the dryer is fantastic, and I’ve even saved money on the water bill! I do have to laugh at one thing that is far from perfect. The very first time I used it, the sound it makes with brand new connection hoses and a full force of water is like aliens landing a spaceship. The machine itself is almost whisper quiet, but the water hose noise is epic – it is just hysterical.

If there is any lesson I learned during this purchase and acquisition, it is that you should never consider yourself unworthy of nice things. Yes, even material things. But to be clear – it isn’t the “fancy” washer and dryer that made me happy, it was the fact that I have been working hard and was able to buy something nice for myself. I was just as proud when I purchased the second-hand ones a few years back.

Life is short – and we all need clean clothes so if your “big” household appliance suddenly goes kaput, look at it as an opportunity to upgrade. You’re worth it!

Earthly Desire

The only concern I ever gave my laundry detergent was that it was sure to make my clothes smell as good as my sister’s did. She used Gain and the Gain dryer sheets – utter perfection, smelly goodness.

During the new washer and dryer adventure, I was re-arranging my laundry room cupboards and noticed my detergent bottle. I usually purchase cleaning products made by Method (Target); I specifically liked their more “stream-lined” bottle because it was less bulky than most of the other ones on the market. But it still felt so wasteful.

Then I remembered an ad I saw on social media about detergent “sheets” that looked like dryer sheets. It didn’t take me long to google it and found Earth Breeze. Now, my side copywriting gig is writing about these types of products all day long, and I get paid to do it. But this PSA is all me.

I was really surprised by the cheap price, the 100% recyclable materials, the delivery and carbon footprint elimination, and the donations they make. Not to mention how it takes up NO space – none. And when you are done, you can literally tear up the paper it arrived in and bury it in the dirt – it will compost naturally.

For the life of me, I cannot ever buy another bottle of laundry detergent, especially after I’ve seen the footage of plastic in our oceans. Yes, there are other types of containers out there too, but laundry detergent is almost 90% WATER – we do NOT need these huge plastic bottles. Period.

So dear blog readers, I hope you’ll give Earth Breeze a try for yourself. It is a very satisfying feeling to know that I’m doing something – and it’s not so small a thing, even for one household! You’d be shocked at how many of those you purchase in a year. And I don’t mean to diss anyone who recycles these bottles already, but you know as well as I do that most plastics are not recycled.

One last thing – the Earth Breeze sheets clean and smell great! And I still buy the Gain dryer sheets so it’s a win-win.

ATLANTA ESCAPE: THOW FESTIVAL

Published on by Tammy Blue1 Comment

A tiny house festivus for the rest of us! Well, not exactly, but I had the fun opportunity to attend my very first THOW (tiny house on wheels) Festival at Avondale Estates, GA last month. After joining several social media groups for THOWs and tiny lifestyles, I stumbled across the MicroLife Institute’s event and signed up immediately. Since Atlanta is only about a 2-hr ride from Birmingham, I couldn’t miss the opportunity! I would also now have to find a tiny house to stay in (keeping with the theme).

AirBnB never disappoints so I have been using them primarily to book our tiny house adventures. There are sites out there that focus on just “unique” stays, but I find AirBnB to be user friendly and legit while some of the other sites seem hit and miss to me – but to each his own. I found Dan’s Atlanta Escape in Decatur, GA. It was a good price (I only needed to spend 2 nights) and the house itself looked adorable!

As usual, the directions and google maps led me right to the home – at first it wasn’t clear that renters were allowed to park in the driveway (that wasn’t indicated on the site), so I parked on the street and the person renting the house on the same lot showed me where the “THOW” guests park. He was so nice, and I kind of liked knowing there was a person nearby in case I needed back-up (I watch a lot of weird movies that start out with this exact scenario so it’s just my thing). Parked on a privately owned lot smack dab in residential central, it was almost too residential (little bit of a drive to really get anywhere). They did a great job with the landscaping which I appreciated. There was a nice lighted path and walkway leading right up to the door. This trip would start my “luck” with opening tiny house doors.

After about 5 tries, I re-read the check-in directions and opted to unlock the physical key box and not use the electronic keypad. It was great they had a back-up (not all places do), so I only had to text the contact to tell them I had issues with the lock and would be using the key. They were so nice and it worked out just fine. Upon entering the tiny house – I just fell in love with the entire concept all over again. This particular home originally looked like it was more RV style. Kind of a “one-room” deal without a stove or full kitchen. There was a TV, a great shower and the bed was super comfy. I definitely appreciated the option of the additional pullout bed but so far the custom made couches for tiny houses are wicked uncomfortable. I couldn’t even really sit on this couch to watch TV (luckily the bed is an inch away). I loved the all natural wood/pine walls, ceilings and floors – it just embodied the entire concept of minimalist design (almost a bit too much for my personal taste) – didn’t feel quite as homey as I know our THOW would feel. Then again – this was and still is way better than staying in hotels and I’ll book a tiny house anytime I can over a hotel any day.

The pocket lights and “internal” blinds (the ones that are installed between the window panes) are my new favorite MUST haves in our tiny house. I was obsessed with opening and closing them. I’m sure the neighbors thought I was practicing morse code or something. I didn’t love cubby holes behind my head where a headboard should be and the bathroom sink was so tiny I’m not even sure why it was there – but it was so much fun staying there – and there was also the festival!

After a restful night in the THOW, I headed to the tiny house festival around 10AM the next morning. It was wicked cold – and windy – and rained. Parking wasn’t too bad, I got pretty lucky. There were vendors with food, but I think the weather prevented some companies from attending, because there were supposed to be about 20 houses to tour – and there were only about five. That didn’t dampen my spirits! I was dressed warm and waited in the very long lines talking with other THOW lovers. Most were just interested in looking out of curiosity, a few lifers were there to offer expertise, and then there were a handful of “mes” – people just learning and loving the idea of going tiny. I listened to the solar power speech which interested me, but the guy had an agenda different from providing power for THOWS so it wasn’t super specific. There was a converted bus called The Eldon which was for sale at about $57k, it reminded me of the Partridge family bus only much smaller. Super cute, but definitely want a home if paying a price that steep, not a decked out bus – but it was really cool. There was a generic van retro-fitted out with a pullout bed!

The two homes on display that were closest to what we would want and need for our THOW were both built by Hummingbird Tiny Housing. The first is the model named The Jasper, which is used only for AirBnb rentals (as are most of their models). The main issue I had with this model was the same as most – the loft bedroom being too low to really accommodate a real lifestyle for me and my man who have limited ability to climb into our bed every night – and I’d also really like to not break my neck sitting up in the middle of the night (and has NO ONE thought about how to have sex in a loft bed…hmmmmm? That’s not happening….).

Their next house was generously shared with the public but was privately owned by a female veteran! The best way to describe the Rosebud was it was like a split level THOW. The main living area is awesome, but up in the gooseneck/loft area there is a step up bathroom AND master bedroom that you can stand in and actually walk around. I am not sure of the requirements and codes for driving a house like this down the street but it felt like it would be too big for a normal truck to pull (which is a downside for me). I don’t want to move our tiny house every month or anything – but I do like the idea of “easily” moving it when we need to – otherwise what’s the point? This home was gorgeous though, and felt like a home, which reiterated my faith that tiny living is going to be awesome for us. Before coming into this house, I noticed a young guy who was actually looking at the house set-ups like me in great detail, so I waved him up in front of me in line so we could chat and we talked about some of our thoughts on the THOWS and what we hope to do. There is definitely a community out there!

I signed my name to a list for a contest to stay in a THOW made by Hummingbird Tiny Housing – a few days later when I got home they would call me and tell me I had won a stay in the Royal Iris! (That ended up being my birthday getaway – story coming next!). I saw everything there was to see at the festival, spoke to everyone and decided not to go back the second day, but instead explored Atlanta. I “cleaned” up the tiny house and checked-out (such an easy process), it was a wonderful little Atlanta Escape. I truly hope to attend more THOW festivals in the future (hopefully even display our tiny house at one someday!). For now, the next step is going to be finding a first parking “home” for the THOW – and moving towards more detailed and serious talks with builders.

This process is going to take time, but once all the pieces fall into place hopefully it will manifest fairly quickly. I am really looking forward to the adventures this lifestyle is bringing. Next story to come: The Royal Iris in Mentone, AL.

LULL-a-BUY

Published on by Tammy BlueLeave a comment

Although the big dream to live tiny is still in the very early stages, I realize the importance of thinking and planning ahead – especially with (physically) big purchases. It’s been clear for a while now that the mattress I purchased in Boston, circa 2014, was long overdue for replacement. It seemed an easy enough purchase but knowing me and mine will be living tiny in the not-too-distant future, I was a little hesitant to get anything until I did the research. 

Yes, I know I want the bedroom of the tiny house  to be on the main floor, but other than that, how was I going to purchase a mattress that would work just laying on a floor or a platform? My guy has a lot of back, spine and shoulder issues so a soft, supportive bed is essential. I myself am the world’s oddest troubled sleeper (that’s a whole other article trust me), and I like something more firm. I was also hesitant to invest what I knew would be needed for something of quality without being able to test it first. With COVID and it being a mattress, I didn’t think this would be possible.

After reading several blogs and articles about tiny house mattresses, I was quickly discovering that a mattress for a tiny house is the exact same thing as a mattress for a regular bed. Of course height – something to consider for a loft bed –  wasn’t really going to be an issue for our setup, so I was back to square one with basically the entire world of mattresses at my disposal for the choosing. Crap.

I came across Lull via some random article (I really wish I could credit where I first saw the mention). I had heard of several of the other big ticket companies: Stearns & Foster, the “Purple” mattress to name a few – should I take a chance on a brand name I didn’t “know”? I loved the simplistic, yet sophisticated products at Lull. There are only two types of mattresses and they don’t mess around with sleep numbers, different firmness grades or any of that other  confusion other companies try to pass off as significant. 

In addition to their non-frills approach their customer service representatives were super nice (I had texted them about old mattress removal), and had several options for me. The best part of their process is they give you an entire year (365 days) to try a mattress and if you don’t like it, they will refund you 100% and not ask you any questions. That checked off my box about trying something before I buy it – I could always send it back at no cost to me (and they come and pick it up).  The only choice to make then was – which mattress to try?

I went with their Original Lull Mattress, at the time they were offering $250 off what was already a great price for a memory foam mattress. Of course as soon as I bought it, I was emailed an offer for $300 off, but I digress. The company is very vocal about having to raise their prices and makes every attempt to save their customers money with special promotions (which seem to be offered all the time). I ordered the queen size (and two standard sized pillows), and it was delivered in less than a week.

The real fun began when it was delivered. The box for the pillows was pretty standard, but the mattress box was fun – great marketing/artistic branding, with fancy exotic cat cartoons. The packaging is pretty ingenious and space saving – they essentially shrink wrap the mattress down to a small (but heavy) bed roll. Although I was home alone when it was delivered, I didn’t have much trouble unwrapping the plastic once the roll was on the bed platform. Watching the mattress “rise” after breaking the air-tight seal is quite satisfying and it didn’t take long for it to finish and the plastic smell doesn’t linger for long.

First I will say – I am in love with the pillows, they were a great additional purchase and I highly recommend including them in any order you might place. I myself, never liked memory foam (yes, I said it) and  yet, I just purchased a memory foam mattress. At first it was a strange difference when sitting because you do feel like you’re “sinking” a little bit . That feeling is still odd on Day 2, but I am realizing it’s just the difference between a really good mattress and the piece of crap I was sleeping on for the past six years. 

I can’t honestly say it was the best sleep of my life, but that has nothing to do with the mattress. I will say I woke up without back pain, hip pain (I’m a side/stomach sleeper) and pretty darn refreshed for someone with insomnia. I really love the mattress and feel good about the company that made it! They had a fun social media contest right on the box (totally my thing),  and their instructional packet was fun and simple (these things matter to me as a writer and home goods enthusiast).  The company’s honest and focused approach was one that I appreciated and the products themselves are worth every penny spent. They lull-ed me in for quite a buy – I’m a happy customer. 

For more info visit Lull’s website:  https://lull.com/

A Big Little Impression

Published on by Tammy BlueLeave a comment

Timbercraft Tiny Homes, Guntersville, Alabama

It didn’t take long to communicate my big dream of tiny living to my better half and immediate family members. The countless benefits were easy to explain from affordability, to the adventure, to it being the solution to having to live apart for the moment.  Although I can clearly see the perks – I’m a big believer in figuring out the logistics of a situation by trying it first-hand. It was time to step foot in a tiny house.

Luckily for me, there is no shortage of tiny home builders in the South (or was there?). A lot of the companies I thought might still be in business (based on HGTV and some online research) were closed. Several seemed to have taken  a hit even before COVID. Of course the pandemic posed its own set of problems even as recently as  just a few months ago. Most of the working shops don’t exactly give tours (why would they?). 

I sent emails to locations that I thought might agree to meet with me, and Jamie from Timbercraft Tiny Homes in Guntersville, Alabama responded almost immediately. I was transparent about my intention, which was to step into a tiny house and see what it was like. She knew I wouldn’t be putting down a deposit during my visit, but was gracious enough to take time out of her day to meet with me – so I booked the appointment.

The drive up to Guntersville was a nice way to end my afternoon. I had been there a few years prior to visit local wineries, but forgot how gorgeous the lake is. When I turned the corner and saw the sun sparkling off the top of the water it was such a positive feeling – almost like an affirmation that my exploration would be beneficial.

Jamie was a fun and honest host. After chatting and admitting I had no idea what I was looking for (or doing), she grabbed a 3-step stool and unlocked one of their completed models for me to tour – a version of their Denali model. I knew immediately when stepping inside that it was above our budget at around $75k. It didn’t feel like I was stepping into an RV or a “tiny” anything. In fact, the first thing I said to Jamie was for us, it was too big.  It was stunning though – decorated with white wood walls, high ceilings and hardwood floors (my personal fav). The fixtures were high-end, quartz countertops and all the things you would expect to find in a fancy house. 

I especially loved the master bedroom being on the first level with space for end tables and a dresser/tv. There was even a closet! There are several reasons I don’t want a loft master bedroom – one of them being I can’t imagine getting dressed while laying down or standing in my kitchen. Overall the house was gorgeous, but not practical for my purposes. This tiny home definitely left a big impression on me, and reinforced my feeling that this is the right path. The idea of tiny living is to create memories and not memorabilia – the process of transitioning and exploring a new lifestyle is an adventure in itself, and there are so many more to come!

For more info visit Timbercraft Tiny Homes’ website.