James and Doreen had a 4,000-square-foot home, but the upkeep was just becoming overwhelming. So they decided to get a skoolie! Now they can visit their 4 kids (who all live in different places) and spend their springtime boating in Louisiana.
Their bus is unlike any we’ve seen before, with a full-size commercial kitchen (including THREE sinks), a table near the front window, and stucco walls on the inside of the bus. They chose not to have a hallway, and instead have a spacious bathroom. What do you think?
Eric and Robbyn were nearing retirement age but thought they still had more years to work. That’s when a trip to Europe completely changed their perspective, seeing people who didn’t work themselves into the ground as they do in the U.S. That’s when they got the idea to stop living normally and find a way to travel!
Eric used his amazing carpentry skills to build out their shuttle bus home complete with a queen-sized bed (stationary), bathroom, and large galley kitchen space with tons of overhead cabinetry. Their only regret? They didn’t choose this life sooner!
Daniel served in Vietnam and Thailand and got married, had children, raised them, and retired. Just after retiring, he lost his wife to cancer. He felt completely lost and ended up hiking the Camino de Santiago Trail in Spain, where he came to realize how little he needed to live and feel content — so he found a Mitsubishi Fuso 4×4 and made it into a home on wheels!
This awesome overlander is ready for just about anything. It has tons of storage that slide out, his fridge slides outside or can be accessed indoors, and he put his tool chest pantry on a swivel, so it’s easily accessible. Both his side walls open up and turn into awnings for when he really wants to enjoy the weather. What do you think?
After suffering sexual assault, Sally found herself feeling unsafe in her three-bedroom home. She would need to check closets and bedrooms to make sure they were clear. But now that she’s downsized into a tiny container home, she feels at peace in her surroundings filled with artwork.
Her home has all she needs and with rent at just $500/month, Sally doesn’t have to worry about her finances anymore. She has a little pool on her rooftop deck, a comfy front porch, and there’s a Murphy Bed indoors so no ladders for her. Enjoy the tour below.
Hillary raised her three children on her own since they were 6, 4 and 2, and while her job in law enforcement provided for them, it was never enough for Hillary to save for retirement. Once her kids were grown and out of the house, she chose tiny living so she could retire comfortably!
She was able to pay cash for her THOW and has no mortgage — only the monthly land rental fee she pays to her landlords. Her two older animals — a dog and cat — live with her and enjoy her fenced-in yard. And she calls it “cheating,” but Hillary also has a shed on the property for her seasonal clothes, a deep-freezer and extra pantry goods.
Brandy retired just before 2020, and the pandemic set her on a new path to tiny living. She’s honest about her downsize — it hasn’t been easy to purge her items or give up wall space for relatives’ artwork. But she’s also found ways to make the space work for her, including using her downstairs bedroom as an awesome crafting space (I’m jealous!).
She lives in a tiny house community with community gardens and she loves to cook and prepare the food she’s grown and give it to her neighbors. She sounds like someone you’d love living next door to.
“One of the best things in life is to find out that you are perfectly happy without the things you thought you needed the most!”
Susan says that’s her favorite saying, and it couldn’t be more relevant to tiny house living! As a retiree (“who isn’t getting any younger”), Susan chose to go tiny even though she still owns her 800 square foot home (which she lived in for 50 years!) outright. Owning that land allows her to classify her tiny as an RV, and keeps her from paying a mortgage or lot rent. She uses a room in the “big” house for her sewing and her treadmill, and for guests when family comes to town. Otherwise, she enjoys the minimalism of her 180 square foot abode with her adorable dog, Moxie.
She was kind enough to reach out to us and answer some questions about her tiny life — be sure to read the Q&A after touring her lovely home!
What’s unique about this THOW is that it’s just over 12 ft. wide, meaning you’d need a permit to transport it, but that you get a lot of width missing from “standard” size tiny homes. It was built for a retired senior who is moving her new home onto her daughter’s property, so having everything on one level was top priority. The extra width allows for an en-suite ground floor bedroom and bathroom and spacious living/dining “great room.” All the cabinetry and woodwork was custom-made for the house, which really ups the “character” factor. Get more details below and be sure to take the video tour with Exploring Alternatives at the end. Enjoy!
