TINY HOUSE

A Tiny House Blog Publication

FOR MICRO, TINY, SMALL, AND UNCONVENTIONAL HOUSE ENTHUSIASTS

www.tinyhousemagazine.co

VOLUME 6 :: ISSUE 67
CONTENTS 6 TINY HOUSES ARE [BABY] BOOMING
Who would have though that tiny houses on wheels, small cottages,
tiny houses, and other non-traditional homes would eventually become
the future of homemaking for Baby Boomers?

18 STATIONARY VS. THOW

Explore the difference between going tiny as a stationary solution or
as a mobile one. Author Brynn Burger administers tips for helping you
decide.

69 TINY HOUSE 2.0: Tech Talk

Tech expert and technology fan Mario Soto talks about the technology
he had in his first tiny house and what technologies he will be
installing in his new tiny house on wheels!

One of the best things about

tiny house festivals is catching
up with old friends and making
new ones!
 letter from
the editor Kent Griswold | Editor-In-Chief

Boomers Go Tiny
When I first started blogging and getting stats on the Tiny House Blog in 2007 I
was a bit surprised to learn that over 50 percent of my audience were women
over 50. Step forward 11 years and the Tiny House Movement is seeing a huge
growth both in interest and in the actual use of tiny houses for the Baby Boomer
Generation.

Tiny home communities seem poised to take a huge chunk out of the “Senior
Living” establishments of today.

The 400-600 square foot abodes have attracted the attention of lifestyle
community developers who see a way to provide affordable luxury living for the
aging Baby Boomer population.

Attracted to “right sized” housing by the promise of living well but without debt,
they are also ready for the support of community life but aren’t interested in
senior living centers and are far from the need for assisted living.

As a member of this group I see myself fitting into this excellent way to right
size my life at retirement. How about you?
Your Friend,

Ke n t
EMAIL: tinyhousemagazine@gmail.com TWITTER: @tinyhouseblog INSTAGRAM: @tinyhouseblog

MONTHLY
CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER/ MANAGING Christina Nellemann

FOUNDER EDITOR Joshua Becker
Lora Horton Freeman
Kent Griswold Andrew M. Odom Laura M. LaVoie
 If you want to share your experience in the modern tiny house movement or otherwise
contribute an article subject to publication in Tiny House Magazine, please send an email to
tinyhousemagazine@gmail.com

contributors
BRYNN BURGER is a writer, speaker, and coach
who helps parents and families downsize their
homes and upgrade their lives by simplifying their
living and going tiny with kids. She speaks
specifically on practical steps to utilize
minimalism to improve the lives of children with
special needs and families going tiny. Check her
and her eCourses out at The Mama On The
Rocks.

MELODY MIKE is a full time mother of four,

CEO of the Mike household, TinyFest Event
Coordinator, NASM certified Personal Trainer,
Group Fitness Instructor, Norwex Representative,
Singer/Songwriter, Organizer, Jesus Lover, Wife,
tiny dweller, and well, you get the idea, a woman of
many hats. Adventurous and creative, she loves
spending time outdoors and encouraging others to be
Lean, Clean, & Green.

Married to his best friend, MARIO SOTO works

from home in the tech industry. A technology
aficionado, Mario and his wife live in Las
Vegas…for now! He grew up in Southern
California and loves cooking alongside his wife
and entertaining friends in their tiny house on
wheels.
 Aussie Overlander’s Own Travels
Inspire Rugged 4WD Campervan

Click to Play

Lance Gillies and his wife were globe-hopping overlanders who couldn’t buy the rugged, go-anywhere
four-wheel-drive home they could imagine so they built it instead.

Today, his Bend (Oregon)-based company makes the rapidly-deployable Earthcruiser on a hefty
Mitsubishi Fuso platform (complete with a motorized retractable toilet and indoor shower), but a newer
pop-top truck camper as well.

https://youtu.be/XHgc-ywkLMU

Kirsten Dirksen is co-founder of faircompanies.com. She has worked for MTV, Oxygen, 

The Travel Channel, and Sundance Channel.
Baby Boomers
the
Meet
Tiny House Boom
Tiny Home Communities seem poised to take a huge chunk out of the
“Senior Living” establishments of today.
The tiny home movement has taken a
surprising turn. The 400-600 square foot
abodes have attracted the attention of lifestyle
community developers who see a way to
provide affordable luxury living for the aging
Baby Boomer population.
There are an estimated 60 million plus
Boomers in the United States. Attracted to
“right sized” housing by the promise of living
well but without debt, they are also ready for
the support of community life but aren’t
interested in senior living centers and are far
from the need for assisted living.
Until recently, people who fit this profile had
little to no choice in housing.
Tiny homes, the small houses on wheels, that
Bird's eye view of The Village at Flat Rock, NC a Simple Life Community
gained popularity through HGTV, have
emerged as the surprise solution to this need.
Built onto semi-permanent foundations and
arranged into a community around services
and amenities, these homes provide the aging
population with a balance of independence
and support, luxury and affordability.
Sometimes called Cottage Communities,
these tiny home villages feature craftsman
quality homes that sell for under $100,000.
Services like water and sewer, basic cable, and
internet are purchased in bulk and distributed
to residents, simplifying all monthly bills into
one lump sum. Amenities include active adult
attractions like a pool and sports courts,
clubhouse, fitness facility, yoga room,
multiple dog parks, and common green
spaces.

“Our communities are close to services and
nightlife and also have access to world class
outdoor recreation and travel,” says Mike
McCann, CEO of Simple Life, a development
company that has two Cottage Communities
in Western North Carolina and several more
on the way in Florida. “Living in a smaller
home with zero maintenance allows our
residents the time to enjoy those things.”
P e r h a p s m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, C o t t a g e
Communities provide boomers the ability to
customize their personal space. With
craftsman quality construction and high-end
finishes, these small homes can be
personalized for the consumer who knows
exactly what she wants. The size restriction is
due to the zoning many of these micro
1 Bedroom Cottage at a Simple Life Community
communities hold, however residents say the
small interiors encourage outdoor living
where connections with friends and neighbors
can be easily formed.
The tiny home movement has gained new
supporters in Baby Boomers who feel they
have finally found a housing choice that feels
right. Cottage Communities are providing the
chance to live simply with all the amenities of
a quality lifestyle, spend time in the outdoors,
and enjoy the security of a friendly,
welcoming neighborhood.
“We are building more than homes,”McCann
says. “We are building a new kind of
community.”
 Community Pool at The Village at Flat Rock, NC

• Residents enjoy a yoga class in the onsite yoga room at The Village at Flat Rock, NC
•
 Two -bedroom cottages at a Simple Life Community

One-bedroom cottage interior at a Simple Life Community

To find out more about how you can become the newest neighbor in the Simple Life community in Flat
Rock, NC, contact them with the information below.

Simple Life Coles Whalen

135 2nd Avenue North Marketing Director
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 coles@simple-life.com
Website | Facebook | Instagram (310) 508 - 2867
 FOR MICRO, TINY,
SMALL, AND
UNCONVENTIONAL
HOUSE ENTHUSIASTS

SUBSCRIBE NOW
5 minutes with Carmen

I even used to get out

of bed early on
Interview by: Andrew Odom

Saturday mornings
when I was little to
watch the local real
estate show on TV.
ANDREW ODOM: Thank you for joining
me today Carmen. You’ve been incredibly
busy since last we saw each other. April,
right? WOW! Time flies. So, I want to do
something different. I want to make this
interview all about me. Carmen, how did you
come to know about me?
CARMEN SHENK: You're the "Master of
Buzz", how could I NOT know about you? I
found you online on some list of festivals and
dropped you a line. We talked about the NC Tiny
House Street Festival, but what really blew me
away was that you got us a reservation at The
Chef and the Farmer. I had tried to get a
reservation but they were full. You pulled some
strings and got us in. I owe you for that! Of
course we ordered "Shrimp & Grits" and the
grits were the best thing on that plate. Now that's
some serious food. When a chef is so good that
she can make a work of art out of grits...now
that's impressive! Plus, the festival was like
walking into an established tiny house
community, everything was right where it should
be and the big trees added shade and took the
edge off the heat. We loved it!
AO: Really? That is funny. I remember the
first time I heard about you I thought “Tiny
House Foodie”? Is she different somehow?
Does she only eat small portions? Does she
only cook in one dish? What is her deal? So
tell us, how did you come up with the name
Tiny House Foodie?
CS: Sadly, that answer is pretty mundane. I sat
down at Wordpress to find a domain name and
just kept entering word combinations that didn't
suck. I didn't go to culinary school so I'm not big
on calling myself a chef, even with all my work
e x p e r i e n c e . Ti n y H o u s e F o o d i e . c o m w a s
available and it felt like an authentic fit, so here I
am. That's me now. It stuck.
AO: So you are a former restauranteur. We
have something in common. You love cooking
and I love eating. So awesome. So are you
more of the business side of a restaurant or
the creative, cooking side?
CS: Yes. Precisely. I'm both. I ran the place,
made the menu, booked the musicians, paid the
taxes and did all the graphic and web design and
I did it pretty well. However, what really gets me
jazzed is sharing great food with people as a way
of saying "You matter.” That's the best part. We
got pretty good at throwing great dinner concert
events!
AO: What is your favorite dish to make?
CS: I think it depends on the season. In the
summer nothing is better than homemade bread
lightly toasted, a big juicy slab of home grown
heirloom tomato, a slice of some swanky cheese,
and some fresh pesto. That's heaven. We also
love to make pizza on the grill and we drag out
the grill and do this each summer. I pick up a
variety of lovely cheeses, have I told you about
cheeses? LOL! I make some pesto and the usual
stuff such as onions, roasted garlic, whatever
looks good at the market. We make each pizza
with a different combination of flavors and it's so
much fun. With the last bit of dough I'll top it
with marshmallows and chocolate chips and just
leave it in the heat to melt and smoke. It's
divine.
In the winter I love Shrimp & Grits. The grits are
loaded with butter and some Gruyere or sharp
cheddar. Then I sauté some colorful bell peppers
and sweet onions, and throw some shrimp in
with that at the last moment and as soon as the
color changes, get it off the heat and plate it. If
you wait till the shrimp are "done" to take it off
the heat, by the time it's plated, the shrimp will
be overdone, so you've got to get them off the
heat before they become little chew toys for the
dog. It's such comfort food and I love it. In the
winter I love ground pork with sage, sea salt, and
pepper, roasted in a bed of cabbage, onions, and
carrots. I also love to do roast beef with onions,
garlic, and mushrooms. I just pack the baking
dish with veggies on the bottom, then put the
meat in, the pack the rest of the space around it
with veggies, squish the lid on top and then put it
in the oven. I go back to work for an hour and
when the timer rings I know it's time to quit
work for the evening. Yum!
AO: Sounds amazing. I guess you pass my
foodie test! Let’s change course though. You
have a book that was recently a Top Pick on
Amazon. So you’re an author now. Tell me
more.
CS: Yep, I'm an author now. I'm as shocked by
that as anyone. I’ve always wanted to be an
author, and I've worked on a dozen different
manuscripts but my ADOS (Attention Deficit…
Ooh, Shiny!*) made it challenging and I kept
getting stuck. I was hanging out with some
authors online (instead of working) and I said
that writing was really hard. One of them
stopped me and said, ”As long as you keep
telling yourself writing is hard, you won't be able
to make progress.” She was all up in my grill
about it and I was surprised by how intense she
was on this point. The next day I sat down at my
computer and I said to myself that writing was
the most natural thing in the world. And now I'm
an author. Go figure.
AO: Okay, so you have the foodie thing down.
Add to that an author portion. What about
the tiny house bit though. Fill me in on what
you makes you a crazy tiny houser-type
person?
CS: This is such a great question because I went
into living in a tiny house as a means to an end.
I wanted to save some money, buy a patch of dirt
and get busy building my dream house. I was
sure I was just passing through the tiny life. It's
hilarious that living tiny really began to change
the dream for us. The first "dream house" I
designed was 1,200 square feet, and then after
another nine months living tiny, I took out my
pencil and ruler and designed a 900 square foot
house. After a while I was back with the pencil
and paper again designing an even smaller
house. What we think we need is based on what
we're used to. If you change what you're used to,
it will change what you need. Now we know we
need a lot less. It's absolutely liberating!
AO: But now you’re working on a skoolie,
right? How is that going?
CS: It’s going great, but too slow! We went to
our local DMV and explained that we wanted an
RV title for the bus, and the lady gave us a form
and told us to send it to Richmond. She said it
would take two weeks and a month later we got
back the whole packet. Wrong form. Blast!
Thankfully, they included a detailed list of the
requirements which I had not been able to find.
So that was a huge help. Now I'm working on
finishing up those last details and then we'll
write up the document, get it notarized, take all
the photos, and gather up all the receipts, include
the check, and send it back to Richmond again
with the audacious hope that Vinnie will finally
one day be legal.
AO: Oh, I have to ask about the hair. I mean,
I’m two espressos in to this conversation. I’m
feeling no pain and no shame. Tell me about
the hair!
Drew, you are the best! I love this question! (I'm
stalling while I think of an answer!) You really
do ask such interesting questions! And I used to
get lots of responses to my hair since I was
coloring it various colors back before it was so
mainstream. One time I was at a conference for
worship leaders and a lady in the bathroom was
treating me very strangely, bless her heart.
Suddenly it clicked with me. She had made the
assumption that I needed to be evangelized based
on my colorful hair. I was both shocked and
delighted! That was so funny! The truth is, I've
spent a lot of my life fighting against the natural
tendencies of my hair: the texture, the fact that it
won't hold a curl, and a cow lick in back. I used
a hair dryer and various irons to fry it into
submission, and I colored it "natural" colors as
well. I had a collection of gel, foam, and spray
that would rival the finishing department of any
woodworking business. After all that I still hated
my hair, plus, I had fried the snot out of it! I
finally gave up the battle, threw in the towel,
pulled out a razor and liberated myself from that
mess. No more battle. White flag! I still keep my
hair ultra short, I use no styling products, and I
don't keep any energy-hog power tools. I
actually love my hair now. I can drive my 1979
MGB with the top down and it's not going to
mess up my hair! Isn't that hilarious? This is my
place of equilibrium and simplicity. The only
arguably destructive thing I still do to my hair is
the color and that's just an expression of my
creative spirit. I know it's just hair, but it's
become a way I have made peace with who I am,
how I am, and where I am.
AO: And so what is next for you? I
mean, what are your dreams for the Tiny
House Foodie brand?
CS: Yay! I want to write ALL the books! LOL!
"Kitchen Simplicity" is the first in the Tiny
House Foodie series and there is a whole list of
other books I want to write, it's true. There is a
larger vision here that's really been buzzing
through my bones lately. I want to help people
increase their simplicity factor! I may get to
invent a measurement tool to define what a
"simplicity factor" even is, but I want to help
people have a positive experience with living
simply.
Years ago I went to a cabin up on a mountain in
a very rural part of Virginia. It took a 4x4
Suburban to get up there, I was alone with the
squirrels and hummingbirds. There was an
outhouse with an incredible view out over the
valley, and a generator that I used to charge my
laptop computer so I could keep writing. There
was no internet, no entertainment except for the
wildlife and the weather. It rained and there were
rainbows in the mist everywhere I looked, it was
magical. There was this incredible simplicity
about my life that week and I loved it fiercely. I
came down the mountain and went to my big
house on the golf course and found a week's
worth of dishes in the sink and a marriage that
was a joke. That part sucked, but being on the
mountain in that beautiful simplicity gave me the
perspective I needed to make some real change
in my life. It's like having a taste of Pavlova, and
then someone takes the rest of it away but the
memory of it is still vivid and powerful. You
know you'll find a way to make that dessert
yourself, then nobody will be able to take it
away from you. (food metaphors rock!) It is my
vision to find a way to welcome people into a
positive experience of the simple life, to give
them a taste. To show them the how and the why,
and then be there to cheer them on as they make
their own version. Whether it's through writing,
speaking, coaching or some other way I haven't
figured out yet, that's the big dream. Thanks for
asking.
AO: Oh, and you were on a television show at
some point weren’t you? Can you tell me
about it? I might need to go Google it.
CS: Yes, I was on HGTV's "Tiny House Big
Living." It's funny because I'm so not an "in the
spotlight" kind of person. But, I think I originally
applied to the tiny house shows thinking they
might help pay for my house! I applied to three
different shows and actually got call backs on all
three, but I went with THBL. They were very
interested in the backstory about my mom and
how she was inspiring me to go after my dreams
instead of just talking about them. So, they cast
me and filmed the entire build process. It's
funny, because the reality is actually so much
different than what you see on TV (obviously),
but it was still a really cool life experience to
have!
What is your favorite expression?
Schnitzel! That's more of an explicative.
How about: "The early worm gets eaten?"
What profession other than your own
would you like to attempt? Director of a
film.
What profession would you not like to
do? Being an accountant or anything else
that involves too much adulthood.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to
hear God say? "We're closer to my place
than we are to yours, why don't you come
on up?"
* quote credit to John Reid who Carmen met at a
tiny house festival.

AO: So, you realize this wouldn’t be a proper

‘5 Minutes’ interview without the following
questions fashioned after James Lipton’s
closing questions on “Inside the Actor’s
Studio”. You ready?

What is your favorite word?

Salubrious. It sounds so funny to me,
especially if you pull out a fake English
accent. Salubrious.
What is your least favorite word? Legal,
as in... "what we're doing is perfectly
legal." Yeah, that sucks.
W h a t t u r n s y o u o n c r e a t i v e l y,
spiritually, or emotionally? Color
W h a t t u r n s y o u o f f c re a t i v e l y,
spiritually, or emotionally? Pretense
What sound or noise do you love? A
Capella voices in harmony.
What sound or noise do you hate?
feedback on a microphone
2018 MODEL CLEARANCE
multiple tiny houses on wheels currently for sale. click to view more.
Stationary vs. THOW
Five Things to Consider,
When Deciding Which Way You Should Go Tiny

written by BRYNN BURGER

The tiny house movement came about with the
fall of the real estate market. Housing costs were
unstable and, as folks moved toward cities to
find jobs during the recession, housing became
scarce and supply and demand in these
flourishing towns became unbalanced. This
forced many to turn to alternative housing ideas
in an effort to afford a space near to their
employment.
As the economy stabilized, a generation came
about who put value on experience over “stuff”
so the tiny house boom flourished and it shows
no signs of decreasing. People from young
college students to retirees are seeking THOWs
(Tiny House on Wheels), ADUs (Accessory
Dwelling Units), granny flats, and park models
as alternative ways to save money on housing,
adopt a more minimalist way of living, and put
their energy into making memories over
hoarding collections of tangible items they may
never use.
So, if you are thinking of downsizing and going
tiny, what route is best for you? Considering
everything from skoolies (remodeled school
buses), THOWs, and all forms of ADUs can
become overwhelming, so here are five things to
consider when deciding which tiny is right for
you.
Space: The term “tiny house” is relative.
Many define tiny houses as any dwelling
under 400 square feet, while others
assume 100 square feet per person living
in the home. You need to determine how
many square feet you will need for
whomever will be living with you. 
 that are affordable and worth it for reliable
When you are making this decision, be sure to
include pets, visitors, as well as whether or not
you plan to build a sleeping loft. These things
will all be crucial in choosing the right tiny for
you.
It is a good rule of thumb to stick as close to a
20 foot trailer as possible if you plan to move
your tiny often. This means, if you need a larger
home than what that would accommodate, you
may want to consider a park model, granny flat,
or other form of ADU over a THOW.
Weight: In order to design a safe THOW,
custom companies like Small House
Solutions will consider the length of your
trailer, how many axels are necessary to
pull the weight you plan to build, etc. You
will then need to consider every material
you use to build, from the frame to the
exterior siding, to insulation and
appliances as all of those will add to the
weight you’d be towing in a THOW.
If your needs are more consistent to residential
sized appliances and main floor living and
sleeping space, an ADU probably better fits your
needs. The slightly larger floorplans an ADU
offers allows for more customizable options with
the only change being that they are not built on
wheels.
Roadworthiness: The Department of
Transportation holds to strict guidelines
for towing a home or RV. This means that
a tiny cannot be more than 13.5 ft high nor
wider than 8.3 ft. If you require a larger
space, you can build a park model and
have it towed to your location for you by a
professional. These are one time charges
transportation for your tiny home.

Towing Ability: Whether or not you build
a THOW you should also consider if you
 have a vehicle capable of pulling your tiny
home’s weight. You will also need to
decide if you feel comfortable towing
something so large in a safe manner. When
pulling a trailer that is 20-40 feet in length
with 12,000-18,000 lb. of house, things
are more likely to get damaged in
transport. Additionally, you cannot just
pull into a regular gas station for a fill up
on the road. You must consider the
additional fuel expense, time for travel,
and maneuverability when towing a home.
 traditional 9 to 5 job and allows you the
If you are uncomfortable with the requirements
of pulling a THOW, you can consider hiring a
professional moving company whenever you
want to be on the move, or you can opt for a
park model build or other form of ADU. This
will still be a smaller home, but it will remain
parked in one location.
Employment Flexibility: Life on the
road almost requires flexible employment,
retirement, or the ability to work
remotely. Unless you have built a savings
from which you can live on the road for a
determined amount of time, this is a must-
have. THOW living is incredible, but you
want to ensure a steady income stream to
take care of things like a blown tire or
other road trip emergencies.

Parking full time allows you to work a
financial freedom of extra income since your
mortgage will be far below the national average
and your commute will likely be much shorter
since ADUs allow you to legally build in the
backyard of an already existing city home.
Deciding to downsize and go tiny is a big
decision. Be sure you do your research and
check all angles before you choose which tiny is
right for you.
Tiny Living Is The Worst!
Don’t Do It.

Written By Laura M. LaVoie

Let me tell you a story. A girl and a guy, both
in their early 30s, had this crazy idea to build
a tiny home on a mountain in the middle of
nowhere with no road access. The lack of
road wasn’t the only obstacle to building that
tiny home. The fact that this couple had never
done any sort of building beyond simple
home renovations also stood in their way.
And yet, armed with complete naiveté, they
spent three years of their lives putting two by
fours and screws together to build a home.
The tiny house sits halfway up a mountain
nearly abandoned. A relic from a long-ago
adventure from which they have entirely
recovered. They gave up the tiny life when
they bought and moved into a bungalow in
the heart of Asheville, North Carolina and are
about to upgrade again as they transition to
apartment life back in Atlanta, Georgia for a
completely different experience.
They’re willing to say they were wrong. That
a tiny home doesn’t provide any kind of
stability, security, or square footage that any
traditional home can provide. It can’t solve
every problem. It can’t, in and of itself, pay
off debt or find a better job. It can’t
automatically guarantee your dream life free
of any concerns such as where you’re going
to age, how much money you have in your
retirement fund, or whether or not you are
involved in your community.
So they’re giving it all up. They’re leaving
the tiny house behind and moving into a
1,000 square foot apartment in a walkable
Atlanta community. They must be grasping at
straws because they’re crawling back to the
place they were before with their tails
between their legs.
Except none of that is true.
Full disclosure, I am one half of the couple
described above. And yes, after building our
tiny home we ended up buying a bungalow in
Asheville. And now we’re moving back to
Atlanta. From the outside, it appears that we
are rejecting tiny living all together. We no
longer confine our lives to 120 square feet so
we must no longer appreciate or be a part of
the tiny house scene. It is apparent that we
learned tiny living is only possible if you’re
willing to give up all possible creature
comforts in exchange for small spaces and
compromises. Forever.
But there is always
more to the story
than anyone can see
on the outside. Why
are we leaving our
tiny home behind?
What are we doing
now?
We began our tiny journey back in 2007 when
we bought 15 acres in Western North
Carolina without even knowing what we
planned to build. We broke ground, literally,
on our tiny home in 2009 and spent weekends
building the tiny structure until early 2012
when we were finally able to move in.
We built it to prove to ourselves that we
could. It’s off the grid, too, and that was
another test of personal fortitude. And prove
it to ourselves we did. We lived in the tiny
house for a year before stumbling into a
situation impossible to pass up. A 700 square
foot bungalow in need of a lot of TLC came
up for sale in a desirable area of Asheville.
And with an affordable housing crisis on the
rise in the city, we wanted to take the
opportunity to plant roots.
It was through that situation that we got
involved in the affordability discussion in
Asheville. We, along with several other tiny
house enthusiasts, builders, and personalities,
formed The Asheville Small Home Advocacy
Committee. We had no credentials other than
wanting to be a voice for smaller, more
affordable homes in whatever capacity made
sense for the city. Not that tiny houses would
be the solution to the entire problem, but that
they were one possible answer in a sea of
many possible answers.
They say you can’t fight city hall and that’s
been a big obstacle for many tiny house
dreamers. We wondered why it needed to be
an “us vs. them” scenario. Don’t fight them,
work with them. So we did.
own business, I wouldn’t be in a position
where we could move anywhere in the
country for a law school opportunity. We
wouldn’t have a bungalow that we own in
Asheville and are able to rent out at an
affordable price, living our values of
affordability in the city.
So, as you can see, living in a tiny house
could never work. It really can’t answer all
the questions you would have to pose to
yourself about your life and how you want to
live it. It’s just a house; another thing. The
truth is, a tiny house is an idea, a philosophy,
and why confine yourself to its four walls?
Why define yourself by the home you live in
rather than the values you live by?

Through that experience, my partner Matt felt

he had more to contribute and would need
additional tools to do that. And our
experience with the tiny house movement
gave us exactly the opportunity to do that.

This summer, we’re moving back to Atlanta

so Matt can start a program at the Emory
University School of Law. Without the tiny
house, this could have never happened.
Without building the tiny house, I wouldn’t
have felt confident enough to quit my job and
start my own business. Without starting my
 Tiny houses come in all shapes and sizes
luxuries as well. The kitchen features a
and recently we were introduced via
bistro table, the bathroom is a full one
Exploring Alternatives’s YouTube
complete with a shower stall, and
channel, the most perfect off-grid,
towards the stern of the boat a dinette
floating palace we’ve seen yet. Built by
table folds out into a double bed while
Quebec-based boat builders Daigno, the
two benches on either side unfold to
floating home, which comes with a price
provide the mattress, creating a cozy
tag of approximately $65,000 USD,
berth.
provides all the amenities needed for a
on the cover

comfortable life on the water and a tiny

All of this is powered by a 265-watt solar
house that can take you beyond just the
panel, which connects to batteries that
highways and byways of America.
power the boat’s lighting and refrigerator.
Le Koroc has recessed LED lighting and
Daigno is well-known for its boat
can be ordered with a composting toilet
constructions, but Le Koroc is a special
and other sustainability features.
model designed to be lightweight and
efficient. Built with laminated white
Daigno is known for its commitment to
cedar beams and marine quality
craft and manufacture products using
plywood, the floating tiny house weighs
artisanal techniques, customized to each
just over 5,000 pounds.
customer's specifications from a wide
range of available options. Visit them
Measuring 24 feet long and only 8 feet
online or follow them on Facebook to
wide, Le Koroc has clever interior design
see Le Koroc and their other innovations.
offering all the basics and quite a few
To watch the popular video on Le Koroc, filmed by Exploring Alternatives, click on the video frame below.
 Viva La
VICARIBUS
By Christina Nellemann | Photos by Vicaribus
Just by looking at the beautiful images of
Heather’s, Nick’s, and dog Miles’ Vicaribus, you
know that any trip in this converted skoolie is
going to be a blast. Not only is the Vicaribus full
of bright light and fun details, but it contains
some comfortable, convenient amenities not
found in other school bus conversions. How
about an on-demand hot shower? A private potty
space? A backup camera? For life on the road,
this rig is decked out. Speaking of decked out, the
bus also sports a rooftop deck.
Vicaribus owners Heather and Nick come from very
different backgrounds, but both love to travel the
world and the great outdoors and the bus is their
home during an eight-month trip around the country.
Heather was born in Delaware and was raised in
Virginia. She worked as a full-time physical therapist
before taking a sabbatical for the trip. Nick is from
Atlanta and with his Georgia Tech degree works
remotely as a software engineer. Their dog Miles is a
12 lb. goldendoodle that the couple call “incredibly
spoiled and incredibly adorable.”
Heather, Nick and Miles spent about one year
converting the 1998 Thomas Vista 3600 school bus.
The bus has a T444E diesel engine and an Alison 4-
speed automatic transmission. It’s 23 feet long and
has about 120 square feet inside. The living space
also expands onto the Trex rooftop deck where the
couple camped out while completing their new
home.
The Vicaribus has a living room/dining space, a
kitchen, and a rear bed with storage underneath for
Miles’ cage and toys. The private shower and
composting toilet area are next to the bed.
The bus’s electricity comes from two 165 watt solar
panels from eBay. The panels power a 200Ah
Victron LiFeP04 Smart Battery that in turn powers
the couple’s lights, composting toilet fan, water
pump, outlets and their MaxxAir fan. Heather and
Nick not only documented the entire design and
build process on their website, but they also created
a conversion guide and video about their building
journey. They were also kind to answer a few
questions for the Tiny House Magazine on their life
in Vicaribus.
 Why did you decide to convert a
skoolie? Did you have any other
vehicle/trailer choices on your list?

I'm a big DIYer, so doing a full bus

conversion was very appealing to me,
and we both wanted something
unique and built exactly how we
wanted it. Before we decided to do
Skoolie “house” plants the skoolie, we had briefly
considered trying life on a sailboat
somewhere in the Caribbean (we still
might one day) and then we learned
about bus conversions and got super
excited about the idea and jumped
right in. Oddly, we never even
considered any sort of traditional RV.

What did you find most

challenging and most rewarding
about the conversion?
Shoe cabinet
In general, the biggest challenge
really was finding creative ways to fit
everything into such a small space.
We came up with a general layout
pretty quickly, but the devil was
certainly in the details. I think the
most rewarding part was stepping
back every now and then and just
taking in what we had accomplished
as the conversion progressed.
Thankfully we love our end product!

Sofa armrest cabinet

What are your favorite details
about the bus?

The 8x10 rooftop deck is an excellent

unnecessary addition, but the
modular, super-comfy and
surprisingly big couch is one of the
best parts. How well the kitchen
turned out (with its countertop made
from a door) also makes us quite
happy (and full).
Fridge under the counter made from a door

What is the response to the bus and

your journey from fellow
travelers?

So far the response has been great.

We have our social media contact
info on the side and back of the bus
and we have actually met and hung
out with several awesome people Sofa and convertible dining space
through that. We have also had many
a stranger ask if they could take a
peak inside, which we always oblige,
and so far it has been nothing but
excellent reactions once they walk up
the stairs. With the name Vicaribus,
one of our main goals is to share as
much of our journey as possible so
that other people (mostly our moms)
can experience the journey
vicariously with us.

Solar control panel

 What are the top three places on your
travel list?

We are excited about not needing to pick

only three places to visit and that we have
the time to explore as much or as little as
we want in each place. We planned our
journey around seeing the Pacific coast so
we are clearly excited about that, but we
have been pleasantly surprised by
everything else on the way (who knew
Utah and Idaho were so amazing?).

“Most RV dealers don’t have the variety where

customers can compare the different trailers,”
Hagen says. “You really need to do this to find
Christina Nellemann writes for the Tiny House Blog, the Tiny House Magazine 

the one that fits you.”
and her own camping blog, Tiny Yellow Teardrop. www.tinyyellowteardrop.blogspot.com
The House
is Mine!
written by Lora Freeman

My tiny house journey has been an adventure,

and one I wasn’t quite prepared for in so many
ways. Almost three and a half years ago I
started my tiny house adventure and changed
my life in ways I never imagined.

I left my conventional 1,800 square foot

townhouse as an escape from a work situation
that was slowly draining all of my energy and
enthusiasm for life. After living for almost a
year in a job that made me physically ill, I was
looking for alternatives. I stumbled upon
Tammy Strobel’s book, You Can Buy
Happiness (and It’s Cheap!) and my eyes were
opened to the idea of a simpler way of life. It
was her book that introduced me to intentional
living and tiny houses, and it sounded like the
perfect solution to my challenge.
Okay, so that’s isn’t completely true. I loved
the idea of intentional living, but my first
reaction to tiny houses was THAT IS
RIDICULOUS…I could never live in a space
that small! Of course six months later I was
purchasing my tiny house and preparing to
move across the country and start a new job.
I originally downsized to save money and gain
mobility. I picked a tiny house because it felt
like home. I knew tiny living would simplify
my life, but I hadn’t really realized how much
you could grow to appreciate such a small
space. My tiny house became a home that
represented all of the things I loved in life.
It was full of books and cozy blankets that
made me smile. It housed all of the pretty
white dishes that I had carefully selected in
my conventional home, even though there was
no way I was having a dinner party for eight
people in my tiny space. The house held my
photo albums, craft supplies and half-
marathon medals. I had all of my drawers
neatly organized and knew exactly how many
spaces I had for t-shirts, jeans and other
clothing items. I had just enough space in my
“pantry” drawer to hold the cooking oil,
chicken broth and cans of beans I used to
make my meals. My home held only what
brought me joy and served a purpose.
I lived for three years in my tiny house that I
loved and I knew every inch of it. Which I
guess isn’t that tough when there are only 234
square feet! There was a space for everything
I cared about, but not much room for all the
extra that is so easy to accumulate. I could
clean it from top to bottom in less than 20
minutes and it always felt like a safe retreat
from the world.
I woke up in the mornings in my loft and
marveled at how it felt like I owned the tree
house I had always wanted as a child. I
cooked meals on my stove each day that
fueled me for my life and I spent hours sitting
at my table on my laptop drafting my first
book and launching a business that has
morphed into something beautiful and
uniquely mine.
My house showed me things about myself I
hadn’t known were there. It gave me the
courage to try things I’d never imagined. It
gave me the freedom to pursue the life that
made me feel strong, capable and present in
this world. My tiny house was more than a
home, it was a gift of perspective and hope
and joy.
But seasons change, and after three years in
the tiny home I loved, I traded it in for the
love of my life. A new marriage and a new
home that filled my heart in new and even
more perfect ways. Our home looks very
different than my 234 square feet, but in so
many ways it is even more full of joy and
perfection.
As my husband and I decided what to do with
my tiny house I was torn. I loved my tiny
house and in so many ways it had made me
the woman I was when I married my husband.
Because he loved me and knew me so well, he
encouraged me to decide what to do with my
house in my own time. Eventually I settled on
partnering with some friends to use my house
as a rental on Airbnb.
They had property and we had a unique home
we hoped guests would love. It’s a great
arrangement and I am so excited to see what
happens, but the transition hasn’t been without
some significant emotional challenges. When
you turn a home you love over to strangers, it
is a tough transition, or at least it was for me.
My friends set up the new home in a way that
made sense for a short-term rental, but it
seemed so foreign to me. The soap was in the
wrong place, the dishes weren’t arranged on
the shelves the way they were when I was
there and the amazing storage drawers were
squandered on extra cleaning supplies and
trinkets. It made my heart a little sad and if
I’m being completely honest, I had moments
of leaning toward anger. After all this was MY
house, who did they think they were? Then I
stopped. My house was still mine, but it
was no longer my home. It made me pause
and reflect and tear up just a little.
Not because I didn’t like the way she had
decorated, it was beautiful and functional, but
because it was the loss of a home that I loved.
I’m still struggling watching the reviews
come in through her account that compliment
her on “her rental.” I still want to shout, “but
the house is mine!” I’m not sure when this
transition will feel completely normal. It’s
hard to let go of a home and a lifestyle that
made me who I am and shaped my
perspective on life and love.
After all
this was
MY house,
who did
they think
they were?
scene seen
&
TinyFest Midwest
June 15-17, 2018

TinyFest Midwest swept the Midwest

this past June, helping people learn
how to minimize their clutter, their
debt, their carbon footprint, and
M A X I M I Z E t h e i r l i v e s ! Wi t h
speakers, workshops, vendors, music,
food trucks, beer trucks, a kid zone,
and all kinds of tiny dwelling units,
there was no limit to the amazing
information and fun this event held!
New this year, TFM also reached out
to city planning/zoning boards in all Photo by Eric Dickson
states surrounding the event, to
educate, debunk misconceptions, and
discuss solutions for counties to accept
tiny living. With a guided tour
following, they certainly did their part
to further the Tiny House Movement!

Photo by Matt Alexander

scene seen
TinyFest California
&
June 15-17, 2018
TinyFest California 2018 was a fun
celebration of tiny living. Tiny house,
eco-green, DIY, and alternative
housing communities gathered in San
Jose, California on Father’s Day
weekend to connect, explore,
experience, learn, and to find new
ideas and inspiration. The workshops
and speaker presentations were well
attended. The variety of professionally
built and DIY built houses were the
highlight of the festival, as were tiny
Photo by Eric Dickson
house dwellers! In 2019, TinyFest
California will host both a SoCal and a
Bay Area event.
scene seen
DC/VA Tiny House Festival
&
June 15-17, 2018
The east coast leg of John Kernohan’s
vision know as “TINY HOUSE across
AMERICA” tackled the east coast as
t h e D C / Vi r g i n i a Ti n y H o u s e
Festival. The United Tiny House
Association collaborated with
TinyFest to bring a single weekend of
three tiny house events in DC/
Virginia, Nebraska and California,
celebrating the tiny house movement
from coast-to-coast and in between
with their Father’s Day Weekend
extravaganza. Photo by Eric Dickson

Photos provided by Tiny House Expedition

scene seen
Colorado Tiny House Festival
&
June 22-24, 2018

The second annual Colorado Tiny

House Festival featured 45 unique
tiny structures at the Adams County
Fairgrounds June 22-24. Tiny house
tours, workshops, speakers and
educational sessions, delicious food,
music and plenty to do for the entire
family. We can't wait for 2019 and our
third annual event!

Photo by Eric Dickson

How to Handle Sentimental Clutter
by Joshua Becker

Many people, when they first hear about minimalism, or as they begin their own personal
journey towards it, typically run into this question: What do I do with the sentimental things
I’ve collected over the years?

It is a question I am asked often. And an important one.

Here is my advice:

1. Remember that less is different than none.

No one is saying that you have to get rid of everything you have an emotional attachment to,
but I do think you will find benefit in owning less.

Here’s what I mean by that: When my wife’s grandmother passed away a number of years
ago, she came home with a small cardboard box of things collected from her grandmother’s
apartment—items that reminded her of her beloved grandma. We then promptly put that
cardboard box in the basement and would only notice it when we were cleaning up the
basement—which rarely happened.
After we found minimalism and began getting rid of the stuff we didn’t need, we eventually
ran into this cardboard box in the basement. When we did, my wife asked herself, “Okay,
what am I going to do here?”

Eventually, she decided she would keep three things from the box, the three things that “most
represented her grandmother.” She kept a candy dish. She kept a lapel pin, and she kept a
Bible. The candy dish is now in our living room, and we see it every single day. The pin, she
put on one of her coats, and she wears it occasionally. The Bible, she put in her nightstand
next to her bed.

And now, because we own fewer things, they have brought a greater sense of value to that
relationship. These items, now being used, serve as a more faithful reminder to us of her
grandmother and her influence on Kim’s life. Less became better than more. This is often the
case with sentimental belongings.

2. Your memories do not exist in the item.

The memories we cherish exist in our minds, they exist in our hearts and our souls, not in
physical objects.

In our heart is where the memories live, where the influence of the person resides, or the
accomplishment surrounding an event takes root. When we remove an item, we think
sometimes we’re removing the memory—but we aren’t. The memories remain.

You may find it helpful to take a picture of the item before you get rid of it, just so you can
look back and prompt that memory. But removing the item is not going to remove the
memories.

3. Our emotional attachment to things can actually provide motivation for owning less.

Think of the sentimental things, and the things you have an emotional attachment to. They
typically represent one of three things: 1) They represent an important relationship; 2) They
represent an important accomplishment; or 3) They represent an important experience… so
you bought the t-shirt to bring home with you.

These, you see, are the activities that add meaning, and purpose, and significance to our lives.
Our relationships, our accomplishments, and our experiences. This is where the value of life
resides.

But if all the things we’ve accumulated over the years are keeping us from relationships,
accomplishments, experiences, then we should get reduce the number of things we own.
Remove the burdens that are holding us back from those experiences, so we can enjoy even
more of the things that mean the most to us.

Lastly, keep in mind, if you are beginning on your path to minimalism, and sentimental things
is where you’re starting, you are going to have a hard time.
Let’s start easy, okay? Get rid of some of the things you know you don’t need. Go through
your closet. Or go through your kitchen.

Begin removing some of the possessions you know don’t need to be a part of our life
anymore. Remove those, and as you do, you’ll find increased motivation to own less. You’ll
learn the lessons that will equip you perfectly for when you do get to these sentimental things
—and you’ll be far more equipped to handle them effectively when you do.

About Joshua Becker

Writer. Inspiring others to live more by owning less.

WSJ Bestselling author of The More of Less.

Click Here
 For everyone who’s ever
dreamed of simplifying
their life and downsizing
their home, “Micro Living”
offers an insider’s look at
what tiny house living is
really like.
Best-selling author and tiny house enthusiast Derek
“Deek” Diedricksen profiles 40 tiny—but practical
—houses that are equipped for full-time living, all in
400 square feet or less. Detailed photography and a
floor plan for each structure highlight inventive
space-saving design features along with the nuts-
and-bolts details of heating, cooling, electric, and
plumbing systems. The real-life stories of residents
impart the pleasures, as well as the challenges, of
day-to-day living. With tips on what to consider
before you build, along with framing plans for a
prototype small cabin, “Micro Living” is the perfect
starter handbook for both dreamers and doers.
Click to Play
 The following book excerpt is taken from Chapter 25 of my new book Kitchen Simplicty. It was released
on amazon.com on July 4 and is now available for sale.
Peace Be With You,
~ Carmen
Tiny Haven-Home
Book Excerpt
There have been a number of times over our
years of living tiny that Xaver and I have
faced some really crazy schnitzel together. In
those times, it’s really easy to think, “Poor
Me” and look around and focus on the tiny
space and the lack of this or that and let it all
become about poverty rather than about
simplicity and purpose. Let me tell you, that is
a rough road!
Dominant culture teaches us that having a lot
of stuff equals wealth. Therefore not having
much stuff must be poverty, right? Dominant
culture tells us that a homeless guy is
worthless. A man with a nice house, nice yard,
and a couple cars is a pretty good guy. The
man with four houses, an expensive collection
of cars, and a business empire is really
something special. And Billionaires are gods.
They must be smarter, wiser, or maybe just
know some secrets that the rest of us don't, or
they wouldn't be the ruling class. Right? This
may be the perception of dominant culture,
but is it true? We’re seeing day-by-day proof
in our political arena that wealth does not
equal wisdom, and human value can't be
measured by the mathematical equation of net
worth.
Xaver and I have chosen to be houseless, not
homeless. Or perhaps it’s a sort of intentional
homelessness, at least in the house-on-a-
foundation sense, but that doesn’t mean we
are poor. We are purposeful. World of
difference. We remind ourselves to practice
gratitude and to share the richness of love and
laughter as far and wide as we can.
We’ve had some battles that brought us back
together at the end of the day feeling like the
world had beaten us up and spit us out. In
fact, we had a client with a three million
dollar project decide that they weren't going
to pay for the final work we did for them and
that left us with a five figure sum outstanding.
It was one of those David and Goliath
moments, and what made it worse was that
the Goliath in this case was a church with the
meanest pastor I've ever met. We were
demoralized, hurt, and broke. Combine all
those strong emotions with the reality of
living in a very small space, and it all started
to feel pretty crushing. Through those
devastating months when we were fighting
that giant, we learned some practical ways to
make our tiny home a haven.
Rest
Activism fatigue comes when we're fighting
for a good cause for so long that we get burnt
out, overwhelmed, and sidelined. If we don't
allow ourselves a place away from our cause,
we will eventually be silenced by our own
exhaustion. It is important to persist, now
more than ever. We can only be effective
when we are rested, therefore rest becomes
one of our most powerful tools of self-care, no
matter the cause we face.
Turn off the Screens

Sometimes, something horrible, stupid, or

devastating is happening in the world and
from the sound of the people on the news, the
sky is falling. The end is nigh. No. Turn off
the screens. Put on some nice music and play
a game of cards instead. Light a beeswax
candle. Make a great meal. Open a lovely
bottle of wine. Celebrate something, no matter
how small it is. Celebrate that grass is green if
you have to. Practice gratitude. Say a prayer.
Say to the big, bad, crazy world: “No, none of
that schnitzel in here, thank you very
much!” (And mean it!).

Keep Out!

Xaver and I have even gone so far as to go

outside and brush the negativity, worry, and
anxiety off of each other as if it were
dandruff. You wouldn't think that something
so weighty could be whisked away with an
imaginary broom – but it can. We sometimes
wash our hands to wash away the cares of the
day. These are small rituals, but when
combined with prayer they are powerful. We
shake off the burdens at the door. We use the
excuse of our tiny space to encourage each
other to keep the peace within its walls, and
push the dreadful things outside. When we
have rested and restored ourselves, we return
to the cause. On the inside of a tiny house,
this space is about peace, gratitude, and love.
Whatever it is, it will have to wait till morning
when we emerge rested and ready to face the
day. This space is our sacred haven-home. No
trespassing.
Isolation
When we're busy fighting for a cause, it's
more important than ever not to allow
isolation to get us. We visited our favorite
Airbnb last year. It's a beautiful Frank Lloyd
Wright inspired home on a lake in Virginia
and we love it there. The last time we were
there, I spent some time in the kitchen baking
apple pies while I listened to a documentary
on minimalism. Do I know how to party or
what?! LOL! Xaver was in the next room,
reading a book. Later I mentioned to him
something I'd noticed in the documentary, and
he didn't even know I had the television on! In
a tiny house, if the TV is on, everyone hears
it! In fact, as that week progressed in that
huge house, I began to feel more and more
isolated. I was surprised how the vast empty
spaces of a beautiful home could make me
feel so alone. I was so happy to get back home
to our tiny cozy space. That reality of being
connected and close is one of the things I love
about our tiny home. We're together. We're
connected. We can hear and be heard. That
isolation just can't hang out with us. We're
close. Literally. The fact that the space is
small and cozy really does focus our
connection in a way a big house just cant.
This is to our advantage. We stay connected
and bring friends and family into that space
through hospitality, and isolation doesn't stand
a chance.
It really is possible to use the tender walls of a
tiny home to create space that is sacred,
restful, and healing. We can make purposeful
choices to rest and recharge, turn off the
noise, keep out the negativity, and fight
isolation with closeness. These choices
prepare us to be effective in our work to make
the world a better place. These are some of the
reasons we love our tiny haven-home so
much.
C.S.
Kitchen Simplicity provides a road map for going
tiny, embracing simplicity, and eating well, even
when your kitchen is small. It's a can-do
conversation with author, chef, and tiny house
expert, Carmen Shenk, who shared her methods on
how she creates delectable food while living in her
own tiny home of 125 square feet.
Carmen's simple living philosophy demonstrates
how minimalism can be a choice, not a hardship.
She'll help you move past the media-fed 'privation
mentality' to a place of purposeful simplicity. Her
specific and helpful gear list will steer you through
the right-sizing progress and help you to transition
smoothly into a more intimate space. Everything
from shopping and food storage, to gardening, green
cleaning and trash disposal, is covered in this
helpful, inspiring book that will empower you to
minimize the mundane aspects of life to make room
for your biggest bravest dreams.
one to watch
 photograph by Michael Bonocore
Kristie Wolfe is a number of things. She is an
entrepreneur, a tiny houser, a seamstress, a maker,
and a creator. To be fair, she is also a hostess, a
bridal planner, and even a carpenter. What she is
not, is lazy. Since her first foray into the tiny world
—a small THOW that she and her mother built in
remote Idaho back in 2012—she has become an
expert in small spaces, creative construction,
domestic vision, and Airbnb hostessing. Know
primarily for her “Dreamy Tropical Treehouse” in
Hawaii and her “Hobbit Hole” themed rental in
Eastern Washington, she is also one of the owners
of White Barn at Happy Valley in Nampa, Idaho,
and now the hostess of the “Crystal Peak
Lookout” in the Idaho backcountry.

Kristie has been a staple in the tiny house scene for

years having been a keynote speaker at the Tiny
House Conference in North Carolina, a guest on the
r(E)vo Convo podcast, a featured contributor to
Tiny House Magazine, and a blogger. You can
follow Kristie and her project primarily on her
personal Instagram handle. There is no telling what
is next for this native Idahoan. But photos show it
involves an oversized potato and a very unique
rental space!
Tiny House 2.0
Next to Christmas week, summertime seems
to be the most popular time to upgrade your
iPhone or Android mobile phone. It starts off
innocently enough. You don’t ‘Skip Ad’ when
the US Cellular ad comes on during your
Netflix binge. Within a week or two you
make mention that you may stop by the store
to see what your upgrade options are. Then
you casually mention to a salesperson that
you really like the camera features on the
iPhone 25X (I made it up folks...don’t go
looking!) Then you pounce. You are now
“leasing to own” the newest phone and all of
its cool features including incredible camera
with built-in filter effects, extra optical zoom,
a bigger screen, and more!
Talking Tech
So. Many. Options.
You still can’t shake the price though. $1,000
or $45/month for, well, a long time. The
process is not much different when upgrading
the technology in your house and now that
we are in the midst of building our second
tiny house on wheels we are faced with
choosing between what we had in our first to
what we want in our second that represents
the growth in the home tech sector.

written by Mario Soto

Let’s first be clear that not everyone wants to
have the latest and greatest and not everyone
wants to learn how new products work. Most
people don’t want to stretch every penny a
little further just to see these upgrades. But for
us they are warranted and truly reflect who we
are and what our interests are. Our first tiny
house on wheels was a high tech house and we
intend this to be as well. But before I get
ahead of myself, it is important to make note
of the planning involved for the electrical
schematic required for such a house.
I first started with what I know best: my
iPhone. It is, in essence, my virtual assistant
and I use it for almost everything now. I have
incorporated it into my daily life including
travel, bills, communication, and more. I also
take great pleasure in using it for free
applications that allow my to increase my
workflow, monitor systems in various parts of
my life, and communicate better.
When I started building our first tiny house
home automation and home tech had barely
been announced. There were a few options but
the big box stores had not yet picked up on the
trend and consumer prices were exorbitant.
Apple was releasing the HomeKit though and
being an Apple fan, caught my eye
immediately. After some research and hands-
on use, I began searching out companies that
were working on HomeKit compatible
products. I was beyond excited at the prospect
of connecting my home to my phone and even
being able to voice activate it all with the help
of Apple’s Siri.
My first search brought about Philips Hue
Lighting. The lights in my home (and
eventually outside my home) would be
controlled with my iPhone and allow me to
change my lighting to any combination of 16
million colors through LED technology. Not
only was it very cool but also very functional.
Each light had its own wireless switch, which
meant there was no special wiring needed. I
was able to wire up the light switches in
standard fashion: incoming is black, return is
red, and bare copper for grounding. After
investing in the lighting and trying it out I
worked out how they would actually serve the
house. I skipped installing light switches and
instead went with just electrical outlets for the
LED Philips Hue 1600 lumens strips. If you
aren’t familiar with lumens, let me just say
that 1600 lumens is daytime during a solar
flare bright. That is just crazy bright! Since the
Philips Hue are LED they also have a very low
load compared to more traditional lighting
options and I could place them and re-place
them wherever I had wired in an electrical
outlet.
Needless to say that after three years of having
Philips Hue I have grown to love them even
more than the day I first turned them on. Our
current build features Philips Hue as our
primary light source both indoors and out. In
fact, we have wired in extra electrical outlets
in places that will have the LED light strips so
there is less cord maintenance to tend to. We
love that our lights turn on automatically when
we get home or that we can have our house a
soft red as we go to sleep each night. Even
better though is having the lights turn off
automatically as we leave our house (or rather,
as our phones leave our house). Talk about
cool!
Let’s talk a minute about our entry door. There
are a number of digital locks on the market but
very few that offer both Bluetooth and
HomeKit integration. We have decided to stick
with what is easiest for us and with what is
easiest to set up and integrate into our
HomeKit.
Our first tiny house had a Schlage
smart lock that stayed connected
when we were home or away. The
iPhone did most of the setup
when we installed the product and
immediately allowed us to lock
and unlock our entry door
whether we were right in front of
it or 1,000 miles away. One of the
extra cool features is that we
would also be alerted should
someone try to bust the door
down or gain entry improperly.
We have decided to use Schlage
in our new tiny house as well.

One area few would think is

impacted by wireless technology
is that of windows and skylights.
We knew in the planning stages
that we wanted skylights in this
new tiny house. Unfortunately,
there really are only a handful of
options on the market offering
wireless skylights. We were able
to find one that seemed to stand
apart from the others. We honed
in on the Velux Solar Skylight.
The less I have to do, the better.
That rules out the skylights that
have to be wired into your
electrical system. The Velux has a
built in batter with a solar panel
directly outside of it to charge
said battery. Can you guess which
I went with? It’s Velux all the
way! There is less wiring
involved and the skylight opens
and closes automatically on a
schedule I set. It also closes
automatically if it senses rain.
Could it be any easier? Another
great feature of the Velux is the
air sensor it comes equipped with. If the
skylight senses the air quality getting in
ranges it deems unhealthy, it opens and lets in
fresh air. I can control the skylight with my
iPhone, set the schedules for opening and
closing, keep our air fresh, and feel confident
in it all. It also helps to know that even if the
power in our tiny house is out, the skylight has
its own power source and can still function.
(NOTE: our skylight also has built-in blinds
that can be closed to block out overhead sun if
it becomes a nuisance during the day)
The first tiny house was an awesome house
but it didn’t incorporate all the things I now
think are essential. I look back and wish I had
built in floor heaters. Seems a bit odd. I know.
I love walking barefoot though and I also hate
having the heater on full blast causing the
house to heat up but the floor to still stay cold.
Because we actually travel with our tiny
house(s) we have lived in snow covered
mountains, hot Las Vegas summers, and very
damp, cool environments. Our floor always
seemed to affect the overall interior
temperature of our house. In Las Vegas, for
instance, the wintertime can see temperatures
in the 50s and 60s. That is too cool on my
feet! After a great deal of research and
speaking with different companies, we have
decided to install the WARMUP system. The
floor heater system has a low power draw
complete with wireless technology. It helps
too that they are the largest floor heater
manufacturer in the United States. They have
invested a lot into R&D, which means they
will continue to improve their products and
embrace new technology as soon as it
stabilizes. A hidden benefit of our new heated
floors is that our actual home heating system
will be completely out of sight! The
WARMUP system is already functioning as
our primary heat source and is installed
directly under the floor. It takes up no
precious real estate in our new tiny house.
Technologically speaking, the under floor heat
will be controlled by a 4iE smart WiFi
thermostat which is then controllable by our
iPhones. WARMUP is efficient, easy to
install, and has the best warranties, while the
company itself has shown us impeccable
customer service and support. Electrically
speaking, all we need is a dedicated breaker
for our floor heaters. Since we are building
our tiny house from the blueprints up we have
been able to accommodate the system while
avoiding the need for more traditional heating
sources. Such a win for my feet and us!
These technological advances and electrical
systems require current. We understand that
and we are also very familiar with what the
power draw of our tiny house will be. That has
allowed us to be very accurate in planning our
solar system, which is our singular source of
electricity. Let’s first be real. Solar power is a
luxury at this point. They can be expensive
and aren’t needed if you intend to live on the
grid. If you are going to live off-grid even for
a weekend, solar is necessary. As I did with
the first tiny house, we are going to install an
entire house solar system with salt-water
batteries. This allows the wiring to remain
consistent but give us a little extra power out.
It sounds complex but is really quite basic.
This house requires a few extra panels, which
we found with our friends at the altE store
online. They have been instrumental in
helping us design the system that is right for
our tiny house.
We have a lot going on with this new tiny
house on wheels. Some may find our love and
dependency on technology to be unsettling or
ridiculous. To each his own. We love tech and
we want our lives to be enhanced by it. We
take our time in learning about our systems
and how they can help our home be as
efficient and high-performing as possible.
When thinking about your home we
encourage you to ask yourself if you really
need it or if you just want it. Neither is a
correct answer. For us in-home technology
started off as just cool stuff in our house. But
we now realize that it enhances our day-to-day
and makes things easier. There was a learning
curve, most definitely. But what we know now
has been worth every penny we have spent
along the way. Everything from our lights to
our air conditioning is wireless. It requires
knowledge though. Do your homework. Start
off by fully understanding your phone and its
Bluetooth capabilities. Then move on. As with
all things knowledge is key. If you don’t take
the time to understand what you have at your
fingertips, it can
cause more trouble
than it’s worth.

Mario can be found

on Instagram and is
always happy to
answer questions.
He and his wife
Cierra are known for
their Instagram Live
stories where they
live stream their tech
and their building.
Imagine Your Tiny House

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 T in y Tr a v el i n g

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The Last Call

Hundreds, maybe
thousands, of people
across the nation take to
the open roads in their
tiny houses. Some by
bus, some by van, and
others with their house
in tow. Perhaps no one
has covered as many
miles as Christian and
Alexis of Tiny House
Expedition. With nearly
50,000 miles logged,
they are documentary
filmmakers, tiny house
advocates, and
sojourners with a
purpose. Cheers to all
those whose lifestyle
allows the see the world,
one mile at a time!