Create Space Creatively

Not one to hesitate when presented with exciting life changing choices
 I jumped at the opportunity of being reunited with my long lost love

Be he in -4° and me chock full of aloha from the middle of the Pacific... I dove in... right into one of the craziest winters in over 20 years and tiny home livin

So this is where it begins
 As I recount to the best of my ability the many challenges met & how we overcame debilitating effects like running out of space

I kicked off the start of my new life in the last week of 2015... I know... middle of winter... but the heart doesn't know the difference between 32° and 80°

So there I am... walking in almost 3 ft of snow up to my new front door...

 • Tiny Home Living Tip (a.k.a Tiny Tip) #1: When leaving your home in cold weather be sure to leave an oil heater on low else pipes will freeze/burst and you swear it feels warmer outside
   *for extended trips blow out water system including h20 pump, h2o heater & h2o faucets

...Mind you I left my luggage in the back of the car
 Not knowing yet how much room I'd have to work with

Turns out I'd end up living out of a trunk once again
 Most of my clothes... being meant for warmer weather... were not essential and placed in a storage unit
  While only necessary items to keep me from freezing were brought in

What did make it inside occupied totes
 Each a specific style/item intended

Where once upon a time was a bunk bed above the Queen bed... which had replaced a couch/pullout space... became an unconventional closet

One tote for socks and undies... one for shirts... one for pants... one for leggings and one for long sleeves/thermals

In turn the lack of closet space required some ingenuity

Once a new shower curtain had been aquired... the old shower curtain was strung upon the shower wall with paracord... six command hooks set in very strategic places allowed for at least 12 items to be hung

So along with all my man's shirts and sweaters I hung a few dresses in the tiny closet by the front door
 My select few sweaters/flannels I hung by two's in the shower... behind its protective wall

The munchkins clothes being stored in a drawer under one of the benches... that served as both seat and bed end

The other bench being more a cupboard... storing miscellaneous items... jenga, grocery bags, waffle maker, potatoes, rubber gloves etc.

Under the queen bed we stored things like excess t.p and cleaners, sewing box, a sleeping bag and eventually a crate full of shoes

 • Tiny Tip #2: If you think there's no place... create space... if it hasn't seen the light of day in over a month... reconsider if it is a need or a want

Back to the Start

Shortly after my 21st birthday I made a drastic life change... which led to me living out of a backpack in the mountains of Oregon for 2 years
With either no structure or a tarp structure... so I'm no stranger to a minimalistic lifestyle
But Maui is where I got my first taste of 4 wheel livin

I started with a backpack and a rain fly when I walked off the plane

A few months in and I was living out of Wanda, a Jeep Cherokee

Throughout the years I would alternate living indoors or living in 4 wheels

After Wanda there was MaryAnne the mini van and later would come Yurtle a 2 door Hyundai

All presented their own challenges but virtually rent free with the ability to choose my front porch each night was quite rewarding

I left Maui for a new start
A new chance
A chance I'm learning to embrace

I sold my car
Rented out my room
Packed my clothes and mementos into one duffle, one carry on and my backcountry backpack
Other useless necessities went into 5 flat rate boxes to greet me upon arrival
Once everything else was given away... I shipped off for the mainland once more

For a much longer intended stay than my usual 2 week trips away... 
Leaving behind the island that welcomed me home 5 years before 

This stay happens to be in a 20 ft bumper pull trailer... indefinitely

Now... for the first time in all my 4 wheel living... there would be a fridge, a shower and not to mention the extra storage space!

This is when reality starts snickering behind my back

I should mention how at this time the space is being occupied by my then boyfriend and his 3 1/2 yr old pit/lab Cleo and every other weekend a then 8 year old daughter

Can you picture how quickly the space dissipates
While laughter slaps my face