Our new book!

What are the 10 bravest things you’ve ever done?

That’s one of the journal prompts in My Tiny Home: 32 Lists for a Joyful Journey

Welcome to our new book, slash, journal! We chat with lots of people who have had amazing and joyful tiny living journeys and have picked up on some clues!

By creating these journal prompts, we are sharing their common wisdom, from the practical to the profound. Here are our favourite pages from the book:

We chose the “3 moments” as the opener for the book because, in interviewing people who moved to tiny homes, we noticed that they always have  that moment. When they realize they just need to make a change, and a really BIG change. We’ve heard, “What have I got to lose” uttered more than once! We think moving into a tiny home is a MAJOR life change and requires a lot of dedication before and after the actual move. It’s not easy and the path isn’t always smooth. So, many people will look back to the moment to help them stay motivated.

This page is a fun one because moving into a tiny home often requires a lot of decluttering and downsizing. And so we’re hoping to remind people not to go too far in that. For some people, this may be equipment for a favourite hobby, or personal mementos, or their canning and pickling. These are still things that are ok to bring to your tiny home. In fact, they are a must to give your home personality and to make it really you. Otherwise, will it ever feel like home?

This is an actual list that Maria, our editor, made this winter when she needed to find her footing. It seems simple, but it’s powerful. It’s still having its effects months later!

Living in a tiny home will affect all areas of your life. And we hope the effect will be MORE JOY!

The biggest thing we’ve learned from talking to tiny home dwellers is that it’s not just about the size of the home. Knowing those deeply-held personal values that drive you to living tiny and returning often to your reasons will help deal with any frustrations or challenges that come along the way. Ranking your reasons from most to least important will also help you navigate any compromises that come up in the tiny home journey, from home design, to costs, to location.

Speaking of frustrations! Every single person we’ve talked to had a STORY about their first winter in the tiny home! Some even had to move out temporarily to navigate their issues. Even if your home is on-grid (but especially if it’s off-grid), the first winter in a tiny house will test your resolve. So, please make lots of plans and backup plans! And remember to have fun with it – it does get better!

This page is a fun one! Everyone who lives tiny has a minimalist outlook on their belongings. If you’re not quite there yet, or think you may struggle without your shopping habit, this is your invitation to think about WHAT ELSE you will do instead of shopping to keep your tiny home free of clutter and your mind free of stress.

Finally, land, land, land! One of the biggest questions with tiny homes is, “where do I put it?”. And while we wait for that to be a very easy answer, we offer you this page, which reflects how real tiny home dwellers find their land today – by planting seeds! Every person we’ve talked to found their parking spot by word of mouth. And if you want to do the same, we hope this page will motivate you to start talking to a lot of people. You never know which of these seeds will sprout!

Tiny living is unconventional, beautiful and brave.

If you’re thinking about moving to a tiny home, making these lists will help you understand what makes you happy, build confidence for the journey ahead, and be ready for any surprises along the way.

Combined with beautiful original art on every page, we hope this book will help you do this your way and, once you’re happily living in your tiny house, to remember why you did it.

Get your copy!

My Tiny Home: 32 Lists for a Joyful Journey is ready to ship! Click here to order.