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A Tiny Road Trip

Made this friend when we were in Burlington, VT for a quick stop on the way to Warren. She just wouldn't go away! "The appearance of Ladybug symbolism heralds a time of good luck. Moreover, it means that wishes and dreams are coming to fruition."


There are so many things I want to write about and I am not a writer my any means (numbers are really my thing...) so sometimes I need to force myself to sit and get this written down. And things are currently happening to advance my tiny house, but I want to get all the details down from the beginning...

So, back in October, after I came to the conclusion I was finally ready to do this my sister Becky and I went down to Warren, VT to the Tiny House Fest. I love Vermont so a weekend away with my sister in a place I enjoy to start to build on my dream...sounds like a lovely weekend right?! Well it was! The End. Nah, I suppose I should come up with a few more details than that!

I'll spare you on the details of the sisterly-bonding road trip. But I can tell you it was October so the foliage was stunning! The festival itself had a couple components but I mainly wanted to go to see the tiny houses that had been brought to demonstrate designs what works and more importantly what doesn't work. Just thinking of that, there was this one tiny house where the little steps (that went up to the half loft bed-space) flipped up to reveal the toilet. So in the middle of this tiny house...the toilet just there right next to the couch and the kitchen cabinets. For me, that design was a big no-no. For me, I like a little more privacy!

There were many more features we discovered that would be useful when designing my tiny house. Oh, a little side note. I have looked for months and months online on all sorts of forums and for sale sites for tiny houses that are for sale that appealed to me. There were lots of options, but for the price, I could get one custom made and I can know exactly how it is built and if I am driving down the road at 100km/hour, the roof isnt going to blow off...

Back to the features, the tiny wood stove was something I discovered that weekend for the first time. I couldn't believe how much heat was thrown off it, and of course how adorable it is! And the best part is that it is made in Canada! There are several brands that make these tiny wood stoves, but for me Canadian made will always win in my books. We didn't see any incinerating toilets, but I had already decided that I wanted to purchase one to eliminate having to dispose of any human waste. The fact that an incinerating toilet saves roughly 2000 gallons (7570 liters) of water per person per year is super appealing. Fun fact, never in my life did I think I would be so excited about a darn toilet and so willing to spend a small fortune on one!

Seeing the layout of the different tiny houses was very interesting. Everyone has their own 'must haves' and design ideas. There was an Airstream which had been fully renovated and the owner had made it so beautiful. It was like a cozy little home. But a tad too cozy - for me the height was a little too constricting. A lot of people have asked me why I am not just buying an RV. There's a couple reasons: 1) I like the philosophy behind the tiny house movement. 2) it is legit just a mini house - house cute is that?! 3) customization 4) roof height 5) overall personal preference. Everyone has their own thoughts on it, but for me I am doing what I would like since I am the one who is going to live in it!

At this tiny house festival, there were also panel and individual discussion groups on folks who are experienced in the industry as well as tiny home owners. We listened to a presentation on solar energy as that is my plan for the primary power source - super informative! There was a fantastic presentation by a gal who has lived in several tiny homes for over 10 years. She was a fountain of information and I wish for the life of my I could remember her name. These are a bunch of her key points for designing a tiny house and decorating it. Things to consider for the overall design factors: inspiration, function, values (Eco-conscious, cozy, calming, responsible), sensory experiences and objects. Colour wise: light colours, similar colour for accents, ensure light from 2 sides of the building. Things that help it feel larger on the inside: the direction of the siding, lots of tall shelves, keeping everything visible. Other good tips: landing pad ("mudroom"), use spaces in walls as cubbies for storage, multiple use spaces, multi functional furniture, design for mobility (remember if you are going to be taking this bad boy on the road, that you have places for all your items so that they don't move around), carry a theme, and most importantly - keep it simple. You don't need to have storage for your kettle, just keep it on the stove. Don't necessarily need a cutlery drawer, just pop those suckers in a holder on the table. That was a long winded list, but I wanted to write down my notes from her talk as it was so informative! After listening to her, I felt like the whole trip had been worth it!

Becky and I had a good 4 hour drive home to chat about tiny houses and ideas and moreover how it is my dream and now is the time to make it happen. There are times in this process that I have doubted myself and that I have had others doubt me - but I am beyond grateful to have my sister on my side. She has been a huge support the whole time (including me potentially parking it in their yard for a bit...stay tuned on that one!) I am fully aware that what I am doing poses risks, its unconventional and its quite bizarre to some. I know not all things will go as I plan (easier said than done as I am such a control freak), but in the end it is going to be sooo worth it.
 
Cheers!

Mya 

My #1 Supporter :)


Burlington, VT is so beautiful!


Beautiful tiny house for sale! I loved it but it had a lot of options that I wasn't looking for and missing a few I would like.

The rain was just pouring down!



Really like the size of this one!
Beautiful design!

Ahh the new love of my life. The first tiny wood stove I saw! So freaking cute!


The tiny house with the toilet in the middle of the open space!



Stopped for some dinner in Burlington on the way home - and of course some Ben and Jerrys!

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