ADU, Travel, Community
Lina Menard
Maui, Hawaii

After A Week Long Send Off, My Round the World Trip kicked off with eight days in Maui visiting my sister Sarah who has split her time between Hawaii and Alaska for many years. What an epic way to start this adventure! There was mist falling when my sister greeted me at the Kahului airport on Maui a week ago, so she teased me about bringing the rain from the mainland. We headed straight for Paia where she presented me with a young coconut and a lei, accompanied by the chant for the gifting-of-a-lei.

Maui, Hawaii
Tiny House, Travel, Planning
Lina Menard
Lucky Penny Moves to Walla Walla

A number of circumstances collided recently to compel me to move the Lucky Penny to my property in Walla Walla where I have a ground bound small house called Valencia Cottage. So on Tuesday trusted tiny house movers Linh and Stephanie Pham helped me move the Lucky Penny safely from Portland to my place in Walla Walla.

Lucky Penny Moves to Walla Walla
Minimalism, Workshop
Lina Menard
Downsizing Tune Up

As I packed up recently in preparation to travel cross country in my Honda Fit, I did some downsizing… It was harder than it had been during my last couple of moves because this time I had more stuff. I’d been living in a bigger space…My apartment was a studio, but it was still about 6 times bigger than the Lucky Penny! I talked with several people about the experience and a handful of them said “oh my goodness, I need to do more of that!” So I’ve decided to offer a 6-week Downsizing Tune Up…

Downsizing Tune Up

Brittany Yunker

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Tiny Open House at Bayside Bungalow

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Two years ago, my friend Brittany gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received when she offered to let me rent her tiny house on wheels to decide if the Little Life is really a good fit for me. I LOVED the little house and my first Year of Living Little, so I've been living in tiny houses ever since. Now Brittany rents her tiny house out by the night so other people can try on tiny. On Sunday, August 18th she's opening Bayside Bungalow up for anyone to come see for themselves. If you're in Olympia or can get yourself there, go check it out! You'll find her invitation below:
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Many people over the past year have asked if they could see the Bayside Bungalow and check out the tiny little house that I now rent out as a vacation rental.  Alas, the time has come for a (tiny) Open House!

Are you interested in exploring, testing, touching, trying, photographing, peeing in (the composting toilet - duh!), measuring & learning more about tiny houses?  Then this is for you!  Learn about how it was built, why I decided to build it, how it works, what goes in (water, electricity & food) and how it all comes out (gray water, urine-diverting toilet system), and most of all - does it fit YOU?  Bring on the questions!  Bring a sketchpad, measuring tape & camera & explore this tiny house.
What: Open House at the Bayside Bungalow tiny house vacation rental
When: Sunday, August 18, 2pm-6pm
Where: The Bayside Bungalow in Olympia, WA

Your host: Brittany Yunker, builder & owner of the Bayside Bungalow

For directions & more info, photos, or to make a reservation, visit www.baysidebungalow.com

Please invite a friend & swing by!  I look forward to meeting you.
Cheers,
Brittany YunkerThe Bayside Bungalow ~A tiny house on Puget Sound~ www.baysidebungalow.com Olympia, WA bbyunker@gmail.com 360.556.9719

Entertaining in the Tiny House

Who says you can't entertain in a tiny house? I just served dinner for six! This weekend Brittany, the woman who built the tiny house I'm living in, came through town with her partner Dylan, an old friend of mine from college, so I invited three of our other college friends to join us. Before long I was hosting a dinner party for 6 in the tiny house!

It was an intimate affair considering that three of us women wedged our hips next to each other on the window seat. We moved the desk/table over to the window seat and pulled the leaves out to create a little more surface area for six plates and a bunch of food. I had two chairs inside the house but we borrowed another from my host house so that all six of us could fit around the table. There wasn't much more room to move about and I think if we hadn't all been good friends it might have been downright uncomfortable, but we had a grand time.

I made a lentil soup and picked up some tasty walnut cranberry bread and fancy cheeses. Dylan and Brittany brought wine and Lindsey made a lovely salad with fresh greens from the garden. Corey and Sarah brought a peach feta torte and a creme brulee stout that was mind-blogglingly delicious. We lit candles and told stories and laughed a lot.
As is the tradition in my house when we sit down for a meal, we all said something we are grateful for. I am grateful over and over again that so many people have helped to make Portland and this tiny house feel like home to me.

Then This House Dropped Out of the Sky...

We have been joking about how it seems like my tiny house dropped out of the sky like Dorothy's place in the Wizard of Oz. One day there was an empty space in my landlady's yard and the next day it was occupied by a cute-as-can-be tiny house on wheels. Brittany drove her tiny house Bayside Bungalow from Olympia to Portland with me as her copilot. Dylan manned the follow car and kept us posted via walkie-talkie about the reactions we received from passersby. It was amazing how many people completely failed to notice the tiny house on wheels cruising down I-5, but we were glad when Dee Williams called to say she saw us go past. When we stopped at rest stops and went over the scales we got plenty of attention.

We were all a little nervous about getting the house backed into its spot, but Brittany did an excellent job and it's amazing how nicely it fits in. Serendipitously the tiny house colors are exactly the reverse of the colors of my host house! Brittany and Dylan helped with getting the house jacked up and Brittany walked me through all the hook ups and then they headed home and I was left to marvel at how it's all coming together.
Moments later my sisters Amy and Aurora called to say they were on their way. They came by with Lynette's kids forming a fantastic work crew to help me pile my belongings into the wee house: 1 foam sleeping pad, 2 dressers, 2 sets of sheets, blankets, 4 towels, 1 black plastic garbage bag of clothing, a basket of office supplies, 12 books, 3 pots, 1 pan, 8 bowls, 8 plates, 6 sets of flatware, basic toiletries, sleeping bag and pad, a tent, a couple backpacks, my beloved cordless drill and driver set, craft supplies, and 5 boxes of food. They teased me about how most of my stuff was food, but I explained this is the most important part to making my house a home.
Unfortunately, I wasn't set up to cook yet so we headed out to the Alberta Arts district to enjoy a little food cart culture. We dined at the Grilled Cheese Grill and then they bid me good night. I can see Cassiopeia through the skylight of my sleeping loft! It feels like I'm in a wooden tent. So cool!
Tomorrow... unpacking.