#78 Building A Wall with Andrew Odom of Tiny R(e)volution

If you have ever wondered if Andrew has a serious side, if he thinks more deeply than he laughs, if he tires of talking about tiny houses after 8 years of living intentionally, if he accepts anyone’s opinion but his own, or if his future includes a soap box; you’ll want to tune in this week to hear the somewhat somber side of this funny guy. After overhearing him sadly comment on the homeless crisis in America, and after reading his chapter in Turning Tiny, we wanted to hear more. We wanted to hear his take on this complex issue. What really IS the problem that is causing the homeless epidemic in America? Are tiny houses the answer? How can we advocate for tiny houses as a tool to help the homeless while not devaluing them at the same time? If you think that we should be building tiny houses instead of walls to solve our societal problems, tune in this week. And, if you don’t learn anything at all, we know you will come away with a newfound appreciation for Andrew and his contribution to the tiny house movement that really isn’t going anywhere….(pun intended)

http://tinyrevolution.us/

Listen To Episode »

#E77 The Fun Loving Festival Duo That Gives Back – with John and Fin Kernohan

What started in a small Amish community, gained momentum in the Florida high life, then became an all out mission in London, that ended with love. And the rest….as they say….is love filled history. (Do “they” really say that?) This week we’re chatting with the energetic and fun loving powerhouse couple behind United Tiny House Association, John and Fin. This funny and generous duo lives in a 300 square foot tiny house in Georgia with their six (Or 7?) cats. But even if you’re not a cat lover we know you’ll love the story of how they met, the first Atlanta Tiny House Festival, why they decided to donate the proceeds of their events to charities, why their volunteers love them (almost as much as we do) and their less-than-linear direction towards minimalism. But don’t let the term “association” lull you into thinking these are passive folks. No way! They’re the passion and drive behind the Atlanta and Florida Tiny House Festivals and Michelle is positively giddy that she’ll be joining the crazy party in March. Maybe you should too!!??
http://unitedtinyhouse.com/

Listen To Episode »

#E76 Living Tiny Down Under – with Darren and Lisa

It’s not often that we get to interview tiny house enthusiasts on other continents, so this week we’re THRILLED to feature two very influential and dedicated individuals from Down Under; Darren and Lisa from Tiny Houses Australia. Even Michelle is a little jealous of the following these two have amassed since they ventured onto the tiny house scene. We think that ANY story told with an Australian accent is fun to listen to and this one is no exception. Listen in this week while we discuss relationships in tiny spaces, the unique challenges of building and living in tiny houses in Australia, as well as some common themes heard no matter what country you’re parking in. They may not have all the TV shows we do, or the Festivals and Jamborees and Conferences that we do, but they’ve got the same real estate and zoning challenges we have here in the US and are enthusiastically facing them with the same change-is-good attitude.

http://www.tinyhousesaustralia.com/

Listen To Episode »

#E75 Tiny House Swoon, Three Boobs and a Mule with Steven Harrell

Today we chat with Tiny House Swoon owner, Steven Harrell (check this spelling). Steven created Swoon after a dream inspired him. This was after he had already created several other tiny house websites, including tinyhouselistings.com and tinyhousevacations.com. Obviously Steven has tiny houses flowing in his veins. But it hadn't always been that way. Before tiny houses he was a successful entrepreneur living the high life. That high life ending abruptly was a good thing because it lead to Steven finding his passion.

Today Steven lives on a North Carolinian island, enjoying a life purpose built around all things tiny.

Listen To Episode »

#E74 "Minimalism Is The New Black with Joshua Becker"

"Nuff' said"

Listen To Episode »

E73 Riding Along on A Reclaimed Adventure That Leads to Love and Buns with Jess and Dan Sullivan

Many tiny house enthusiasts start out with the the notion that they’ll build a tiny house using reclaimed materials to save money. This certainly MAKES sense. The reality of that plan, however, is often difficult to implement as Jess and Dan Sullivan will explain on this week’s episode. But, despite the challenges, they proudly report to having used 40% reclaimed materials on their utility-free tiny house. But now, they’re moving on. What? Say it isn’t so! Listen in this week while this fun couple talks about what’s it like to live with someone, full time, in a house with no plumbing. And this fun conversation doesn’t stop there. What early life experiences led to their “Ah Ha” moment that then lead to their tiny house? How does this power couple balance the power in their relationship? And, why oh why did they sell their tiny house!? (Noooo!!!????)…..and speaking of “Noooooo!!!???”.....We certainly hope that our listeners appreciate the crass and irreverent nature of our show. With that said, however, you might NOT want to turn up the volume at work for the opening banter on this episode. Consider yourself warned. Or intrigued. You pick.
www.facebook.com/anothertinyhousestory

Listen To Episode »

E72 Jamaica or BUST!! with Domenic Mangano

When we think of Jamaica we certainly don’t think of a small town in Vermont but that’s where we’ll be podcast partying this week. (insert steel drum sound bite here) This week we’re chatting with the Jamaica Cottage Shop’s Founder, Domenic Mangano, and delving into the transforming world of backyard sheds, cottages, chicken coops, playhouses, DIY tiny house kits, and his uber creative vision for his own tiny corner of the tiny house world. His operation, however, is anything but tiny! We’re always somewhat surprised (but by now we really shouldn’t be) by the common thread that connects all tiny house enthusiasts. And this week Domemic is weaving a colorful story that incorporates a love of nature and everything outdoors, a desire for a healthier planet, a very creative outlook on cottage design and life, a die-hard work ethic, and optimism for the growth of the tiny house movement at large. Seriously.This guy knows his shit and it shows in everything he does! Vermont may be cold, but after this conversation, we’re all warmed up now! Smiles and laughter has a way of doing that to us.
http://jamaicacottageshop.com/

Listen To Episode »

#70 Trying to Keep Up with Darin Zaruba

Few people in the tiny house movement have has as great of an impact as our guest this week, Darin Zaruba. While he tends to prefer to remain very much in the background, his conviction is front-and-center-evident during his brain-child-event “The Tiny House Jamboree”. (both of them!) And that’s not the only major project he has on his plate! As the President of Eco Cabins, and now the Publisher of Turning Tiny (now available as an e-book, just in time for Christmas!) he noticed, early, the opportunities that the movement would bring and didn’t hesitate a moment to get involved and out in front of the not-really-tiny wave of interest. If you’re a facebook stalker like Michelle is, you’ve no doubt noticed him lobbying far and wide and often for better coding and zoning that will allow tiny houses to finally be legal. Darin is seemingly everywhere that tiny houses are and sometimes we wonder if he has a twin or a clone! His energy is contagious, his creative side is admirable, and his drive is unstoppable. (Psst…..if you listen real closely, you might hear the latest scoop about the location for the next Jamboree…. Sshhh, it’s a secret!)
http://www.ecocabins.com/
http://turningtiny.com/

Listen To Episode »

#69 Homesteading, Afro Latina Style, with Bonnielee and her Rooster

We first met Bonnielee at the Tiny House Jamboree and were pretty happy that she set aside some time this week to chat with us about her own personal journey to tiny house living with her son in the mountains of Tennessee. Armed with a journalism degree, a particularly keen sense of fashion, and an eye for beauty; she finally found her peace and place on 15 acres far from where her adult journey began. After growing tired of the fast pace of New York City and a life changing divorce, she found solace and inspiration in an unexpected spot. Her love of animals and the outdoors is what drives her and we love her creative advice on how others might follow in her homesteading footsteps. We know you’ll be inspired by her story AND her Rooster’s insistence that he really should have been the star of this week’s interview. Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!
http://bohemianecolove.com/
http://withlovebonnielee.com/

Listen To Episode »

#68 Welcoming Portland’s Newest Hotelie’s at The Tiny Digs Hotel

OMG! We already LOVE Pam and Bruce and Allison and we just met them! This week we’re cuddled up in the cozy living room of one of the tiny houses at the newest addition to Portland’s Hotel Scene; The Tiny Digs Hotel. All 6 of us. Too fun! This hotel has a huge dose of charm, lots of open space, and (so far) 5 tiny houses. Whether you're a fan of modern aesthetics, or love a good old fashioned barn raising, you’ll find a tiny house that is guaranteed to provide you a fun and unique overnight stay! You might think this will be just like another tiny house hotel’s story but his week’s interview is not without a few surprises. (Spoiler Alert! We were shocked to hear that the entire project, from idea to Grand Opening, took only 12 months!?) If you have ever wondered how “serendipitous” really works, listen in this week while these lovely friends share their story of meeting, meeting again, realizing they were meant to be partners, and then jumping in HEAD FIRST to the tiny house hotel world by ordering trailers before they even had a place to put them. We can’t wait to see what’s next for this tiny, but growing, collection of tiny houses built with the traveler in mind.
http://www.tinydigshotel.com/

Listen To Episode »

#67 Joining the Mile High Club with Bruce Campbell

In the tiny house world we tend to think we’re the only ones with problems moving our houses. But, now we know better. This week we were quite surprised, and entertained, by Bruce’s story about why he decided to move into a retired Boeing jetliner, how he moved it, what he did with the leftover parts, and why the nose of his “house” appears to be precariously perched on a pile of pallets. One third Engineer, one third Artist, and one third Passionate Music Enthusiast; Bruce literally lives on the cutting edge of the Reuse and Recycle Movement. And, he’s not stopping there. What’s next for this retired world traveler? How do you fit a musical performance onto the wing of an airplane? And what actually happens to the hundreds of aircraft that are retired from service every year? If you love small space stories with an reclaimed aerospace twist, you’ll love this unrivaled story of efficient use of space, and a few fun aircraft puns thrown in for good measure.
http://www.concertonawing.com/

Listen To Episode »

#66 Making Difficult Decisions with Ethan Waldman

It was bound to happen. Michelle traveled to Tiny House Summer Camp in Vermont and met a few new friends? Say it ain’t so!? And, since she was there “on assignment” the podcast crew was pretty happy that she came back with more than just a few souvenirs. This week we’re interviewing Ethan Waldman, a cool and funny speaker at that now infamous backwoods event (and many other events) and a pioneer in the tiny house movement. Even if you’ve never met him, however, you most certainly know about his very famous e-book “Tiny House Decisions”. In it, he not only explains all of the various “decisions” and options a tiny house builder faces, but which ones he chose, and (surprising to us) which ones’ he regrets. We can’t imagine tiny living in the frigid temperatures of Vermont in Winter but he not only does, he teaches others how to! Ear candy is a given, this week, when you listen to Ethan tell us how he balances tiny country life, condo city life, working from home, and all about his latest life addition; his adoring wife. Awwww….. We really do love a good tiny house story with such a happy and romantic twist.
http://www.thetinyhouse.net/

Listen To Episode »

#65 Flying Under the Radar with Celeste

We really LOVE having live studio guests and this week was especially fun! Michelle’s friend Celeste just got her tiny house delivered and we couldn’t be more happy for her. She’s not a blogger, or a builder, or a speaker (so, no, you can’t Google her) but she’s a fun, creative, driven, and focused professional, livin’ in a secret corner of Oregon; with a great story to tell about her decision to go tiny. How did she decide which builder to choose? Why didn’t she build her own? Where and how did she get financing? What has been her biggest challenge so far? How has living tiny affected her view of the future? Celeste has so much in common with many of our tiny house podcast listeners and we think you’ll get a lot of great info and inspiration from this “Lady on the DL”.

Listen To Episode »

#64 Turning A Hobby into a Jobby with Lisa Flynn

Need a good excuse to shop? Looking for an amazingly fun way to make a living? Love lemonade? We’re thinking you would love doing what our guest at Beautiful Wrecks does. Their mantra is “Stay, Play, or Take it Away” and we love the idea so much we’re not sure which we’ll choose. This week’s interview with Lisa was so fun, we’re already planning a trip to Bend Oregon to tour her amazing collection of vintage trailers at what she calls “Rancho Del-Wrecko”. Lisa describes herself as a pathological risk taker but we wouldn’t mind coming along on “Mr Toad’s Wild Ride” with her at the wheel not one little bit. Hearing her describe her Summer of Fun, made us nostalgic. Listening to her story about how her father influenced her creative side, and how she learned to focus on what’s more important than Family, Life, and Country; helped us appreciate again how our own hard lives have made us better people. Don’t really have the time to listen this week? Need the Cliff Notes version of our show this week? “Do something now. Commit to it. Focus on the goal. And, it’s OK to change your mind.”
http://beautifulwrecks.com/about-us/

Listen To Episode »

#63 California Dreaming, Fresno Style with Nick and Pat from California Tiny House

When great minds think alike, and then great minds partner up, great things happen. And when our guests this week partnered with their local municipality to advocate for allowing tiny houses to be legally used as accessory dwelling units (ADU’s) REALLY great things happened! Despite their workload and backlog, Nick and Pat from California Tiny Homes took time to chat with us this week about the groundbreaking progress that is being made, and has already been made, towards legalizing tiny homes on towns across the US. This duo, along with other Fresno area advocates, have created a true tiny house win/win situation; builders who no longer have to worry about where their customers will park their tiny house. And, we think it’s a brilliant model worth noting, and following. And we’re not the only ones. Zach brought them along to the Jamboree stage to share a bit of their story, but certainly left us wanting more. So if you too are looking for the rest of this story, we’re more than happy to oblige.
http://www.californiatinyhouse.com/

Listen To Episode »

Living, Breathing, and Building Wind River Tiny Houses With Jeremy Weaver

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the one and only builder (that we know of) who actually lives in a tiny house on wheels and builds them as well! I know. No way!? Here at the podcast we have a bit of a tongue-in-cheek approach to “posers”. (aka: People who are active in the tiny house movement but don’t live in one) And while we appreciate that living tiny is not for everyone, even if the tiny house movement is, we also certainly and most indubitably appreciate a builder who lives in a tiny house on wheels and the unique perspective that provides. This week we’re talking with Jeremy Weaver, Owner and Chief Builder (our words, not his) at Wind Rivers Homes about the challenges of building not only houses, but communities for these houses to park. How has living in a tiny house influenced his sense of design? How does a 6’6” guy who weighs 225 lbs actually FIT in a tiny house? What does Wind River homes see in the future that maybe we don’t? How has zoning, and building codes, affected their builds and plans for growing their tiny house business? You’ll just have to listen to find out. Sorry. There’s no cheat sheet at the end of THIS chapter. :o)~

Listen To Episode »

#61 Where in the World is Jet Set Frieda Bakker?

If you’ve ever met Frieda, you know she’s an active and creative type who’s not about to settle for a “normal” existence. If you haven’t met her, you’ll certainly want to after hearing this week’s episode about the challenges of living in or building a tiny house abroad, or more specifically, in the Netherlands. (Good luck finding her though, she’s literally straddling two countries!) Here in the US, although the tiny house is still a growing movement, we are blessed with so many builders and places to put them. However, even if Europeans have been living in tiny apartments all their lives and they “so get” the tiny space living “thing”, they have fewer resources than the US does when it comes to building a tiny house on wheels. What if you want to live tiny in Europe AND be mobile? Will Frieda move permanently to the US in pursuit of her tiny dream? What impact will living in a tiny house have on her life, her job, and her future? How has her past influenced her decision to commute, several times a year, between continents; in pursuit of her tiny living dream? You’ll never know unless you tune in!

Listen To Episode »

#60 All Aboard the Web Express with Ben McKinley

This week we interview THE guy who gets to work in THE coolest, funkiest, most fun, most creative, and most hipsterish workplace in all of Portland. If you're a fan of all things tiny, and unique; you'll want to hear all about Ben's adventures while permitting, remodeling, moving and then moving into three rail cars that were originally built in 1947 but now house his staff and two other creative think tank companies as well. And, in true Portland fashion, BEER takes the center stage in a story about this office's most stressful day EVER! The further we venture off the tiny house path, the more we discover how much that tiny house enthusiasts have in common with anyone who lives or works in an unconventional space. So if you love the outdoors, re-thinking old spaces in new ways, you already know how to use a composting toilet, and you DON'T live or work in a tiny space yet....well....why NOT!?

Listen To Episode »

#59 Living With Our Family in a Tiny House Jamboree Special Episode #3

The tiny house movement is pretty big, and growing. And, within the movement is a much smaller subset of people who actually live in tiny houses. But, and rarer still, are the families who live in tiny houses. We were thrilled to actually capture Macy Miller and Kim Kasl at the Jamboree for long enough to talk about the challenges and rewards of living with small children in a tiny house. Do they feel guilty for not participating in “Mommy Consumerism”? How do they find private time, and maintain balance in their relationships? So much toddler energy, so little space, does the limited space drive them nuts? We ask these, and many more engaging questions, and we expect that you might be as surprised by their answers as we are!

Listen To Episode »

#58 Diversity in the Tiny House Movement Jamboree Special Edition #2

You might have guessed by now that the podcast crew does not shy away from a good debate. And, we’re not afraid to ask tough questions. And no time in our short history of interviews have we proven that more, than during this week’s Jamboree interview with Jewel, Bonnielee, and Dominique; The Tiny House Trailblazers. Their purpose is to highlight the stories of tiny house people of all colors and walks of life and to share stories about the unique challenges they face. But, who’d thunk that our conversation would get so heated? (In a friendly kind of way, of course.) Is Michelle oblivious to the plight of the African American community, or naïve? Is a gesture by a neighbor, after a potential confrontation, laudable or justifiably dismissed? How do we engage and encourage diversity in the tiny house movement? Tune in this week and prepare to hear diverse engagement, in all its uncomfortable glory, in action.

Listen To Episode »

#57 Thinking Outside the Tiny House Box Jamboree Special Edition #1

Get ready to split your pants with laughter for this week’s irreverent interview with two of the funniest guys in the tiny house movement, Andrew Odom and Deek. These two know each other better than even THEY would like to admit so the banter, questions, answers, rap lyrics, and information is as engaging and funny as it can possibly be. Getting ready for the Jamboree was work, work, work. But this first Special Edition interview at the Jamboree made all the work worth it. Does living in an RV guarantee that one will be immediately and dramatically kicked out of the tiny house “club”? Do either of them regret their lifestyle choices of NOT living in a tiny house? We promise. The only thing that could have made this interview more fun would have been a bottle of bourbon. (Hey! Andrew! For the next interview, YOU’RE BRINGING IT, RIGHT!?)

Listen To Episode »

#56 Tracey Powell’s Modern, Tiny, Blissful Waves on Wheels

At first glance, Tracey’s house looks like it just returned in time from an episode of “Back to The Tiny House Future”. Honestly, we have never seen anything like it and her story is just as original as her vision. If your taste leans towards Modern Minimalist and you’re not a fan of all the barn wood encrusted, cabin-like tiny houses you’ve seen, you’ll LOVE the ideas and materials she has incorporated in her ultra-modern tiny house on wheels. External insulation? Yep! TWO breaker boxes? Check! A porch and stairs to dream about? Got it! An Incinolet toilet? It’s in there. Listen in this week while we chat about how her new life is everything she dreamed about while growing up in an RV with her family. Now THERE’s a storyline twist we didn’t expect.

Listen To Episode »

#55 Peter Moore’s Tiny House Village as Old As Time

Looking for a relaxing weekend away from it all? Longing for a simpler time? An off grid vacation experience? Breitenbush doesn’t exactly advertise their tiny house accommodations but Perry was impressed enough with them when he went there to relax and recharge, that we invited the General Manager, Peter, on our show. So, what’s it like to maintain a tiny house village that may well be the oldest in the country? Do they face the same coding and zoning challenges that new tiny house communities face? How do they keep up with the tens of thousands of annual visitors and still maintain a quiet and communal experience for all? And, does everyone really get naked in the hot springs? (Did Perry?) Tune in this week and you might just be inspired enough to ditch the bathing suit and dive in to this unique tiny house vacation experience for yourself.

Listen To Episode »

#54 Never Compromise and Never Settle with David Latimer

Space really isn’t the new frontier for this philosopher turned tiny house builder. The new frontier is the one that David Latimer is building with his team of amazingly talented artistic builder friends. You may recognize him from the TV show “Tiny House, Big Living” or maybe you met him at the 2015 Jamboree where it all started. Regardless, we’re here to report that in less than 12 months he’s gone from “lookie-loo” to full on “builder guy”. We don’t know about you but we’re really impressed with what he’s been up to. David and his crew are, no doubt, well on their way to becoming the brightest stars in the tiny house movement. Check out their press page! Whoa! We’re almost embarrassed that it took us so long to get him on our show. New Frontier houses are an impressive combination of beautiful and rugged, and David’s ideas for the future reflects his introspective look at society as a whole. We’ve heard more than a few stories of people who have walked away from the high life to join the tiny house movement, but this one just might be our favorite. OK, maybe it’s just Michelle’s favorite. But, really, who can blame her? Have you seen this guy smile?

Listen To Episode »