We took minimalist living to the max by joining the tiny house movement! For four years we lived in an eco-friendly travel trailer tiny home (what a mouthful) and fully embraced a nomadic lifestyle.

Of course, living in a tiny home is not for everyone but we put a lot of time and effort into finding the perfect fit. We had to do some downsizing but it was more than worth it.

By living small we were able to pay off our student loans and go on even more adventures. Having a mobile tiny house made moving about for our job easier and helped us gain more appreciation for the simple life.

Even though we no longer live in the travel trailer full time, we loved the life experience. Now it sits at a family farm, really for more adventures to come.

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Specs

All of the amazing specs that let us live off-grid and live our lives as wondering nomad traveling physical therapists. The tiny trailer home is an all-wooden teardrop trailer made by Homegrown Trailers.

Measurements

Length

• 18 ft long (19ft including tow hitch)
• 94 sq ft livable space
• height is about 7ft with the top popped

Weight

• Empty - A little under 3,000 lbs
• Filled - Max of 3,500 lbs

Off-Grid

Solar Panels

• 800 watts of solar panels located on top of the trailer

Water Tank

• 12-gallon water tank
• 1.5-gallon hot water tank

Composting Toilet

• Composting toilet requiring no water or piping

Design

Exterior

• All wooden everything
• We choose the color option called "Olympic"
• Beveled siding

Interior

• Cork floors

Bathroom

Our bathroom is probably where we get asked the most questions. We have a composting toilet which has no hookups to use less water and help the environment.

We don't have a shower included with our bathroom and go to the gym to use theirs. Our bathroom has worked out perfectly so far and is a great addition to the tiny home.

Set-Up

Our bathroom is located at the front of the teardrop trailer which means the ceiling is only about 5ft from the ground. It has a small vent going to the outside which helps with preventing smells inside the trailer.

The main items in our bathroom are the toilet and then the ledge behind the toilet. Just like most bathrooms, there is a toilet paper holder and a light.

Our light is abnormally bright and we even warn each other we are about to "turn on the sun". We store a metal bin with our medications and extra toilet paper on the ledge behind the toilet.

Alterations we Made

Door

The original model of our tiny home had a top-down sliding "curtain" for a door. It reminded us of a sheet that you pulled down and it did not cover the entire doorway.

Kelsey had an idea to instead use a think curtain typically used for soundproofing and keep light out of windows. We wanted to make sure that would go from top to bottom and cover the sides.

Since our home was custom built we had a single wooden rod installed instead of the typically "door". We then bought the curtains and sewed ourselves to cover the space perfectly. It works perfectly as it spans the entire length and helps to add more privacy.

Side Wall

There is a sidewall that the makers of our tiny home would paint to add to the home decor. We stole their idea but added a little twist of our own. We had them leave the wall unpainted so we could then paint it ourselves with black chalkboard paint.

It turned out pretty cool as the black color looks good plus it adds some uniqueness. The only downside is we are not good painters so the trim is a little messy. We can write on the wall when bored but we also use it to date when we last changed out the components of the toilet.

Composting Toilet

Our composting toilet is like a cat litter box but for humans and a little more complex. There is the main container for "number two" business and a front container for liquids.

The toilet looks like a typical toilet from the outside with a lid and seat but once you lift the lid you will see the difference. The front has holes to direct any liquids to the front container while the back has a latched door to direct other items into the main compartment.

The Main Container

It's filled with decomposing material (we use coco coir) which will break down the waste products. There is also a metal bar that is turned from a handle on the outside that is used to mix up the material.

While you are going to the "bathroom bathroom" or "number two" you have the main latch open. Once you are done you shut the latch and turn the handle a few times to mix everything up.

It then takes about eight hours for everything to be completely decomposed. You also put the toilet paper in there but we try to buy decomposing recycled brands.

Changing it

Once the main compartment is full (about every 2 months), you simply unlatch the seat, lift the basin out and empty it. Since it has been decomposing the whole time, it is safe to throw away in just a regular old dumpster!

You probably want to make sure you use an environmentally friendly garbage bag so your neighbors don’t ask why you are dumping a bunch of dirt in the trash. We typically put the bag around the bin then turn it upside down to dump it in one quick motion.

The Front Container

All the liquids are routed to the front container by a slope in the design and two holes. Once the container is full you simply dump it out. The container is an opaque white so you can see the level inside.

Every time we use we spray a mix of vinegar and essential oils. This helps keep the inside of the toilet clean and the inside of the container. We were given a plastic bottle from Homegrown but bought our own glass version which works well.

Changing it

It takes us about one week to fill up the container. We only use it about 2-3 times/day so it could take a shorter amount of time if you went in it all the time. It’s also very easy to empty out. You simply unlatch it and you can dump it in a toilet or a sewer pipe (we have one of those outside the trailer)!

If you are off-grid you can dump somewhere nearby but away from water sources and people. We have used a command strip to attach the lid for the “urinal” to the basin so we never lose the lid.

Overall we are very happy with our bathroom situation and feel very fortunate to still have access to a regular toilet. We are very glad we don’t have to jump right into going potty in front of each other 100%.

Bedroom and Living Room

When it comes to our tiny home we have to talk about our bedroom and living room at the same time because it is the same space. It all just depends on if the bed is out or pushed in to make a couch.

This is where we spend most of our time, although let's be honest, the whole thing is 94 square feet so we are kind of spending all our time everywhere!

Bedroom

We actually prefer the setup with it as a bed as it makes for a super legit lounging area.

Our bed is about the size of a queen bed by placing two Premium Soaring Heart Latex mattresses side by side. The mattresses are super comfy and handmade in Seattle. They are made with organic latex.

Since Kelsey is freezing all the time, we have about two blankets on the bed at all times. We have a main comforter but also have a warmer crotched blanket Kelsey made.

Our blankets also include a heated blanket we lay underneath in the winter or keep in the trunk of our car during summer. We each have a main pillow but we also own three tiny pillows that really come in handy with lounging.

Shelves

There is a fancy electrical and storage solutions thanks to the setup Homegrown Trailers provided. There are two shelves, one of which is big enough to hold our water bottles or other larger items. The other shelf is a little smaller but can still hold our phones, glasses case, etc.

Next to the bed is an electrical outlet and on the top shelf is an electrical outlet with two USB plugs. We use those plugs with our phone chargers so we have access to two phone chargers and four outlets if we need although we barely have 4 things to plug in total!

Converting it

There are two wooden platforms that make up the bed/couch. The wood pieces slide to be either on top of each other or next to each other.

This is all by hand but they slide decently well. There are two separate mattresses that go side by side for the bed but stacked for the couch.

When we slide the couch to a bed we keep the mattresses on but when we go from a bed to a couch it's easier to remove everything. We place the folded mattress on the floor nearby to give us more room.

Alterations

We decided to add some handles to make the sliding of the wood pieces easier. This took some trial and error. We needed something that allowed us to get our hand under for a good grip but not stick out upwards or else we would feel it while laying down.

We initially bought some leather belts from a thrift store and tried cutting those to use. This worked about two times until the screw would come out of the leather holes.

We then took a trip to a hardware store and walked around until we found a better option. We end up buying hooks typically used for handles for the outside of a trunk. They work perfectly and really help.

Living Room

With the wooden platforms on top of each other and the mattresses stacked we officially have our couch. We don't keep it as a couch often but we have found ways to all fit and snuggle in nicely.

Table

The table is typically stored by being folded up against the wall. To drop it down you just slide a latch at the top and fold out the bottom stand.

We usually eat in our bed with the fold-down table. It is nice and convenient. We are sure a lot of people are mortified we would or could eat like this. For us though, it's pretty similar to how we ate before we lived in the trailer.

We have been gradually shifting more and more to the floor so eating in bed or having the bed out all the time is very convenient for us and a continuation of what we were doing even before we had the trailer.

Underneath Storage

The other great thing about this setup is it gives us lots of room underneath for storage space. We are able to keep all of our camping items (packed in our roller bags) along with our medicine and Kelsey’s beauty products. We also have the spare tire underneath and out of the way.

Closet & Cat Loft

The original design of our tiny home included bunk beds along the one wall that can be folded down to make another couch. We knew we would prefer this space for other uses like our closet so we had homegrown make some customizations for us.

We also only bought one mattress for the bunk beds that we keep in a family's basement. It can still be converted to another couch but we keep it with both bunk bed platforms in place.

This is definitely the area of the home that we change up the most but we are really liking the most recent set-up. The "bunk beds" are our go-to storage area.

Top "Bunk"

The "top bunk" is used mostly for our cats and storage for items we use often. We initially thought we may create a loft for us but changed our mind when we saw how much better space could be utilized.

The first thing to go was the mattress. We quickly realized we were not going to use it so we gave it to a family member. Not only did this get rid of a pretty big item but it makes everything look way less cluttered.

Cat Loft

We really love the boys and wanted them to feel like they had their own space in the tiny home. The cat loft is basically just a little space for the cats to hang out and look out the window during the day. The cats love the space to look at the trees, birds and whatever else is outside (but mostly the birds).

The space originated with a folded up crotched blanket and a pillow. We wanted to spoil the cats even more, so we bought a mini cat home. Of course like all cats they got over the cat home in days.

We brainstormed and decided on a cat bed where they can sleep and stare out the window. To make more space for our counter we also made room for the cats' water and food in their loft.

Other Storage

Our love for books made downsizing a little difficult. Initially, we made it work keeping all our books in two crates but quickly realized it looked very cluttered. Plus it went against our minimalist lifestyle.

We realized we had to downsize the books first. They were heavy and took up way too much space. We bought two containers that fit under the bed and any books that did not fit simply got donated.

Now that we had all of this space we had to decide what to do with it. In the end, we decided we needed a space for a "junk drawer". We didn't want a junk drawer initially but we realized something small but out of the way would be nice for items we need often and that we are always moving in and out of the home like sunglasses.

Since we had a decent amount of space still we bought a metal tray for all of our dishes. Since we use dishes almost daily this was perfect.

Bottom "Bunk"

Closet

We had a rod put in underneath the top bunk so that we can hang up our clothes. The rod can be removed if we ever want to convert to a couch. We then put bins underneath as well since we only hang up a few items.

The closet is a constant work in progress. We are always trying to downsize even further beyond our 100 item wardrobe to consolidate our closet and our space even more. Initially, the closet took up the entire bottom bunk area as 200 clothes total takes up a lot of room in a tiny home.

After even more downsizing (Phil may only own 30 items of clothing) we now had more room. We invested in packing cubes, better storage containers and fewer clothes to hang up.

Litter Boxes

Every vet we have ever been to made it clear we need at a MINIMUM one litter box per cat. Since we live in a tiny home we decided we can make two work but ONLY two. At first, the litter boxes were kept on the ground but they got in the way constantly. After some clever rearranging by Kelsey and downsizing even more, we can now fit both litter boxes on the bottom space in the corner out of the way.

Underneath the "bunk beds"

The area underneath the bunk beds is for extra storage. We originally kept two bins set aside for kitchen items and other bins for our shoes or anything else that needed a place.
Now we have our books, shoes, and towels under the bed. We also keep Kelsey's extra items she doesn't use daily such as high heels, makeup and hair curler. This is also where we store our laundry bag as it easily slides in and out.

We loved how the bunk beds turned into the perfect area for our cats and storage. Maybe when we go to retire the travel trailer we can use it as the extra couch option but for now, we need the space.

Kitchen

There is a space in the trailer that we refer to as "the kitchen". Think of it as a minimal kitchen with all the necessities but not a "standard" setup. We have a sink, stovetop, and fridge but that's about it. This seems to be more than enough to meet all of our needs.

When we first moved in we looked into fast solutions and were still downsizing. We had to keep a decent amount of items on the counter and did not have the right size curtains.

It worked but wasn't beautiful. We now own even fewer items, organized more, and have the perfect, minimalist setup.

Sink

Our sink is located along the far end of the trailer, right under our main window. Our water system holds about 12 gallons which lasts about 2-3 days.

When we need to refill it, we have a drinking water hose which is plugged into the campground water pump. From there we also have a water regulator and water filter connected to make sure the water doesn’t explode our trailer and make sure the water is clean when we drink it.

The sink is the only area of the trailer that has "piping" and uses water. We opted for the water heater as part of our trailer package that is located right below the sink.

Since we only have one sink it has to fit all our needs. This means the location where we wash dishes but also brush our teeth, wash our hands, and so on.

It works out well as we have learned to take turns when getting ready. We try our best to not leave dishes in the sink and will wash by hand as soon as we can.

What we added

Right above the sink, we used command strips to add a metal wire basket to the wall. This is where we store our hand soap, sponge, and sink plug.

This helps keep all of these items dry when not in use and out of the way. We still keep the dish soap under the sink by the water heater as it was too big to fit nicely in the basket.

Stove Top

The main way we cook is with our induction stovetop with two burners. We also have a small Instant Pot but the stovetop is what we use daily.

Since it is induction, it uses minimal energy which is typically from our solar panels. The stovetop can be used on low heat for heating up leftovers or high heat for actual cooking.

Only certain pots work on the stove as they have to be magnetic to work. This is easy to figure out as you just have to see if a magnet sticks to the bottom or not.

We only own a kettle, a pan and one pot. The kettle stays on top of the stovetop all the time since we use it daily and it's a good use of space while still looking nice.

Fridge

Our fridge is listed as being about three cubic feet of food but no one really knows how much that actually is. We find that it is a bit bigger than most mini-fridges that are used for dorms.

There is enough room to keep food for a little over a week if we cook every meal and not eat out. There is a small freezer that we use for our ice cup trays and occasional frozen foods.

Storage

There is a lot of counter space so this is where we keep items we use the most. We keep our utensils in a metal cup placed next to the stovetop near our measuring cup set. For the most part, we try to keep most items stored away to avoid clutter.

Plates, Cups, Tupperware, and Jars

Originally these items were kept under the bed in two bins. This worked but we realized having to bend down and pull out items we were using several times a day began to get tiring.

After more downsizing, we decided we only needed two big plates, two small plates, several size jars with matching lids and a few glass Tupperware items. If we need a "bowl" we use the Tupperware.

After we perfected minimizing the kitchen we moved these items to a metal tray on the "top bunk" to be reached easily. 

Cat Feeder and Water

Originally, we kept the cats' food and water dishes on the counter but tucked away in the corner. This worked well but we decided to look for another option after we realized cooking at the same time their food timer went off became very tricky.

After rearranging we moved these items to the "cat loft" on the top bunk. This really seems to open up space and made everything look more in place.

Drawers

There are three drawers, all of which have a closing mechanism to prevent slamming. We try to keep each drawer for certain items/categories to help us stay organized.

• First drawer - Snacks
• Second drawer - Cooking Foods, Coffee and Tea
• Third drawer - Spices

Cabinet

There is a decently large cabinet located under the sink. This is where our water tank and the water heater are stored.

We use this as an "extra space" area and will keep any bulk items that are too big for drawers (like a Costco bag of tortilla chips). This is also where we keep our cats' food and trash can.

We love our kitchen. It is everything we need and adds to making the tiny trailer feel more like home.