Author Archives: melanie

About melanie

living a small and dreaming big in an airstream trailer.

Procrastinators: This is your last chance!

If you’ve waited until the last minute to stuff your stockings, this is your last chance. Happy camper pins are now on sale and are shipping fast!

If you want a pin at a reduced price and want to receive it before the Christmas or Hanukkah holiday, you must order it before this Wednesday, the 14th. The post office is a living nightmare right now, but I’m braving it for you fine folks. As always, it’s free shipping for U.S. customers.

I can’t guarantee orders will arrive before the holidays for my overseas friends, but I am also offering free shipping for international folks for a limited time. 

I love this pin because it reminds me each day to live small, live in the moment and to live the life of my dreams. You can purchase your very own pin to give (or keep!) here.

I hope you have the hap-hap-happiest of holidays!
love always,
melanie

Gifts for Minimalists

gifts-for-minimalistsIt’s that time again. The time of year when you have no idea what to get the minimalist in your life. I’ve done a lot of holiday gift challenges in the past. I’ve tried spending just $100 on gifts. I’ve tried handmaking everything. I’ve lost my damn mind. Just kidding. Kind of.

But my gift challenges were to create or purchase gifts for other people. Most people in my life are not minimalists and that’s OK. And I have a lot of lovely people in my life who want to get me a gift in exchange. I know as a minimalist I can be hard to shop for. I don’t like a lot of stuff. And I’m very particular about what “stuff” I bring into my life. Here’s some gift ideas for the minimalists you know and love. Continue reading →

Thank You! Now I want to give back!

rp_Melanie.jpg

Thank you to anyone and everyone who has purchased my ebook, “The Ultimate Guide to Living Full Time in an RV, Airstream or Motorhome.” I feel so #blessed.

If you’ve been waiting to order my ebook, today is the day! It’s Giving Tuesday and I will be giving all profits today to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe as they continue to fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. As someone who lives in a tiny house, I know that my everyday actions have a direct impact on the environment. As a member of the Isleta Pueblo, I also know the plight of American Indian people.

Many homes on reservations do not not have access to clean water or basic sanitation. And contamination to water used by American Indian tribes is nothing new. In 2015, mining pollution contaminated water in the San Juan River used by the Navajo. The DAPL threatens the tribe’s only water supply. The DAPL has already destroyed Native sacred places and may destroy more sites. All profits today will be given directly to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. You can purchase my book or a lapel pin here. If you simply want to give to Standing Rock, visit http://standwithstandingrock.net/.

I appreciate each and every one of you.
love,
Melanie

The Ultimate Guide to Living Full Time in an RV, Airstream or Motorhome!

The Ultimate Guide to Living Full Time in an RV, Airstream or Motorhome

It’s here! Today’s the day! I’ve been living in an Airstream for over three years and I’ve finally compiled my knowledge into a digestible, valuable and practical guide. Whether you want to live in an RV to save money, to travel, or to simply live a more minimalistic life, this guide can help.

The Ultimate Guide to Living Full Time in an RV, Airstream or Motorhome is a 70 page, interactive guide that will help you pare down your junk, buy an RV, renovate it, decorate it and more! In this ebook, you’ll experience worksheets, tips and tricks, as well insightful questions to help you plan your journey to a simpler, smaller lifestyle.

Living in an Airstream has completely changed my life for the better and I know it can change your life too. To purchase the ebook, click here.

Thank you for all your support now and throughout the years.

love,
melanie

How We Saved Over $30,000 On One Salary in Just 3 Years!

How one couple saved over $30,000
If you can’t guess from the photo, the key to saving a significant amount of money for us was to live small in an Airstream travel trailer. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, our money saving journey is no surprise, but I don’t think I’ve ever shared the amount until now. Continue reading →

Exciting News!

An Airstream in the Woods

If I’m being honest, I’ve been pretty bummed out lately. I’ve been feeling like my country isn’t the place I thought it was. I’m not going to get too political. I try to make a real effort to keep it light, but it’s been difficult for me to keep calm and carry on, as they say. This morning I was looking for something to console me and I came across this quote by Maxine Hong Kingston: “In a time of destruction, create something.”  Continue reading →

The 30 Day, No Budget, Money Saving Challenge

The 30 day, no budget, money saving challenge

This is the time of year where I really start thinking about saving money and not losing my mind during the holidays. In the past I’ve done a No-Spend November, a Handmade Holiday Challenge and a $100 Holiday Challenge. This year I’ve been busier than ever and I really need an easy challenge to kick my butt into high gear. Enter the easy, no-budget 30 days of saving challenge to the rescue! Each day, I’ll tackle one thing off the list. If you want to play along too, know that you don’t have to do the list in order, but you do have to do #1 first. I’ve also included a printable at the end of this post to print out and stick to your fridge, so you can cross stuff out as you go. Here’s the deets:  Continue reading →

Is an Airstream Worth the Money?

Is an Airstream Worth the Money? | asmalllife.com

Recently I was nerding out on my site, looking at some of the statistics and I noticed in my search box, someone had typed in the question: “Is an Airstream worth the money?” And like any good question, it got me thinking. Good, hard, breakthrough-in-the-shower style thinking. Is an Airstream truly worth the high price tag?

Continue reading →

8 Big Reasons to Live in a Small Home

8 BIG Reasons to Live in a Small Home

Most Americans live in houses that are too big. In 2014, the average size of a home built was 2,600 square feet. That’s too big. Period. We don’t need so much stuff and we don’t need a bigger place to house it all. There is magic in small spaces. Small spaces open you up to more opportunities and give you a place to breathe. Check out my favorite BIG reasons to live in a small home below.  Continue reading →

Where to Park and Live in a RV– legally!

An Airstream sits in the woods. Text overlay reads: Where to park and live in a rv, legally

Most people think RVs and travel go hand-in-hand, but depending on your life situation, you may not be able to travel full-time. I lived in an Airstream, but I also had a job that required me to go to an office every day. You might have kids that go to a local school, for example, or you might simply love your home base. So, “Where can I park my RV to live?” 

If you are staying put, I want to lay out some helpful tips and tricks for where to park and live in a RV– legally!

Continue reading →