Yes, going back to a simpler life is a choice, but it is not a step backwards. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s a step towards happiness. It’s a step towards the life you truly want to live. It’s a difficult step, but it isn’t a backwards one.
Happy Tuesday, friends.
love,
melanie
This week I’ve been fretting and worrying and losing sleep over a conference I’m planning. In the midst of Pinteresting table decorations until my eyes crossed, I stumbled across this quote. It brought me back to earth. I live simply everyday, but I still make aspects of my life more complicated than they need to be.
Here’s to keeping it simple this Tuesday and always.
love,
melanie
I swear to you all that I’m not a narcissistic person, although it might seem that way just looking at the title of this post. I came up with the idea to do this post as a way for you all to get a glimpse into what day-to-day life is like in my Airstream. Funny story, I actually did this experiment on a Thursday and the entire day was so boring that I waited until Saturday to try it again. My regular work day mostly consists of me going to work and not spending time in the Airstream at all! (I hope to remedy that one day.) Anyway, I hope this post is at least marginally more interesting than watching paint dry. Here it goes… A day in the life of a full-time Airstreamer.
1/31/15
7:00am
Wake up to take Bambi out. Brr! It’s cold out there. Jump back in bed for a little while longer.
10:00am
George and I wake up again to Bambi’s smiling face. That girl has so much energy when she wakes up. I am so jealous of that quality!
10:10am
I make sure the hot water is turned off. When it’s turned on, I can’t boil water or turn on the stove or it will flip the breaker. I boil the water first since I also can’t cook while the electric tea kettle is on, it’s a balancing act, but we manage.
10:15am
Once the water has boiled, I pour the water over the ground beans to make coffee in our French Press (press it good!), then I get started on the eggs. I have two eggs on a tortilla with guacamole or hot sauce almost every morning. I like not having to think too much about breakfast.
10:30am
I know at this point, I should just do the dishes, but they’ll have to wait because this morning we are headed to our local flea market so we can scout treasures for George to sell. George works for himself as an artist, so it helps for us to have multiple income streams.
I make sure to turn the hot water back on so it’ll be hot by the time we get home. I then throw on (probably too many) layers of clothes and put Bambi in a sweatshirt and hit the road in our (new to us) van.
11:15am
We realize on the way to the flea market we have no cash. Cash is king at the flea market, so we stop at a Trader Joe’s on the way. We need coconut oil and sweetened condensed milk. George runs in while I wait in the car. Trader Joe’s has neither coconut oil nor sweetened condensed milk, so George grabs beer and chocolate. Good choices, my husband, good choices. And we’re on the road again!
12:00pm
Finally make it to the flea market. Bambi doesn’t like to walk at the flea market. I don’t know if she is scared of the big dogs or she’s just a princess, but I carry her the entire time. My arms ache, but I try to think of it as a workout. We find a few treasures, nothing spectacular, but a few things that we think will sell. We never buy anything for ourselves. It’s hard, but when we’re at the flea market we aren’t looking for ourselves, we’re looking to make money.
1:30pm
We managed to make our way around the flea market and see everything. George brought a few things with him that he sold to a friend, so we leave the flea market to drop off that stuff. I’m fully aware that it’s ironic that George makes most of his money making and selling stuff. Not everyone is a minimalist and that’s ok.
1:45pm
We drop off the stuff and since Trader Joe’s was so bare, we head to a different grocery store on the way home. I try to get most of my groceries from our CSA, but it’s the end of the month and our cupboards are bare!
3:00pm
We finally get back home. By this time, I’m getting hangry, so I fix a small snack. George says I’m stingy because I won’t share, but he can have his own! I’m on a new eating regimen and I only get so many calories a day, so each one is precious! I know it’s mean.
3:10pm
I start by tackling the huge mound of dishes. Doing dishes is one of my most hated chores. The dishes never end! Before I even get to the end, I’m out of hot water. I switch the hot water off, so I can boil some more. In the mean time, I start tackling the bathroom.
3:50pm
The bathroom is small, so it’s easy to clean. By the time the hot water is boiling, I’m finished cleaning the bathroom. I finish up the dishes and relax for a bit.
4:00pm
While I relax, George sweeps the floors. Cleaning around our house is like a dance, it requires a lot of coordination and it’s difficult for two people to be in the same space at the same time. We usually just take different tasks and try to clean and cook at different times.
4:30pm
My afternoon snack was minuscule and I’m getting hungry again. But after cleaning up, I want something fast and easy. I picked up some gluten-free chicken nuggets on my grocery store trip, so I heat those up in our mini convection oven. I also fix a salad. I know it’s not the most healthy meal, but it’s fast, easy and I don’t have to clean much.
4:45pm
We eat dinner and then George makes a couple key chains to sell.
5:15pm
We head to a friend’s house. This particular friend is fixing up an old school bus to live in. I should have taken a few pictures, but I documenting every bit of your day is sort of weird. Right? I did manage to take a picture of the fire pit?
9:45pm
We head home. It’s Bambi’s second dinner time! I fix another snack and a glass of wine. Of course, I forgot to turn on the hot water so I watch a bit of TV while it heats up. We don’t have a real TV and live happily without one. (Here’s how.)
11:30pm
I fall asleep watching Dual Survivor.
1:00am
I wake up and take a shower. I realize how lame I am.
Was this enlightening for you? My life isn’t always exciting, but it’s usually a good one.
love,
melanie
That Socrates was one smart feller.
Happy Tuesday, ya’ll!
love,
melanie
Just a little something to think about this Tuesday.
love,
melanie
I’m pretty sure my (super long) tombstone inscription will say something like this: “Melanie: seasoned traveler, never able to sit down or stay in one spot too long. In the event of zombies, beware, she will rise!” George and I have the itch again. The itch to do something new. We won’t be giving up the Airstream, we love it dearly, but we’re looking on to bigger (or smaller?!) adventures in a van!
I know what you’re saying, but the Airstream is such a nice home on wheels! Yes, it is, but it would be very cumbersome for long journeys, much more expensive and probably more problematic than a van.
George bought the van for $850. I am on a Spending Diet so I didn’t contribute to the initial price of the van, but I will be using mostly my budget to fix it up. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to travel, ideally we’d be able to travel for a year or more, but that’s still up in the air. What we do know is this time we’re giving ourselves plenty of time to fix up her up. And boy are we going to need that time!
Just like the Airstream, the van has blue carpet, rust and some body work issues. Unlike the Airstream, we also have a chipped windshield, a super weird decal and a host of other issues. Let’s take a look, shall we?!
Yikes, right? It’s kind of terrifying how much work needs to be done, but I’m excited to fully remodel it to a home on wheels.
So what do you think? Are you excited to take this journey with us? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
I know I should just wait until tomorrow during Link Love to mention this, but I’m too excited!!! George and I were featured on the site, Tiny House Swoon yesterday. I didn’t even realize it was published until today! Do’h! But I am super excited to be up there with a few never-before-seen photos of the ol’ Airstream. Tiny House Swoon is one of those websites that I draw infinite inspiration from and I am honored to see our home with so many other lovely dwellings.
Check out the post here: http://tinyhouseswoon.com/a-small-life-airstream/
love,
melanie
It’s the holiday season and I can’t get that damn song out of my head. You know the one– “It’s the holiday season… With the whoop-de-do and hickory dock. And don’t forget to hang up your sock!” Does anyone else think that Andy Williams sounds completely drunk off Grandma’s eggnog during that song? No? Just me. Ok, let’s move on.
This past weekend George and I decked the Airstream out in Christmas lights. Our place isn’t big enough for a tree, but it wasn’t feeling very holiday-ish ’round these parts. My mom had given us a single string of lights so I decided, what the hey, let’s string ’em up on the outside of the trailer.
I don’t care if it is trashy. It made it feel a lot more Christmasy around here and I kind of love the way the light reflects on the Airstream.
Big thanks to my husband, George who swept off the top of our trailer and put up the lights while I comforted our terrified dog. Someone knocking and climbing all over our house is super scary– even if it is your dad. Poor little bit.
Does it feel holiday-ish around your parts? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
I am so pumped about this post! I love to see how families make living small work for them. Today we’ve got Nick Peterson from Livin’ Lightly. Nick, his wife, and two young children live, travel and work from an Airstream! Take it away, Nick…
Hello! We are the Peterson family! My wife and two kids (daughter 3 years and son 5 months) live, travel and work in our 1966 Airstream Overlander. We’ve been living small full-time for the past two years.
For us tiny living was never about the space. (At least not entirely.) We chose to live small so that we can live large in other areas of our life. Life’s all about trade-offs.
Pre-Airstream the daily grind consisted of work, paying bills then we tried to squeeze in some family, friends and fun. After the birth of our daughter we began to rethink our existence and intentionally plan our life.
For us this meant trading a steady income + benefits, larger living space for portability, time with family and pursing work we love.
In preparation for this transition we buckled down and cut all unnecessary spending, got on a strict budget, paid off our debt and saved. We purged and sold all our stuff, bought a vintage Airstream and a big truck to pull it. We worked to build versatile and largely passive income streams to pay the bills.
Now we have the time, and ironically space to share life as a family, the freedom to travel and explore and pursue what matters to us most.
Here’s to living the small space large life dream!
Aren’t they just the cutest?! You can read more about Nick and his family on their blog, Livin’ Lightly or on IG: livinlightly. And remember, If you want to submit your own Small Life, email me asmalllifemelanie @ gmail dot com.
love,
melanie
Ya’ll know I’m all about minimalism. I love living with less. It’s a great lifestyle, but I also know that I’m a human being and we human beings do need some stuff to live. It’s unavoidable. My favorite products are the products that have more than one use. You know, those things that can shine your hair, shine your shoes and help you make an omelet. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite and the best 2-in-1 (or 20-in-1) products for living small.
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap, 18-in-1 Hemp Lavender, 32-Ounce
I adore this soap! It replaces both my soap and shampoo. I can wash the dishes with it and I’ve even given Bambi a bath with it! The lavender scent is my favorite– it’s super calming. (For those times when cleaning puts me in a fit of rage!) You can see all the 18 uses here.
Nature’s Way Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil, 32-Ounce
Coconut oil is my favorite oil to cook with. It has a high smoke point and it adds a touch of sweetness to whatever I’m cooking. I also use coconut oil on my hair, skin and nails. It’s kind of a wonder product.
YS Organic Bee Farms CERTIFIED ORGANIC RAW HONEY 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC HONEY Raw, Unprocessed, Unpasteurized – Kosher 32oz
Honey is another one of those essential kitchen beautician tools. Honey tastes great, obviously, but you can also use it to condition dry hair and as a natural antiseptic. I also love to substitute honey for sugar in baked goods– it makes banana bread super soft and delicious.
Heinz White Vinegar Distilled, 128 oz
Vinegar has a million uses. I use it to clean my bathroom, to make pickles, to get out stains and so much more. (For more vinegar uses check out this link.) And it’s so, so cheap!
Johnson and Johnson Baby Oil, 20 Ounce
I know I’ve professed my love for baby oil before but, seriously, there’s nothing like it. Baby oil is the only thing that locks in moisture on my dry alligator skin and it also shines my shoes. (And it’s not even made of babies!)
Blendtec TB-621-20 Total Blender, Black
I’ll be the first to admit that this blender is not cheap. (Although I’ve seen some great coupons and deals out there for it.) But when my last blender and food processor broke at the same time, I said “NO MORE!” I plan to never buy another blender or food processor because this blender is a wonder. It chops, purees and smoothies like no blender I’ve ever had. It also serves as a food processor and markets itself as “the last blender you’ll ever own.” I’m planning on it, buddy.
Fire HD 6, 6″ HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB – Includes Special Offers, Black
When I was first downsizing, I lamented my physical book collection. “Reading on a screen just isn’t the same!” I wined. But I’ve since come over to the dark side. Amazon Prime eligible books have been the main reason for my change in mindset. The selection is vast and with Amazon Prime, the books are free on my Kindle. Don’t tell my public library this, but I almost like it better than the library’s e-books because there’s no wait and I don’t have to finish the book in 2 weeks!
Prime Instant Video
Cable was easy for us to give up when we were downsizing. Movies and the occasional TV series (hello, RuPaul’s Drag race!) was much harder. Sometimes I just need some escapism, okay?! After I got Amazon Prime, I even dumped Netflix because the Prime selection was that great. I really can’t recommend Amazon Prime more.
Pandora
Pandora is one of my favorite free services. Their streaming radio service has replaced the need to carry a binder full of CDs around in my car. (Really, I used to do that.) It’s also helped me to discover a lot of new music serendipitously– which is the best way to find things. Pandora One is their upgraded service which allows for ad free listening. It would be a great Christmas present for any small space dweller. Hint, hint!
What’s your favorite 2-in-1 products for living small? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
Please note, the above post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links and buying the product, I receive a small commission. The opinions about the products are my own. Programs like this help to keep my blog running. Thank you for your support!