Woman Lives in a Tiny House So She Can Travel the World
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Jenna found herself in a position that a lot of people find themselves in before making the jump into tiny house living. After spending a lot of money going to school for film making and eventually getting a job at a film studio in Hollywood, she realized that it wasn’t something she was really passionate about. She felt stuck, and wanted to make a change.
Intrigued with the idea of pursuing a more minimalist lifestyle, she and her partner at the time decided to build themselves a tiny house on wheels. They saw it as a way to not only save money in the long run, but also afford them the opportunity to travel as photojournalists and bloggers. They built the home all by themselves using money they had saved up.
It took them a little over a year to complete, starting off working mostly on weekends, and eventually quitting their jobs to work on it full time. Jenna says that they were completely over their heads on the project, but eventually they were able to pull it off. Once it was finished, they took it on the road.
They traveled with their tiny house for a whole year, going 25,000 miles in it. They went all the way up to the arctic circle in Alaska, and eventually down to Florida. While she and her partner eventually went separate ways, she still lives in the tiny house full time which she ended up parking at an RV park in Oregon, which provides the house with hookups for electricity and water.
The exterior of the home is absolutely gorgeous. They used reclaimed barn wood from Wisconsin for the siding, a red tin roof, and even put in a tiny porch at the entry of the tiny house.
It all gives the home a very warm and rustic look that continues seamlessly inside. From the exposed wood paneling to the reclaimed wooden boxes and crates that make up her pantry and closet, the home has a vintage feel that makes the space really inviting.
Like many tiny homes, the space uses intelligent transforming and multi-functional design that efficiently maximizes the usability of the space.
The bump out at the front of the house has a couch that acts as a lounge area, workspace, eating area for up to six people, and can be easily converted into a spare bed for guests.
Her own bed is up in the loft, which can be accessed by using her ‘hidden staircase’ which doubles as her pantry and closet. In the loft, she has an opening skylight that gives her easy access to the roof.
Another way she has maximized the space is by using appliances and additions originally designed to go in RVs. She has a Dometic Refrigerator that is able to run on DC and AC electricity, as well as propane. She has a Nature’s Head Composting Toilet that separates liquid and solid waste, producing compost instead of blackwater, which makes waste disposal a lot easier.
Her RV shower pan is a bit smaller than one you would find in a conventional house, but by using an extending the shower rod and magnets to attach the shower curtain further out, it makes the space a lot bigger. For heating, Jenna has a small Kimberly Wood Stove that features a double combustion system that allows it to burn for up to eight hours.
There was of course a lot to be learned in the process. In the winter, Jenna uses a heated blanket on the propane tanks that runs her hot water and stove to make sure that the gas pressure doesn’t drop too low, and she’s found skirting the house to prevent cold wind from blowing under the house makes a real difference to the temperature of the floors.
Jenna says that the minimalist lifestyle has made her more intentional with the things she decides to keep. Everything she has is something she cares about. Even stuff as simple as jewellery and clothing she’s acquired on her travels, she tries to only hold onto items and have stories and memories. All of her wardrobe and accessories have sentimental value.
Being an avid traveller, Jenna’s tiny house has allowed her to pursue that passion even further. While she enjoyed the experience of travelling with the tiny house itself, by keeping it parked she’s been able to free up her finances to travel abroad three months out of the year. She says that it’s a house that facilitates her life and her ambitions instead of being a burden. She doesn’t work for her house, it works for her.
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