Guest post from Katherine of Catching Eddies
When I tell people I live in a bus, I often hear, “That’s cool, but it’s not for me.” And you know what? They’re right!
Living in a bus or tiny house is not the best option for most people. In fact, even we don’t plan to live in our bus forever. Nevertheless, we have learned important lessons from tiny living that we can apply to our future.
1. Don’t rush into buying “bigger and better”.
By living in our bus as a couple, and now as new parents, we have saved money and grown my husband’s business.
There are seasons of life when one can practice certain forms of “extreme” frugal living that won’t be practical down the road. Those seasons can be times to prepare for the future.
2. Practice honest hospitality.
Inviting guests to the bus can be challenging. Larger get togethers have to wait for good weather when we can be outside, and we obviously don’t have a guest room.
However, I know I appreciate friends who say, “Come on over, we’d love to have you,” even when they are in the midst of real life, with real life mess, rather than waiting until they have the time (and money) host the perfect dinner party.
I am learning that offering what I have with love means so much more than hosting a grand, expensive gathering with the hope of impressing others.
3. Give and receive graciously.
The friends who welcomed our bus into their backyard once lived with friends while building a home. They are happy to be able to offer a similar blessing to others.
Of course, we asked how we could repay them and they requested that my handy husband help them out with projects.
Still, we recognize the gift we have received and it has driven us to look for big and small ways to give back to our community.
4. Get outdoors.
When I watch my daughter dig in the sand or splash in a lake, I am reminded that the size of our house does not have to determine the quality of her life.
City, state, and national parks and forests are places where we can spread out and run free at little cost, no matter the square footage of our homes.
I will continue to make use of those resource and support measures to keep them safe and clean.
5. Consider quality vs. quantity.
My husband has worked hard to make the interior of our bus beautiful. Therefore, living in the bus is different than living in 200 square feet of beat up travel trailer.
Later this summer, we are planning to build a home. We’re hoping that a good layout, simple but appealing finishing, and a bit of organization can make up for a “lack” of square footage and cut thousands of dollars off our mortgage.
6. Don’t let other people establish your priorities.
It can be hard to discern what is most important for our families, our health, and our spiritual lives. I have often mixed up my priorities by paying too much attention to what I perceived as other people’s expectations of me.
The cost of this confusion has been my own joy and contentment.
When I am able to let go of others opinions and focus on God’s calling for our family, I am a more joyful person.
How do you reflect your priorities in the way you live? Do the seasons of life affect the way you live out your priorities?
Katherine has worked as a whitewater rafting guide, ski instructor, and wilderness trip leader, but she embarked on her biggest adventure yet when she gave birth to her daughter last August. She blogs about tiny living, outdoor adventure with kids, crafting, and micro-homesteading at Catching Eddies.
Tracie says
We also live in a bus, here in Australia and we love it. I share many of the same thoughts you do, and living tiny has taught us lessons that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives on what is actually required for a beautiful life. We, like you, plan build a house in the next couple of years but it will be small and gorgeous, just like our bus is. There is me and my husband, our six year old and my step daughter every second week. We also have a German Shepherd (an appropriately bus-sized dog) and somehow it all works for us and we are so happy and close, but most of all, we are much more conscious of being grateful for our small furry lives.
Kariane says
We’ve been making lots of Simple Fruit-Sweetened Ice Creams this summer, including Fruit-Sweetened Banana Cardamom Ice Cream. Simple, healthy, and delicious. You can find an example here: http://everydaymindfulliving.com/fruit-sweetened-banana-cardamom-ice-cream/
Kariane says
I love this! I’m inspired by people who live in very small places (like a bus or a tiny house). While we’re not ready to go that small ourselves, we’re working hard to simplify to make our current small house continue to work for us (with 2 work-from-home adults and 2 young homeschooling kids). I’m writing about our efforts every week here: http://everydaymindfulliving.com/simplify-saturday/
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Sounds like you’re doing what’s just right for your family, Kariane!
Cara Thompson says
#2 Really spoke to my situation (to my heart). I have always struggled to be freely hospitable. I can usually come up with a real reason why we shouldn’t expose our home to friends, family, or strangers.
But I know better.
Your words have helped me embrace my own circumstances more and live fully and generously. Thanks!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
I’m so glad, Cara. Yes, let’s practice hospitality with out fear!
Jamie says
Wow, I love this. I just like to see different ways that people stretch themselves to meet their goals. It’s very inspiring!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
I like the way you put that. “Stretch themselves to reach their goals.” Yes, it does feel like a stretch sometimes, but it’s worth it.
Susan says
Great article. Your home is lovely.
I especially appreciate #6. I’ve been criticized for not being more frugal. I’m a single working mom, and while I’m not wealthy, I’ve done quite well for myself financially through nothing but hard work. Nothing has ever been given to me. I have a cleaning lady and a yard guy, which many view as luxuries and a needless expense. But I view them as a priority. I prefer to live in a clean house, and I have precious little free time, which I prefer to spend it with my daughter, not cleaning house and doing yard work. I save where I can so that I can spend as I choose.
My point is that you’re right in that we all need to determine our own priorities and not live according to what others expect of us.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Absolutely, Susan!
Laura says
Adore your advice about practicing honest hospitality. So true that we shouldn’t wait until we have the perfect house, perfect food, kids, etc. 😉 Just to go ahead and let people into our lives and around our dinner table.
That bus looks pretty dreamy if I do say so myself! I’m sure there are many times that it’s less than romantic, but totally love what you guys did with it!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
We love the bus, but yes, when clutter builds up over a busy weekend, I can sure feel overwhelmed.
Amie says
I definitely wouldn’t want to live in a bus at this stage in life, but some of my best childhood memories were from a tiny trailer in the woods. My parents had just moved from Maine back to Vermont with no money and no jobs. My grandfather owned a tiny, old trailer, with no plumbing or electricity. It was down a dirt road, deep in the woods. I guess he used it when hunting. We spent a summer in that trailer and I remember loving all the animals in nature, playing in the mud and in streams, hanging out by a campfire, sleeping on the floor next to my brother in sleeping bags and whispering and giggling, seeing the stars, and squealing as my mom made me taking a bath in the very cold stream. Now that I’m older, I understand that this living arrangement was not a summer vacation, but it felt like one to me.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
It’s interesting the perspective that childhood can bring. As we’ve hit bumps with our building project I imagine my baby girl saying, “Don’t know what you and Dad are stressing out about. We’ve got plenty of room.”
Reelika @Financially Wise On Heels says
Wow, you are just awesome and such an inspiration, thanks for sharing your story! Amazing 🙂
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
I don’t know about awesome, but thanks! 🙂
Mary Ellen/ Whisk Together says
I think it boils down to realizing that in life, it doesn’t matter what other people think about us. It matters what God thinks about us. Sometimes those are the same and sometimes in the bigger picture those views are different.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
So true, Mary Ellen.
Sarah says
Aaaand, that is the best bus house I’ve ever seen. I love the interior!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Thanks, Sarah!
Mrs. LC@LooseChangeLiving says
Nice! You will have good family memories from the bus.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
I think so too. Thanks!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Thanks Sarah. It’s hard, isn’t it? Lord have mercy.
Love your blog, by the way.
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama says
“Don’t let other people determine your priorities.” Fantastic.
Delorise says
Wow your bus (home) is beautiful!! Great workmanship.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Thanks, Delorise!
Jessica says
I have always wondered about the legality of living in a bus. I mean, RVs have to park in a specified lot and have access to water and electricity and sanitary sewers. I also wonder how living in a vehicle can be comfortable or safe? Extreme cold or hot temperatures, snow, rodents/pests, etc. In my city you can’t even park your RV on a city lot… our neighbors have one that we refer to as “Floyd’s bus” as it is about the size of a school bus. By law they cannot park it on their driveway (it blocks the sidewalk and overhangs into the street) other than to load and unload it. It can’t be stored/parked on the street either.
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Jessica, great questions. Yes, you do need to look into the legalities in your area. We have access to water and sewer, but use a composting toilet. As for heat, cold, etc. I’ve got lots of answers to questions like that on my blog. I just wrote about how to deal with the heat: http://www.catchingeddies.com/2015/07/six-tips-for-staying-cool-in-a-converted-school-bus-during-hot-weather/
Jessica @ The Abundant Wife says
Thanks for the great tips Katherine! Our family of 5 lives in a 1200 ft square rental home and shares 1 truck. Sometimes people think we’re crazy, but it works for us. Our 3 kids share a room, my husband has an office, and the third room is our master bedroom. Recently we had 3 guests for 2 nights, and we just inflated the queen size air mattress and set up the cot in the living room. My husband does youth ministry, and our home is always full of high school students and young adults. For this season of our lives, achieving debt freedom was more important than the size of our house, so we resolved to make it work! 🙂
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Jessica, what a great story. Yep, people will think you are crazy when you make the right decisions for your family. But you know, the average house in 1950 was 983 sq ft and the average household size was 3.37. Now, the average home size is 2,438 sq ft and the average household size is 2.53. What’s really crazy here?
Lori says
Beautiful! Love it! Congrats on going after the life of your dreams!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Thanks, Lori!
Jasi says
I just finished reading “The Big Tiny” and am all about the small house living. Love how great the bus looks and would love to have my own one day!
Katherine@CatchingEddies says
Thanks, Jasi!