Sal and I met in 2004 when he was a Naval Officer stationed at MCAS in Beaufort, SC. I worked for a data company. The short story is… we moved to another city, I accepted a position as a police officer and then we got married. During my career, I worked in patrol, special operations, and then as a Detective in the Special Victims Unit. Sal completed his 22-year military career in 2012 and retired. He then went on to also become a police officer. At the time we met, I had two children and so did he, but we never had any of our own. We were both in our thirties, career driven, and figured four children was enough. Our children are now adults with their own careers and families.
In 2016, and in our forties, something changed for us. After watching a Tiny House Big Living episode on television, Sal and I started throwing around the idea of downsizing our lives. At the time, we were living in a 2,700 square-foot home, which was much more space than empty-nesters needed. Not only had our children grown up and moved out, but one of our two beloved dogs had passed away. It was then just the two of us and our dog, Wilson. The home was a three-story townhouse and the first of these floors was a 450 square foot room we converted into a gym. After watching that tiny-house episode, Sal and I started imagining our home in that space. It wasn’t hard. We knew we could live in it, and with our dog, too.
We started talking about how much money we were spending on the mortgage, utilities and maintenance, and how much we had already spent on furniture for those formal living areas and guest rooms dedicated to the company that never got invited. And the gym we built (our new imaginary living space) never got used because we either had no time or were too tired. We talked about the hours spent cleaning the home, doing laundry and ironing, paying bills and grocery shopping, and completing it all just in time to start the new work-week. Yes, it’s safe to say, our lives revolved around our jobs and the upkeep of our home. And we were tired of it!
I don’t want to say that tiny-house episode put things into perspective for us, but it did allow us to start a serious conversation about what we really wanted out of life. What we needed to feel fulfilled. And suprisingly, what we wanted and needed was nothing more than the basic necessities. You know… things like getting more than six hours of sleep a night. Seeing each other more than twice a week, and in passing. Visiting our children and grandchildren. Having time to travel and do the things we enjoy. Besides the money we were wasting on a house we only used to sleep and shower in, we also had no control over our time. And that meant we had no control over our lives. We decided right there and then we were taking it back!
We watched more of those tiny house episodes but eventually transitioned into RV shows on YouTube. If you were a full-time RVer and had a YouTube Channel, chances are, we watched it! And after months of binging, and seeing a variety of ‘tiny-living’ accommodations, we decided on a travel trailer. But then the anxiety really kicked in. From here, it was one gut-wrenching decision after another. First, we traded-in our luxury vehicle and bought a Ford pickup truck. Then, we sold our home and moved into a two-bedroom apartment. We used the second bedroom to store all that unused and un-sat-in formal furniture. And then it was time to decide which travel trailer to purchase. At that point, however, we had already narrowed down our list. We even traveled to other cities and states to tour them. But in the end, we chose our Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB. It offers approximately 150 square feet of living space. A tad smaller than the 2700 square feet we just sold.
Even though we had already taken huge leaps toward our new life, we still had to confront what would prove to be the most difficult decisions yet. We had to figure out what to do with all of our “stuff.” Reducing or eliminating 2,700 square feet of “stuff” is no easy task, but it had to be done since we couldn’t take it with us. We either sold it, donated it or stored it until nothing remained in the apartment. The process took much longer than either of us anticipated and it was much more emotional than we ever thought it would be.
And finally, we had to quit our jobs! This was probably the most difficult decision to make since it represented the final chapter of the life we were about to leave behind. We took the plunge together and turned in our resignations on the same day. And just like that… we were done. We had gone from having respectable careers and a beautiful home and luxury vehicle, to being jobless, on a budget and living in a tin can. It made little sense to most, but we knew our tiny home would provide us with the one thing we longed for most… Freedom.
This blog is our story. It’s about our life-altering decision to trade in our old life for a new one. It’s about swapping possessions for experiences in search of freedom and fulfillment. Along the way we’ll share our experiences, adventures, tiny home, how we earn money and so much more! We hope you continue to follow our journey and always feel free to share yours with us.
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So awesome! Lots of people think about doing this, only few actually go through with it. Kudos to y’all! 😀
Thanks Theresa! We appreciate that!
Saw you on 380 in Cedar Rapids, IA! Safe travels!
We’re heading to Tennessee, thanks much. ❤️????????
Love it. Broke, jobless and living in a tin can. Just like a military move but better- it has a TIN CAN. Thats our goal. We have the tin can , we also have a live in parent( grandparent) – and 2 LARGE beasts.
Similar stories- 27 yrs AD Army. Really started the discussion over Tiny Houses first….. then Retirement. Safe travels, hope to meet yall down the road!
We don’t recommend the broke part but the Tin Can we support. Thanks for reading and look forward to meeting you on the road.
Just happen to see you guys driving south on Mayport Rd in Atlantic Beach, FL. When I saw your sticker on the trailer I googled it and here I am. So cool. I hope you enjoyed your stay. NS Mayport? Hanna Park?
Hey John! We stayed at Hanna Park and had a great time there and in Jacksonville. Now we’re headed to southern Florida and then slowly making our way to the west coast. Thanks for dropping a line…we appreciate it! Take care and feel free to reach out anytime.
I just heard your interview on NPR. You both soounded great (read “sane” in terms of doing something like this!) and so I wanted to see your gig. I am working on my PhD to finish – I am 57 – and worried about the huge amount of debt…! But, I am also a trail runner and LOVE being out in nature, on the trails, and thinking about getting a tiny trailer since I will probably not be able to buy a house anytime soon.
Good luck to both of you. Your story is inspiring to me.
Thanks for reading and we’re happy to hear our story inspired you. This lifestyle has been great and is only getting better. Purchasing a tiny home on wheels is doable and can be a cheaper alternative to a sticks and bricks. Also, with an RV you can visit all the cool trail running spots. Wishing you the best on the PhD and hope you continue following our journey.
Just heard you on NPR as well. Sold my home, left an apartment, bought a 23’, 4 season, Oliver camper & lived in it in my home state of VT last summer & fall. Super Covid Isolation. 2+2=4. I’ve had my 2 vaccination shots, 2 weeks for immunity, & I’m ready 4 adventure. You folks have given me lots of good ideas. Thanks. Can’t beat “Meals on Wheels” 3 times a day. Ready to hit the road in my “Grampa Campa”. Craig Happy & safe travels to you!
We looked at the Oliver and absolutely love it!! It came down to it and our Airstream, and the Airstream won just because it provided a little more space for the two of us and our one dog at the time (now 2). That’s a beautiful rig you got there! We love hearing that people get new ideas or inspiration from us and our content, so thank you for that! Enjoy getting back on the road and safe travels to you!
I, too, loved the interview: especially your comment on the community in “Nomadland”. I have reserved the book in my library. I want to live a simpler life because consumerism has killed our spirit. We are more than our things.
Happy Trails (you are too young to remember Roy Rogers and Dale Evans) and thanks for this website. I look forward to traveling with you.
Rebecca
Thank you very much for listening to our interview and going to our website. What you see on our website and read in the articles are our true accounts and feelings. We don’t glamarize for the sake of reviews or follows. Rebecca and I truly love this lifestyle and what it has allowed us to accomplish. Wishing you the best on your journey and thank you for following ours. 🙏❤️
Really enjoyed reading your story as we are embarking on a similar journey – wife is a doc, I’m in the energy business – mid 50’s empty nesters that have been working away and looking to pull some semblance of the rip cord. We’ve been talking about it for years, but have now given ourselves a firm deadline, but as I sit here in a comfortable house looking at a lot of accumulated stuff, nice stuff, but just stuff, I recognize now as an anchor. The other big anchor is, of course, our careers. Pulling the plug at the height of our careers is more than a bit terrifying, but also very much recognizing the opportunity cost, the dwindling span of our remaining healthy years. Well, hello, and thanks for providing your story and your wisdom.
Thank you very much for stopping by our site and for your kind words. We too were on the fence before making our decision to full-time RV. But with proper planning, the anxiety slowly fades and is replaced with excitement. Good luck on your journey and take care. 👍🏼❤️🙏🏼
It was very nice to see you again. Looking forward to seeing you two again at Mammoth. Maybe we can mountain bike again and go down the Mt. View trail?
It was nice seeing both of you as well. When y’all come back we promise we’ll go on a bike ride. Take care.