Search Results for may (201)

Awesome Gift Ideas For Traveling Families

Ashley Longnecker / October 27, 2017

Do you realize there’s just NINE more Monday’s until Christmas? That’s nuts! This time of year is super busy for us. We have 3 birthdays within the next 30 days and it got me thinking that I should really put together a list of things the 'traveling family' could use for Christmas or Birthdays.

As you may already know, those of us living intentionally tiny have to really consider every purchase. 

• Where will it be stored? 
  
• Will we use it often enough to be justified? 
  
• How much does it weigh? 
  
• Does it have multiple uses? 
  
• Does it have an easily redeemable warranty?

These are just a few of the questions we ask ourselves when purchasing any item to use in our Airstream.

We have been asked over and over again, what do you do for gifts? So, I’ve come up with some ideas that any traveling family could use. Now, I can’t stress enough how important communication is about gifts. These are just suggestions, but if you’re buying for someone who travels full time or lives tiny, I highly suggest you ask them if it’s useful for them before buying a physical gift.

There have been many times we’ve gotten thoughtful gifts that we would have loved to keep, but just had no room to store them. So always make sure you ask the recipient if it would work, or make sure you include a gift receipt. Please don’t be offended if they don’t keep the item gifted. Living in a tiny space is very challenging and anything extra that isn’t being used is just taking up valuable living space. 

So, what's at the top of my suggestion list?

Friends, Pies & Crabs

Ashley Longnecker / October 10, 2017

When we left Harris Beach State Park, we went on up the coast to check out William M. Tugman State Park. We booked 3 days and then somehow convinced our friends, Currently Wandering, to ditch their plans and come hang with us for a few days! I think it was because I told them I’d make pie if they came to see us. I'm not above bribing my friends :)

I couldn’t believe that it had been almost two years since we met them in the Florida Keys and went on the most incredible trip to the Dry Tortugas. Instagram has a way of helping us feel connected to all these adventure families and not realizing it’s been SO LONG since we met up in person. 

It was so fun for our kids to be with them again. The Curren’s kids are so great at starting up conversations with anyone and are so friendly it makes our kids feel so comfortable. Plus, the universal kid language of Minecraft always helps kids connect with each other.

One morning Jess and I took the kids to the beach and it was such a beautiful day. I think it's nearly impossible to have a bad time when you have sand between your toes and  the sound of the waves crashing near by. 

Our Top West Coast Destinations for Traveling Families

Jonathan Longnecker / October 09, 2017

After being on the road for over two years, we thought it might be fun to look back at our favorite places we've visited. To keep things manageable (for us and you) we decided to break them up into general locations. We started with the East Coast, but this article is all about the West Coast!

Overview

1. Oliver Lee State Park & White Sands National Monument
2. Valley of Fire State Park
3. Mammoth Lakes & Lee Vining, CA
4. Santa Fe, NM
5. Sedona, AZ

California Coast To Oregon

Ashley Longnecker / October 09, 2017

After leaving the farmlet in Petaluma, we headed north. We overnighted in Fort Bragg along the coast. This is a prime example of how things aren’t always as glamorous as they may seem. 

Looks beautiful doesn't it...

Our top 5 Boondocking Essentials

Ashley Longnecker / October 04, 2017

Hey friends! If you keep up with our Instagram account, @tinyshinyhome, then you would know that we’ve been boondocking SO MUCH this year. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s just camping without hookups! No water, no sewer, no electricity. Now, while we can go weeks without hookups, there are a few tips and tricks that have made our off grid life a bit easier! Luckily, I have a male model to show you some our top 5 essentials when living off grid for an extended period of time…in no particular order.

Water Bladder