Home is where you park it: Why we’ve moved into a tiny house on wheels

 

Home is where you park it - living in a caravan:camper. Love this tiny home! -AdrielBooker.com

Yup, we did it.

We made the leap and decided to buy a vintage camper to live in this year while we find our feet back in Australia and work toward planting ourselves permanently in Sydney’s inner-west.

It may be a little crazy, especially after being ‘homeless’ for the last (almost) year, but our reasons for this are many. Some probably obvious. Others, perhaps not so much…

This is a long post so if you don’t want to know WHY we’re doing this, skim the headers or skip down to Part II or Part III.

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - kitchen and master

Part I: The WHY’s

Economy

Sydney is mind-bogglingly expensive. (Can you imagine spending $50K annually on rent alone? Yeah… we can’t either. *shaking my head in disbelief*) Living in a “van” (as Aussies say – short for caravan) will help us keep our living expenses way down for a period of time so we can save up to be able to afford to plant ourselves in the heart of downtown Sydney where we’re beginning a new urban missions initiative. (Read more about For The Love of Sydney here if you’d like.)

Stability

We have a lot of travel planned for the first half of this year as a part of our preparation for moving into the city and while we develop and hone our vision for our urban missions work. Some of our travel is so that we can get further equipped for the roles we are stepping into (we’ll be attending three separate seminars in Melbourne and Perth), and some of it is so we can connect with other regional ministry centers and spend time getting to know them better on their own turf. As much fun as to-ing and fro-ing can be, it takes a toll on a family’s sense of “home” and groundedness. We felt that living in a van during our period of travel will provide some stability for our kids in particular, giving them a little place to call their own, whether we’re parked in the heart of Melbourne, in country South Australia, on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Western Australia, somewhere in the red middle, or even in the suburbs of Western Sydney just a freeway jaunt from where we plan on permanently locating later in the year. Really, it’s one giant trip across Australia and back so Ryan and I can get some training before planting a new ministry center in Sydney… but we want to make it fun for our kids and consider their stability in the process.

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - kids area and dinette

Home

You’ll notice that I’ve decorated a little (thanks to my birthday money savings – yes, I like to spend my “blow money” on throw pillows and cute tea towels – doesn’t everyone?!). We feel it’s important to create a sense of “home” even while we know we won’t live here permanently. There are a few more things we plan on doing, besides replacing the floors and painting the entire thing white, which Ryan’s already done. Ryan would like to do a little tile backsplash around the counter tops, he still needs to put the sliding door back up (to separate the bedroom), we have a few small shelves to add near the “bathroom” area (aka the mirror and teeny tiny counter in the corner), and I’m looking for the right size world map to put above our dinette in that big, empty space (‘big’ being a relative word – ha!). But already, we love the feel of this bright, happy little van that we bought from a beautiful couple in their eighties in country Victoria. It’s important to us that we don’t despise being “holed up” in our tiny place and that we created a place where we want to come home to. And this place? I want to be here. (Lucky me here alone today – writing in my current favorite place in the world: home. This is especially wonderful after having lived in our parents’ homes for the last almost-year. And the kids? They’ve been sharing a double bed for that long, too. Imagine their delight at now having separate big boy bunks! Off. the. charts.)

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - dinette/office

Longevity

Another big draw card for us is that our favorite way to be refreshed as a family is to steal away and go camping. (Extra points if it’s camping near a beach or lake!) Living in a caravan for a little while now would mean we’d be able to reap the benefits of having a holiday van for easy, on-the-fly weekend getaways when we do finally settle in a house (or apartment) later. As we start this next chapter of our lives, we’re seeking ways that will help us continue our work and ministry for the long haul, and we’ve realized that regular, intentional breaks are going to be a key part of that. We’re aiming for longevity, here. (And just maybe down the road we can use the van as an office or a guestroom if we can find a house with space to park it – fingers crossed!!)

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - "master" bedroom

Lifestyle, adventure, stuff

There’s also other reasons such as learning to live small (with less stuff) so we can live bigger (with more freedom), becoming more intentional with our lifestyle choices including sleep, food, fitness, and leisure (all of which will have to shift so that we can function together in a tiny space), and creating a wonderful sense of adventure and bonding as a family as we learn to live in close quarters and tow our home behind our trusty Holden.

Part II: The even bigger WHY

Living from a place of ‘rest.’

But wait, there’s something more. Something deeper to this whole thing…

As much as financial implications, family stability, the allure of future family getaways in a camper, and all the other little reasons have factored into our decision-making process, the greater incentive for our family was birthed out of a much deeper place.

Call it a moment of clarity, a flash of revelation, or a nudge from heaven, but during a time of prayer a couple months back we felt God gently speak that he wanted to teach us to live out of a place of rest. And although this is a theme Ryan and I have been talking about, praying into, and meditating on for almost two years now, in this moment God showed us that a caravan is—quite literally—a place of rest for us as a family.

Would we learn to live out of that – a place of rest?

What if God wanted to teach us how to rest by using a very tangible, every day reminder that we can live there? And—gasp—even learn to work and minister from there?

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - "master" bedroom area and "bathroom" area

Living in and from a place of rest

There is Sabbath rest that the bible speaks of, which has to do with a pausing and ceasing of work in order be centered and intentional about recognizing the provision of God in our lives and evaluating our priorities and the way we set about accomplishing our work. (I’ve explored and written about Selah and Sabbath here and here.) But in addition to Sabbath-rest there’s also a New Testament invitation to live in a place of rest.

Chapter four in the book of Hebrews is all about God’s rest and how it’s available to those to believe and will follow Jesus and enter in. Ryan and I are still trying to unpack all of what this chunk of scripture is actually saying as well as what it means for us to lead our family in living from that place. But we know that our little stint of caravan living will be a tool used by God to help shape our present and our future as we deliberately seek keys for living a life of rest. (Did you know you can work hard and still live in rest? Yeah, our culture is not very good at that… but we want to learn.)

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper - kitchen area
(complete with dirty dishes in the sink #keepingitreal)

 

It’s time to get creative

I realize it can sound terribly romantic to abandon all the trappings of stuff and take our family to navigate life on the road for the year ahead. And, yes, there’s truth to that. It is romantic. And it’s so not. It’s also hard. Only a little while in and we’re already experiencing the growing pains of adapting to a new lifestyle as we learn to live on top of one another, prefer one another, and get creative with our time, space, and choices.

We don’t know how long we’ll live in our “van” but we’re as certain as we can be that it’ll be no longer than a year (and perhaps much less?). I hope you’ll join with our family on this next big journey of living small and learning to live big—learning to live well—as we seek to more fully enter into God’s rest and understand how to live and work from that place.

Part III: Blogging our caravan life

Living small to live big

Along the way I’ll chronicle the joys and challenges of living on wheels, take you along on our epic journey as we move our home to the other side of Australia from Sydney to Perth (via Melbourne and Adelaide) and back again over a two-and-a-half month period, and of course give you some inside glimpses of our new life in our tiny home.

Send me your questions

If you have things related to caravan living or travel Down Under that you hope I might write about as this year unfolds, please let me know in the comments. (You want a more complete tour when we’re done finishing everything, right?!) You can also follow along with our family on social media (@adrielbooker on facebook, twitter, or instagram) using the hashtag #livingsmalltolivebig. Mostly this is just going to be us, living our normal lives in a slightly unconventional way. (Which includes being parked in a friend’s suburban driveway this month!) But we also have the big trip across Australia to throw into the mix, and we’ll definitely want to share the beauty of this great, red nation with you as we combine our journey across Australia with some fun (and frugal!) family travel escapades to keep the family sane on the road.

Adriel Booker - Living in a Caravan-Camper

From little things, big things grow

Thanks for your encouragement and support as we’ve grappled with the reality of this decision and discerned what’s best for this season of creating a foundation that will enable us to live and work well for the long haul as we establish ourselves in inner Sydney by the end of the year. We truly believe God is setting us up to learn some amazing things in 2015 and to establish something wonderful and lasting in this new city we call home.

So, welcome to our tiny home and the first office space and meeting place of For the Love of Sydney. We believe that from little things, big things grow… and this is our family starting small.

Much love from Down Under. Here goes everything,

Adriel x

 

p.s. Want to know more about our family’s inner city ministry in Sydney? You can learn more about #ForTheLoveOfSydney here or learn how to get involved here. (We also have a #ForTheLoveOfSydney facebook, instagram, and twitter if you’re interested!)

For_The_Love_Of_Sydney_small

About Author

Adriel Booker is an author, speaker, and advocate based in Sydney, Australia who believes storytelling, beauty, and the grace of God will change the world. Adriel has become a trusted voice in areas of motherhood and parenting, Christian spirituality, and global women's issues. She's also known for her work with the Love A Mama Collective—serving under-resourced women in developing nations through safe birth initiatives—as well as her years spent as a Bible teacher and leadership coach. Her latest book is Grace Like Scarlett: Grieving with Hope after Miscarriage and Loss and she's made the companion grief journal available for free. Find Adriel across all social media platforms at @adrielbooker or sign up for LoveNotes, Adriel's 'secret posts' that aren't published anywhere else online. ✌️

51 Comments

  • […] Yup, we did it. We made the leap and decided to buy a vintage camper to live in this year …read more       […]

    Reply
  • Rachel
    5 January 2015 at 7:07 pm

    last year Spotlight had this awesome retroish children’s book illustrated fabric world map panel that I reckon would fit there! If you can find one and you like it, I can edge it for you (can’t remember if you are a sewer). My Spotlight still had a few of the fabrics that go with the panel but not the panel I think (but i’llcheck it out for you). The nice thing about it being fabric is, it’s less likely to get damaged!

    Reply
    • Adriel
      5 January 2015 at 7:12 pm

      Great idea! That sounds cute. And thank you for the offer- that’s really sweet! I can sew a little bit (novice!!) but my sewing machine is in our shipping container – totally inaccessible! I’ve also seen (in the past) some cute wrapping paper sheets with a world map that you can buy individually for about $4.95. 🙂 I haven’t done much shopping to find one, but had my eye open when I was Christmas shopping. (I remember that I’ve seen them in boutique home ware or children’s stores in the past…)

      Reply
  • Tessa
    5 January 2015 at 7:32 pm

    This is so cool. I’m a big fan of living small!

    I just bought my son a world a map, it’s a sticker, but it’s bright and fun and we love it. I got it off Etsy for $12.

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/159611338/the-world-mapmedium-size-point-sticker?ref=shop_home_active_1&ga_search_query=world%2Bmap

    Thanks for sharing your journey, always refreshing to read your blog.

    Reply
    • Adriel
      5 January 2015 at 9:23 pm

      Thanks for the tip, Tessa! I’ll check it out. 🙂

      Reply
  • Justina
    5 January 2015 at 9:32 pm

    I think you will love it! Making it “homey” is definitely a necessity!

    As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

    Reply
    • Adriel
      6 January 2015 at 1:05 pm

      Thanks Justina! It’s a whole new community we’re tapping into as we meet others living similarly. Fun fun. And nice to have a friend already on the inside. 😉
      Adriel recently posted..The Motherheart of God: God is a MidwifeMy Profile

      Reply
  • Crystal
    5 January 2015 at 10:27 pm

    Sounds pretty exciting and challenging! Good on ya’s! Question: So what do you do for a bathroom break in a pinch? 🙂

    Reply
    • Adriel
      6 January 2015 at 1:07 pm

      Do you mean when we’re traveling or when we’re parked? We have to be parked at a place with facilities. If we’re free camping for a few days, well then… that’s true camping I guess. If we’re on the road we stop for a potty break just like anyone with a car would (gas station, whatever…).
      Adriel recently posted..Under the Olive Tree (A letter to my baby)My Profile

      Reply
      • Jenni Van Winkle
        7 January 2015 at 3:20 pm

        I had the same question…I think that the “relief” issue is often a roadblock for people. “Yeah, but what will you do if your boys need to go #2 and there aren’t facilities?” You have probably taught them how to do it outside…teaching! As my boys get older, I look forward to camping a lot with them, I love your fun tiny house adventure and the practice of living small to live big, very inspirational!!!

        Reply
        • Adriel
          8 January 2015 at 10:30 pm

          Well, my boys have been pooping on the side of the road for years now. LOL. We’ve taken a lot of road trips (even while potty training) and when a two or three year old announces, “I HAVE TO GO POOP!” you basically can’t mess around. You just pull over and hope for the best. For us adults though, we hold it until a rest stop or servo. Hahaha!

          But if you’re talking about normal living, well obviously that’s a different story. A bathroom and shower are non-negotiables.
          Adriel recently posted..The Motherheart of God: A New PictureMy Profile

          Reply
  • Tsh Oxenreider
    6 January 2015 at 1:52 am

    Yay yay yay! So fun to see it in pics, especially now that I’ve been there on the inside! Love your heart in all this. We miss you guys. XO
    Tsh Oxenreider recently posted..A surprising thing that creates the best kind of freedomMy Profile

    Reply
    • Adriel
      6 January 2015 at 1:10 pm

      My inner perfectionist wanted to wait until we are completely finished and also when I had time to use my “real” camera. But reality check and my rational brain won out. It’s fun to “go public” and show everyone. 🙂

      We miss you too! I bet your place is a lot quieter though. 😉
      Adriel recently posted..The Best of the Blog: 2014 in ReviewMy Profile

      Reply
  • Lisa @bitesforbabies
    6 January 2015 at 4:27 am

    Wow!!! Firstly, it’s so beautifully decorated! Secondly, kudos to you! While I completely understand and agree with all the reasons for making the move I can’t help but think about the difficulties a family might have living in such a confined space. Once again, kudos to you…I don’t think I could ever do this, lol!

    Reply
    • Adriel
      6 January 2015 at 1:11 pm

      Yup, certainly challenges! It’s certainly not a decision we took/take lightly. We spent months turning the pros and cons inside out before making the leap of faith!
      Adriel recently posted..Royalty and righteousness born into our messMy Profile

      Reply
  • Debi @ DebiStangeland.com
    6 January 2015 at 11:51 am

    Sounds like a great adventure Adriel! I love what you’ve done with the place.

    Reply
  • Jill Ludwig
    6 January 2015 at 7:01 pm

    Yeah!!! So excited for you guys! Ironically, I’ve been watching a show lately called “Tiny House Hunters” and its all about people looking to buy a tiny house to live in. I’m absolutely fascinated by all of this and feel like it is an awesome lifestyle choice, even if only for a little while. It also reaffirms our choice in living in a small place (not “tiny”, but small). You guys are going to grow so much with this experience and I must say your caravan is absolutely beautiful!!! God Bless you Friend!

    Reply
    • Adriel
      8 January 2015 at 10:18 pm

      Thanks Jill. Yes, I haven’t seen/read much about the tiny house movement, but I’m certainly aware of it. I suspect this little journey will connect me into another universe (LOL) where I’ll have opportunity to learn and grow so much. 🙂
      Adriel recently posted..My anchor word for the year ahead: WELL (#OneWord2015)My Profile

      Reply
  • Jill
    6 January 2015 at 7:04 pm

    I really hope you discuss the concept of working and living from a place of rest more in your blog. That is a totally foreign concept to me but I would love to understand it better. I am always learning from and inspired by your blog. Praying for your family in your travels!

    Reply
    • Adriel
      8 January 2015 at 10:20 pm

      Thanks Jill. Yes, I am really hoping that I WILL learn more about what it means to live in/from rest. Can’t write about what is only theory… right? But trusting God that this will not be theory but real life transformation!!
      Adriel recently posted..The Best of the Blog: 2014 in ReviewMy Profile

      Reply
  • Shelly
    7 January 2015 at 3:30 am

    This is awesome! We are doing the same thing! Only ours is on a MUCH larger scale 🙂 we are buying a 40′ toy hauler (it was important for us our 13 yr old boy had a space to call his own) and our 18 yr old daughter have a bed when she comes with us from college, last it was important to me that I was comfortable as possible. Right now we pay ridiculous rent so someone else can OWN a house, we’ve rented the same house for 10 yrs now so its really our home. I’m disabled and in pain majority of my days, therefore I don’t get “out” much. We are in a position we can by a home permanent one we can call ours home, however, A) I don’t want to live in the town we’ve been in for 30+ yrs where I can’t show my children the opportunities out there available. B) I like the idea of being able to change scenery and haha neighbors when I no longer enjoy the ones around me…in a home you have to make due, in a travel home you can pick a new spot!!! C) being that I don’t get out much, when I do go out I want it to be spectacular!!! I want to ENJOY it! Breathe it in, savor it and SHARE it with my family….I do NOT want to rot away in a house in a town I don’t enjoy in pain and miserable!! D) home schooling on the road!! AWESOME! Everything other H.S. kids are reading about, our kids is experiencing and seeing for himself!! He’s a dedicated Montessori student who excels with hands on learning so this is going to be great!!! And do many more reasons as well!! 🙂 This is what we are meant to do….10000000000000%

    Reply
    • Adriel
      8 January 2015 at 10:23 pm

      Hi Shelly. Thanks for sharing your story. I think caravan living with teenagers is a whole different ball game to doing it with preschoolers! 🙂 I can see definite challenges there that we won’t have to contend with… and vice versa. What an adventure we’re both in for, ey?! 🙂 Here we go!
      Adriel recently posted..Under the Olive Tree (A letter to my baby)My Profile

      Reply
  • Lisa
    7 January 2015 at 7:11 am

    Beautiful space with lots of character. Love the colors against the white. I’m sure your kids will have a lot of fond, unique memories from this camper. Your site is an inspiration. God bless you and your family!

    Reply
    • Adriel
      8 January 2015 at 10:25 pm

      Thanks Lisa! And yes, I really do hope my kids (and Ryan and I) are able to create some really special memories during this unique season of our lives. When I was their age, I lived on a sailboat for a year-and-a-half. Even though I don’t have a ton of memories from that period, it shaped me in some very profound ways.
      Adriel recently posted..Under the Olive Tree (A letter to my baby)My Profile

      Reply
  • Tara Jean
    7 January 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Adriel, How many sq feet is it?

    Reply
  • […] also beginning a new family adventure of living small in a tiny, renovated vintage caravan and although most days I see the wisdom of our decisions, I have moments where I reckon we must […]

    Reply
  • […] What if God wanted to teach us how to rest by using a very tangible, every day reminder that we can live there? And—gasp—even learn to work and minister from there? continue reading>>> […]

    Reply
  • Jenni Burke
    13 January 2015 at 9:03 am

    I love it!!!

    Reply
  • tom & esther fritz
    16 January 2015 at 12:50 am

    Adriel, my wife and I have raised our 3 kids on the mission field in Costa Rica (5 years with 2 kids born there)and the last 13 years on an island in Nicaragua called Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. We also just bought a 30 yr old RV camper last year,small but enough space for our family of 5 and last summers month on the road in Calif. and Oregon was a blast! This summer 5 months will really test us as we hit the road visiting family, friends supporters and churches along the way crisscrossing the USA. I grew up camping in America and have been to all the National parks as well as all 50 States in my 57 years of life and wanted to pass on that adventure of travel to my kids. My 21 yr old daughter was our 1st to venture out with YWAM Kona with a 2 year, round the world mission study trip on human trafficking and orphanages so she has “the travel/adventure bug”. I wouldn’t trade our missions lifestyle for all the gold in Ft. Knox as it has so well shaped us and given our kids a better world view and heart for humanity through God’s eyes.

    Reply
    • Adriel Booker
      13 April 2015 at 1:35 am

      Sounds AMAZING Tom! You guys will have the trip of a lifetime this summer. We hope to do that one day, too, but probably when the kids are older and can appreciate it more. Though you never know… I guess I am writing you now from the other side of Australia, which is just as long a drive as across America. LOL. We are a crazy family, too. In the best way (hopefully). 😉

      All the best!
      Adriel Booker recently posted..Beautiful or Average: Would I choose Beautiful with no one watching?My Profile

      Reply
  • Cuppa reads | The Art of Simple
    17 January 2015 at 3:55 pm

    […] My friend in Australia just moved with her family of four in to a caravan. I love her thoughts on why. via Adriel […]

    Reply
  • Alison
    17 January 2015 at 8:28 pm

    Adriel, I first discovered you via Tsh Oxenreider late last year, and have loved ‘seeing’ a blogger/Instagrammer/woman after God’s own heart speaking faith and love and life, which I haven’t found a lot in the Australian online community (if there are more women out there that you know of, please point me in their direction!!!). I’ve just come to your blog and I’m looking forward to learning more of your story and following you on your adventures across the country! I live down the bottom of South Australia, between Melbourne and Adelaide, if you’re travelling through this beautiful part of the world, I’d love to offer to be your tour guide 🙂

    Reply
    • Adriel Booker
      13 April 2015 at 1:46 am

      Hi Alison. Thanks for introducing yourself. Sorry I’m only just now responding. Our internet situation has been a shocker these last few months. 🙁 I actually don’t know many Australian bloggers either to be honest! But I can’t say I’ve tried very hard either. LOL

      We actually came through your area (beautiful!!!) on our way across to Perth in February, but just before we left our brakes went out putting us a week behind schedule and meaning we drove through much quicker than we had intended. 🙁 We hope to take more time on our way back across to Sydney, but I don’t think we’ll be going any south of Adelaide on the way home.
      Adriel Booker recently posted..Jesus loves terrorists, too (Reflecting on the Sydney Siege)My Profile

      Reply
  • Jules
    18 January 2015 at 1:39 pm

    We lived in a caravan in Australia twice. Once as newly-weds (33 years ago!) for nearly four years. We arrived as two and when we left we had a 2-year-old and were expecting our second child. The other time was six years ago, just the two of us, for 18 months. Each time was due to working in areas where accommodation was impossible to find otherwise. We also painted and decorated our caravans and also had a garden in whatever containers were available. We cooked outside a lot and entertained that way. We even had one of our daughters stay for six weeks (during university holidays) when living in a 17 foot long caravan! That was a real bonding time! There were three things that saved my sanity – each time we were in the same place not travelling around (which requires packing lots of things away), the first time in van we had a bathroom on our site, they were built in a square in the centre of four sites with a bathroom at each corner. With a new-born this was life-saving and in each place (Queensland and North West Western Australia) the weather was fine and dry almost all year round. Our biggest takeaway each time was that we realised how little we actually needed for day-to-day living. While I found it was crucial (for me) for everything to have a place and be in that place it was a very relaxed way to live. There is only so much housework you can do! We also learned to deal with problems as they arose and how to sort out problems quickly as there are no doors to slam and nowhere to stomp off to, which was my default response previously. We are currently buying a caravan for trips away now we are about to retire. However, this time I have insisted we have a bathroom with a proper shower. Not keen on the chemical toilet in them but love the idea that I can have a shower without walking outside to it!

    Reply
    • Adriel Booker
      13 April 2015 at 1:53 am

      Jules, this sounds so similar to our experience so far. Thanks for sharing! I honestly can’t imagine doing this for four years! WOW. One thing I have really enjoyed is how much it’s encouraged our boys to play outside (3 & 5 yrs old). They love it!!! But we were just housesitting for a few days and they would just chase each other around the living room and wrestle and wrestle and wrestle. I realized how much they’ve been missing the safe indoor space for that type of play. (Where we’re staying there’s no grass but there is a long paved driveway so they’re constantly riding bikes.) Like you, we’re also finding that we need so much less stuff… and like you, I NEED everything to have a place or else I go crazy! (Doesn’t seem to cause my husband the same amount of grief as me though. LOL) And seriously, the bathroom thing is the hardest thing. No way I could do this for more than a year in borrowed bathrooms. (Or, should I say, no way I’d WANT to do this for more than a year sans our own bathroom.) Enjoy your indoor plumbing and your next chapter Jules!
      Adriel Booker recently posted..Jesus loves terrorists, too (Reflecting on the Sydney Siege)My Profile

      Reply
  • […] Home is where you park it: Why we’ve moved in tiny house on wheels? | Adriel Booker  Семья из четырёх человек поселилась в стареньком доме на колёсах. Мама семейства рассказывает про причины такого переезда, мысли по ходу и дальнейшие планы. […]

    Reply
  • Bernadette
    5 April 2015 at 9:13 pm

    This is crazy. My husband and i just bought a caravan with the intention of taking our children on an Australian tour in 2016/17. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was looking at your caravan. We have the same yellow clock! The same general layout and the same shaped van with those cute rounded bumps at the top. Is your caravan a 1970’s Argonaut? I’m currently painting the inside white as well, but I’m thinking of Teal accents instead of yellow.

    Reply
    • Adriel Booker
      13 April 2015 at 1:55 am

      Fun! And isn’t that the cutest clock? We always forget to wind it though. 🙂

      We’re actually planning on painting our little fridge teal but haven’t found the right paint just yet! 🙂 Ours is a 1974 and we just had to replace the ENTIRE brake system and axle. The joys of an old van! LOL. You guys will have a great time. How old are your kids? Ours are 3 and 5 (boys).
      Adriel Booker recently posted..The Best of the Blog: 2014 in ReviewMy Profile

      Reply
      • Gena
        23 April 2015 at 6:48 pm

        Our family of 5 are about to take the plunge and do the same thing this summer for 1 year. (This also means renting out our much-loved house) I already homeschool so that doesn’t feel so overwhelming- but laundry, etc., does. Any tips? Also, are you staying more at payed campsites or friends properties? I’d love any tips!

        Reply
        • Adriel Booker
          6 November 2015 at 12:24 am

          Hey Gena! We’ve had a combo of campsites and friends houses. As for laundry. I don’t know—you just do what you have to do. LOL. We did buy a clothes drying rack that folds up and stores under the bed. Have found that really helpful for quick air drying near our caravan so that we don’t need to use “community close lines” and worry about things going missing. (They’re normally totally fine, but I’ve heard a few horror stories.) All the best to you guys. You’ll have a blast!!
          Adriel Booker recently posted..Coming Clean: This teen star’s confessional should inspire us allMy Profile

          Reply
        • Karen Blackburn
          18 February 2018 at 8:54 pm

          I currently live in a static caravan in Ireland and have found that the best purchase we made was a small washer and spinner designed for use in caravans and student rooms. It will do everything except double /king-size duvet covers. This is our third time of living in a caravan (first in New Zealand and second in the UK) and the only thing we have found you really need is a small indoor bathroom (or awning with a partition and back room) for a toilet. The first 2 times we had an awning, this time we have an indoor toilet but running across a campsite in the middle of the night to use the loo is fun for a bit but it fast wears off.

          Reply
      • bernadette tedesco
        11 May 2015 at 6:49 pm

        My girls are 7, 5 and 2 1/2. Such a cute and crazy ages. I hope things are going well and that you’re helping to bring joy to your community through your urban mission work.
        Good luck and many blessings,
        Bernadette.

        Reply
  • […] that right now our family is attending a Leadership and Pioneering Seminar at YWAM Perth. We towed our tiny house on wheels allllllll the way across to the west coast of Australia and landed in the most beautiful of […]

    Reply
  • Sandra
    15 July 2015 at 2:23 am

    Adriel,

    I was so blessed by your spiritual explanation of why you’re going tiny. God has moved me to Grand Cayman Island to learn to be a woman of peace. (Long, long story). I live in a 15′ x 15′ cottage here and I am living alone for the first time in my life. My plan is to build a tiny house when I get back and minister from a place of peace through Jesus. Thanks for your great explanation. I will be referring to you often when people ask me why! May God richly bless your family and your ministry!

    Sandy

    Reply
  • […] people learn we’ve been living in and out of a caravan they usually comment about how they’ve always wanted a taste of the gypsy life. And I get it. […]

    Reply
  • Lindsey Nubern
    2 September 2015 at 10:55 pm

    So glad I found you! Girl, you can decorate! We are dreaming/planning to do the same as you guys and you are my inspiration that we can do this and make it comfortable, cute and homey! So pumped for you! Thank you for taking the leap and sharing!

    Reply
  • Sheree Ambrosini
    24 January 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Hi Adriel,
    I am sitting here with my dad who made your Argonaut Caravan! He and a couple of friends started building them in Melbourne in 1968 as a backyard business before moving into a factory in Thomastown . They sold up in the early 90’s and he had some years off but is now back building Argonauts on his farm as a family business in regional Victoria (a bit more modern these days with showers, toilets etc).
    We have enjoyed looking at your pictures and knowing his vans are still loved!! I have a 1960’s Franklin renovated by Argonaut and love going away in it!
    Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  • […] spent most of last year living in our 95-square foot vintage caravan. (Before you ask, I’ll go ahead and answer: no bathroom, no laundry facilities. Yes, that part […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply