VINTAGE AND HANDMADE HOMEWARES FOR SMALL SPACES (ROUNDUP 2)
I flat out don’t like shopping. (There. I said it.) However, I do find myself looking for handmade or vintage items online or in our local thrift stores when we need a particular something-or-another for the Cottage, and that’s something I rather enjoy. I don't just browse aimlessly or on impulse. When I shop, I’m on a specific mission. For me, the key is to search for the general function I need an item to serve, rather than search by a item’s dedicated name directly.
For example, when I need linens that can serve as towels, tablecloths, couch covers, and shoulder wraps, I just search for "linen throw" and explore the results from there, selecting a piece that serve multiple functions while appealing to my aesthetic. By searching for items via detail and function descriptors, I discover creative and unique homewares that serve the purposes my family needs, in formats I might not have previously considered. This is one of the traits that makes our lil' home so personal and special to us.
Many people have told me that they don’t know “how” to shop vintage or handmade on sites such as Etsy. As such, I’m going to start doing a weekly roundup of beautiful and functional one-of-a-kind vintage or handmade items I’ve found in passing that I like but won’t buy because we already have something similar. My hope is that these roundups help some readers find homewares made by independent artisans or from second-hand curators who have salvaged incredible pieces from within the waste stream, and are redirecting them for a new life.
When purchasing a piece, you can further cut back on the associated carbon footprint by messaging the vendor to assure them you’re fine with repurposed packaging and don’t need any flair. I’ve chosen to use Etsy for these roundups, as it’s the first major online shopping destination to offset 100% of carbon emissions from shipping.
CLEVER DESKS, CHAIRS & TABLES
UNIQUE STORAGE
FUNCTIONAL DECOR
PRE-LOVED BAGS (THAT WOULD LOOK GREAT ON DISPLAY)
The Pros and Cons of that Rumpled Look
Post Summary: Drying clothes and household linens in a small home/apartment.
Recently I discovered that our ridiculously extendable curtain rod is actually quite useful in our tiny space on laundry day:
Above: West’s handmade bamboo tops from Caribou Kids drying on the extendable curtain rod.
The pros of air drying are, of course, that it conserves energy and curbs the associated costs. For us, the cons are that it doesn’t remove all the dog hair (and there is SO MUCH OF IT here) from fabric, and that even a little bit of laundry can overwhelm a small space.
Above: West and I wear basics / undergarments from Arq.
Honestly though, for whatever reason, I don’t mind having garments out drying throughout our home and garden. (Dirty dishes, however, bother me— no patience for those here! Everyone has their hang ups…)
Above and below: West and I have matching robes from Odd Bird Company.
Since we all share one compact closet, our clothes are usually a bit (or a lot) rumpled.
Above: Wearing linen from Beaton and Garnet Hill.
It’s something I’ve long accepted, and it’s one of the reasons I love wearing and decorating with linen, which looks just as lovely when somewhat wrinkled.
Same goes for organic cotton and bamboo, of which most of West’s clothing is made.
Above: Child’s underwear from Arq, cloth overnight diaper from Grovia. (Photo by Tinylicious.)
We have a tiny iron, but we probably only use it a handful of times per year.
The more we love our clothes, the more I don't mind seeing them drying from the beams, seat-backs and doorways.
Above: Our folding drying rack from Helen Milan Home. (Photo by Tinylicious.)
Looking to start air-drying your clean laundry in your small home/apartment? Scroll to the bottom of this post for a collection of space-savvy accessories that might come in handy.
Keep in mind that a string safely secured from one end of the room to the other can work just as well— you might not need to buy a thing.
But just in case you do, here’s a mix of vintage, handmade and a couple new items that might help.
Interior Decor x Sustainability
The intersection of interior design and sustainability has increasingly been on my mind.
I’ve recently found myself turning almost entirely away from freshly manufactured goods— even those made with renewable resources— and returning instead to vintage, repurposed and found objects.
The tug in this direction is, of course, partially due the environmental footprint associated with creating new items. But it’s also a result of being uninspired by seeing the same designs seemingly on repeat for years in the digital and physical worlds.
Even if a place that’s cobbled together with vintage goods isn’t exactly my style, I appreciate its originality, and the limitless number of unique permutations a space designed with a wide array of pre-loved items can take.
As it pertains to this topic, I was particularly roused by three moments over the weekend:
• I gave my son a small vintage wooden wishing well that I found on Etsy. The piece is a bit of a mess, with exposed, dried glue and wonky hardware, but West is enamored with it all the same. I used some pliers to swap out the rope that came with the well, replacing the accessory with an old garden chain and hook. I added a “bucket” made from a stainless steel creamer cup wrapped in a rubber band, and thus far, this delightfully pell-mell contraption has kept my son engaged in HOURS of imaginary play. And weirdly, it’s quite pretty.
• I indulged in reading The Foraged Home, and found myself reveling in every out-of-the-ordinary detail. Not only did I admire the artistic designs showcased on the pages, but I also appreciated the accessibility of many of the spaces. Here in Los Angeles, buying vintage furnishings and accessories can often cost more than buying new, which makes second-hand shopping prohibitive for many (if not most). This book was a spirited reminder that “found” can just as beautiful as “sourced” if we take our time, and if we approach our spaces with pared down needs and expanded creativity.
• Suay Sew Shop, a local business that uses repurposed and deadstock textiles to craft their designs, posted this photo on Instagram, and part of their caption read: “Developing sentimental attachments to material things is something we have worked against, except now we might have to reinvent what that means. Loving our clothes, making them last along with our daily adventures in life will in fact improve the health of our planet. Being so disconnected to something that took our planet’s precious resources to create isn’t an option anymore.” The balance between not getting too invested in our belongings versus valuing and loving what we do have (and keeping items out of the waste stream) is something I’ve been considering in depth— especially since decluttering is a topic I’m often asked about.
I agree with Suay's caption, and look forward (with excitement for the shift and anxiety over the urgency) to seeing where that takes us in the months and years to come.
These moments all reminded me that heart, resourcefulness and imagination are major elements of what drew me to the tiny life so many years ago.
Today, the evolving overlap of small space living and greener living remains one of my greatest inspirations, interests, and joys.
Encouraging Household Shifts in Light of the Climate Crisis
I’ve long taken for granted that my husband and I are on the same page when it comes to most elements of our home and lifestyle. Since we operate in such close quarters every day and night as we both work from home, we’ve continued to learn and adapt together over all these years. So when I started educating myself more about the climate crisis and my role within it, Adam was right there by my side, literally and figuratively.
Together, we began to understand that while governments around the globe and huge corporations are doing the vast amount of damage to the planet, we still owe it to the earth, wildlife, communities who are currently suffering and being displaced, and younger generations to immediately curb our personal consumer habits.
We also realized that the most meaningful action we could possibly take is to vote for leaders and policies that operate with climate justice at the forefront, and to continue listening to, learning from, and supporting organizations and individuals who are doing meaningful work on the subject, far beyond echoing trends and buzzwords.
Several readers of this blog have written in to share that they’ve been struggling to encourage others within their household to adjust habits in light of the climate crisis. Here are some angles/approaches that we hope might help::
Avoid New Spending
The the up-front cost of some eco-friendlier alternative products can be prohibitive or discouraging, and turn folks away from lower waste living. (And many of those products are marketed as being greener, when in fact they’re problematic in certain regards.) Perhaps avoid acquiring new items, and start instead by making changes within your current budget and by using your existing belongings. For example, you don’t need new glass bottles with pre-marked tare weights to do your bulk shopping— a washed and repurposed glass jar that once held pasta, apple sauce, jelly, etc. can work just as well, and since it’s already in the waste stream it further reduces your footprint. (These jars can also be outfitted with very inexpensive spout or pump style tops to become soap dispensers, and/or they can be used with just as inexpensive beverage tops to become to-go water or coffee containers.) Similarly, you don’t need items like mesh produce bags— just skip bags altogether when in the market, or simply use larger tote bags to corral loose produce. By cutting back on new materials and using what you already have on-hand, you will keep your spending at bay while also putting your current belongings to more extended use.
Start Small (& Save)
If your family feels like what we do on an individual basis won’t make any difference so there’s no point in trying, perhaps start with small steps that require little-to-no effort and appeal instead to the narrowed scope of household energy efficiency. From unplugging appliances that aren’t in use, to taking shorter showers (and fewer baths), to bundling up when the house feels a bit cold (as opposed to cranking up the heat), to replacing burned out bulbs with energy-efficient alternatives, you can lighten your impact while reducing your utilities. When the results become apparent via your monthly bill, the effects of these tiny efforts might start to feel more tangible on a personal scale.
Appeal to Time
For a myriad of reasons, we often opt for immediate conveniences, that overlook long-term environmental inconveniences. If members of your household feel pressed for time (who doesn’t?), perhaps appeal to the angle of efficiency. While it might indeed take an extra minute in the morning to pack a bag of reusable to-go goods, and it might take a few extra seconds for a cashier to get a tare weight on a container, none of this compares to the amount of time it takes to go shopping for disposable household goods once your current ones run out. (Plus you’ll no longer have to budget for as many disposable goods, and can instead save that money to pay off debt, save for necessities, and/or use some of it to support organizations and individuals who are investing in regenerative practices for our collective future.)
Go About Your Day Your Way
As you continue to educate yourself and further adopt your own philosophy and rituals, your family will likely take notice. Presumably no amount of badgering is going to convince anyone to change their ways, and a judgmental or greener-than-thou attitude will rightfully discourage and repel more than it attracts. But if you continue to transition your own habits, others within your home could be influenced by your actions. When you start composting, repurposing food scraps for stock, repairing clothes and household items, biking or taking public transportation over driving solo when possible, and stop buying unnecessary goods, it will likely cause a ripple effect.
Be Patient
As with any lifestyle transformation, change doesn’t happen all at once. Learning healthier habits and unlearning old ones takes time, as well as trial and error. Plus new (and conflicting) information is always being presented, so we all have to keep educating ourselves and adapting together. We don’t all need to live a flawless low waste lifestyle in order to make a dent in our output and overflowing landfills, and to communicate to governments and manufacturers that the tides are turning.
Focus on Those Being Impacted Most, and Future Generations
If none of the above works, it might be helpful to remind folks of the impact our material consumption and waste has on younger/future generations and current wildlife, and to reiterate to them that the people who contribute the least to the crisis suffer the most. If the physical condition of the planet isn’t shaking your household, hopefully the paramount issue of human rights will.
Vote
Stay informed of your elections on the local and larger levels. Make sure others know when and where to vote. Show up. Cast your ballot. Give a damn. Your enthusiasm can energize and assist others.
Vintage and Handmade Homewares for Small Spaces (Roundup 1)
I flat-out don’t like shopping.
There.
I said it.
However, I do find myself looking for handmade or vintage items online or in our local thrift stores when we need a particular something-or-another for the Cottage, and that’s something I rather enjoy.
I don't just browse aimlessly or on impulse. When I shop, I’m on a specific mission. For me, the key is to search for the general function I need an item to serve, rather than search by a item’s dedicated name directly.
For example, when I need linens that can serve as towels, tablecloths, couch covers, and shoulder wraps, I just search for "linen throw" and explore the results from there, selecting a piece that serve multiple functions while appealing to my aesthetic.
By searching for items via detail and function descriptors, I discover creative and unique homewares that serve the purposes my family needs, in formats I might not have previously considered. This is one of the traits that makes our lil' home so personal and special to us.
Many people have told me that they don’t know “how” to shop vintage or handmade on sites such as Etsy. As such, I’m going to start doing a weekly roundup of beautiful and functional one-of-a-kind vintage or handmade items I’ve found in passing that I like but won’t buy because we already have something similar. My hope is that these roundups help some readers find homewares made by independent artisans or from second-hand curators who have salvaged incredible pieces from within the waste stream, and are redirecting them for a new life.
When purchasing a piece, you can further cut back on the associated carbon footprint by messaging the vendor to assure them you’re fine with repurposed packaging and don’t need any flair.
I’ve chosen to use Etsy for these roundups, as it’s the first major online shopping destination to offset 100% of carbon emissions from shipping.
Kitchen Racks
Garment Racks
Vintage Lap Trays/Desks
Misc. Goods for Kids or the Home
Our 3 Year Old Doesn’t Have His Own Bedroom or Playroom (And So Far We Are All Okay With That)
When folks speak down to me about West not having his own dedicated bedroom or playroom, I take a deep breath and picture this:
I don’t think that our way of living is inferior, nor do I believe it to be superior. It’s just different. The typical American home is about 2500 square feet, whereas ours measures under 400. But given the strained state of our planet, I am certainly fine with “different.”
• Read my post on the environmental benefits of tiny living
• Read my post about our sofa-turned-child’s-bed
We are comfortable and content spending time within the walls of our tiny home. But small space living joyfully encourages us to step outside and explore our community, and take daily pleasure in the natural world.
The general decrease of public “green spaces” coupled with the increase in access to screens has left most children in the US and UK spending less time outdoors per day than prison inmates do on average.
Of course other important factors such as local climate, income levels, and parental worries play their roles in how much time children spend inside. But the stats remain what they are: most kids are spending less than 30 minutes outside every day, which has negative impacts on their physical and mental health.
This spike in time spent indoors also untethers children from the natural world during what is an unprecedented and pivotal moment in our human-planet relationship.
As we raise West to be responsible for and aware of his (and our collective) impact on the earth, we believe it’s important for him to experience the natural world so he can understand why it’s vital to protect and restore it.
Obviously we are fortunate to be located in Venice, where the weather is steady year-round and where we’re in close proximity to the ocean and mountains. (If I consider my time living in places like Syracuse during the winter months, I am extra grateful to be here.)
But Los Angeles is still a car and trash filled city. When I worry that our family is too surrounded by concrete, I remember these words from How to Raise a Wild Child:
“Too often, we think of nature as something wholly separate from us, sequestered in national parks, forests and seaside beaches that require organized trips. But nature is all around us, in backyards, schoolyards, gardens and empty lots… Nature isn’t just a bunch of far-off plants, animals and landscapes to learn about and visit once or twice a year. It’s an environment to be immersed in daily, especially during our childhood years.”
- Scott D Sampson, How to Raise a Wild Child, 2015.
Kate Arends of Wit & Delight (based in St Paul Minnesota), commented on the benefits of getting outside during cold and busy days in this recent post, which stuck with me:
“Winter became a lot more tolerable once I realized complaining about the weather wouldn't change the weather.
It’s long. It's dark. It's inconvenient. SAD is a real thing. Kids go crazy. Parents lose their patience. And while going outside feels like the last thing you need, it's actually the thing we need most, both for improving our mood and overall health.
We did our quick walk this morning with Winnie in the snow and it made all the difference in my ability to just cope with this darker season. It's pretty beautiful if you can find enough headspace to appreciate it.
15 minutes. That’s all you need.”
Whether you live in 300 sqft or 3000 sqft, the far-reaching benefits of getting outside are all the same.
And as long as the inside of your home is safe and filled with love, it’s okay to not have a separate space for every family member if that’s how you need or choose to live.
Some Items You Can Probably Go Without (Part 12)
While it's productive to share stories about designs and practices that help us live comfortably and less wastefully in small spaces, I think it’s just as important to discuss the things that we can happily live WITHOUT— particularly in this era of climate crisis. After all, making a home in a small space isn’t about figuring out how to puzzle a life’s worth of belongings into your compact quarters. It’s about experiencing more by owning less.
The following is just a small sampling of items you may want to reconsider before you buy. (View all the entries in this series here.)
Plastic shower curtains and liners:
Depending on the style of your shower, you might be able to skip the standard plastic liners and synthetic blend curtains. Here we use a simple linen tablecloth / throw blanket (handmade locally for Gjusta Goods), which we suspend from the curtain rod via metal clothespin hooks. We simply throw the fabric into the machine with similar washing about once every-other week for a good soapy bath of its own. If the bottom of the sheet gets overly wet during a shower and stretches out the linen, we just make a fold up top and clip it an inch or so higher. Hemp fabric and/or upcycled, patchwork pieces could work well for this purpose, too, and add a unique touch to your bathroom. (As always, please keep safety — such as slip risks — in mind.)
New outfits for every special event:
Between photo shoots, work events, speaking engagements and social gatherings, I frequently found myself feeling like I constantly needed a new outfit. I tried a rental service for a while. I think they’re good solutions to reducing fashion waste for many people, but I still found their carbon footprint to be too high for my comfort. I realized that the clothing itself wasn’t the issue— it was my mindset that needed to change. I’ve since found comfort and satisfaction in deliberately wearing the same garments repeatedly on camera and at events. We all know that fast fashion and over consumption of new styles is a major source of pollution — from dyes in water supplies, to transport and packaging, to discarded garments themselves. Plus most people in small homes struggle with wardrobe space, and the best solution is to simply own less clothing. It feels good to strike a truce with yourself and rock the same clothes you wore last week… and last month… and last year… and the year before that.
Toys that replicate safe, every day goods:
A good friend of mine sent me a photo of a toy lace-up shoe that her daughter received as a gift. The image was captioned: “WHY?!” (Why indeed!) Can we not teach our kids to lace on *actual* shoes? Do we need to mass manufacture fake shoes for this purpose? While we can all surely agree that items like child-safe scissors (which are available as hand-me-downs and second-hand purchases) are obviously well worth it, we probably don’t need items like fake (often plastic!) baby bottles for play when the real things are already sitting here in our homes taking up space— we might as well use them!
Novelty games / activities:
Okay. I liked Tetris and Super Mario as much as any child of the 80s. But to now purchase newly manufactured handheld (plastic!) gaming devices or mini arcade games as novelties when countless games are available on our phones is absurd. And Adam recently told me he saw a (plastic!) mini-golf game intended for use while you’re sitting on the toilet, and a quick web search confirmed that this is indeed available via at least three very prominent international retailers. Our planet is going up in flood and flames, and we’re all complaining about having too much stuff, so let’s convey as consumers that makers must stop producing total junk like this. It’s pointlessly wasteful, and ultimately it just ends up cluttering our homes before cluttering up a landfill.
An entire home gym:
There are many understandable reasons why someone might have a piece or several pieces of work out equipment in their home. (And I imagine that most people who could fit a home gym into their space are probably not reading this blog.) But if it’s not a necessity to you and yours, exercising outdoors or sharing equipment at a gym are simple ways to cut down on the number of large machines being manufactured, packaged, shipped, and — ultimately — discarded.
Catch-all dishes:
If you’re shopping vintage or supporting an artist by buying their handmade ring or catch-all dishes, great! But mass made valet caddies, ring dishes + holders, and coin trays are things that can easily be made from numerous repurposed items that are probably already available around your home. Or maybe you don’t need them in the first place! (For example, I just put my rings in a safe spot on top of our first aid box when I shower.) After all, items like this take up valuable surface space in a small home.
A Greener New Year
Not even two weeks into 2020 and climate change is loudly reminding us that it’s not just at our doorsteps— it’s deep within our homes, ravaging spaces and lives, displacing families, and devastating wildlife and plant life in unthinkable numbers.
Here on this blog, I aim to continue to focus on our company’s cornerstone subject of organized and simplified small space living, but to always do so with the climate crisis at the top of mind. And, as it’s an election year here in the US, I want to share less about eco-friendlier products, and more about policies and organizations that operate with climate justice at the forefront.
From our small space to yours, we’re wishing you a greener New Year.
Nothing "New"
Post Summary: Why I’ve loved photographing the same tiny space for over 8 years, and why “newness” is not the point— especially in this era of climate crisis.
When folks ask me how I’m going to “find new angles” of our tiny house so I can continue to share photos on Instagram, I comfortably reply that I ran out of new angles several years ago (especially since we have built-in furnishings). I honestly prefer it that way, and here’s why:
While I always want to grow, improve, take chances and try different things, one of the aspects I treasure most about our space is that “new” isn’t the point.
The rapid cycle of replacing belongings once the next trend hits is one of the factors contributing to the climate crisis.
For me, the point of showing our tiny home and garden again (and again) is to demonstrate how a small space can continue to accommodate evolving lives over time.
We moved to the cottage in early 2011 as new couple with one dog. We progressed to a married couple with two dogs. And we’re now married business partners with two dogs and a 3 year old child.
Nothing lasts forever, but I’m looking forward to documenting our tiny world as long as we’re here. While it’s not new, it’s ever-changing in my eyes.
Simplified Skincare (Updated)
Over the past 1-2 years, my simplified skincare routine has saved me time, money, and space. It has also reduced so much bottle waste that I feel as though it’s worth sharing.
For context: I’m 38 years old, covered in freckles, and have visible sun damage from decades spent outdoors in Florida and Southern California. (That’s why I’m constantly wearing my West Perro hat.) I have never used injectables such as botox or fillers, and I have never had any cosmetic surgery.
Rather than ramping up my skincare and makeup habits as I grow older, I’ve pared them down in an effort to improve my overall health, better suit our limited physical space, and reduce my environmental footprint.
Instead of my skin rebelling at my scaled-back approach, it has responded favorably. Of course, my smile lines and crows feet all get deeper as the years pass. But my tone has evened-out, and my complexion has transformed.
Since I last shared this post 7 months ago, I’ve swapped or added some products to my routine (indicated below as new to me or replacement product), and the changes have further improved the quality of my skin. The line-up remains uncomplicated.
Supplies / Accessories: I use washable cotton rounds for general cleansing, and washable makeup remover pads at night if I’ve worn makeup. (Learn more about our “Space-savvy + Low Waste Bathroom Swaps” such as these here, and/or view our video on the topic here.)
As a makeup swab, I use an easy-to-clean, soft tip cosmetic LastSwab in lieu of disposable q-tips. (Get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage.)
For my face, my non-toxic skincare routine is as follows:
Replacement Product: I wash twice per day. At the sink I use this facial bar soap from Package Free Shop after removing my eye makeup with coconut oil.
In the shower I use a small amount of this cleanser (which also doubles as a makeup remover) from Goop.New-to-me: 2x per week, I use this dual-action microdermabrasion exfoliator from Goop that delivers the benefits of both physical and chemical exfoliation. This has made a huge difference for my pores and overall smoothness.
I apply Vintner’s Daughter Active Treatment Essence twice per day (Note: This has been the most effective product I’ve ever used on my skin. It’s pricey, but one small glass bottle lasts a long time, and the Essence has eliminated my need to visit the dermatologist, along with the need to acquire any additional serums, oils, or moisturizing products.)
I apply Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum at night
In the morning, I’ll apply a tinted SPF20 moisturizer from Beauty Counter if I decide to wear makeup and if I’m not wearing my West Per hat.
Replacement Product: If I need a little extra spot treatment, an application of roll-on serum from this tiny bottle from Package Free Shop is my hero.
New-to-me: Once a month I’ve started biking to the Osea bungalow in Venice (photos below) for their Gua Sha Facial.
The treatment is not only detoxifying but supremely relaxing.
This is a holistic alternative to injectables and cosmetic procedures. It contours the face while increasing collagen, stimulating tissue, reducing tension, and amplifying glow.
(Below is one of Osea’s new Gua Sha tools and instructions for use.)
Most importantly, the facial is done with Osea’s products, which are non-toxic for our bodies and the environment.
When getting the facial, I specifically request the use of their Ocean Cleansing Mudd, which has been effective at decongesting oily areas (on either side of my chin).
Daily on my body I use a Leaping Bunny certified body stone that softens on contact with the skin. It’s available in a sustainably farmed, re-usable bamboo canister, or simply as a refill. (Another option for those who prefer an oil is Osea’s Undaria Algae Body Oil, which comes in a glass bottle that’s easy to repurpose.)
Here’s to simplifying our routines, and freeing up both time and space for the things that truly matter.
The Satisfaction of Undecorating a Small Space
This post was kindly sponsored by Seventh Generation. All images, words (with the exception of exact product descriptions) and opinions are my own. As always, any images of the pups were captured as they interacted in their own natural way.
It seems like the annual removal of holiday decor seems to bring folks just as much satisfaction as the initial decorating itself. What begins as an enthusiastic burst into the most festive season of the year ends up as frustration a month later, as trees shed and extra layers of temporary decor overwhelm spaces.
I recognized this feeling in myself a few years back, which is one of the (many) reasons why we stopped bringing any new holiday decor into the cottage, and why we pared back on decking the halls— even as our son has entered his first year of recognizing (and clearly enjoying) the uniqueness of the season.
Still, we do put up a few natural, unflocked branches strung into garlands in late November, which we later disconnect and compost via LA County’s Green Carts. Since we use live greenery, we spray it with a water mister throughout December. By the time January rolls around and we remove the garlands, we have a mess behind. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to clean a tiny house.
THIS is my favorite moment for Adam and I to clean the cottage. From a reevaluation of all our belongings, to a deep scrub of our weathered wood floors, to tidying shelves and drawers, we take the opportunity presented by undecorating after the holidays to making our home more organized and functional.
This year we started with the built-in bed.
From shoots, travel, holiday decor, the general quickened pace of the season, and the shorter fall + winter days that keep us indoors a bit longer than usual, our bed and its built-in bookshelf were ransacked over the past month.
It was particularly disorganized this year, as I recently went through our personal collection of books and donated about 40% of them to our local library. This opened up far more space than we’ve ever had on the shelves. Instead of filling the surfaces with styled decorative items (staged “shelfies” are actually an odd pet peeve of mine), we waited to see what purpose the new, open spaces would best serve.
While pausing to determine what to do with the cubbies, everyday life crept into them. Picture books for West (which we usually keep on custom shelves in the closet), tights and scarves, and new books gifted to Adam and myself jumped on to the shelves.
This jumble of items shared the tight space with a live garland and our colorful holiday pillowcases, making everything more cluttered than I’d like— especially since this area of the house is supposed to sooth the eyes and mind while supporting relaxation.
Sophee watching as we refresh the built-in.
To refresh the space, we removed the garland, followed by all the books and bins so we could do a deep clean and start from scratch.
Once the surfaces were empty, we vacuumed up the leftover greenery debris with a handheld attachment on our vacuum. (Read about how we store our vacuum here.)
We then used our washable/reusable cleaning cloths to wipe the wood clean of tiny water spots, dust, and dirt with Seventh Generation Wood Cleaner, which is Leaping Bunny certified, and EPA Safer Choice certified.
This means that all ingredients— no exceptions— are reviewed and and pass for the safest possible ingredients for human health and satisfying environmental criteria. Seventh Generation Wood Cleaner comes in a bottle that’s made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials, and is a USDA Certified Biobased Product (95%). It cleans treated wood with organic coconut oil that hydrates the surface with no yellowing build-up. Seventh Generation is a Certified B Corporation, which means it’s certified as being better for workers, better for communities and better for the environment.
After thoroughly cleaning the wood, we sorted the books, putting West’s back on the kid-friendly height shelves in our shared closet, and setting aside a few titles to donate to the library. We then put the rest back on the shelf, and replaced the plants that drape above our bed 11 months out of the year. (I love waking up to the green leaves overhead in the mornings…)
From there, we used some spare drawers (left over from a damaged rolling dresser sent to our house 3 years ago) as shelf organizers. We sorted our socks, scarves and hats before placing them in the bins. (Anything damaged was set aside for future repurposing projects.
We also covered a few colorful book spines with bookbinding tape, simply to subdue the tones in the bedroom:
The end result is a much tidier built-in.
My hope is that having our streamlined bedroom back will help keep us in a healthier and calmer mindset as we step into 2020.
Thank you to Seventh Generation for making quality products that we use here in our tiny home, and for sponsoring this post. Partnerships like this help us keep our small creative business in operation, and keep our twinkle lights glowing year-round.
Repairing and Repurposing Clothing and Accessories
Post Summary: How repairing shoes and attending Moving Thread sewing classes forever changed my feelings on buying new in an era of climate crisis.
During last year’s winter, we discovered some water damage in the wall of our built-in bed. It wasn’t until months later— when fall rolled around— that we reached for our cold/wet weather boots and realized that half of our shoes had also been harmed by exposure to the moisture.
In evaluating the damage, we had a choice to make: either get rid of all 8 pairs and purchase just 2 or 3 new pairs in their place, or invest in repairing the sets.
As we’d recently learned that about 80+% of donations end up in landfills, we decided to spend on professional restoration. After all, one of my goals for 2020 is to repair and repurpose as many belongings as possible instead of acquire anything new, which is why I began taking sewing lessons— but more on that later in this post.
The repairs weren’t cheap, but they cost far less than replacing each pair, and probably the same price as buying 2-3 new styles. Plus we knew where our money was going; to skilled and friendly crafters who’ve been restoring goods here in West LA for nearly 4 decades.
In chatting with the team at Buster’s on Main Street in Santa Monica, I learned that not only do they repair boots, but they also work on all sorts of leather goods, handbags, luggage, zippers, dyeing and more.
I was eager to share that information, as I’ve seen mountains of bags, coats and suitcases pressed up against the glass in the nearest Goodwill, destined for who-knows-where, and I imagine that shoe repair shops in other communities are likely multi-service like Buster’s is.
A month or so later when I pedaled the cargo bike over to collect our like-new boots, it was so satisfying to see them all ready to live our a second life, WITHOUT requiring manufacturing, shipping, and packaging like new shoes would have.
Inspired by this, I signed up for introductory sewing classes at Moving Thread. The classes have a maximum of 4 participants each, and are conducted within a beautiful home-studio space in Venice. Lead by Lissa, an expert who has been sewing and designing garments for over 25 years, Moving Thread offers intro and beginner workshops during which students can learn to make their own bags, and ultimately repair or alter an existing article of clothing.
One of the things that struck me about Lissa’s mission was this statement from her website:
“Today, we could all have less. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world and a massive contributing factor to global warming. A lot of change needs to be made to undo what we’ve already done but there are some small steps we, as individuals, can take. By repairing or making our own clothes and refusing to buy from companies that don’t do their part to improve our environmental standards is just one bit closer towards a cleaner Earth.”
I signed up immediately.
Moving Thread was one of the highlights of my holiday break. I’m eager to attend a few more classes, and then thrift a sewing machine of my own so we can begin to alter and repair our own clothes and repurpose linens around the cottage.
(On a fun side note, Lissa has a lovely outdoor shower, as well as a cargo bike similar to ours. I feel as though we were destined to meet and become close. She even attended my low waste holiday decor workshop at Big Red Sun, which was such a sweet surprise.)
So, while we’re still not one of those single-mason-jar-of-household-waste-per-year families, I’m determined to get there before it’s too late.
Tiny Adventures + Video: Our Winter Vacation in N. Florida
We took a lil’ break from our tiny cottage this holiday to visit our family in my childhood home of Gainesville, Florida.
It’d been 2+ years since I’d be home, as we’ve been trying to cut back on air travel due to its high carbon footprint.
Rather than doing my usual daily posts while on the trip, I wanted to simply enjoy being with everyone, and to then create a miniature video journal and blog post from our experiences afterwards.
(Click here to view the 1-minute video.)
While there are admittedly no tangible “takeaways” in this post, I do hope that the visuals (which feature abundant live oaks, Spanish moss, animals, rainy skies and brilliant sunshine,) serve as a reminder of why the health of this beautiful planet is worth fighting for— in ways both grand and small— every day.
Recent Features Roundup
Every now and then we like to select a few features from the Cottage that were published by other outlets, and share them via our own blog as well. Our late fall 2019 roundup includes CNN, Goop, Hunker, and Sunset.
Click the links below to explore.
CNN: How to Have a Stylish, Sustainable Christmas
Excerpt: Whitney Leigh Morris of the Tiny Canal Cottage showcases some of the truly beautiful gifts she's "wrapped" this season on her blog. She covers her presents with book jackets, tea towels, upcycled and resewn old garments, and cotton muslin cloth bags to wrap up her presents. Sometimes she adds a repurposed ribbon, and she almost always hunts around for some natural ornamentation: "We adorn any gift we're giving with greenery clipped from the garden or from around the neighborhood.” And if they’re not homemade, Morris tries to make sure [gifts are] still environmentally friendly. “When it comes to gifting, we're trying as hard as possible to do locally made goods in sustainable packaging. Because it's not just the present itself that has a carbon footprint— it's the packaging as well. And the more you can cut back on the distance the gift has to travel, the better," says Morris.
GOOP: Holiday Skincare Routine (video)
Excerpt: Tiny-home lifestyle blogger Whitney Leigh Morris has amazing sustainable living tips... AND the best skin routine for glowing skin (all year round, but especially during the holidays).
HUNKER: The Less-Is-More Holiday Gift Guide
Excerpt: Whitney Leigh Morris knows a thing or two about living simply. As one of the pioneers of the tiny home phenomenon and author of Small Space Style, Morris aims to help individuals, couples, and families live comfortably and contentedly in — and with — a smaller footprint. But the holidays are often a time where living simply isn't always easy. With endless parties and pages-long gift lists to cross off, it can often be a challenge to find thoughtful gifts that show you care (without creating more clutter) — which is why we went straight to Morris for help.
SUNSET: The Hottest Holiday Decor Ideas This Season
Excerpt: Sunset’s editors combed through Instagram feeds to find some of their favorite picks and inspiration for holiday decorations this season, from banisters to floral Christmas trees. Here are the grams we’re stealing ideas from this month.Whitney Leigh Morris’ Tiny Canal Cottage spreads the holiday love with ornaments on hanging garlands.
Tiny Adventures: The Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade
Ever since we moved to the canals, we’ve been attending the annual holiday boat parade, which is my favorite neighborhood event of the year.
In the past, we’ve decorated bridges for the occasion, and in recent years we’ve begun participating in the parade from within our canoe.
This year we didn’t dress a bridge, but we did reuse two oversized peace sign wreaths (made of vines) we had on-hand.
Adam joined the wreaths to the front and rear of the canoe with the gripping poles from our over-the-table iron rod, and added two strands of rechargeable battery-operated twinkle lights. They were sweet and simple. (One sign eventually toppled over in the strong wind, but that provided us with a better view anyway!)
The boat parade is a charmingly homespun affair, as there are no motors allowed on these waterways and the collective mood is more of the attraction than the actual floats.
That’s one of the things I love so much about this event. It’s just so.… Venice.
This post includes some photos I captured this year, along with shots of our canoe snapped by my friend Sara Toufali of Black and Blooms, who rode in tandem with us in a boat generously loaned to us by a neighbor.
Here’s to those who showed up to cheer each other on, sing out in unison, and embrace the wildly creative spirit of our lil’ beachside community.
An Informal (Yet Sentimental) Approach to Festive Tabletops
This post was kindly sponsored by Seventh Generation. All images, words and opinions are my own.
I’ve set my fair share of tables for the holidays, and yet I still can’t remember which utensil goes where, or in what order… nor do I care, to be honest. Tablescapes are like art projects that I (usually) enjoy tackling. Since I still don’t cook, the tabletop design is what I feel I can bring to the dining experience. At least once per holiday season, I try to carve out an hour or two to come up with something special in our tiny home or garden. (The cleanup, however, I’m not so patient with. But more on that later.)
For me, it’s not about new or extravagant dishware, flatware or drinkware. What brings me satisfaction is coming up with creative, unfussy, space-saving formats for sharing the same items I’ve had for decades with our guests, and also figuring out clever ways to make do without formal dining accessories, of which we have none. (Gravy boats? Napkin rings? Chargers? Butter dishes? Salad forks? Glasses for red vs white? Meh. We’re doing just fine without it all.)
While I try not to get to emotionally invested to any of our belongings, I do of course harbor sentimental attachments to certain items:
• The vintage, blue-spotted mugs that I remember using in both of my childhood homes while sitting next to my mom and dad.
• The hand thrown, imperfect plates that a childhood friend made for me when I rented my first apartment sans-roommates in my junior year.
• … And then the jug he made me 9 years later as a housewarming gift when Adam and I moved into the cottage.
• The handmade, ceramic pour-over coffee filter that that the illustrator, editor and I used as inspiration when coming up with visuals and concepts for my book.
• The single spoon I bought for my apartment in southern France, and then revisited repeatedly over the course of a decade, sharing it with old friends and new, as well as my family, before finally slipping it into my carry-on suitcase for the flight home to Venice Beach.
If it all washed away, I’d still experience the visceral feelings when thinking of these pieces.
But while they’re still here with me, I appreciate the chance to honor and tinker with them daily, and share them with loved ones who join us for special holiday meals here in our tiny home. (There is no difference between the items we use when dining as a family vs those we use when hosting.)
Since the house is so small, we have to clean up as we go along. Luckily, everything here is close together, so even if Adam or I are tidying up in the kitchen, we can still talk to our guests who are an arm stretch away in the living/dining room.
On a daily basis, Adam usually immediately washes most of the dishes by hand with soap we get at our local refill station. (Adam is the dishes partner, I’m the laundry partner.) But when we’re entertaining, neither one of us wants to stand hunched over the sink with our back to our guests, so that’s when we finally get to put our dishwasher to use.
I’m not sure if I’d be so bold as to put my beloved ceramics through any sort of machine if I was just starting out with them today. (Nor do I recommend it unless it’s stated as safe by the maker.) But over the years and varying waves of frenzy or absentmindedness, I placed some of these pieces into the dishwasher and was relieved later on to discover that they held up beautifully. So now, when we’re hosting over the holidays, we use the dishwasher without worry.
We don’t go through much dishwasher detergent, but when we need it we can find it within walking distance at Erewhon, or within biking distance at Whole Foods. For years we’ve been using Seventh Generation’s Dishwasher Gel - Free & Clear, which is formulated to work in all dishwashers, and comes in a bottle that’s made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials.
It’s Leaping Bunny certified, and EPA Safer Choice certified. This means that all ingredients— no exceptions— are reviewed and and pass for the safest possible ingredients for human health and satisfying environmental criteria. Seventh Generation’s Dishwasher Gel works on the dishes that we don’t rinse as thoroughly in the throws of hosting (we load them in the bottom rack facing towards the center), and it does so with plant-based enzymes, and without the use of chlorine bleach, dyes, or fragrances. Seventh Generation is a Certified B Corporation, which means it’s certified as being better for workers, better for communities and better for the environment.
Thank you to Seventh Generation for making quality products that we use here in our tiny home, and for sponsoring this post. Partnerships like this help us keep our small creative business in operation, and keep our twinkle lights glowing.
Video: Low Waste Holiday Decor Workshop
With just over a week until the holidays, we decided to do a little low waste decor and upcycling workshop here in Venice at one of my favorite small businesses, Big Red Sun. (Note: Scroll to the bottom of this post for the event video.)
I broke the workshop down into several components / activities:
Repurposing old clothing into reusable gift wrap
Wrapping the clutter-free, low waste gift of biodynamic wine with leaves in lieu of disposable packaging
Creating a zero waste centerpiece entirely from foraged materials
Wreath making (as a low-lift warm up activity to tackle while getting to know new friends)
Discussing the low waste materials and methods used to plan and execute the event itself
ACTIVITY 1: REPURPOSING OLD CLOTHING INTO REUSABLE GIFT WRAP
We hired a Thumbtack Pro to attend the event and repurpose old garments brought in by attendees while the workshop took place. The Pro, Keyra, has been a seamstress, designer and tailor for over 20 years, mainly working in costume fabrication and sewing home decor items.
I brought a stained old holiday romper that once belonged to West’s cousin, and was passed on to West. Kira transformed the piece into a sweet little buttoned pouch for stocking stuffers, and even turned remnants from the jumper into ribbons and ties for miscellaneous use throughout the season. Other attendees brought garments such as lace skirts, bandanas and tops.
ACTIVITY 2: USING LEAVES TO WRAP WINE BOTTLES FOR LOW WASTE, CLUTTER-FREE GIFTING
Our friend at Winc have a line of eco-friendly wines, and they generously gifted us several bottles of one of their biodynamic varieties to use in a zero-waste wrapping activity. The grapes used for this wine are farmed organically and biodynamically, resulting in a wine that’s good for those in search of sustainably farmed, small lot bottles in lieu of mass production and additives.
We wrapped the bottles in soft, flexible leaves, and added decorative organic touches. Each participant had their own style. I chose to show the label, while others wrapped theirs up entirely so the reveal would be part of the gifting process. Some folks chose to wrap only the neck of the bottle, or to create a little trivet of greenery at the base.
ACTIVITY 3: CREATING ZERO WASTE CENTER PIECES WITH FORAGED COMPONENTS
The owner of Big Red Sun, Selena, creates the most gorgeous centerpieces entirely from found organic materials she forages here in Venice.
She turns husks, bark and fronds into oversizes vessels that can be filled with fruit, veggies, acorns, pine cones, moss, flowers, branches, leaves, and a myriad of texture-rich, sweetly scented compostable materials.
For the workshop, we used some of the smaller pieces to craft festive, zero waste decor for our homes and for gifting.
ACTIVITY 4: MAKING LOW WASTE WREATHS
Wreath-making is a great intro activities for a workshop like this. They get attendees warmed up and into the crafting mood, while encouraging conversation that sparks new relationships in the spirit of the holiday.
ACTIVITY 5: ADDRESSING LOW WASTE SOURCING, EVENT SUPPLIES, SIGNAGE, INVITATIONS & TRANSPORT
We tried to keep our carbon footprint in mind from start to finish with this event. From biking whenever possible, to foraging local material rather than buying, to using remnant twine and wire, to bringing existing supplies like clippers and scissors, to using washable drinkware, cloth napkins, and porcelain / glass / ceramic pitchers and platters, we were able to throw a delightful gathering with minimal waste.
I had such a fantastic time conducting the workshop, and getting to see old friends while meeting new ones. Thank you to our event sponsors and attendees for such a joyful holiday experience.
Note: This blog post and the corresponding video were not sponsored, but the event itself was sponsored by our friends at Thumbtack. The biodynamic wine was generously gifted by Winc. (The final photo in this post was taken by Sara Toufali of Black & Blooms.)
Video: The Holidays in a Tiny House
Happy holiday season from our (tiny) home to yours. This time of year can feel loud and frenzied, so I wanted to take a quiet moment to thank you for sharing this <400 sqft space with us. We wish you and yours love and happiness in the coming weeks, and in the new year. (Video by TINYLICIOUS.)
A List of What I’m Gifting (and Why)
As my year-end present of 2019, I’ve asked Adam to please take my two pairs of sunglasses to get repaired, because I keep forgetting or running out of time at the end of every day. That’s really all I want.
As for Adam, he requested a For Days membership, which we handled together. West will be getting a Linus bike and a stack of library books, along with his very own library card. The pups will be getting handmade ceramic dog bowls, because they’ve been eating out of wobbly stainless steel mixing bowls that are officially wrecking the nearby moldings.
The following is what we’re gifting our close family and friends,.
(So, close family and friends: please stop reading here. No peeking. Seriously. Thanks.)
LastSwab
Because LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use cotton swabs. Their standard swab and their makeup swab both have a soft-feel tip and are easy to clean. (Get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage)
Bite Toothpaste Bits
Because 1 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away every year. Bite bottles are refillable.
Stojo
Because if I hear one more person say that their reusable bottles are too cumbersome to carry around I’ll scream. With a collapsible, pocket-sized Stojo (which holds cold or hot beverages), there’s no excuse.
Homemade Grape Jam
Because it’s a delicious, homemade, zero waste treat made right here by our extraordinary next door neighbors.
Shampoo + Conditioner Bars
Because the hardest part about changing a habit is taking that first step, for whatever reason. We hope that these bars will come in handy the next time someone runs out of their bottled haircare products, and then become the new normal.
Ritual Vitamins
Because Ritual makes the only multivitamins that don’t make me nauseous, so I want to share the love. Also, while most multivitamins have ingredients we already get from food, Ritual’s capsules contains only the nutrients you we need to fill the gaps, in bioavailable forms our body can actually use.
The Naked Stone
These stones are my favorite discovery of a 2019. They’re total-body, all-purpose moisturizers in the shape of a stone that melts on contact when applied to dry skin. They’re a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals, and come in a refillable bamboo canister.
Almond Cow
The Almond Cow turns any nut, seed, or grain into homemade plant-based milk in moments.
CLED Jewelry
Hand-formed jewelry made from recycled glass (a natural material mainly composed of sand). This renewable resource can be recycled endlessly, and can be made without causing harm to animals or the environment. CLED’s pieces arrive in their minimal and elegant circular box, which is made from post consumer contents.
Teddi Joelle Bags
I really love Teddi Joelle. Their designs are unique, the craftsmanship is exquisite, their team is lovely, and their style is impeccable.
Vintner's Daughter
It’s not cheap, but for the quality and all the products it replaces, Active Botanical Serum is totally worth it, in my opinion. This serum is a powerful, multi-correctional face oil infused with 22 of the world’s most nutrient-rich botanicals.
From Jennifer Wooden Toys and Activities
This small company makes high quality, practical, delightful, and pretty wooden toys and activities for children of many ages. From tracing boards to perpetual calendars to arts supplies, they have dozens of brilliant, lovingly crafted designs.
Play Silks
Sarah’s Silks is a family owned company specializing in Waldorf inspired sustainable toys for children. Their silks are simple and versatile, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes. (Children 3+)
OddBird Robes
I recently purchased an OddBird robe for West, and was immediately jealous and wanted my own. Luckily they come in multiple sizes and I was able to find a matching one. Now I want to get them for everyone I know. They’re sustainably made in small-batches, using 100% natural fibers and woven by artisans on century-old semi-automatic looms.
Late Sunday Afternoon Ascots
Ascots can be worn in a myriad of ways— around your neck, on your wrist, in your hair, on your bag/pack/basket, and around the brim of your hat. Our friends at Late Sunday Afternoon use locally sourced deadstock fabrics to create their ascots in-house. Any scraps are used to stuff handmade dog beds that they then donate to animal shelters.
"Vivre Mieux Avec Moins" (Swiss Blog Feature)
I’m so delighted to be featured on La Vie Bohème, a beautiful Swiss blog by journalist Céline Perret.
During our nearly 2 hour long interview, Céline and I discussed living better with less, my arc into a greener lifestyle, and the ways in which small space living intertwines with sustainability.
We also discussed the process of writing my book, Small Space Style, and how engaging in brand partnerships has given me the opportunity to dive into lengthy, productive discussions with companies about what they are doing to reduce their footprint, and how consumers can help drive change, too.
To read the article in English, opt for your web browser's auto-translate function.
Images courtesy of La Vie Bohème.
