Grappling with her finances, a twice divorced mother of two who lost both her homes in the “carnage of divorces,” found a creative way to make things work by downsizing her life.
Michelle Boyle, who was living paycheck to paycheck, had no retirement plan, two kids who were starting college, and could no longer afford the high rent she was paying for her home in Oregon.
What she did next was brilliant! Keep reading to find out how her “tiny empty nest” helped solve many of her problems!
Nearing retirement, Michelle Boyle found herself in a tight financial spot. The woman, who was living paycheck to paycheck, built two homes that she lost in two divorces, and needed to support two adult children preparing to leave for college, all without a retirement plan.
“My life has been a series of unfortunate events. I have been divorced twice. I have built two houses and I lost the houses basically in the carnage of my divorces,” Boyle said.
Spending $1,600 a month in rent to pay off someone else’s mortgage, she had to find a sustainable action plan that would allow her to live comfortably.
That was when she embraced the tiny house philosophy–or social movement–that’s described by The Tiny Life as “choosing to downsize” a living space to “simplify, and live with less.”
She built her first tiny house in the driveway of the home she was renting at the time. The home, where she now lives, is eight and a half feet wide by 24 feet long, and every foot of space is used. Many features, like the stairs, double as storage, and across the space is the “cat walk,” a carpeted beam that she uses as support when using the steps to her sleeping area, and that her cat uses to “runs back and forth and treats the entire house like a jungle gym.”
The kitchen, that she said is her favorite room, has a charm with its retro fittings, and the bathroom has a composting toilet with no release of bad smells.
And the theme, that she calls “modern nostalgia” is warmly decorated, creating a cozy, homey atmosphere that costs her only $75 a month in expenses.
Tapping into her creativity and design skills, Boyle is building on her appreciation of tiny homes, and also constructing more homes to rent out and generate some income.
“I built my first house, this house, basically using cash and sponsorships to make sure that I have a paid-for nice, comfortable house when I retire,” Boyle said, adding she now rents out her other homes through vacation platforms to “create some income.”
And, according to her Facebook page, she’s established a profitable business that includes designing, selling, and delivering tiny homes.
What do you think of the tiny house movement? We think it’s awesome and Michelle Boyle has quite the talent for creating a perfect, tiny living space!
Please share this story and let’s hear what others think of this tiny home trend!
If you enjoyed reading abut Michelle Boyle and her tiny houses, you’ll probably really like the story of the tiny house community built in LA for the homeless!
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