A couple drowning under $90,000 worth of debt moved into a tiny home in a bid to live a more frugal life closer to nature.
Jocelyn Lukow, 32, and her 35-year-old husband Javis, from Victoria, Canada, sat down and realized they owed the outstanding student loan as well as consumer debt.
Lukow said the most challenging experience was getting rid of 90 per cent of their belongings over a two-month period so they could move into the new property.
The mobile tiny home Jocelyn Lukow and her husband Javis built is just 350 sq ft but features a separate room for their daughter
Jarvis Lukow and his wife Jocelyn are pictured with their young daughter outside their new home after downsizing
The mobile property has 13 ft ceilings and a loft bedroom for the couple, plus a full kitchen and bathroom
They threw out books, furniture, sports equipment and ‘things that weren’t absolutely necessary or that we didn’t cherish’, the Huffington Post reported.
It features a separate bedroom for their daughter, a loft bedroom for Lukow and her husband, a full kitchen, bathroom and a living room.
‘It was quite overwhelming in the beginning, to be honest,’ said Lukow.
‘When we decided to do the tiny house we really realized how much we didn’t know.’
A key part of living in a tiny home is that ‘everything needs to be easily changed into something else’ explained Lukow.
The key to living in a tiny home is that ‘everything needs to be easily changed into something else’, Lukow said
The couple said they had to learn quickly when building their tiny new home. The interior is made from wood paneling
She said the budding tiny house community has been a great support system, offering tips on how to make the most of their limited space.
The couch can be converted into a queen-sized bed for guests, the dining table can be folded away to make room for a yoga space, and there is storage built into the floor.
By living modestly and below their means, they were able to pay it off their debts in 20 months.
‘It was the best experience for me personally to just learn to live small, to be happy with less. And I never wanted to feel that pressure of debt again.’