(upbeat music)
- It's a 1976 Airstream Ambassador
which is about 30 feet
from the hitch to the rear
and around 27, 28 feet on the inside.
I have a love hate relationship with this Airstream
in that I think everyone who takes it under restoration
probably does.
I went through a period of just personal stress
where many elements of my life kind of fell apart.
My ability to kind of be optimistic
about what I was capable of
that I can make something happen was very shattered
and so I knew I needed a project
and it really helped me remember
that I can still be a creative individual,
despite challenges and then reap the rewards of that.
I lucked out in that I found a great trailer.
He just wanted it out,
so I showed up,
he said what can you pay?
I said I'm gonna gut it,
I offered him a third of what he was looking at
and was able to get the trailer for just under 4,000.
And mine was in great exterior shape.
I honestly haven't done much on the outside,
so that was like a huge check.
On the inside it was exactly how it was in 1976,
shag carpet,
cluttery curtains,
everything was cream or brown,
very weak kind of laminate cabinets.
All the cabinetry I tore out completely
and rebuilt from scratch.
I took out the original blackwater toilet system.
So I put in a composting toilet.
I replaced the subfloor
and found a really affordable kind of scrap amount
of bamboo flooring so bringing in some wood,
bringing in some comfortable fabrics
that added just a little bit of life
into the space was really important to me.
We put in a whole new kitchen
and that was a combination of spare laminate pieces,
kind of this blue that I really wanted one simple color
on the wall and in small spaces,
making sure your kitchen is really functional,
makes the whole space feel functional.
So the counter serves as a really long kitchen
when you need it.
It serves as a desk,
a reading area when you need it,
and kind of makes the whole space feel really open.
I then wanted to add a little bit of character,
I was also on like a very tight budget
and so I picked up for like five dollars
several hundred stripped wood pallettes
and just used that to build the primary pantry
that has all the storage space I need for the kitchen,
it also houses the fridge
and just recently after living in it for a year,
I took out the free-floating couch
and I built in it's kind of a multi-purpose couch
that can be converted to a dinette,
it can kinda be converted to a coffee table space
that can seat up to five comfortably,
seven uncomfortably, but having a good time in there
and having a small child can be a challenge
in any type of space,
you have a lot of things that you need
and they're making messes
and so dealing with her things
and messes is the same process as dealing
with my own things and messes
which means everything has a place.
There are drawers and bins that are hidden
under the bed and under the dinette
that all have a purpose
and you have to minimize across the board,
so I minimize the clothes I wear
and the things I have
and we do that with her as well.
Its been the best decision I made,
it works for Bird and I
and so I'm pretty comfortable
with where everything's at now.
(clapping)
Okay.
(inaudible)
Salt Lake City is an interesting city
in that you have a vibrant downtown area
with the option for suburbs if you want
that are 10 to 15 minutes away,
but all that's housed along the Wasatch Mountains.
So when I was looking at the idea
of a mobile tiny space
and have quality of life that's kind of affordable,
I have a little girl,
all of a sudden taking a heavy look at where I grew up,
Salt Lake, made a lot of sense.
I'm not sure if the Airstream will always be how I do that.
Bird is only two years old,
it works I think for a couple years,
maybe less so as she gets older.
What makes me happy is on a day like this
where I can hang out with my little girl
and know that I'm already reaping the benefits
and being able to live as simply.
(upbeat music)