After years of stress within the meals trade, Steve and Jen made their tiny home dream come true by leaving the rat race behind and beginning contemporary within the peaceable countryside of New Zealand.
From burnout to freedom
At one level, Steve and Jen’s days revolved across the high-pressure world {of professional} kitchens.
The lengthy hours and intense workload took a toll. They realized one thing needed to change.
So, they bought almost every thing they owned, left their chef careers, and took a daring step towards leaving the rat race.
That leap ultimately led them to construct a lifetime of simplicity, sustainability, and freedom.
Leaving the rat race for good
Initially, planning to maneuver to Edinburgh, Brexit issues altered their course. New Zealand—regardless of being unfamiliar—grew to become their new dwelling.
“It turned out to be the higher choice,” Jen recalled.
They started their minimalist journey in a distinct tiny home in West Auckland.
However whereas they beloved the idea, they needed a spot and one thing constructed fully to suit their long-term wants.
So, they dedicated to creating their second tiny home dream come true—this time with land, no stairs, and sufficient house to breathe.
An enormous change in making their tiny home dream come true
The couple moved to New Zealand with solely the necessities.
“We mainly removed all of our possessions,” Jen mentioned.
That aware downsizing helped put together them for tiny home dwelling.
They purchased into a singular off-grid group on three and a half acres of land, completely aligned with their low-cost, self-sufficient dwelling values.
“It’s a part of the rationale this was reasonably priced,” Steve defined.
Off-grid but luxurious: A tiny home dream come true
This time, they didn’t maintain again. Their custom-built dwelling connects two tiny home pods—one for dwelling and one for sleeping—by way of a central deck, all powered fully by photo voltaic power.
The entire structure is designed for consolation, operate, and off-grid independence.
“We’re not messing round with the photo voltaic,” Steve mentioned, explaining it powers all the dwelling and their two electrical automobiles.
The panels sit on a ground-level rig for simpler upkeep.
Their $450,000 funding—funded by promoting their earlier tiny dwelling—supplied them full management with out the burden of a mortgage.
Contained in the tiny home that made their dream come true
The house feels surprisingly spacious at 750 sq. toes (together with the porch).
The principle dwelling pod features a chef’s kitchen, lounge, rest room, and laundry, all surrounded by glass doorways and skylights that flood the house with pure gentle.
“You open that door and you may see every thing… it’s very nice,” Steve mentioned.
The custom-built sofa within the lounge affords hidden storage—excellent for blankets, quilts, and even prolonged kitchen provides.
A separate pod for relaxation and work
The linked bed room pod affords privateness and quiet, permitting every to chill out with out disrupting the opposite.
“I will be watching my baseball recreation, and Jennifer will be watching her present, and we will’t hear one another,” Steve shared.
A comfy dwelling workplace and studying nook additionally occupy the pod, stuffed with books from their work and household authors. A big wardrobe and private objects mirror their well-edited life.
A chef’s kitchen constructed for a couple of dream
As skilled cooks, a top-tier kitchen was non-negotiable. Jen referred to as it “palatial.”
It features a high-quality oven, a big chopping board, and intelligent storage.
“We positively went for the upgraded every thing,” Steve mentioned.
A singular contact is a SodaStream linked to a restaurant-grade CO2 tank that lasts almost two years.
“We’re the worst SodaStream prospects ever,” Steve joked.
A toilet that surprises
Regardless of its compact footprint, the toilet feels luxurious. It incorporates a rainwater-fed bathe, composting rest room, and elevated ceilings.
Jen designed the colour palette herself, whereas Steve, who’s colour blind, fortunately trusted her decisions.
Additionally they included a devoted laundry space with separate washer and dryer models—no extra combo machines.
Freedom that modified their lives
Residing mortgage-free and off-grid gave Steve and Jen the final word reward—early retirement.
“Our dwelling bills went from $50,000 a 12 months to $3,000,” Steve mentioned. That sort of financial savings made it attainable to cease working and really get pleasure from life.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that that is the rationale we had been capable of retire,” he added.
They now spend their days writing, gardening, and spending time with Iggy, their massive, deaf canine who “runs the home.”
A tiny home dream that lastly got here true
Steve and Jen’s house is greater than only a place to stay—it’s proof that leaving the rat race and pursuing an easier life can result in happiness, freedom, and achievement.
Their journey exhibits that making a tiny home dream come true isn’t about giving up consolation—it’s about redefining what issues most.
And for them, that features open skies, solar energy, and the peace of understanding they’ve created one thing that actually appears like dwelling.
To see Steve and Jen’s tiny home in motion, watch the complete video tour beneath:
Don’t overlook to subscribe to Residing Large In A Tiny Home for extra inspiring tiny home journeys like theirs!
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