Denise Martin, a newly retired grandmother, found the perfect way to stay close to the family by moving into a backyard THOW—a tiny home on wheels—parked behind her daughter’s house.
This 10-foot-wide home is the result of a collaborative effort with her son-in-law, Bjon, the owner of Spindrift Tiny Homes, who helped bring their shared vision to life.
Denise is thrilled with the custom-built space and plans to use it as a mobile base for her snowbird lifestyle. She spends summers in Oregon and winters in an Arizona retirement community.
Creating a dream home: A backyard THOW built for family
For Denise, retirement was an opportunity to strengthen her bond with her family.
After retiring, she sought a living arrangement that would allow her to spend more time with her children and grandchildren.
Her solution: a backyard THOW on her daughter’s property in central Oregon.
The two-acre property, where her daughter’s family already lived, provided the perfect space for Denise to build her cozy retreat.
Denise’s son-in-law, Bjon, introduced her to tiny homes.
As Denise explained, “Otherwise, tiny homes would have probably not even been on my radar.”
Despite initial hesitation about living in such a small space, the practicality and family closeness won her over.
“For me, it always felt like it was just going to be too small,” she admitted, having been used to larger homes.
Denise and Bjon designed a backyard THOW that perfectly balanced functionality with style.
Design process: Crafting a custom backyard tiny home on wheels
Despite her doubts, Denise embraced the challenge of designing a backyard THOW with Bjon.
Measuring 30 feet long and 10 feet wide, the home was meticulously crafted to suit her needs.
Denise envisioned a “modern farmhouse” style, emphasizing natural light throughout the space.
“I wanted to make sure when we were designing this home that I got so much natural sunlight,” she shared.
Bjon’s expertise ensured the design was practical and structurally sound, especially regarding the home’s mobility.
Maximizing space: Inside Denise’s cozy backyard, THOW
Inside the backyard THOW, Denise has created a spacious yet cozy living area.
The home’s 300 square feet are carefully designed to feel open, with ample natural light from numerous windows and a skylight.
“I have a skylight right in the middle of the house so that I can always have the sun shining in when I’m in the kitchen,” she explained.
The living room features multifunctional furniture, including a pull-out couch that doubles as a bed.
With its L-shaped layout, the kitchen maximizes counter space and storage, making the most of the home’s 10-foot width.
Comfortable and convenient: Key features of the backyard THOW
Despite its size, Denise’s backyard THOW has thoughtful amenities that prioritize comfort.
The kitchen includes a stove with a flip-up cover and a retro-style refrigerator.
Clever storage solutions, like deep baskets and pull-out drawers, help organize the space.
The bathroom features a full-size shower and an incinerator toilet, which Denise praises for its cleanliness and odor-free operation.
“The best thing about the incinerator toilet, besides the fact that everything gets burnt to ashes, is there’s never a smell,” she said.
The home also includes a custom-built workspace for Denise’s office needs.
A new chapter: Flexibility, family, and future travels
Living in her backyard THOW has brought Denise closer to her family, especially her granddaughter, Lily, who visits for breakfast several mornings a week.
“That’s my favorite thing when she comes across and just hangs out,” Denise shared.
She also enjoys the peaceful surroundings of the property, where her dogs have plenty of room to run.
Denise is excited to embrace her snowbird lifestyle, using the backyard THOW as a home base in Oregon during the summer and Arizona during the winter.
“This is a great option because it’s mobile. If the family decides to move somewhere, the tiny home goes with it,” Bjon explained.
Denise’s experience with tiny living has exceeded her expectations.
“I was completely surprised by how spacious this is,” she admitted.
She encourages others considering a similar living arrangement to explore the tiny home option.
“I would encourage anybody who wanted to have a granny flat or whatever they call them to consider a tiny home because it’s just so easy,” she concluded.
For Denise, her backyard THOW is not just a home; it’s a new chapter filled with family, flexibility, and adventure.
Check out Denise’s tiny home on wheels through the video below:
Subscribe to Tiny House Expedition’s YouTube channel to see more interesting tiny home videos like this.
Discover more from My Positive Outlooks
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Her daughter seems to live out in the country or at least not too many cities have such huge back yards!