To say we are crushin’ on our latest Red Bra Project guest, Tiffany Allen is an understatement. She has us excited about life’s potential listening to her perspective on living “outside of the lines” with her husband, Casey and two beautiful daughters in a tiny house just north of Dallas. So yea, while EVERYTHING is not bigger in Texas, this tiny home is allowing for space, clarity and adventure in Tiffany’s home, life & family We are SO excited to share a peek into her family, lifestyle & story with you.
As anyone who has taken the unconventional leap in some sort of way can identify with the fact that it’s always a journey full of the unknown, adrenaline and of course the, “am I (are we) just bat shit crazy?!” moments – right alongside of all of this are opinions. The thing is there will always be opinions, no matter what – so why not brush them off and do the uncommon thinng regardless of others approval? At the end of the day, it is your life, no one else’s.
The Backstory: After Tiffany’s second daughter was born and the days of maternity leave were on the countdown, Tiffany knew she just didn’t want to go back to work and leave her baby. A couple months back into returning to her job solidified her hunch and it was time for some real and creative problem solving conversations to be had. At first, Tiffany and Casey thought they could down size to one car and that would allow for Tiffany to stay at home. They quickly discovered that was not the case and that something else had to be done. Growing up with a military lifestyle and accustomed to moving around quite frequently, Tiffany has always had and been comfortable with the travel bug. After crunching more numbers, diving deeper into some research and a lot of guts Tiffany and Casey decided to go for it. Two weeks later they put their house up for sale and it sold in THREE days! Well, it doesn’t get more real than that and with the blink of an eye, the ride was official! With the support of both sets of parents, some friends & contractors Tiffany and Casey were off and running, building their very first 380 sq ft tiny home!
Tiffany was making plans and decisions along the process. Through the grace of her contractors and skills learned the home was completed in 5 months. They fell in love with it. Not only was the space perfect for their family, but along with downsizing came the gift of being debt – free. Their home that sold was renovated and the work invested prior was well worth it. Talk about feeling lighter with not only living a debt free lifestyle, but also beginning to immediately see what a life with less “stuff” meant for their family.
Jokingly we asked Tiffany if she and Casey have ever tackled a project of this magnitude before and while it was definitely a first in terms of taking on a project with a high level of uncertainty & unsaid confidence, their process taught them even more about the importance of communication; especially through what could be stressful situations. She shared with us that whenever things may get tough now they remind themselves; we built a tiny house, things will be fine!
When the transition to staying home started to evolve Tiffany pursued a love of hers being photographery. She discovered her love with the business through capturing the precious moments of her daughter’s lives through the camera lens. Through hard work and dedication she built her photography business with love and some grit. From newborns to weddings & families Tiffany found her passion in product / branding photos. Whilst she loves all photography, her introverted self loves the product side in which she focuses on. Don’t take our word for it, check out her IG page @blancandbush for some gorgeous inspiration and a taste of Tiffany’s classy & warm style.
In life it’s crazy to look back over a period of time and realize how much change has happened. It’s a perfect indicator that change can be a positive and beautiful thing. One of the most unexpected key learnings that Tiffany has discovered along the way was the massive amount of impact her and her family experienced mentally from downsizing. She can already see a difference in her young daughter. When they are at a public place, say the library Tiffany notices that her daughter stares blankly at all of the toys. There’s just too much to choose from. Where when at home, her daughter will play continuously with one toy for at least 30 minutes. When she’s done, she knows that everything has it’s “home” and she cleans up after herself. Tiffany is glowing (nooo, it’s not just her introverted blush from chatting with us), as she opens up about this unexpected learning. In a way, less stuff has led them to more room to breathe easier with less to clutter it up. Which has also led to more travel with grandparents!! Every mile is a memory, here in Tiffany’s household.
Tiffany gives a big shout out to her Momma who is not only Tiffany’s biggest cheerleader, but as sweet & welcoming as ever with that southern charm. Not to be fooled though, “My Mom is one tough cookie. She taught me you can’t wait around until your husband has time off to do things. You gotta do what you want to do,” when sharing about her 11 hour travel to Hawaii with her 10 month old daughter, solo! Her Mom was one of Tiffany’s biggest supporters when she was going through her own struggle with postpartum. What an awesome mother – daughter – friend relationship, cheers to you both!
So how did Tiffany deal with the opinions, questions & virtual side – eye from people when they found out about her tiny house adventure? First of all, she and her husband actually didn’t share what they were doing until AFTER their home was on the market and sold. They were serious about their commitment. Secondly as for the comments such as: “Are you sure a tiny house is safe for toddlers?” “What about the privacy”?, etc. they are choosing to allow their daughters to answer those questions through their own experience and personalities.
A Few of Tiffany’s Tips For Organizing / Downsizing (we loooove these easy tips you can implement this week!)
1. Keep a certain # of totes for toys. Tiffany keeps two totes under her couch and rotates out her daughters toys. What fits, fits. No questions – easy as that! Her daughter’s love the toy bin!
2. Have a set # of hangars in any given closet for clothes. Once hangars are full, either give – a – way to make room & shop or choose not to make a new purchase at that time. Mentally, it is a wonderful break and doubles as a welcoming saving space habit.
3. Purge monthly. Purging seasonally or once a year can be overwhelming. Instead, have a spot for things you find throughout the month that you want to give – a – way, let the whole family participate, fill it up, then donate.
4. Pick one date a month to drop off give – a- way / schedule a donation pick – up.
5. The one in / one out philosophy. New toy, new clothing item, new throw pillow (etc) comes in, one goes out.
Tiffany’s Red Bra Moment: (nooo, you don’t actually have to own a Red Bra to own your Red Bra Moment(s) ;-)) Stepping out into the world of social media and sharing about her life in a real & genuine way. As an introvert she keeps pushing herself with being uncomfortable to get comfortable. “As an incredibly private person, opening up about things that have happened in my life, especially the ones that don’t go my way is t o u g h. But in doing so, I’ve become more confident in myself and my faith.”
There’s so much more to share in our chat with Tiffany! Catch the replay right here. We want to hear from you…what do yo think: is downsizing something that intrigues you? Do you think you could do it? Or no way, you love your space too much?!?! Let us know in the comments below!
All the ways to connect with Tiffany:
@blancandblush (IG & FB)
www.blancblush.com – Business Website & Tiny House Blog
Thank you Tiffany for sharing your heart, personal lifestyle and a peak into your families world with us. We are SO inspired not only by you as a person, mother, wife and daughter but all that you are doing in the most unconventional of ways. You go beautiful woman! Thank you for being our guest.
Thanks for stopping by, you are so appreciated! We hope this story inspired you or someone you know on some level. We know it did us, please share away. Always wear that red bra underneath it all and make sure to join the party over @theredbraproject!
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Much Love,
Renee & Shawna
