Have you noticed it too?  
The interest rates, specifically mortgage and refinance rates have dropped.  Its the lowest they have been in 3 years. 
Which then leads me & millions of others wondering....will they continue to drop?  
Most seem to believe they could drop further.  Wow, really?  Its hard to not look at the rates & do the math and see what it can mean for your mortgage (of at least me!)
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Above are the interest rates I saw this week from my bank. 

My love of tiny homes has continued to grow over the past two years.  I think my husband hoped it would be a passing phase. 

​Yet, the more I step back and reflect on life priorities, AKA what we choose to devote our every, passion and time to, the more I love tiny homes.  So, stop and pause...what do you want to do  (NOT what you have to do)?

If you are like me, your list of what you want to do might look like this:
-more more efficiently so I have more time to do what I love 
-read more
-let myself stop and enjoy the moments of life more
-watch a sunrise & sunset at least once a week
-sleep more 
​-travel more with family & friends 

Its the list of stuff that I "HAVE" to do instead, which always seems to push everything else out of the way, like:
-laundry 
-cooking for function, not fun
-cleaning up 
-lawn maintaining/outdoor spaces  

So, how do I get away from the "HAVE" to do list?  
Have less. I will still need to do everything on this list, but what can I do to make that list shorter?  Have less, because the root of the issue is an inventory control problem. The more clothes I have, the more to clean. The more house I have, the more to clean, etc, etc. 

If there is less to clean, the faster, I can move on to the 'WANT" to do list.  
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To be a tiny home that exempt from HUD regulations, if under 400 sq. ft. or less (most are). 
If your tiny home is on wheels, there is not property tax on it (but if you own the land it sits on, there is property tax on that.  

Wait WHAT?  
- no taxes 
-less space to clean
-less space to heat/cool
-less space to fill what stuff I don't need 
-less insurance cost

Sounds grand.  

I am just starting the book, but WOW.  They conceptually frame how to view our stuff differently.  No spark joy here folks. Just the cut to the chase ideas from a 86 year old Swede.  
The concept of Magnusson's book is simple: Keep what you use and what others could use or want.  
Although I am younger than when she says for one to start to this process (age 65 or older), I can see its merit, both for me now and for others later.  

So what I have done so far-- 
1) As she suggests, I headed to my closet.  I was easily able to remove items I don't wear (this was easily done as I have started hanging my hangars up backwards and able to visually see what I don't wear for a year....then it gets donated). I did the same with my kid's closets and involved them in determining what they don't like (thus don't wear) and what was too small to pass on. 
2) This morning I tackled the filing cabinet--and I weeded like I do annually.  The cabinet is 10lbs lighter of paper. 
3) The storage room--I know, for many that is an overwhelming room to start with, but one that I knew I could rock!  There is now a box full of kids toys, art creations from my high school years, surveys completed from my disseration 10+ years ago and broken stuff I have kept but never used.  (I only have the old photos to sort left).  
4) To do still

• books--she recommends keeping only what you have not read or will read again, give away the rest. I will have to modify to keep those having memories too.
• garage (waiting until its warmer) 
•  kitchen (there is just sooo much there!) 

Magnusson wrote, "Life will be more pleasant & comfortable if we get rid of some of the abundance."

Things I have realized so far:
1) I love bowls, pretty bowls to eat from. 
2) Black, gray, and white seem to be the colors I prefer wearing the most. 
3) I love functional old stuff--like that old refrigerator from 1940 that I can store stuff in. 

I have been cold I am minimalistic already, and by what Magnusson writes, I think I have death cleaned most of life, so doing this exercise is relatively easy for me.

If you are like me, you are always trying to work more effectively & efficiently in everything you do.  
My need for this multiplied drastically once becoming a mother.  
My to do list are EPIC, but they help me get so much done.  BUT, could I up my game even more?  And I believe the answer is yes.  How you ask, TIMEBOXING.  

Sounds hard, and for some, it might be, but is also strangely empowering & liberating.  The feeling of being overwhelmed is diminished, at least for me.  
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That in itself makes timeboxing a WIN for me.