One of the blogs I follow is Living Large in Our Little House by Kerri Fivecoat Campbell. Kerri and her husband their six dogs (yes, you read that right) live in a tiny house in the woods by a lake in Arkansas. She also has a separate writing studio/guesthouse. When I was a little girl, I loved dollhouses. I never had an actual dollhouse, but I had plenty of Barbies and loved collecting tiny things to put in my Barbie townhouse. The tiny house movement appeals to that old fascination of mine somehow. Over the years, Kerri has shared lots of tiny houses on her blog, all of which make me appreciate the aesthetic of paring down and living in a small space. Some of these homes are simply ingenious.

Kerri now has a book out with the same name and it’s terrific. Living Large in Our Little House not only tells the story of how Kerri and her husband joined the tiny house movement (it was largely unplanned) and how she manages in such a small space, but she also shares lots of photos and stories from others in small homes. Once you’ve satisfied your voyeuristic urges, you’ll also find that the book is packed with helpful information that people from all walks of life can tap into. She has tips on how to stock a small kitchen, how to deal with family heirlooms and “stuff,” even how to work from home and maintain friendships while living in a small house.

I was particularly interested in seeing the CAD drawing of the plans for her house. It really helped me understand the space. Kerri is a small house veteran and she knows what works and what doesn’t. The book is packed with tips based on her experience (in fact, she would have made her house a bit bigger if she’d known then what she knows now).

If you’re considering downsizing (or are going to be helping a parent downsize), want to live in a small house, or are just entranced with the concept as I am, this is a book you should pick up.