community, design, downsizing, minimalism, planning, Workshops, Tiny Houses
Lina Menard
Tiny House Roadmap

I’m excited to be teaming up with Sal Link to teach a new e-course, Tiny House Roadmap, starting in October. Participants will walk away with a rough but well-informed design of their tiny house, having made many of the decisions they need to make before building and an understanding of whether they’re able to commit to the process. Come join us in October!

Tiny House Roadmap
building, ADUs, workshops
Lina Menard
Women's+ Basic Carpentry March 2025

I had just gotten back from Wrapping Up Tiny House Design-Build Cert 2025 when Chrissy called to ask if I’d consider teaching Women’s+ Basic Carpentry. This was the first Yestermorrow course I ever heard of - nearly 20 years ago now! I signed up for the catalog - which was snail mailed back then - and I’d flip through it, circling all the courses I wanted to take. It was a couple of years before I finally signed up for the Sustainable Design-Build Certification and got myself to Yestermorrow. But I’ve been going there ever since! So it feels like I’ve come full circle, having the opportunity to teach the Women’s+ Basic Carpentry course.

Women's+ Basic Carpentry March 2025
Community, Intentionality
Lina Menard
Choosing Community (Again)

It’s been a couple of weeks now since we moved next door to my best friend from both college and grad school and her husband. The benefits of community have already been lovely - and quite tasty! Having my fairy godfamily help us unload our stuff the day we arrived and then join us for take out on the living room floor was just the beginning of our participation in this lovely reciprocal community.

Choosing Community (Again)
Travel, Community, ADUs
Lina Menard
Maui, Hawaii

After A Week Long Send Off, My Round the World Trip kicked off with eight days in Maui visiting my sister Sarah who has split her time between Hawaii and Alaska for many years. What an epic way to start this adventure! There was mist falling when my sister greeted me at the Kahului airport on Maui a week ago, so she teased me about bringing the rain from the mainland. We headed straight for Paia where she presented me with a young coconut and a lei, accompanied by the chant for the gifting-of-a-lei.

Maui, Hawaii
Travel, Planning, tiny houses
Lina Menard
Lucky Penny Moves to Walla Walla

A number of circumstances collided recently to compel me to move the Lucky Penny to my property in Walla Walla where I have a ground bound small house called Valencia Cottage. So on Tuesday trusted tiny house movers Linh and Stephanie Pham helped me move the Lucky Penny safely from Portland to my place in Walla Walla.

Lucky Penny Moves to Walla Walla
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A Tiny House Turnover

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A Tiny House Turnover

Last week I was in Walla Walla, doing a turnover of The Lucky Penny for a new tenant. I’m renting The Lucky Penny as a fully-furnished mid-term rental, partly because I know there’s a need for this type of housing - especially at this price point and in a college town - and partly because it’s such a fun opportunity for people to try out tiny house living for a few months. (If you have any interest in renting The Lucky Penny for a season, get in touch!) There’s the added bonus that whenever I have a tiny house turnover I get to come visit my littlest house and enjoy being back inside it myself!

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The Newest HELMster

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The Newest HELMster

Today is my 42nd birthday, which means it (and me?!) are the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything! (At least according to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.) And while I certainly don’t feel like I have all the answers, I’m so grateful that the past year brought me the lessons, people, and experiences it did. And I’m thrilled that this new year is kicking off how it is. I recently participated in My 24th Annual Pilgrimage to the Oregon Country Fair and then headed straight to the HELM Construction Solutions annual all-company retreat in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I’m thrilled to be the newest HELMster (as we affectionately call each other)!

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Tiny House Roadmap

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Tiny House Roadmap

I’m excited to be teaming up with Sal Link to teach a new e-course, Tiny House Roadmap, starting in October. Participants will walk away with a rough but well-informed design of their tiny house, having made many of the decisions they need to make before building and an understanding of whether they’re able to commit to the process. Come join us in October!

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6 Strategies for Packing Lightly: How I Traveled Cross Country in Winter with Just a Personal Item

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6 Strategies for Packing Lightly: How I Traveled Cross Country in Winter with Just a Personal Item

When I booked my flight to Burlington in anticipation of Jumping into Tiny House Design-Build Cert 2025, I snagged the least expensive flight I could find that fit the schedule. That meant signing up for a ticket that included a personal item, but no carry-on luggage. I knew that was going to be a feat considering that I was packing for two-weeks… in Vermont… in winter! I just can’t seem to help travel hacking my own systems. I’ve learned a lot and it serves me well. It might not serve you. That’s fine, of course. But since I’ve benefitted from checking out other people’s packing lists (especially when it comes to building capsule wardrobes), I’ve decided to share my packing-in-a-personal-item strategies here in case they’re helpful for anyone else.

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Tiny House Certificate Story on Vermont Public Radio

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Tiny House Certificate Story on Vermont Public Radio

Today I received three messages within an hour, saying “I heard you on the radio!” So I knew the story about Yestermorrow’s 2025 Tiny House Design-Build Certificate went live today. In case you didn’t happen to be listening, I’m excited to share it with you, too.

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Back Gate Neighbors

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Back Gate Neighbors

My fairy godfamily had been encouraging me to move to Corvallis, Oregon for years and Choosing Community (Again) was easy when the house directly behind theirs came up for rent. Since we moved in a couple months ago, it has been a quick trip around the block to visit each other, but we wanted to create a portal to make it even easier. This past weekend we dedicated to yard projects, including creating a gate in the fence so that we can go back and forth between our houses easily.

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Women's+ Basic Carpentry March 2025

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Women's+ Basic Carpentry March 2025

I had just gotten back from Wrapping Up Tiny House Design-Build Cert 2025 when Chrissy called to ask if I’d consider teaching Women’s+ Basic Carpentry. This was the first Yestermorrow course I ever heard of - nearly 20 years ago now! I signed up for the catalog - which was snail mailed back then - and I’d flip through it, circling all the courses I wanted to take. It was a couple of years before I finally signed up for the Sustainable Design-Build Certification and got myself to Yestermorrow. But I’ve been going there ever since! So it feels like I’ve come full circle, having the opportunity to teach the Women’s+ Basic Carpentry course.

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Wrapping Up Tiny House Design Build Cert 2025

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Wrapping Up Tiny House Design Build Cert 2025

This past week of the Tiny House Design-Build Certificate at Yestermorrow flew by. We got so much snow over the weekend that we made Monday a studio day and everyone worked on their own designs. I shared information about small space appliances and fixtures and we discussed small space design tricks to make a small space more functional and appealing.

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Tiny House Design-Build Cert 2025 (Week 3)

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Tiny House Design-Build Cert 2025 (Week 3)

What an awesome week it’s been at Yestermorrow, teaching and learning through the Tiny House Design-Build Certification! A big snow storm came through last night, so we’ve got about a foot on the ground and more still falling. This is a pretty darn cozy place to be snowed in! I’ve got some sweet rolls rising in the Yestermorrow kitchenette, so it seems like a good time to catch up on this past week.