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In a nutshell…

The Wayward Home is all about living a simpler, more connected, more adventurous life, whether you’re in a campervan, RV, sailboat or tiny home.

Hey there!

Are you sick of being bogged down with bills and a mortgage, working away at a job you don’t love?

Or are you retired, trying to figure out your next adventure?

Maybe life has left you in a spot where you need to downsize and minimize your life.

There are so many ways to jump out of the box and live a new style of the American Dream. Here at The Wayward Home, we’re dedicated to giving you inspiration, options and ideas on how to live a tinier, more fulfilling life.

Hi, I’m Kristin Hanes! Founder of The Wayward Home.

I live in a Chevy Astro van and on a 41′ sailboat with my partner, Tom. We started out the simple life by living in a Prius back in 2015, and let me tell you, it was a tough transition. But more about that later.

I started The Wayward Home in 2017 after I lost my 15-career as a radio news reporter. I had to totally reinvent the wheel and wish I’d had connections with others doing the same.

The goal of my website is to bring people together who are interested in living differently.

Sometimes, jumping into a new way of life head first can be scary, and I’m here to help ease the fall.

Living in a van and on a sailboat has been a total gamechanger for me. I’ve learned to live with less stuff, make money on my own terms, and enjoy the simplicity of tiny living.

I hope you enjoy it as much as me.!

  • woman standing on a sailboat bow demonstrating what to wear sailing
  • woman cooking near campervan
  • man standing next to van boondocking in Vermillion cliffs

My Journey Into the Simple Life

I still remember the day I gave up my apartment and moved into a Toyota Prius with my boyfriend, Tom. We did it to pay off debt and save up enough money to buy a sailboat.

My rent in San Francisco was costing me $21,000 per year, and that’s no way to get ahead.

At first, I felt uncomfortable and scared, like I was living in the fringes of society.

I was afraid to tell my work. I was even afraid to tell my own family!

Back in 2015, I didn’t know there were online support groups for people living in cars and in vans.

For four months, we lived in the Toyota Prius, stealth camping all over San Francisco. As time went on, I started to get used to living in a tiny space. I felt less bogged down by stuff. I had more freedom for nature adventures. I saved TONS of money!

And Tom bought his sailboat.

a liveaboard sailboat floating in the water with a man onboard
Tom on our liveaboard sailboat anchored out in the San Francisco Bay

Then, in 2016, I was laid off from my job as a radio news reporter at KGO Radio, and I started living on the sailboat with Tom. In 2018, I added a van to my life and now we split our time between the two.

I learned how to run a blogging business, and now I make a full-time income with The Wayward Home. I feel so incredibly thankful!

Now, I want to help you figure out how to live in a tinier home, whether that’s with #vanlife, an RV, a sailboat or a tiny house.

If you’re facing a mountain of stuff and need to downsize, if you’re concerned about remote work, or if you just want to find a place with like-minded people, The Wayward Home is for you.

Sign up for our email list!

Sign up for our email list for stories and tips about simple living – I’d love to have you part of the tribe!

Want to learn more about me in video format? A local San Francisco TV station, KPIX, put together this report on me and The Wayward Home:

What type of tiny living most appeals to you?

There’s no one size fits all approach to going tiny. Some people want to camp off-grid in a van, others want to sail to remote places on a sailboat.

Others, like me, want a combination of tiny homes! My next dream is a tiny cabin on a piece of property.

Whatever you’re interested in, we have articles about all different types of lifestyles.

There’s van life…

Rving…

Living on a boat…

And tiny homes…

I hope these articles give you a good starting point to figure out which dream tiny lifestyle is right for you!

Need help with remote work?

Remote work is one of the biggest concerns among my readers. That’s why I put together a free 5-day course on working remotely. You can sign up below:

The Wayward Home in the news:

Here’s where The Wayward Home’s been featured in the news:

PRESS:

PODCASTS:

Questions or concerns?

Write to me anytime at Kristin [a] thewaywardhome.com.

I look forward to assisting you on your tiny journey!