Binks Tube

This week has been one for the history books!

For years we have wanted to see Utah and all the beautiful scenic views it has to offer.

So far we have hiked to see Corona Arch, dinosaur tracks, and drank from a natural spring.

Wish we had more time to spend here, there is so much to do/see it is overwhelming.

Eight years?

Where has the time gone?!

Eight years ago today, we said, “I do,” and life has been a crazy adventure ever since.

From the simple apartment life to renovating a bus together and getting way over our heads, I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.

I don’t think we could have foreseen all the adventures we have shared over these past eight years, 🥂to many more!

Happy 4th!

We are so bad at taking family photos and the cats were very confused to what was going on.

What are your plans for today?

Yesterday we laid the tile in the bathroom. Tiling a small space was much more challenging than we expected, but we are pleased with how it turned out.

Joel did the last nine tiles from inside the tub, which is temporarily underneath the bed.

Can you believe we have been toting around the tile for almost three years and the tub for a year now?! Soon our little home on wheels will have a working bathroom.

To say that we are excited is an understatement!

We are so in love with how the photos turned out!!⁠
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Direct quote from Joel when he saw the first photo. "How did she do that?! I knew she was good but wow!" ⁠
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Thank you so much Humble & Grace Photography for pictures and Rachel Wall Hair for hair and makeup. It was an awesome day!⁠

We almost died!

Last night (Christmas) this little device that came with the bus saved our lives!

It was dropping into the 30s so we started our generator so we could use a space heater for us and a baby one for the battery bank.

Monte, Joel and I all fell asleep cuddling and were rudely woken up by a awful beeping noise. We were confused and groggy but had enough clarity to realize that it was the carbon monoxide detector going off.

We turned off the heaters and generator for the rest of the night, then opened up the windows to get fresh air into the bus.

Joel felt dizzy and lightheaded for a few minutes. I (Rachel) felt nauseous and had a headache but after some fresh air got better.

If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector GET ONE! Now!!! It might just save a life!

We had a great weekend! Here is just a little sneak peek!

Sneak Peak!!! What an awesome weekend it was! Professional photos by @humbleandgracephotography, hair + makeup by @rachel.wall.hair, and we got to do it while hanging out with friends. @dwellmagazine pictures coming soon! #tinyliving #livingtiny #tinyhouse #livingsmall #skoolielife #vanlife #vanlifediaries #homesweethome #homeonwheels #dwell @nationalskoolieassociation @nomadiconwheels

The Destroyer Of Plants! Did you get it??? 🤣🤣🤣

Ever since Monte came into our lives he has "loved" plants but it is a different love than we have. He loves to destroy them.

Plucking them from their pots to bat them around. Then he goes back to eat the dirt that came off while he was playing soccer with it.

How long do you think they will last this time? Hopefully, they make it to Picture day... 🤞🤞

If you haven't seen our stories recently we have a lot of exciting things happening!!!

Saturday we are moving to the Bradenton area officially, and getting professional pictures of us and the bus. Thanks, Humble & Grace Photography! Can't forget to mention that hair and makeup are included. 🤯🤯🤯 Thanks, Rachel Wall Hair!
This works out great because months back a magazine asked for professional pictures of the bus/us, so we will see what happens with that. 😊

Also, this weekend we are hanging out with friends, going to see/possibly swim with Manatees, and make a video of the experience.

Then there are the updates about 3k followers prizes here on Instagram and all the stuff someone will be receiving. It is all just really exciting. We will be talking more about it in an upcoming post.

By popular request here are pictures of our bathroom! Don’t get too attached because it’s not staying this way. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Don’t forget to turn on notifications because you won’t want to miss this upcoming giveaway. It feels like everyday we wakeup there is more good news!

Also, we have something exciting happening this weekend not giveaway related but still awesome! 😊😊😊

⬇️⬇️⬇️ We need your help! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⁠
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We are about to reach 3k on Instagram (YAY 👏👏👏) and we need help knowing what you want for the prize or prizes. ⁠
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In the comments let us know and don't forget to tag the page of the product you want. Maybe they will see this post and we can make some magic happen. ⁠
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AND GO! 🎉🎉🎉

I’m sure you have seen the stories and the recent post.⁠
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We are really excited to announce the launch date for our ebook. This coming Wednesday, November 11th our ebook will be live. ⁠
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We cannot begin to tell you how excited we are for this! It has been an exciting journey and we are thankful for all the love and support. ⁠
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We also need to thank everyone who sent suggestions for a nonprofit to support. As you may know, 10% of the proceeds from the book are going to help a charitable organization. We are happy to tell you that we have finally decided! Ready?⁠
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Ok, we have decided to go with ourrescue.org. If you have seen the work they do then you know that they are doing a lot to help people all over the world. They not only go into horrible situations to rescue kids and adults that are in slavery, but they also rehabilitate and make sure that these horrible people who have done this to them will never find them again. I highly recommend watching Operation Toussaint, it's on Amazon Prime. I watched it and I am a changed person!⁠
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Also, we have teamed up with some amazing people to provide bonuses from others who come from different tiny house builds and walks of life. We couldn’t have you just taking our word for how awesome tiny living is. ;)⁠
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Thank you @ and @ for teaming up with us for this book!

I know we are a little late on the Friendsgiving post but life has been a little insane lately. ⁠⠀
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I don't know if we could praise the tiny community enough.

It didn't matter if you were in a skoolie, van, or just started your tiny journey 5 days before, everyone was welcomed. ⁠⠀
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It was great getting to watch the sunset over the water and a family of dolphins swimming by while swapping stories with one another. ⁠⠀
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We thought that going tiny was going to be a lonely lifestyle, we had no clue how many likeminded people are also living tiny. ⁠⠀
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If you are living tiny and haven't gone to a show or meetup yet, then you are really missing out. You will be pleasantly surprised how many awesome people are out there also living this lifestyle.

Thanks guys for an awesome time! It’s one for the books for sure!

Wow! In the 19 or so events that has put on we were the first skoolie to win best of show. It really means a lot because this build has taken longer than we originally expected but we decided we would rather take the time to do it how it makes us happy. Having others appreciate it with us just adds to that happiness.

Thank you to John and Fin for doing these events, all the volunteers, everyone who waited in line to come peek in the bus, and to all the new friends we made.

Special congratulations to for winning best tiny home, for best skoolie, and thehuntersvanlife for best van. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🎉🎉🎉

We found Monte at a local shelter almost a year ago and he really stood out to us. Besides just being completely adorable and fluffy he had a distinct personality. As we were observing how the different cats interacted, a volunteer brought out a large food container to fill the bowls up. Of course, most of the cats swarmed the poor volunteer's feet, making her job difficult but Monte took a different approach. He just leaped right into the food container and skipped the whole waiting part. It was comical!

Until we read an article a few months back we did not really understand why he was still SO hyper and why he seemed to either completely ignore the word no or just didn’t understand it. He didn’t understand it! Even though he is the size of an adult cat he is still very much a kitten with really big paws! Like massive paws! Due to his breed, he will mentally stay a kitten until he is about 5yrs old.

When I say hyper I mean there are times that he has so much energy I am shocked he has not hurt himself or sustained a concussion. He gets a running start off our 4 foot something tall bed, runs down the hallway, but once he gets to the kitchen there is no more carpet. So he has all this momentum going straight and tries to bank a hard left to get around the kitchen cabinets but is unsuccessful. He ends up slamming face-first into them, it doesn’t even phase him. He takes off again trying really hard to get his speed back that he lost.

It's amazing! I mean it makes such a loud noise but he is never phased by it. Good thing Joel made study cabinets. We thought we had to be concerned about the rattling and vibrations of traveling but really they had to withstand the Monte test. LOL

But our favorite characteristic of his is the cuddles! He is a huge cuddle bug and loves kisses (when he isn’t hyper). He also MUST be held daily and the longer you were gone or working that day the more attention he has to have to make up for it. He WILL jump into your unsuspecting arms if his love tank is empty. No, it's not pleasant! It typically ends in one of us getting scratched and/or our clothes being torn.

Monte has a big personality that keeps us very entertained!

⬇️⬇️⬇️ It’s go time!!!!!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⁠
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You can now purchase our Tiny Living Why & How eBook. ⁠🎉🎉🎉⁠

https://payhip.com/b/1VcC
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If you have been putting off tiny living because you are overwhelmed, then this book is going to be your best friend! This book isn't going to tell you how to build a tiny house but it will get you moving and headed in the right direction.⁠
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Maybe you are having a hard time deciding what type of tiny home is best for you and your lifestyle, then chapter 7-8 is made just for you. ⁠Or your spouse/significant other doesn’t think tiny living is possible for them, but you know that it's going to be a great decision for you both; then checkout chapter 5, it will be very helpful.⁠
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We tried to compile as many helpful tips and resources in this book based on the many different questions we get in our DM’s or from the tiny house shows we love going to. Speaking of tiny house shows we will be in one November 21-22nd in The Villages, FL. Come say hi if you are in the area.⁠
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⁠So far we have been blown away by the feedback. A huge thank you goes out to , United Tiny House, and for taking the time to write these amazing bonuses! It wouldn't be the same without your help!

https://payhip.com/b/1VcC

I’m sure you have seen the stories and the recent post.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
We are really excited to announce the launch date for our ebook. This coming Wednesday, November 11th our ebook will be live. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
We cannot begin to tell you how excited we are for this! It has been an exciting journey and we are thankful for all the love and support. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
We also need to thank everyone who sent suggestions for a nonprofit to support. As you may know, 10% of the proceeds from the book are going to help a charitable organization. We are happy to tell you that we have finally decided! Ready?⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Ok, we have decided to go with Operation Underground Railroad, ourrescue.org. If you have seen the work they do then you know that they are doing a lot to help people all over the world. They not only go into horrible situations to rescue kids and adults that are in slavery, but they also rehabilitate and make sure that these horrible people who have done this to them will never find them again. I highly recommend watching Operation Toussaint, it's on Amazon Prime. I watched it and I am a changed person!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Also, we have teamed up with some amazing people to provide bonuses from others who come from different tiny house builds and walks of life. We couldn’t have you just taking our word for how awesome tiny living is. ;)⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Thank you and United Tiny House for teaming up with us for this book! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Launching 3pm Wednesday, November 11th.
https://payhip.com/b/1VcC

This was way overdue! It has been 10 months since we have taken an outside family photo with the bus. This was also Monte’s first outside family bus photo.⁠⠀
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Things are getting really exciting around here! We have the book launch in about a week, we are headed to a tiny house show in two weeks, and we are getting some little projects done on the bus before we head out. ⁠⠀
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We want your input! 10% of the proceeds from the book are going to a nonprofit. We have some ideas of our own but we want to know what your favorite nonprofit or charity is. ⁠⠀
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Let us know in the comments below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⁠⠀
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We are finally sharing the secret!
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We are writting an ebook! Crazy, right?!?
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It’s about going tiny and knowing if this is the lifestyle for you. We thought it was going to be a little regular sized ebook but Joel has been typing away on his little fingers. We are blown away with how much information there is to share on this topic and it is going to be well over 10,000 words.•

We want to give as much helpful information as we can and are pulling together a lot of helpful resources. We are also excited to have some input from other tiny house dwellers from different walks of life and different tiny houses.
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P.S. Monte thinks he is helping. 🤣🤣🤣

After a long day of work we stopped to feed the birds yesterday. About a mile from this spot Joel asked me (Rachel) to be his girlfriend about 6 years ago.
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We haven’t been super active lately but that is because we have some stuff brewing in the background.
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Have a guess of what we are working on? ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
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Here is a clue, our goal is to have it finished by mid November.

Hey you! Are you going to the Florida Tiny House Festival November 21-22?

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We are and are super excited! We got a one day pass last year and really wish we had gotten the weekend one. There was so much to see and people to meet.

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Tickets go up after today! Check out for more info!

~Normal Is Dangerous~
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Joel and I always knew we did NOT want to be normal. Before we got married we knew we didn’t want a normal marriage and after we were married we figured out that we didn’t want a normal life either.
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Normal people were stressed out, moody, overwhelmed, and grumpy! We were determined to not live like that. We also didn’t want to wait until the end of our lives to live.
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Elena Cardone says it really well. “Normal is the most dangerous situation you can be in because it gives you a false sense of security.”
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Complacency will have you waking up years from now realizing that you lived everyday like the last. Unhappy but you did nothing about it and waiting for tomorrow to come so then you might be able to live your life.
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We aren’t waiting for permission to live! We are encouraging and pushing each other to grow and be better. I hope you don’t settle for a complacent life because you are capable of big things. Hope we aren’t the only ones like this.
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If you need some encouragement read Build An Empire by . It has us fired up!

After what has felt like 14 straight days of rain we are ready to get out and make some more videos. It has been way too long since we have made one. With the weather getting nicer and a move coming up we are looking forward to making more videos.

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Do you guys want to see more travel videos or bus project videos? Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Alright, we need some answers. If you are already living tiny, what drove you to choose this lifestyle and what was your biggest concerns before making the leap? Also, is there anything you wish you would have known back then that you know now?

If you are considering going tiny what are your biggest concerns or questions? And... go!

It’s up!!! Our More In-Depth Appen Video is finally up. I don’t think we have ever had this hard of a time getting a video out. Thank you guys for being patient and we hope it helps you find more financial and/or mobile freedom. Please continue to reach out with any questions you may have, we would love to help in any way we can.

Hey guys! We need your help! We need to move our bus towards St Pete or Ruskin area (Florida) due to work opportunities. Please SHARE and if you know of anyone with a possible place for us to park (business parking lot, land, etc) please send it to them. 🙏🙏🙏

About the bus

The Binks Bus is about 37 feet long and 12 feet 4 inches high. She is a 1998 Bluebird that was converted on HGTV. We bought it off that couple and have been living in it while we make renovations for the past year. We have power, we would just need access to some water.

About us

We are Joel and Rachel Binkerd. We have been living in our skoolie for over a year now. We also have an adopted cat named Monte who stays indoors. We are friendly, respectful, goofy, and chill people. You won’t have to worry about parties or anything crazy with us. We are trying to save up to finish a few projects on the bus before headed out across America. Covid has put a damper on our plans but we aren’t letting that stop us. Feel free to stalk us on our socials (IG FB YT) to get a feel for what kind of people we are or to see a tour of our bus.

So if you or someone you know has a possible place or you just feel like sharing, thanks for the help in advance! ❤️

Happy 5 year anniversary to us!

Life doesn’t look like we thought it would when we started this journey but we sure are glad to be on this wild ride together. 🥰❤️😍

May we get to spend at lest 70 more happy years together! 🥂 @ Anna Marie Island, FL, USA

WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE WORKING AC! Florida summers are brutal and we had no clue how to take care of our mini split. Did you know that you should be cleaning the outside part of the unit every few months?! No? Neither did we!

Thanks to our friend Chris it now works better than when we got it. We didn’t know our little mini split could freeze us out in the summer. He also taught us how to clean both inside and outside components so it never losses it’s cool again.

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Thank you guys for hanging in here with us as our lives and plans have changed this year. Also, so many of you have sent encouraging messages and comments and it has meant a lot.

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Our goal is to get back to bus projects once this heat starts to let up. Thank you guys for your patience.

Can’t believe we have had Monte for 6 months now. He is lot bigger then when we first got him but he still loves to be held on his back so he can see the world upside down.

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We would love to say hello to other so if you want to participate tag us in your pet post so we can say hi. Tell us a little about you pet(s) and maybe how they like tiny living.

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***About Monte***

He was about 6 months old when we got him. The shelter couldn’t tell us exactly how old he was and they could only guess that he had around 3 different owners before us. We also, suspect that he was taken from his mom very early because we had to teach him a lot of manors/how to communicate in an appropriate way. He used to bite for any/every emotion he was feeling (happy, upset, playful, etc).

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He can be super sweet and loves to give head rubs. Destroying the skoolie or fetching foil balls at 2 am are probably his favorite activities. We have given up on having plants in the bus. He enjoys batting the plants around like a soccer ball and eating the dirt (such a boy). He has even figured out how to sn**ch the plants off the wall. He begs to be held, then as you walk by he sn**ches them right out of the planters... 😞

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That is pretty much life with Monte. Oh, wait I forgot, while chasing his foil ball he runs head first into cabinets and walls without ever blinking an eye. He has hit the wall so hard before that we thought he would have knocked himself out but he just kept going like it didn’t even hurt. 🤨

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What is life like with your pet? Are they calm or rambunctious?

Six months ago this part of the kitchen was kicking our butts but look at the big fridge we now have and real counter tops. It was worth the challenge l, time, money, and being slapped in the face by a big piece of laminate.

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Not much has been happening on the Binks Bus because the heat is just too much. This summer in central Florida has been feeling like 106+ some days. So we are stopping any work on the bus and plan to save money for when the summer is over. Instead we are probably going to pick up the camera again and start visiting beautful outdoor places around Florida (as long as they stay open).

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What is everyone else doing this summer? Any plans???

We have been living fulltime in our bus for a year now. It has been great turning this skoolie into our little dream home.

You can follow our journey on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.