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Welcome to the Cottage.

The Tiny Canal Cottage is a resource for helping folks mindfully conceptualize, decorate and enjoy versatile + smaller home spaces. Founded by designer, consultant, stylist, creative director and author, Whitney Leigh Morris, this family-owned small business recently finished the construction of a new, compact cottage and greenhouse-office in the southeastern US, and are also restoring a little 1800s French farmhouse and its outbuildings with co-stewards. Morris’ focus is crafting flexible, sustainable, and more community-focused home spaces. Explore Whitney’s book, blog, and social channels for years of tips and tales from living and working in — and with — a smaller footprint.

Tiny Adventures: Idaho

Tiny Adventures: Idaho

One of the things I enjoy the most about small space living is that it inspires us to seek new experiences beyond our four walls. Last month, my sister and her family left LA and moved to Boise. So Adam, West and I decided to take a tiny adventure and travel to Idaho to explore their new home. (View the post about how we prepared for air travel with our toddler here.) Below are some images from our trip, with a few comments scattered throughout. 

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We stayed at The Modern Hotel & Bar in one of their new one bedroom apartments, which we thoroughly enjoyed. The staff was incredibly kind, and the accommodations offered everything we needed to feel and function as though we were staying in a home-away-from-home. 

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We were conscious to reduce our trash (particularly plastic) as much as possible while we were away, just as we aim to do at home. We transported our own beverage containers, on-the-go utensils and tins, etc. The Boise businesses we visited seemed to be inherently more earth-friendly, offering paper straws, not providing plastic bags for purchases, and appearing at our tables with sturdy mason jars with reusable lids for West in lieu of plastic single-use cups.

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Our apartment at The Modern was much larger than our tiny cottage, but the staff still used some clever space-saving tricks to maximize their square-footage. One example is this wall-mounted storage basket on the back of the door of the laundry closet.

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We visited the library, the Boise Contemporary Theater, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Hyde Park shops and restaurants, the Rose Garden, and the Boise River, among other spots. We biked (despite the 100+ degree heat), we spent quiet time at my sister's beautiful home, and we celebrated my nephew's 5th birthday. 

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This lil' getaway was such a delight. Thank you, Boise. We'll be back soon!

Some Items You Can Probably Go Without (Part 2)

Some Items You Can Probably Go Without (Part 2)

Air Travel with a Toddler: Working with What We’ve Got

Air Travel with a Toddler: Working with What We’ve Got