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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.

Simplified Home Selling & Purchasing

Simplified Home Selling & Purchasing

Note: This post was sponsored by Flyhomes. The imagery and words are my own, with the exception of exact service descriptions. Any imagery that includes our little one and/or pups was captured organically as they interacted in their own, natural ways. 

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We’ve rented our tiny, beloved cottage for nearly 10 years now. In researching options for our future and upcoming relocation, we learned first-hand just how complicated the home buying process can be— especially if, like us, you’re new to the experience, and scouting within competitive markets. 

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Truth be told, Adam and I actually discovered and even visited some fixer-uppers we liked earlier this year. However, we gave up on our efforts in the early stages, as the hurdles felt insurmountable for us as both a family and a small business at the time. (Related post: What’s Next For Our Family?)

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Thankfully we’re still very much in love with our little home and unique neighborhood. And while we’re taking (big!) strides towards our next adventure — which I’ll reveal soon — we’re also still firmly and happily planted in our life here by the canals. 

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We’re not approaching any season as though it’s our last one here. We’re managing to the vines in anticipation of springtime growth. We’re tending to our compost. We’re reusing and reinventing whatever we have around the house (per usual) to make the most of this festive season while on lockdown, and not cut back on making any magic for our four year old.

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We’re also making plans for welcoming our second child into the cottage, while also remaining open to the idea that the baby might instead be born in the next town we call home…

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For folks who find themselves in a situation similar to ours, and are attempting to navigate their entry into the world of home buying, the rest of this post is for you in particular.

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Just as I prefer objects that multi-task, I’m inclined to favor services that offer more than one solution rolled up into one practical package. For this reason, and due to our recent (fairly negative) experiences in the home buying process, I partnered with Flyhomes to spread the word about their innovative, consolidated services that benefit both buyers and sellers.

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Their goal is to take much of the stress out of the home search/buying process by offering multiple services rolled into one so that residents can focus on creating and enjoying their homes.

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Flyhomes is currently operational in Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, Portland, and San Diego. They’re a brokerage, a mortgage lender, and a closing company under one roof, and offer guidance at every step of the process, helping clients skip hurdles and make confident and informed decisions. Their products include: Cash offers, guaranteed offers, prefunds, and a Trade Up program, all of which can be reviewed here.

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To schedule a 15 minute call with a Flyhomes representative to learn more about their unique approaches and strategies to buying, selling, or their Trade Up program, click here.

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Thank you to Flyhomes* for supporting our small business with this partnership, and for offering a service that can streamline this complicated process for folks who are attempting to move their family to a space of their own.

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*California DRE#02012110

Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!

Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!

Journaling (not just for ourselves, but for a better world)

Journaling (not just for ourselves, but for a better world)