Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly & Chuck Register. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Chuck is a native Texan. He will talk your ear off about growing up in “The Grove” and Cedar Hill. He loves his kids, the Dallas Cowboys, and most things Texas (Go Long Horns!). He also can bake a mean cookie and has a genuine heart of gold. Molly is a native Missourian who has lived full-time in Texas since 2011. She is a pediatric Occupational Therapist, Life Coach, former tiny homeowner, and lover of Shih tzus. She loves to talk about mindfulness, growing one’s edges, and living tiny! They also both love their families and wanted to create another type of family here on their homestead.
Prior to meeting in September 2019, Molly lived with her fur baby in a 304 sq. ft. tiny home on wheels (THOW) in a lovely tiny home community in Decatur. Chuck worked in revenue accounting at Uncle Julio’s, followed all things sports, and spent most of his free time with his two kids. We both had ideas about a Tiny Living Community prior to meeting each other. Molly dreamed of one day living in a THOW in a community she built. Chuck and his mom had thoughts about building a sustainable community of tiny homes. Having never lived “tiny,” Chuck loved Freida Freedom (Molly’s THOW), and that is even where our first date took place!
Life was going about at a steady and fun pace. Then, a thing called the Pandemic of 2020 hit (you might have heard of this). In the span of two years, Molly was now working from home as an OT, became a bonus Mom, and had an unexpected health gift. Chuck lost his job of 15 years. We moved three times, got engaged, then got married, were raising two kids and a fur baby. We were figuring out everything while masking up, wiping things down, and then getting vaccinated. During this time, we reassessed our dreams of how we wanted our life to look, and with the help of family, it quickly evolved.
We were living as a family on a homestead where we could build the Tiny Living Community we wanted. NamaStay Hideaway opened In January 2022.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like most things, the journey was one filled with learning experiences. There are a few things we would have changed, such as hiring a different septic/plumbing company, not ordering farm hydrants, etc. We think failure is needed in life, so we try and fail a lot, and in doing so, we succeed a lot. We have stretched/grown our edges as well. To us this means to get uncomfortable and do something in which you are not 100% or even 10% sure how to do. For example, we have built an 80 ft fence, built a dog park, and use QuickBooks to run the business. We have learned all things running a business and a community, from leases to taxes to spreading mulch. Grit, passion, and purpose!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We may be set up structurally like an RV park, but we are a tiny living community. RV parks are typically made of a more transient crowd. Our community has one-year leases with the hopes of folks finding this place their home for many years to come. The community consists of moveable tiny homes and RVs. The tiny homes we have are on skids or a trailer with wheels (THOW). They have to be under 400 sq. ft, which is the industry standard for the size of “true” tiny homes. Given a certified builder, tiny homes are built like typical houses, just smaller and with very cool ways to make the best use of the space. They are insulated with foam, have washers/dryers and dishwashers, some have tubs and fireplaces. They can be made for what the owner values the most. When I lived in my THOW, I did not cook a lot, so I opted for a dishwasher drawer instead of an oven.
We are different than many other communities as we are fairly close to large cities. Most tiny home communities are farther out due to zoning issues. However, we are in the country enough for dark skies with bright stars and coyote howls. We, the owners, live here on the property and are part of the community. We have three storm shelters, so our residents feel safe with Texas weather. We have a community garden, compost area, dog park, three seating areas, and a fire pit. We require background and credit checks, and we try to ensure any interested residents is aware of our rules and culture. Our culture is one of acceptance. We all appreciate each other and the way we all uniquely want to live while showing respect even if we are different. Today, the world struggles, at times, to be peaceful and loving. We have a place where our residents can absolutely come home to this.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I would say that we don’t believe in good or bad luck. We use visioning to manifest our dreams. We are clear with what we want out of life and we know the Universe conspires with our actions to create our present reality.
Pricing:
- $550 is the lot rental per month and is fixed for five years should I resident stay
- $50 for high-speed internet
- Electric is billed as used
Contact Info:
- Website: www.namastayhideaway.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=namastay%20hideaway
Image Credits
Molly McNown
