Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are bound to have heard of the “tiny house” craze. People are trading in their standard-size homes for spaces that are sometimes the size of their, well, garages. Case in point: a Portland, Oregon couple who decided to rid themselves of their unnecessary possessions and too-large home. Their inspiring journey will have you reconsidering the scope of what you consider to be a “home.”

Bryan and Jen Danger aren’t just your average couple with a cool last name—they share a unique view of space. Together, the two converted their garage into an enviably awesome tiny house!

At first, the husband and wife weren’t sure just how friends and family would react to their unusual living situation. Bryan says, “When we first intended to move into our garage, we thought our neighbors would think that we were crazy. But, instead, people love it.”

Cost was at the forefront of Bryan and Jen’s minds when they set out on their project, so all labor was done by the two of them. Through research and discipline the couple transformed themselves into regular DIY superheroes!

The duo started off by finding a local community wood shop to build their furniture. They learned skills like woodworking and welding, and ended up with unique, custom furniture that they could completely call their own. This is how they were able to outfit their home with the essential small pieces—stools, end tables, and chairs.

The economical additions actually ended up being a blessing in disguise. It left the duo with a trendy looking space complete with reclaimed metals and woods. Of the visual theme of their home, Bryan says: “The overall look and feel of our place has somehow become very industrial. It wasn’t part of the intent but we built everything by hand because it fit what we had available, it fit our budget at the time.”

Though the couple had already “purged” most of their belongings before the move to the garage, they of course had to tackle the need for basic storage. Bryan says, “We wanted everything to have more than one use.” Boy, did they follow through on this idea!

For example, the island bar in their home also spins out into an open space where it can double as a dinner table and seat 6 people.

Their stairs double as cabinetry and can be pushed in to maximize space.

There is even an accordion door system that allows the backyard-facing wall to fully open. This gives the entire home a feeling of openness as well as greater perceived space.

Curiously enough, this is not the smallest space in which Jen and Bryan have lived. In fact, they were on the road for an extended time, before their foray into garage living, where they lived on a 47-square-foot bus. After their year-and-a-half road trip, the couple returned to their original home of Portland, Oregon where they decided to lay their roots.

At this point, they were getting ready to move back into the home that they owned, but their renters wanted to stay. It was then that Jen and Bryan realized that they did not need a full 3-bedroom house anymore. They then took a look at their empty garage and had a true ‘ah-ha’ moment.

Of their inspiring journey into tiny homes, Jen says, “When you downsize and get rid of a lot of stuff, there’s a real freedom there— a real simplification.”

Check out the video below to see how a standard garage can be transformed into a chic, organized, and spacious home.

Do you currently live in a tiny home? Have you ever considered “purging” your possessions like Jen and Bryan did? Care to share any space maximizing tips? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Be sure to share them in the comments section below!