WHEN Jill Kanto got divorced, she needed to make some drastic changes – and fast.

It was time to move out of the Maryland apartment she shared with her two young children and ex-husband and start afresh.

Problem was, with limited finances, there weren't many options to choose from.

"My children weren't getting the best of me, I was struggling and my health was getting worse," she told The U.S. Sun.

"This went on for three years. It was unsustainable."

Hope, however, came in the shape of a $25,000 loan from her mother which went towards the purchase of a 238 sq. ft. tiny house.

Back in 2015, living tiny wasn't as popular as it is today but Jill's interest was piqued by watching the TV show Tiny House Nation.

There certainly wasn't anything like the Great American Tiny House Show in Virginia where she spoke to The U.S. Sun about her brave journey which can help inspire countless others to reignite their lives by reshaping their living arrangements.

Jill only had three days to get her act together – "when people downsize, they really should do their due diligence," she warns – and began trawling www.tinyhousebuild.com.

While many people looking to live tiny might already by ready-built shells or even fully furnished homes which are ready to go, Jill started from scratch.

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She knew the house would take a while to finish, but was confident she could make it livable in no time at all.

That said, naturally it was a massive, life changing decision.

"It took me about two weeks to hit the click the submit button because I was so afraid of taking this on and not being able to finish it or just coming out with a terrible end product," she admitted.

Once the order was in the works, a materials list was downloaded, everything was priced out and a carpenter friend was interviewed.

"I asked her how much she'd charge to help me for a couple of weeks so I could learn, be her helper and figure out how to take over the reins," Jill recalled.

The risk was worth the reward, even if the process took a while.

After 13 months in total, the mother of two used her own building skills – "You Tube is a massive help but building a house is pretty monumental, I thought I would be done in two months" -as well as utilizing the help of plumbers and electricians to complete the job on a friend's farm.

Step one was complete. Now to find some land, an aspect of tiny living which can be very daunting, especially when trying to navigate the different housing rules and regulations which vary from state to state.

Jill wanted a place where her children would thrive.She drove aroundlooking at potential plots which could suit a tiny house. It was tough.

"I would see a place, find the address, search the phone number and leave creepy voicemails," she said with a smile.

Jill was operating on a tight budget so was hoping to find a place for around $500 a month.

It wasn't, however, until she started using the website nextdoor.com, which geographically connects to people around you, that she was finally able to find a place to call home.

Farm owners were looking for tiny homes to join them on their land – and the result was a wonderful combination of newfound friendship and family.

Her children instantly had new pals -"my youngest and their youngest are like sisters now,"- and with Jill a keen gardener who grows her own food, an instant connection was made.

Six years on, her family are still there and loving every moment. Jill says her utility bills have been reduced by almost 70% and her quality of life has also increased as a result.

She was also able to start treating her children on their birthday rather than worrying about piling up debt on a credit card.

"It's an incredible experience to be able to do that," she said.

As other tiny homes moved onto the land, Jill has helped create an intentional community for her family, something she was drawn into when visiting Twin Oaks in Luisa, Virginia in 2014.

An intentional community is loosely defined as a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. Those who live there can share common beliefs, whether it be social, political or religious, to name but a few.

Basically, it can be any unifying theme which binds like-minded people together.

"It blew my mind when I first visited Twin Oaks," said Jill whose eyes had been opened to a different way of living.

Her website – www.searchtinyhousevillages.com – aims to help those looking for help with parking their tiny homes and encourage them to create their own communities.

"The possibilities of intentionally sharing living areas with people that are not part of your immediate family are endless," she said.

"It's just a lovely experience."

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