Our mission
Inspire people to downsize their lives to live better
We're a team of long-time nomads who bring together the artisans and small businesses committed to making your dream of a life on the road a reality. We did the research so you don't have to: shop confidently and find the best solutions for all vehicles, all in one place.
How it started
The need to need less
At the end of 2018, I threw all I needed - not much - in the back of an old Volkswagen bus I had spent two years restoring, and left San Francisco for my first long trip to Baja California in Mexico. I had just put an end to almost 10 years of corporate life, and upon coming back 1.5 month later, I sold everything I owned and ended my lease. I’ve been living on the road ever since, traveling from Alaska to Mexico and everything in between.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, my story isn’t novel to you. More and more people choose to downsize their lives and embrace new habits and lifestyles that allow them to focus on what truly makes them happy. Whether nomadic or not, a skoolie, a treehouse or a tiny cabin up a mountain - the idea of living better in a tinier space triggers more people than ever before.
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New Beginnings
In April of 2024, Simpler Ways joined The Journal of Lost Time family! We're excited to bring our expertise to the Lost Places, an event series that gathered over 10,000 nomads in 2023.
Space-optimized design
Curated for life on the road
Years on the road have taught us to appreciate the objects that combine utility and aesthetics to my everyday life — and we’ve found for ourselves that simplicity really was the bridge between both. It’s the simplicity of this lifestyle that settled the discontent feeling that inspired us to dismantle our city life — allowing for time to get to know ourselves, and what really brought us joy.
Our promise
We carefully curate every single product sold on Simpler Ways, and the vast majority of what we sell ships from the USA or Canada - with the exception of some hand-picked brands out of Europe and Australia. While we're very curious and open to all projects, we only onboard brands and makers who build stuff for the road and who meet our three criteria below:
Function
All items listed on Simpler Ways are made to inspire and help you downsize your life. Tiny living requires constant optimization, leading to a myriad of design challenges. Our role is to look for the products solving for them, so you don't have to
Quality
With a life on the go, quality can't be overlooked: your gear will have to survive the road. Our platform is built on community feedback and experiences, so you can have the peace of mind knowing you're buying things that are made to last
Purpose
Because we give a damn, we source products from people who do, too. We value transparency, and our badge system allows minority-owned or eco-conscious businesses to let you know they are
We pride ourselves to source our products from brands & makers who care as much as we — and you — do.
We value transparency, and our badge system allows minority-owned
or eco-conscious businesses to let you know they are.