April 9th

Today marks Small Space, Big Taste’s first birthday which also means it’s also my birthday. If you’re new here, welcome! I’m Rae, the creator of this blog and I live a big life in a small space.

WHY I CREATED THE BLOG

Launching this blog exactly one year ago was my birthday gift to myself. I wanted to share my philosophy for living a big life with less stuff since it’s truly made me happier, healthier, and wealthier. I also needed a place to be creative that was entirely mine. No bosses. No clients. Just me. In February 2018 I began writing in earnest and set April 9th as the launch date (ready or not!).

HOW IT’S EVOLVED

When Small Space, Big Taste launched last year it had 22 blogs posts and all of the photos were shot on my iPhone. What might look great on the internet, there have been a few rough patches. For instance, when I was trying to shoot the sausage and brussels sprouts recipe while also capturing a sunset timelapse, a gust of wind came and knocked over the contraption I’d rigged to stand up my iPhone. Screen shattered. Huge glass bottle of olive oil shattered. Rae shattered. Ryan to the rescue. Needless to say I’ve upgraded my gear and now have a DSLR, professional lighting, and a tripod! One year later there are 63 blog posts with over 150 photos covering smart spending, minimalism, small space design, traveling light, one-pot meals, and more.

Year 1 highlights

Wiser bloggers might have started small and focussed on just one topic, but spending money, eating food, and living life are deeply interconnected. Saving money by cooking at home is a lot easier when you have simple recipes that excite you and a kitchen that is functional. Having a low cost and low maintenance home means more time and money for passions and adventures. Below are my favorite posts from Spend, Eat, and Live. And while I’m at it, here’s an index of every post ever.

SPEND

Don’t fall for fast fashion

Stop buying things that require you to buy more things

Stick to your budget with the electronic envelope method

EAT

8 Gluten-free recipes that aren’t salad

Eat like a local: the quintessential San Francisco cheese plate

Garlic, lemon, and rosemary infused olive oil

LIVE

Coping with coronavirus in a small space—resources, recipes, and tips

How to Prepare for Emergencies When You Don’t Have Any Closet Space

Karen's Studio Tour — A Coastal Retreat in the City

Special thanks

Special thanks goes out to:

• YOU for taking the time to follow along in this busy, complicated world.

• Ashley Wilson and Jack Moxon who encouraged me to create this blog in the first place.

• Audrey Van Duyn for proof reading articles before launch.

• George Williams and Esteban Cortez for helping me get featured in Apartment Therapy.

• Jackie Lambert who handled social media for months on end.

• Adam Gong who takes the photos I’m actually in.

• Joe Redmond who designed the cookbooklet.

• My husband Ryan who sees the shit show behind the scenes but never tells anyone about it.

• My Nannie, Mom and Mom-in-law for being my #1 fans.

What’s next

Time is short but ideas are not! I’m gradually weaning off workaholism to make more space for creativity. That means more content coming your way to make the most of your small apartment and live life to the fullest. Speaking of which, I’m proud to introduce the new series Making Space! You’ll be hearing from musicians, actors, entrepreneurs, and more about how they shunned the status quo to make space for their dreams.

Making Space—A New Series About Following Your Dreams

A behind the scenes look at people who are making space in their homes, budgets, and calendars for what matters most to them.

For my birthday 🎁

Thanks again for being here to celebrate year 1! Have you been enjoying SSBT? If the answer is yes, I’d love nothing more than if you’d subscribe to the monthly newsletter and share on the socials below! It is my birthday, after all.

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