What started off as a backup plan for my beloved 2005 Honda Element, turned into the beginning of what some may call an "Airbnb empire," yet I call "my retirement plan when I'm dead, ha" After Covid, I had way too much time on my hands. I began dreaming of the next car I would drive after my Honda Element decided it would no longer serve as my surf camping car. (As of writing this on February 25, 2026, that car is still kickin' and I couldn't be happier.) Turns out brand new Tesla's cost over $45k… that's crazy! I started thinking of all the things I could do with that $45k, not that I had tons of money, but I had a line of credit and savings from being quarantined at home during Covid.
The Honda Element that started it all. Still running in 2026, still fitting everything, sand and all.
Easter 2022: The Day Everything Changed
One step led to another, and before I knew it, my now husband, Tyler, who is also a real estate agent (lucky me!) were driving out to Indio, CA on Easter day in 2022 to take a look at what would eventually become The Cozy Cactus. After talking to the seller, taking countless videos, and seeing the potential that this home had, we drove back to his aunt's house, excused ourselves to the living room, where we wrote our offer.
The blank canvas: yellow walls, grandma furniture, traditional brown. You know exactly the kind of house I'm talking about.
Imagine some wallpaper, white walls, and no icky carpet
Doesn't this look like your grandma's living room?
The Facebook Marketplace Phase
Before I knew it, AGAIN, I was researching sofa beds (I still haven't found a comfortable one…), stalking facebook marketplace for the best deals all around town, going to Marshall's, Ross, TJ Max, Homegoods, etc to see if I could find any non-generic wall art (everyone knows the cow print). My days turned into bopping all around LA picking up a $10 sound machine (I now know better that time is money), squishing a West Elm dining table in my Honda Element (there has been nothing this car cannot fit), and slowly piecing together a discombobulated Airbnb that I prayed to the Lord almighty was a good decision. A Tesla definitely would've been easier.
You're going to see a theme throughout my life - how much I love this car.
You have no idea how hard it was to get this Foosball in and out of my car... imagine all the metal sticks sliding in and out!
What I Learned from Bad Airbnbs
As a frequent traveler myself, I have been to my share of Airbnbs, both decent and horrible at the same time. Why are the knives always SO dull and the kitchen so bare? Why are the beds so springy and outdated? When was the last time the floors were cleaned?
I slowly learned that not only do you get what you pay for (back when I was a poor college student, I booked Airbnbs with shared bathrooms… ew), but there is also an intentionality that some hosts approach hospitality with, and it can be as simple as adding a $30 knife sharpener for guests.
The Gap Nobody Was Filling
I realized infant care was being treated as an afterthought. Something you tacked on if a guest requested it, not something you built into the foundation. That felt completely backwards. My friends with kids traveled with all. the. things. Between a pack n play, Joey's random binkie, Ellie's special baby shampoo, and the prized sound machine, it always seemed so exhausting to travel. As I was furnishing my rental, I tried to imagine myself as a tired mom scrolling through Airbnb, looking for a place where she could maybe have some rest. After all, traveling with kids is a trip, not a vacation, I hear!
So when I bought the property that became The Cozy Cactus, I started there. How do families with young kids actually rest? Not "what makes a cute listing photo," but what makes a mom not want to leave by day two because it's too much work to stay?
If you're curious about the local area surrounding the property, I put together a guide to 10 Indio gems only locals know about: the restaurants, date farms, and hidden spots worth your time while you're visiting the Coachella Valley.
All. The. Things. Why families needed a different kind of vacation rental
Photo: Third Wall Photography | Styling: The Olive Jar