We're Drooling Over the Bucket List Family's New Hawaiian Home

If you’ve heard their story, you’ve been envious. And inspired, motivated and wanderlust. If you haven’t heard their story? Well, for one, where have you been?! This family’s journey has gone viral multiple times over and here’s your recap: Garret Gee was your standard husband, dad and tech geek … until he sold his mobile-scanning app to Snapchat for $54 million. Did we mention he was only 25 years old?

We’ve all definitely thought about what we’d do if we hit the lottery. What did Garret, his wife Jessica and their two (now three) kids do? The Utah-based couple sold all of their belongings and hit the road, opting to see the world and live a minimalist lifestyle rather than living large among worldly possessions. “We’re just your average family, who’s choosing to live a not so average life,” Jessica narrates over a gorgeous video of the family’s travels. “We decided to sell everything and leave our home for an adventure around the world … and now we are the Bucket List Family.”

Not surprisingly, the Gees story took off thanks to their catchy name, a blog, a big social media presence and an (adorable) YouTube channel.

But after visiting more than 60 (sixty!) countries in just under three years, the family recently decided to put down some roots, buying their first-ever home in Hawaii.

“When we initially left for this family adventure around the world, it was our goal to find a place to call home,” Jessica told People. “Not only that, we wanted to learn from other countries and cultures about what makes a home special, happy and lovely. This will not only be our dream home, it will be our first home ever! Before we left to travel, we were still renting our college apartment in Provo, Utah.”

No, they didn’t buy a stunning, gazillion dollar property. Instead they opted for 80-year-old, four-bedroom fixer-upper on the Big Island of Hawaii, that is, yes, waterfront. (There are in Hawaii, after all!) 

While the family continues to travel around the world, they now have a home base to return and wanted it to represent all they have seen and experienced as the Bucket List Family. With help from design experts, Andy and Candace Meredith of HGTV’s Old Home Love, the Gees documented the renovation of their property in a new series dubbed Traveling Home (viewable on Home Love Network). Each episode of the show tackled a new room in the house that was designed after one of the family’s seven favorite countries they’ve visited.

“We have been on a long journey, and this journey is not coming to an end, but to a new chapter,” Gee said in a YouTube video. “I’d been dreading the day when we’d finally settle down,” Garrett also told People, “but I’m surprised at how excited I am now to have a place to call home. We always wanted something humble and cozy instead of something big and fancy, and we were thrilled to find this old home that needed our love and care.”

Check out the rooms—and the countries they were inspired by—below!