TRAILER LARK
Upstate kid transforms junky RV into adorable ‘tiny home’ for just $800
With most summer activities canceled this year, many kids were struggling to find ways to keep busy. But one upstate girl used that downtime to complete a unique project: building a tiny house.
Lauren Nelson, an 11-year-old from Attica, NY, spent the last two months turning a rundown camper into a diminutive domicile after being inspired by an American Girl doll magazine.
“She showed us a $650 little VW bus that they sell. My husband was like, ‘That’s ridiculous, you could buy your own camper for that price,’ ” Aimee Nelson, her mother, told local news outlet WKBW.
So the preteen decided to give it a go. Lauren started saving money while keeping an eye out for a camper she could buy. Opportunity struck when a neighbor put a “For Sale” sign on their RV. “She squealed the whole way home,” said her mother.
The young girl approached her neighbor, who said he was selling the 20-foot-long, beat-up camper for $500. Lauren had managed to save $400 after selling items at garage sales and redirecting the funds she would have used to go to 4-H camp. She negotiated and struck a deal.
“It wasn’t very hard. He said ‘$500,’ and I said ‘$400,’ because that was the money I had in my bank account, and he said, ‘Sold,’ ” said Lauren.
Given its condition, the first step was to clean the house-on-wheels. “It was a process,” said her mother. “We brought home a family of mice. So there was a lot of deep cleaning.”
Despite the mess, Lauren was motivated to renovate because she wanted a place to hang out and call her own. With the help of family and friends and using inspiration from HGTV’s “Tiny House Hunters,” she transformed the dated space with a beachy bohemian vibe.
Basic drab wooden cabinetry became an airy, teal-hued working kitchen, while the rest of the camper features a sleek, all-white base with pops of color from key decor elements such as pillows, flowers and patterned sheets on a pair of bunk beds. There’s a functional bathroom, too. And to top it off, she hung a tiny pink and blue sign that reads, “Lauren’s Lil Camper.”
Incredibly, the entire makeover only cost $400 — in part because Lauren scoured Pinterest for frugal design ideas.
“I was very motivated with this camper,” Lauren said. “I really wanted a place where I could hang out, like my own house.”
Upon completion, the design-savvy youngster dubbed her new hangout “Camp Hygge,” referring to the Scandinavian concept of coziness. She now spends the majority of her week in the camper, however, she posted on Facebook that she will rent it out for $20 a night. “Text my mom if you want to!” she wrote.
She now says she’s part of the “tiny home nation,” said her mother. Not surprisingly, the family has received messages from kids — and adults — who want to do the same thing.
“If you’re looking to have some big plans in the future, you should go out and do it. Make it happen,” advised the 11-year-old, who hopes to have a career in home renovation.