Life
11-year-old pays $400 for vintage camper and turns it into adorable tiny home
By the time Lauren was through, her beautiful home-on-wheels only cost $800. It's so cozy inside!
Patricia Lynn
01.31.23

When many of us think back to being 11 years old, memories of hanging out with friends and playing sports come to mind.

But 11-year-old Lauren Nelson had a much bigger vision than that.

She wanted to make her very own tiny home out of a camper.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Lauren, of Attica, N.Y, was determined to have a productive summer after COVID saw the cancellation of the majority of social activities.

After being inspired by an American Girl doll magazine, Lauren started to lay out plans for her mission.

Her goal was to buy a van for as cheap as possible, as in American Girl, there was a toy $650 VW bus for sale.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Speaking to WKBW about the moment her daughter showed her parents the magazine, mom Aimee Nelson recalled:

“My husband was like, ‘That’s ridiculous, you could buy your own camper for that price.’”

So the pre-teen decided that’s exactly what she was going to do: buy her own camper for that price.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Lauren saved all her pocket money and began searching for campers that would make the perfect tiny home.

Her mom Aimee explained to NY Post that her daughter had saved up money over time from things like the Tooth Fairy and Easter.

As it turned out, a neighbor just down the road was selling a 20-foot long camper at a completely affordable price, and, despite its beat-up appearance, it was love at first sight for Lauren.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

The creative 11-year-old needed to do some negotiating, as the camper was being sold for a price beyond her budget.

She admitted that getting the price down wasn’t hard, adding:

“He said $500 and I said $400 because that was the money I had in my bank account and he said sold.”

The actual renovation process was far from simple, especially for a pre-teen with very little manual work experience.

But Lauren was prepared to put in the hard work and got stuck into deep cleaning her new tiny home.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Of course, the renovation cost money too, and Lauren had to do some more saving.

She spent around $400 in total on the furnishings and accessories for her boho-style hideout.

Lauren’s inspiration came from the HGTV show Tiny House Hunters, and she did her own research and looked through Pinterest to bring her ideas together.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Her home is simplistically decorated with blacks, whites, and greys adorned with the occasional pot plant and mandala decoration.

There’s everything you’d need in a home: a cozy living space, a four-bed bedroom, a tiny bathroom, and a kitchen.

While space is limited, there’s a cupboard in the bedroom for storage, and additional storage in the kitchen and living room cupboards.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

The 11-year-old loves being part of the tiny home community and has inspired other people to do the same.

Lauren’s home is certainly very cute, and is a testament to her parents for allowing her to stretch her creative wings.

YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
Source:
YouTube - WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY

Not all parents would allow their child to buy a camper and renovate it in their backyard, but Lauren’s mom and dad saw it for what it was: a harmless project that would teach Lauren a lot of life skills.

Watch the video below to get a closer look at Lauren’s adorable camper. Just be prepared to want your own!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

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