11-Year-Old Buys Dated Camper For $400 — Turns It Into Adorable Small Home

Oct 12, 2021 by apost team

With school out for the summer and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Lauren Nelson, 11, from Buffalo, New York, took on a big summer project to keep her busy in 2020.

She bought her very own camper van, cleaned it out, and renovated it – and it all cost her a mere $800.

Lauren was flipping through an American Girl Doll Magazine one hot summer day when she found a toy VW bus priced at a whopping $600. 

"My husband was like, 'that's ridiculous, you could buy your own camper for that price'" Lauren's mom, Aimee Nelson, told WKBW. 

And so, Lauren and her dad's project began. 

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Shortly after having this discussion, a neighbor of the Nelson's listed an old camper for sale reports the New York Post. Resembling the one Lauren had seen in the magazine, the 11-year-old saw a chance to turn her dream into a reality.

Not too shy to haggle for the right price, she started negotiating. 

"It wasn't very hard," Lauren said. "He said $500 and I said $400 'cause that was the money I had in my bank account, and he said sold!"

Just like that, Lauren became the proud owner of a fixer-upper. 

An avid fan of HGTV's Tiny House Hunters, Lauren already had a vision of what she wanted her home to look like. She wanted a beachy boho style camper van to hang out in and call her own. Before they could get to the fun decorating part, however, there were a whole lot of other, less fun tasks to be fulfilled. 

 "It was a process," her mother said. "We brought home a family of mice. So there was a lot of deep cleaning."

Once they got all that out of the way, Lauren browsed Pinterest for low-cost ideas to turn her van into a functioning home. After two months of work, the camper van featured everything she could need – from a bedroom to a functioning bathroom and even a kitchen! 

"I love the kitchen the most. It's so beautiful, light and airy," Lauren told The New York Post. "I can just sit in it and feel very relaxed. Once we get the solar panels up, we can actually get it up and running. That's what I'm saving up for next. I love cooking, especially lasagna."

By using birthday gifts and decor items from her house and the potting shed, Lauren only needed to spend an extra $400 to finish up the van. Approving her project, her parents are proud of the strides that Lauren has made. According to her mother, Lauren has been financially responsible from a very young age. Undeniably, it has paid off. 

"She has three envelopes that she puts her money in, give save and spend and I think she made a really good choice," Aimee told WKBW.

Now that her project is completed, Lauren spends most of her time in the camper van, which is currently parked on her parents' lawn. She's dubbed it the "Camp Hygge" after the Scandinavian concept of coziness. 

"She now says she's part of the tiny home nation," her mom said.

The camper van was a much-needed distraction for the Nelson family, who, apart from the pandemic, had been dealing with some other heavy hardships. 

"I was diagnosed with cancer last summer, so I was going through radiation and to doctor's appointments. We were really thinking this was going to be our summer, since we didn't get one last year," Aimee revealed. 

"Then, COVID hit. This camper gave us all something to do and really made a great summer."

Her family now receives many messages from friends, family, and neighbors, who are impressed by the young lady's craftiness and skill, with some even inspired to start a tiny-home project of their own. 

"I wanted to inspire some people," Lauren said. "I really hope that kids want to do this and follow their dreams. They should start saving their money and have fun doing it."

According to Lauren, who hopes to have a career in home renovation when she grows up, the camper van is just the beginning. 

"My big plans are to sell this camper to someone who really loves it and get an RV to renovate," Lauren told the New York Post. "I might try a bit more modern style with it, though."

What do you think of this project? Show your friends, and let us know what they think, too. Perhaps we can all learn something from this motivated young girl!