Veerle Veldhuis lives in a seven-square-meter house situated in her parents’ backyard. Right in the middle of her higher education, Veldhuis decided to leave university accommodation in 2022.
Veldhuis moved back home as a coping mechanism from the mental stresses that the University environment was putting on her. So, before long, she started considering options for acquiring a house.
Returning Home for Some Mental Convalescence
Initially, moving back in with her parents was a temporary arrangement to serve as a buffer between university accommodation and getting a place of her own at home.
It was thanks to therapy that Veldhuis learned that she needed to steer clear of university accommodations to preserve her mental health. First, she checked with properties around her parents’, but they were all expensive.
That Eureka Moment
By a stroke of chance, Veldhuis visited England for the last summer holiday and was hosted in a tiny house during the vacation.
Before long, she started toying with the idea of getting a tiny house for herself. So, late last year, she took the bold step after coming across a secondhand tiny house online.
Filial Solids for Personal Goal Actualization
With some financial support from her parents, Veldhuis bought the tiny house for $1,963. However, before purchasing the house, she learned after some informal inquiries that the local authorities don’t mix too well with tiny houses.
So, Veldhuis opted for the easiest way out, which was installing the tiny house in her parents’ backyard.
Having a Home of Your Own, At Home
It’s been 11 months since Veldhuis started living in the tiny house, and she claims the experience has been surreal. At the very least, it brought back memories of her vacation in England, and she finally had a place to call her own.
At first, Veldhuis believed she got a good bargain for the second-hand tiny house, but the cost of putting it in habitable shape started to rise.
Renovating for the New User’s Taste
When the unfurnished tiny house was first delivered, Veldhuis found that the exterior was still in good condition. However, the floorboards were starting to rot and fall through.
So, of course, she first outfitted the tiny house with a new floor with the help of friends and her parents.
Budget Management and Maximization
During the renovation of the tiny house, Veldhuis did all she could to reduce the expenses involved. She initially budgeted $1000 to make the space habitable but ended up spending over $2,000.
In a bid to cut down on expenses, Veldhuis and her renovation crew made the best of the resources already at their disposal. For example, they got some of the wood used for the renovation from a waste bin.
Completing Renovations in Record Time
After two months of the unfurnished tiny house first arrived, Veldhuis completed the renovations and moved in in January. The tiny has so far become her permanent residence, and even stays there during winter, thanks to an installed heating system.
However, Veldhuis had to adapt to living permanently in such a cramped and cold space.
A Tiny House with All the Necessary Trap Pings, But…
Veldhuis’ tiny house boasts basic amenities that make it worthy of the designation of ‘home.’ It has a living room, bed, and kitchen. However, its Achilles Heel is lack of a toilet and shower.
In the future, Veldhuis is seriously considering upgrading to a tiny house that has extra space for the toilet.
No One Has It All
According to Veldhuis, venturing out to use her parents’ toilet, particularly on cold nights, is not something she enjoys doing.
The plus, however, is that rent has gone off her list of recurrent expenses after outfitting the tiny house. Besides the social and financial security that comes with owning a house, Veldhuis also testifies that her mental health has improved.
Perception About People Living in Tiny Houses and Occasional Backlash
Veldhuis does not shy away from flaunting her house on Instagram but trolls occasionally call her out for saying she merely has an adult plaything in her parents’ yard. However, she’s never turned off by such comments.
Before leaving the university environment, Veldhuis incurred a monthly rent of $453. Now, she only pays her parents the euro equivalent of $65 monthly to cover her utilities consumption.
You Can Move With Your Tiny House!
Veldhuis currently works as a caregiver on a farm and is making concrete plans to return to the University next year to conclude her studies.
According to Veldhuis, when she resumes her studies, she will probably move the tiny house to a lot close to the University. Overall, she claims to be enjoying the fulfillment of independence and taking the reins of her life.