Tours
64-yr-old fed up with mortgage payments moves into a van and the inside is not what you’d expect
When she opened the passenger door of her van I was surprised to see another wood door behind it.
Ashley Willis
09.29.20

If you’ve ever thought of living in a unique home, this just might be the story for you!

While many of us have heard stories of people living in tiny homes and other unique residences, it’s always interesting to see the life of those who chose to live in vehicles.

Of course, these aren’t just typical vehicles. Often, they are modified into livable housing units.

Who wouldn’t want to be able to take their house on the road?

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Wikimedia Commons
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Wikimedia Commons

This growing trend continues to gain traction as more and more people seek out ways to live minimally and without major bills such as mortgages.

One 64-year-old woman named Clare lives in Australia is able to drive away in her home anytime she wants.

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Clare lives in her 2016 Fiat Ducato Maxi van that she designed herself. For her, it was the mortgage payment and her large house that prompted her to scale back.

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Additionally, as an artist, she felt that living minimally was the best thing for her.

“As you might know, being an artist, your income is not much,” she shared.

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She continued, stating that the idea of owning something beautiful would make her feel a lot better.

However, instead of jumping right into buying a van and setting up shop, she spent a year doing research and encourages other to do so as well.

Thanks to her research, she was able to draw up the design for her ideal van.

“I designed it down to the millimeter,” she says with pride.

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What she came up with certainly paid off! As soon as she was able to find someone to design the van she wanted, they went right to work.

In total, she spent about $70,000.

Though it isn’t “cheap,” it beats having a mortgage for some.

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In addition to living off grid, the items in Clare’s van are powered by solar power and lithium.

Not only does Clare’s van look pretty awesome from the outside, she even came up with a name to match — “The Mouse House.”

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But it’s when Clare opens the door of her home do we see how magnificent her van really is.

The interior is completely covered in manicured wood. The roof is peppered with flush lights, a ceiling fan/vent, and even a skylight.

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Not to mention that everything from the floor to the ceiling is double-insulated to keep the heat from entering the cabin.

Because Clare prefers to work standing, she doesn’t have an office chair at her desk. Instead, she has a pullout keyboard set at the perfect height for her.

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The kitchen is both functional and spacious. Clare shares that she likes to cook and designed the kitchen to be as efficient as possible for the allotted space.

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In the kitchen is a 3-burner stove, a full sink, a pantry, a small refrigerator, and plenty of cabinet space for pots, pans, and utensils.

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But what really makes the kitchen stand out is the spice and knife racks on the wall. It really makes the kitchen shine!

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Interestingly, the bathroom is tucked under a large cedar counter that she uses to prepare her food. It includes a composting toilet and even a shower.

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Just past the bathroom is her bed. On the other side of her bed is more storage and just above it is the skylight.

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The living area is right next to the bedroom. The area has a shelf for her books and even a place to sit. It’s where Clare enjoys her meals. Conveniently, there is a pull-out shelf that turns the area into a dining room.

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https://youtu.be/l-DgMYB6L0c
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YouTube

It definitely looks like Clare has got it all covered! See the video below if you’d like to see the full tour of her home!

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