I live in a tiny house in my parents' backyard. This is what it cost to buy and renovate – and where I might take it next.
- Veerle Veldhuis, 24, left university and moved back to her parents' house in March 2022.
- After looking into options for finding her own place, she decided to buy and renovate a tiny home.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Veerle Veldhuis, a 24-year-old from the Netherlands, about her tiny home in her parents' backyard. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I live in a seven-square-meter tiny house in my parents' backyard.I moved back into their home in March 2022 after living at university for about two-and-a-½ years. I had been struggling with my mental health and came to realize that staying at university wasn't beneficial anymore and that I was pushing myself far beyond my limits. It was time for a change.
After deciding to step away from university, I moved back to my parents' place. I always thought of this as a temporary solution.
Therapy helped me realize how much I needed space for myself. I first started looking at houses close by. I looked into housing associations and private rentals, but they were pricey and there weren't many available in the area.Last summer, I was in England on holiday, and I really enjoyed staying in a tiny house for four nights. From that point, the idea of living in a tiny home was in the back of my mind.
Last November, I found a secondhand tiny home online, and I bought it with some financial help from my parents for 1,800.40 euros, or about $1,963.
I had heard from some people who lived in the area that the local government was quite strict about tiny houses. The easiest option was to put it on your own property, so my parents and I decided to keep it in their backyard.
I've now been living here for about 11 months. It comes with some challenges, but it's been nice.
We tried to renovate the tiny home as cheaply as possible
I thought the unfurnished tiny home was affordable, but it turns out that it was pricey for its condition. The outside structure was OK but the flooring was completely wet and a bit rotten.
I had started planning how it could look from the inside before I bought it. My parents and I looked into the materials we'd need to buy and they — along with some friends — helped me renovate the house.
We were trying to renovate as cheaply as possible. In the beginning, I thought I would spend around 1,000 euros, but in the end, it was over twice that amount.
We used a lot of materials we had on-hand and tried to get things we didn't have secondhand or for free. We used wood we'd found in a trash bin to make the window frame and installed a wooden kitchen countertop we'd stored in the shed.It took us around two months to complete the renovation and I moved in at the beginning of January.One day, I woke up and the leftover tea in my cup had frozen. I wasn't really used to living in such a cold space during the winter and was used to turning off my heater at night. Now, I turn on my heater at night, too — if it's cold.I have a kitchen, a bed, and a living room, but I don't have a toilet or a shower. In my dream tiny house, I would have a toilet because I don't always like going to use my parents' — especially at night.
I don't have to worry about not having enough money to pay rent
Having my own space has been helpful for my mental health because I don't have to always pay attention to who's around me and I can do whatever I want.
I also enjoy having my parents close by and not living completely on my own.
On Instagram, I've seen some people say they think I'm not really living independently and that I basically have a playhouse in my parents' backyard. But I'd say the reaction to my content has been mostly positive.
I think I'm quite lucky: Not everyone has parents with a big backyard to put a tiny house in.When I left university, I was paying about 419 euros a month in rent. I don't pay rent to my parents, but we've agreed that I'll give them 60 euros a month to cover expenses such as electricity and water.I can save more money and don't have to worry about making rent.
Now, I work on a care farm where people with disabilities can live and work alongside farmers, and I plan on finishing my studies next academic year. I'm thinking of moving closer to my university with my tiny house.
Overall, I'm comfortable. I created my own space and renovated it, so it really feels like my house. Living in a tiny space feels so cozy and safe.