I was inspired to do this project when I found a community of people online who live out of their vehicles. I found the idea of minimalist living intriguing. The more research I did the more interested I became. For many, the perk of living on the road is the freedom as well as the low impact they have on the environment.

After searching for the perfect space to create my project (I had originally planned on purchasing a school bus), I finally landed on a van from Caldwell, Idaho. After I completely stripped what was a former pre-school passenger van, I ran into some huge rust problems. I received help not only from the Paradise Valley High School welding class but also from a local body shop. After several months of repairing the body, I was finally ready to begin working on creating a tiny home in this van.

After budgeting, I started to plan my layout. I made several different digital 3D models.

At the beginning of our project, I started using a blog as well as an Instagram to record my progress. I found it difficult to keep up with blogging because it wasn't interesting or enjoyable to me. I decided to quit with the blog and instead record my progress on camera. There are a few videos that be posted on my Intagram page @brinns_van

My DAAPStone project taught me more than I ever thought I would learn. I was able to develop "real world" skills on my own. I had to learn how to buy, insure, and repair a car. I also learned how to use power tools which I can imagine will come in handy in my future. Even though the process of converting this van was long and very time consuming, I could not be happier with the final product.