11-Year-Old Buys Old Camper For Next To Nothing And Transforms It Into Her Own Paradise
Can you remember what you were doing at 11-years-old? We’re willing to bet it wasn’t nearly as cool as what Lauren Nelson was up to. You see, this particular kid had a dream — and she made it come true over the course of a single summer, even going viral with her plan! Let us tell you the tale of the camper van makeover that charmed the world.
The idea
Many of us will have toyed with the idea of buying something for cheap, renovating it, and then selling it on for a tidy profit. Maybe it’s a piece of furniture that you want to upscale. Or perhaps you’ve spied an apartment that you feel could really increase in value if you put some work into it. But how many of us actually put these plans into action?
Putting that idea into action
Lauren saw her opportunity to do something like this — and she seized upon it. She purchased a dilapidated camper van and set about turning it into a tiny paradise she could while away her days in. The old vehicle, which had been left to fall into disrepair, was transformed into a clean, brightly colored space that Lauren — and her fans — love.
Lockdown
Lauren’s journey began during a time of great upheaval for everyone. The Attica, New York native was home-schooling during the 2020 lockdown when she started reading outdoors-themed novels in her downtime. And one — My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George — made a particular impression.
Building forts
The 1959 middle-grade book is about a boy surviving on his own amid New York’s Catskill Mountains. Over the course of his journey, he becomes self-sufficient and brave. This gave Lauren an idea — maybe she could construct some forts around the 50 acres her family owned and try to develop some independence of her own.
