Hannah Doss, an educator, and artist, used to move in and out of houses all the time, particularly when she was a college student until she finished her master’s degree.
She shared, “Every time I’d move, it would be to a new state, and I wouldn’t know anybody there. So I was finding my roommates on Craigslist. I had a lot of interesting experiences with my Craigslist roommates, and I said, you know what, I’m not doing this anymore.”
She also realized that a change was necessary since she was spending a huge amount of money on rent.
She considered building a tiny home and with plenty of help from her father, Hannah was able to convert a vintage railroad trailer into a unique and cozy tiny home.
Her father worked at the railroad for 20 years and he told her about surplus auctions. There, she limited herself to a $350 bid.
It might seem like a really low amount but magically, it was enough to pay for an overlooked 1985 vintage railroad trailer.
Though the vintage railroad trailer measured a mere 232 sq ft, Hanna felt that it was exactly what she wanted at that point.
Hannah quickly set to work on creating a home from the vintage railroad trailer, which she called Journey.
The renovation took place in her parent’s backyard. Fortunately, her parents not only hosted the renovation process but were also more than willing to lend a hand.
This helped reduce expenses for the build, as well as the amount of time needed to complete the tiny home project.
Eventually, the entire project cost Hannah around $9,000. Hannah said, “I was hoping to spend $6,000 but I ended up spending $9,000 for the whole thing. It ended up costing me $9,000 to completely renovate it and furnish it.”
Luckily, her parents and friends helped her transform the vintage railroad trailer into a beautiful home. Otherwise, getting professional help would have definitely set her back by another $10,000.
The journey may be quite small, but Hannah and her parents worked hard to ensure that the vintage railroad trailer would become a fully functional home.
The goal was to make the home so efficient that eventually, the size would just be an afterthought.
The tiny house on wheels is painted a cool very light blue, with a pretty mural of mountains. It includes a working kitchen where Hannah and her boyfriend can prepare their meals. There is also a tiny working space that provides a great outdoor view.
A couch easily turns into a bed for the couple to sleep in at night. The bathroom can compare to any bathroom in a traditional home.
The living room, on the other hand, has musical instruments and vinyl that reflect Hannah’s artistic nature.
Full of budget-saving elements and artistic design touches, the vintage railroad trailer turned into such an interesting home.
Hannah shares that people often ask to see the inside and she has been more than happy to show off Journey.
She even wrote a children’s book about Journey the vintage railroad trailer, which was saved by a girl and was turned into something beautiful by the girl and her family.
The journey was finished and officially became Hannah’s tiny home three and a half years ago. She drove it cross-country to settle in Lake Tahoe, California.
Now, the former vintage railroad trailer is home to Hannah, her boyfriend, and her dog. “I work for California State Parks, and I live in the employee housing of a park. I live in a beautiful place a mile from the shores of Lake Tahoe, somewhere I would never be able to afford if worked a normal job and actually had to pay for a spot,” she added.
The three just love and enjoy their moveable home, and they have since gone on many adventures with Journey. Get a tour of Hannah’s home in the video below: