This 51-year-old pays $725 a month to live in a 'tiny home on wheels’ in someone's backyard—take a look inside

I never pictured myself living in a tiny home, but now I can't imagine my life without it.

In 2018, my marriage of 18 years ended. I had been living in a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, 3,000-square-foot house near Boulder, Colorado with my now ex-husband, our two kids and dogs.

I was ready for a change of scenery. But the houses for sale in my area were out of my budget, so I had to get creative. When I saw a trend of tiny houses on social media, I was immediately intrigued and decided to go for it.

Today, I live in a 520-square-foot house with a modern farmhouse interior, and I have a community of 160,000 followers on Instagram, where I share tips about the tiny house lifestyle.

In 2019, I bought a tiny house shell from a local builder for $45,000. I paid $3,000 for a floorplan that he could work off of.

He gave me a price quote (that ended up being very unrealistic) and told me everything would be done within six to eight months. But eight months later, there was no progress. I knew it was time to move on.

So I reached out to a different builder, MitchCraft Tiny Homes, to take over the project in June 2020. Their estimate was a little higher than my budget, but they seemed knowledgeable and trustworthy.

Due to the pandemic, there were supply chain delays and increased cost of materials. And the shell needed a lot of exterior repair work before the builders could finish the inside.

But in January 2021, it was finally ready for me to move into.

I spent almost double what I had planned, but it was still significantly less than the traditional houses that I initially looked at.

Overall, it cost me around $175,000 to build the home, which included the prefabricated shell structure, labor and material costs.

To pay for everything, I used the $85,000 I got from the sale of my home (my husband and I split the profits) and a $90,000 loan from a close friend.

I pay $725 a month in housing costs, which covers a parking space (in the backyard of someone's home, which I found through a local Facebook group), internet, water and electricity.

To be efficient with space, I have a rule where I don't buy anything unless I know exactly where I'm going to put it.

I put most of my clothes in the built-in dresser in the bathroom, and hang my sweaters and coats in the storage stairs.

The bathroom, which has a soaker tub and washer-dryer, is the crown jewel of my tiny home. The natural light and white finishes make the space feel huge.

I have a waterless composting toilet, which makes it easy to find a parking spot because it doesn't require a sewer or septic line.

I could honestly live here forever. It has given me the affordable housing option I needed, plus the luxury I always wanted — a fireplace, soaker tub, quartz countertops and a massive bed.

More importantly, I have the option to move my home wherever and whenever I want. My kids constantly tell me, "Mom, you're happier than we've ever seen you."

It's never too late to start a new chapter in your life. I can't wait to see where mine takes me next.

Jen Gressett is a Colorado-based graphic designer, copywriter, photo stylist and content creator. During her free time, she enjoys trail running, hiking, and training for races. You can find her on Instagram, where she shares her tiny house living experience.

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