Nate and Izzy are living the tiny life in a 2005 T1N Sprinter with a 2.7L turbo diesel motor that they built out themselves with no experience whatsoever! The incredible results have far exceeded their expectations!! There are tons of must-see interesting and innovative ideas that they incorporated into their first-ever van build. They have dubbed their creation Janice the Vanice!
The couple used a copper salad bowl for the kitchen sink and copper tubing for the swivel sink spout. Both Nate and Izzy love the copper aesthetic, and the copper theme is seen throughout their build. They created an amazing countertop from spruce, pine, fir, and cedar that Izzy shared they "smushed together" to form a beautiful butcher block countertop! They have a small fridge and a Berkey water filter that allows them to always have fresh, potable water on hand from any water source.
One of the best parts of their build is the Murphy bed that has beautiful live edge legs that fall into place when the bed is lowered, as well as gas struts to assist Izzy when putting it away, as it weighs more than a hundred pounds. The van's ceiling is done in a beautiful cedar with a Danish oil finish for protection!
Tiny Home Travelers Are Happy to Assist Others in Need
When they started their build, neither Nate nor Izzy had any experience using power tools or building things. They learned along the way and with the help of their friends and YouTube!
“We wouldn’t have come halfway here without a bunch of friends that helped and a whole bunch of, like, yea; people just dove into helping us!”
They absolutely had to have a shower, as they completed their build during the Covid-19 pandemic and were unsure they would be able to drop into a gym to shower. They tiled the walls and made their own drain pan that drains through the floor, either into a bucket or directly onto the ground. They also installed an on-demand water heater and a cassette toilet.
Nate waited until the end of the build to do the wiring; he was unsure of his abilities and felt he might need to make some changes. He ran the wiring through a plastic conduit and then through a copper pipe to continue the copper aesthetic! A closet across from the bench seating stores clothing. They have individual spaces for their clothing, and they share a space for the storage of other items. Their batteries and inverter are stored under the bench seating and accessible from the front or back.
Experience is the Best Teacher
Nate and Izzy are so in love with this life that they are able to lead and feel that all of this is made possible by their choice to live tiny! Anyone looking to live this lifestyle should take the leap and give it a try! If they can do it, so can you!
Watch their Full Tour Here:
Catch them on Instagram @Janice.the.Vanice