Where do delivery vans go once a company gets rid of them? Well, for this Army veteran, that piece of “throwaway” was his little pot of gold when he turned it into his very own tiny home.
View this post on Instagram
Jonathan “Jon” Norris may have retired from his military duties, but he had so much in the future ahead of him. There is more to his story than turning this old FedEx van into a tiny home. In there are a story of hard work, perseverance, and a life full of dreams.
The Work before the Build
The notable thing Jon revealed about this build was the amount of research he put into it before he dived into creating his tiny home. This included watching over 100 YouTube videos about tiny homes within four years.
View this post on Instagram
He also looked up the best materials, furniture, and fixtures to work around in a tiny home. One of the things he bragged about for most of the house tour was how he found his two-door refrigerator that worked best for this lifestyle.
Inside the Stealth Step Van Home
Jon modified a few fantastic things in this van to create a comfortable home on wheels. The moment you step inside, it seems like an ordinary delivery van. But don’t be deceived by that door because it is a double door customized to add insulation and security to his home.
He couldn’t do much to the first door but made it up for the second one. It has a digital passcode as a lock, added insulation, and beautifully finished wood on the inside.
His kitchen may be small, but Jon said it was enough since he didn’t like to do big meal prep. He said that all he needed was a fridge where he could freeze and store cooked food. With that, he also overly compensated on the microwave to quickly heat his food.
Jon made a sliding wooden board as a table for his dining room. It has two comfortable seats on both ends, which can be converted into a single bed in case he has any guests coming in. He also doesn’t miss much on the entertainment side since he has a 40-inch television with a subwoofer.
He has raised double bed at the end of his mobile home. The bottom is his “garage,” where he stores all his equipment for outdoor activities. His makeshift garage can also be accessed outside through the back-turned-barn door. It’s so huge; it can even fit two bikes!
Jon’s house is entirely off the grid. He has four solar panels wired to batteries to power his home, including his heater.
Going Tiny to Live the Dream
View this post on Instagram
Jon thought of building this tiny home because he had other plans – to become a professional helicopter pilot. And guess what? He just finished his first solo flight and got his license as a private helicopter pilot!
View this post on Instagram
He said the van life would work best for him as he worked on his dreams. All he ever needed was to have a home he could stay in and park it in the hangar’s garage. He wanted to live within his means, and this step van was the best way to do that.
Watch the entire house tour in the videos below to see the other modifications Jon made in his step van home!
