A low-income single mother has built her own house of 18.5 square metres

A lot can change in one year.
Until recently, Michelle Boyle had to pay $1,300 a month to rent a small house in Sherwood, Oregon.
Because rent was high and her salary low, she had no chance of saving. Everything she earned working in the café went to cover her rent and food expenses.

But what could she do? Finding a cheaper place to live was very difficult, and it was simply impossible to leave on the street with the children.
But after a while, when the children moved out, the situation changed — that’s when Michelle decided to change her life.
With the small savings she did manage to save, she built her own tiny house.
Not only did this help reduce her monthly expenses almost completely, but it also allowed Michelle to start saving for her future retirement.

How did Michelle do it?
She started exploring small house owner websites, where people shared their experiences of building and planning for the sake of housing savings and financial stability.
She managed to build a house for a small amount of money, which she moved into from her big house.
Michelle used to spend $1,300 a month to rent a three-bedroom house — now she lives in a small house of 18.5 square metres. For the small plot of land on which the house stands, Michelle pays just $65 a month.
This amount includes electricity, water and WiFi!

«Building something with your own hands is a very rewarding experience,» Michelle tells Oregon Live.
«I didn’t just build my house, I designed it.»

Take a look inside her humble abode and you’re sure to be impressed!
Our tour of the house begins in the quaint little kitchen where Michelle spends most of her time.

The devices all date back to the 40s and early 50s. Michelle said that it took her two years to find and restore her collection.

The house has enough space for a small staircase leading up to the attic, where Michelle usually reads books or just rests.
Not a bad idea!

I’d love to take a nap here or read a good book!

In the living room, there is another staircase that leads to the bedroom.
As you can see, Michelle was able to place a lot of furniture here to make the space as homely and cozy as possible.

I’m sure it’s very pleasant to wake up here in the morning.

What’s in Michelle’s living room? She made it very cosy for Christmas!
It feels like the house has more than 18.5 square metres of floor space…

The bathroom is also decorated for Christmas!
There is water, a shower and a toilet.

Somehow Michelle even managed to install a small wardrobe in her house. Impressive!

The house seems even more charming in winter! It’s great to live here…

Well done, Michelle! You have built a wonderful and unique house.

After realising her dream project, Michelle didn’t stop there…
Instead of enjoying a well-deserved break, she continues to explore and build more tiny houses. She plans to rent them out as a source of income in the future.

Would you or someone you know like to live in one of Michelle’s houses?

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