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Meet Leni, an Old Volkswagen Van Turned Practical Tiny Home on Wheels

Van life is not for everyone, but many people decide to embrace this lifestyle because it allows them to go wherever they want, whenever they want. The journey becomes even more meaningful when you're traveling and living in a self-converted van equipped with all the necessities. This lovely couple wanted to get a taste of the van life, so they bought an old Volkswagen van, renovated it, and turned it into a cozy little home on wheels.
Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35 13 photos
Photo: riexploring via Instagram
Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35Leni is a cleverly-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35
Roman and Ioana are two adventurous people that don't really like to stay in one place for too long. The couple loves to explore and make great memories during their travels. Naturally, they wanted to see what the nomadic lifestyle was all about. They got inspired by other people who live life on the road, so they decided to buy a van and turn it into their ideal tiny home on wheels.

In 2017, they got a 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35, which they lovingly named Leni (meaning "slow" in Latvian). Leni belonged to another couple who used it as a camper for many years. Once they purchased the van from them, Roman and Ioana worked their magic and renovated the interior, turning it into a cozy little habitat filled with space-saving contraptions.

They traveled around Europe for a year with Leni, visiting new places and enjoying the van life experience. They learned how to live simpler and focus on the things that really matter. Although their one-year trip has ended, they still use the van for epic weekend getaways, and they always find new stuff to add to it.

Recently, they upgraded Leni. Now, the van has a gorgeous hand-painted exterior, and it also tows behind it a "garage" trailer that they build from scratch for their toys. The trailer is 3 meters (9.8 ft) long and 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) wide. They painted it to match the exterior of their van, so it really feels like an extension of Leni. It has a door on one side that they use for quick access, but if they want to take their motorcycle or their bikes out, they use the rear ramp.

Leni is a cleverly\-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35
Photo: Alternative House via Youtube
The trailer houses a 26-liter (24-gallon) water tank as well. This comes in handy when they want to stay in a place longer and enjoy the off-grid life. Since their van is pretty compact, they use the mobile "garage" for all the items that don't fit inside the vehicle.

Although Leni is not super spacious, it is filled with clever design solutions. It fits inside all the necessities the couple needs to live comfortably. It has a living room, a bedroom, a small kitchen, and a rear bathroom!

At the front is the living room/bedroom. It includes swivel seats and an adjustable table that functions as a small workspace. You'll also notice that there's another drop-down table that can also be used as a desk. Since this one is larger, it can also serve as a dining table. Elsewhere, you'll find a bench for two and some cabinets for storage.

Leni is a cleverly\-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35
Photo: Alternative House via Youtube
What's interesting is that this area also fits a bed, which is positioned above the living room. The bed drops down, but not completely. This way, they can use both spaces at the same time. One can sleep, while the other can relax or work in the living room. They do not have a TV, but they have a pull-down projector screen that they use to watch movies either from the comfort of their bed.

Next to this area is a compact kitchen that is surprisingly equipped with all the essentials. It has a small sink, a mini fridge, a two-burner propane cooktop, and a ductless range hood. For safety purposes, the two even included a smoke and gas detector. The kitchen also has two large cabinets for ingredients and dry food. There's not much countertop space, but they have a slide-out cutting board that solves that issue.

Another cool feature that we have to mention is the large pull-out pantry that offers them all the space they need. Across the kitchen area, they also have some pretty big closets where they keep their clothes. And if that's not enough towards the rear, you'll see that there are several cabinets that offer ample storage space as well.

Leni is a cleverly\-converted 1990 Volkswagen Transporter LT 35
Photo: Alternative House via Youtube
At the rear is the bathroom, which can be accessed both from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. Inside, you'll find a shower and a composting toilet, as well as some caddies and a trashcan attached to the back doors. Although they do have an indoor shower, they also have an outdoor one. If the weather is nice and warm, they prefer to use that outdoor shower when they're staying in remote locations.

Even if Leni is quite compact, it has every amenity they need to travel and camp comfortably. Their van also has numerous windows, and a skylight mounted above the bed not only brings in extra daylight but it's also great for stargazing. Roman and Ioana offered a thorough walkthrough of their little home on wheels, showing everyone what it's all about. You can watch a full tour of their converted van down below.

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About the author: Florina Spînu
Florina Spînu profile photo

Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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