A woman who fell in love with a small home life after spending a night in a truck reveals how she built her own house on wheels for $ 65,000.
Dolly Rubiano, 53, has been living in her 17.2-square-foot home for the past two years, located in Victoria's Macedon Ranges.
What makes her house different from others is her small space with a fully functioning kitchen, two lofts and a walk-in closet.
Her inspired interiors have earned her more than 87,000 followers on Instagram, and although this was not something she intended to do, she loves her intuitive approach that resonates with so many people.
& # 39; Ultimately it all comes down to how I feel and not what I think might work. If something lets my heart skip a beat, I go for it & # 39 ;, she told FEMAIL.
This small house (photo) in Victoria & # 39; s Macedon Ranges has brought its owner, Dolly Rubiano, to the stardom of social media
Dolly Rubiano (photo) reveals how she fell in love with the idea of living in a small space after having lived in a truck for only one night
The Dolly house, which measures a total of 17.2 square meters, has two lofts, one for sleeping (photo) and a second one that serves as a guest / lounge area
Dolly & # 39; s journey to become a small householder began in 2013 after spending a night in a smartly designed house truck in New Zealand.
She described the experience as a profound effect, allowing her to find other homes that she could rent through Airbnb as a way to try out the unique lifestyle.
& # 39; I tried several of them until I got an idea of how big I could live without going crazy, especially if I wanted to let guests stay, & # 39; said Dolly.
The other thing that this experience revealed to her was that she wanted to live in a wooden house – although she hadn't thought about the possibility that her stay could also be on wheels.
The exterior of Dolly & # 39; s house shows that she built her house on a wheeled trailer
When Dolly moved from New Zealand in 2015 to live in Australia to start a new life and pursue her dream of building her house, her family laughed in the Philippines.
& # 39; It is unusual for Filipino people to live in small spaces because we have large families, & # 39; she said.
& # 39; Although my father supported me more and he even asked me if I would bring my little house to the Philippines when I retire. & # 39;
Instead of making plans for her builder on paper, Dolly created her ideal house in miniature from cardboard
Part of what makes this house so stunning is that it has white paneling, wide French doors and an abundance of greenery
Prior to starting her project, Dolly created her dream home in miniature, using inspiration from what she had seen online and based on her experience.
Once she had an idea of what she wanted, she changed her sketches into a scaled-down model made of cardboard to show builders her ideas.
After finding a company to take on the job, Dolly imposed her specifications. These do not include cupboards above the sink, no plumbing except a shower, no interior painting and no solar panels.
Dolly also attended a small workshop for home construction, so she & # 39; ins and outs & # 39; could learn from small housing and be involved in the project.
Dolly designed her house so that every aspect was functional in one way or another; there are cupboards under the stairs to an attic while space under the second her bathroom and a wardrobe
Attending a small home building workshop gave Dolly the skills she needed to get involved in building her house
She said her house should also have two lofts, one for her bedroom and another for acting as a lounge or guest room.
Incredibly, her house was built in three months and during that time Dolly and her sister spent two weeks on site to help with the build.
The couple painted walls and ceilings, installed floating shelves in the kitchen and a floating & # 39; salad bowl & # 39; bathroom sink.
Dolly also revealed that she made a compost toilet herself with The Humanure Handbook as a guide.
Although it is imperative to keep her possessions to a minimum, Dolly admitted that pink home accessories are her weakness
The small house of Dolly also comes with a walk-in closet, which can also serve as space for its washing machine
Although every aspect of her home is breathtaking, Dolly's most exciting space is the kitchen, an area she describes as her & # 39; ballroom and her happy place & # 39 ;.
Her love of cooking meant that she had an oven, a gas stove with two hot plates, a refrigerator, and a sink.
The pleasure of being creative and resourceful never ceases
& # 39; The challenge was to make it both functional and attractive. That is why I love living in the small house. The pleasure of being creative and resourceful never ceases, & she said.
Dolly has also taken into account other luxury elements, including a walk-in closet.
The cleverly designed space is under her lounge area and although it is limited in height, Dolly, who is at 4 & # 39; 11, said this is not a problem for her.
The area that Dolly excites most is the kitchen, an area she describes as her & # 39; ballroom and her happy place & # 39;
& # 39; I have never liked small houses where the only space for clothing is a small closet. I wanted to have a good walk-in closet, & she said.
The bathroom, next to the cupboard, is equipped with a shower, a compost toilet and a sink.
Her design aesthetic has also seen her embrace an abundance of indoor plants, and while they are trendy in terms of aesthetics, there is also a health benefit.
& # 39; I didn't like plants until my builder advised me to get some to add moisture to the air. I started to love them while they grow. & # 39;
A recycled wooden salad bowl has been shaped into a modern washbasin in the bathroom
Dolly said she had never heard of Marie Kondo when the cleaning guru posted one of her images on Instagram
As well as bragging one Instagram page that has more than 87,000 followers, Dolly has also been checked by name by organization guru Marie Kondo.
Although excited by the attention, Dolly said she didn't know who Marie Kondo was at that time, because when she re-placed her photo, her hit Netflix series was not shown.
& # 39; I became curious after she re-placed one of my images, so I googled at her and eventually bought two of her books on cleaning up.
& # 39; If I had read the books before embarking on my daunting journey, it would have been easier and faster. & # 39;
Dolly's house has smart details, such as a fold-out kitchen table that also serves
Regardless of the influence of Marie Kondo, living with less in a small house is a must.
Dolly won't buy stuff today because of the & # 39; although there are times when she said this decision was weakening.
& # 39; If I see something that I like, I first ask myself: & # 39; Is there room for that? & # 39; But if something makes my heart skip a beat, I don't hesitate, especially if it's pink! & # 39;
Her second loft doubles as a lounge area and has a fold-out bed that can be used if she has guests staying
While Dolly's small house is the stuff of dreams, she easily admits that living the small house is not always a bed of roses.
& # 39; There is a learning curve and this comes with great responsibility, & # 39; she said.
& # 39; You need to think about how you can live sustainably and with little impact on the environment.
Embrace simplicity: Dolly said that this principle has allowed her to create a home that reflects her personality and is at the same time a pleasure to live in
& # 39; You must embrace simplicity and be happy with fewer material possessions and consider things such as how to safely manage your waste. & # 39;
Despite the challenge of getting a grip on her new lifestyle, there is nowhere else in the world that she prefers.
& # 39; Living a small house makes sense to me because I wanted a simple, environmentally friendly and tidy life.
& # 39; And because it's on wheels, I can take my house with me everywhere. & # 39;
Follow her on Instagram to find out more about Dolly's little home life adventure @tinymissdollyonwheels or visit her website
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