Prolific tiny house builder Marsha, who has constructed eight or nine different tiny homes over the years, teamed up with her 19-year-old grandson Zachary to build this micro THOW. When life events pulled Zachary away from the project—a work promotion, his uncle’s hockey injury, and the arrival of Marsha’s first great-grandchild—she finished the build solo despite material shortages and price increases.
The compact design fits a twin bed and kitchenette with creative over-tongue cabinet storage. Features include a 10-inch stainless steel sink, space for a portable stovetop, USB-charged puck lights, fiberglass insulation throughout, and both interior and exterior-access storage compartments. This unit has sold, but the build demonstrates what’s achievable with determination and a modest budget.
Micro THOW Exterior
Images via Marsha Cowan
Cedar Front Door
Images via Marsha Cowan
Bed and Kitchenette Layout
Images via Marsha Cowan
Twin Bed with Under-Bed Storage
Images via Marsha Cowan
Treated Pine Exterior
Images via Marsha Cowan
USB-Charged Puck Lights
Images via Marsha Cowan
Over-Tongue Cabinet Storage
Images via Marsha Cowan
Exterior-Access Storage
Images via Marsha Cowan
The Build Story
Marsha shared the challenges of completing this build:
“As soon as we started about the end of September, crazy events took place which made the build take a lot longer than it should have. Zach was given a promotion with raise at work and a change of hours which meant he was gone all day most days. His friend, who was able to help us at first, landed a job which took his days. Along with this, my youngest son crushed his foot at a hockey tournament and had to have major surgery and lots of daily care at first. My granddaughter had a beautiful baby boy (my first great grandbaby) which I got to help hold in the afternoons most days.
In addition to all the ‘people’ stuff happening, prices doubled from the time we estimated the cost and the time we stepped into the door to buy, and there were also shortages in materials we had to have, so we went back to the drawing board to see what we could do to stay within budget, use what was available, and still have a solidly built tiny house.
We had sunshine and warm temps the first few weeks of building in October, but then the fall rains started which caused many delays. By this time I’m building alone and missing the camaraderie. It was fun working with my grandson and his friend. They’re really cool guys and hard workers.
In spite of everything both good and bad, it got finished! Tiny rustic campers like this are not ‘hot’ right now and not glamorous, but for some of us, it’s all we need to be safe, happy, and comfortable.”
Design Details
- Type: Micro THOW / rustic camper
- Builder: Marsha Cowan with grandson Zachary
- Location: North Carolina
- Build Type: DIY
- Exterior: Treated pine siding
- Entry Door: Cedar
- Screen Door: With removable 1/4-inch plexiglass insert for cold weather
- Windows: Double-glazed
- Insulation: Fiberglass batting throughout
- Sleeping: Twin bed
- Mattress: 8-inch memory foam (trimmed to fit)
- Kitchen Sink: 10-inch deep stainless steel with hose sprayer
- Cooking: Space for portable single burner stovetop
- Heating: Electric oil circulating radiator
- Lighting: 4 USB-charged puck lights
- Electrical: 14-gauge port plug with 3-receptacle capacity
- Toilet: Hassock portable potty
- Under-Bed Storage: 3 large laundry baskets
- Under-Counter Storage: 1 smaller basket for laundry
- Additional Storage: Over-tongue cabinets, exterior-access compartment
- Propane Option: Small shed area on tongue for conversion
- Status: Sold
Lessons from This Build
- Life Happens During DIY Projects: Marsha’s experience—promotions, injuries, new babies—shows that building timelines rarely survive contact with real life, and flexibility is essential for completing any self-built tiny house
- Budget for Material Price Volatility: Prices doubling between planning and purchasing forced redesigns; building in a contingency or buying materials early can prevent this common setback
- Over-Tongue Space Creates Storage: Building cabinet storage above the trailer tongue utilizes space that would otherwise be wasted, maximizing the micro footprint
- Simple Systems Reduce Complexity: USB-charged lights, a portable potty, and space for a portable stove avoid the complexity of permanent plumbing and wiring while still providing essential functions
- Rustic Doesn’t Mean Uncomfortable: Fiberglass insulation, double-glazed windows, a removable plexiglass door insert, and an electric heater demonstrate that budget builds can still address climate comfort
Related Stories
- Marsha’s 8×8 Shed-To-Tiny-House Conversion
- Marsha’s Temporary Truck Bed Tiny Home
- Marsha’s 9ft Tiny House
- Marsha’s Bus Tiny House Remodel
You can share this using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more!
Also, try our Tiny Houses For Sale Newsletter!
More Like This: Tiny Houses | THOWs | DIY
See The Latest: Go Back Home to See Our Latest Tiny Houses
This post may contain affiliate links and/or sponsored content.
Alex
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- Custom Built 7×14 Cargo Trailer CAMPER Tour - May 20, 2026
- Living Full-Time in a Tesla Model X - May 20, 2026
- Tiny House Communities in Georgia: Where to Live Small in the Peach State - May 20, 2026
Way to persevere!
I am very impressed with your resolute perseverance through all of the “people stuff” both good and bad that threw themselves into your work. The amazing thing is that you finished it! And a very usable tight little cabin it ended up being. I have to compliment your storage solutions! I fully expect people to use that cool stacked (inside and outside access) kitchen that you designed. Just the best!! And your planning and excellent building skills are stunning. Congratulations!
Thank you, Kathy. My skills are a bit primitive, but so is my taste, so I guess that works out. Lol!
Hey Marsha…. I have a hopefully simple question for you. What are the dimensions of your li’l camper trailer inside? I spent a sleepless night (no kidding!) after I first saw this tinyhousetalk thinking about how I could work with your great design and add a couple of things I would find helpful. Since then ideas keep coming to me randomly. I get like that when I see a plan that moves me. Anyway I think I will do better at putting my ideas on paper if I know the dimensions. Thanks!
I’m sorry the dimensions were not included up front. The trailer is 6′ x 8′ technically, but we were surprised when building to find that it was actually 6′ 4″”, so the inside width is approximately 67″ (5′ 7″), and the inside length is approximately 86″ ( 7′ 2″). I hope this helps. Thanks!
Marsha, you did a fantastic job. What a perfect little build. I could have really used this last summer when I did extensive camping and my ‘tent’ was the back of my pickup. It consisted of a hard canopy with a mattress thrown in the back. It works, but my back and knees complain about it. Your build allows one to stand and sit without crouching and kneeling.
I love the set up of your camper with the bed, and right across, the kitchen. The layout for camping and kitchen gear is just perfect – spacious – it can hold everything one needs for camping and sleeping comfortably. I like the fact the loo is right there so there are no night time trips outside in the spooky woods making one a potential target of a predator.
The wood design is so perfect – I love the use of the pallet wood and in fact used pallet slats for the flooring of the tiny house I built. Your putting them on the walls with all those knots – well, I am in love. Warmth! Is the bed long enough to sleep someone 5’8″?
I am curious – the water supply – does that come in from an outside RV supply hookup, or does one bring in a water jug and use a gravity fed system? The electrical – outside supply hookup? If off grid, one would use a deep cycle battery for the lower power stuff and a generator for the hot plate and heater? Is there a porthole where one can run a cord through into the camper? Of course, one can easily bring propane and/or butane or a large capacity power station but I was just curious.
Everything about this build is aesthetically pleasing, both inside and outside. and so practical and comfortable. You did a fantastic job and I am glad to read family was partly involved.
Hi Denise! There is an RV hose hook up on the outside, a port plug on the outside, and a hook up for a gray water hose on the outside. They are grouped together to the right of the hutch if you’re facing the front. I think you can see them in one of the pictures. The bed is 5’7″, so you might have to scrinch a little, but if you lie a little diagonally, you can gain about 6 more inches. You can use butane or propane if you want. There are currently no openings for propane hoses, but they could be added.
Hello! I am Marsha’s grandson! Thank you for the positive feedback 🙂
Another creative and practical design from Marsha. I am always so excited to see what you come up with.