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This is the story of Jessica Allossery and her 13ft 1969 Bailey Mikado travel trailer.
She uses it as a home away from home when she’s traveling and performing on tour. Here is our interview with her.
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Jessica Allossery’s 13ft 1969 Bailey Mikado Camper
Images © The Lovely Indie
Images © The Lovely Indie
Our Interview with Jessica Allossery, indie-folk songstress, life lover, traveller, and 13ft ’69 Bailey Mikado camper owner.
Where are you from?
I am a singer-songwriter from London Ontario, Canada
How did you first become seriously interested in tiny homes?
I am a world traveller at heart and always have been…I had never been camping as a kid but into my 20s I started coming across tiny homes on instagram and travelling bloggers living on the road in campers/caravans and got hooked! I started looking for my own camper in 2014, and 2 years later I found Pearl (my camper).
What type of tiny house do you have or are you working on?
Pearl is a 13 foot 1969 Bailey Mikado camper.
Why did you go tiny? What are you hoping to get out of it for yourself?
I just wanted a space to call my own and call home. My own decor and furnishings.. My own design. My parents and I began working on it in 2016 and within a year we were finished. It was perfect timing because my music had just gotten on Sirius XM Radio and I had enough interest to tour for the first time across the USA. Once she was complete I hit the road on my first music tour across North America with my groupie ‘Pearl the camper’ in tow!
How long did it take you to finish your tiny house?
1 year
Did you do it yourself? Who helped? How much did it end up costing you to build it? (optional)
I bought it when it was already gutted. Inside, she was rotting and in very bad shape.
My dad repaired the shell as I thought up a new design. Then my dad and mom and I did the building. My mom did the detailed work like curtains, ceiling, floors, a bit of painting and she was my dad’s assistant. I was my dad’s assistant most days, and finished the project by painting all the interior, cabinets and the exterior. The materials ended up costing 10K -thankfully I didn’t have to pay labour costs because it would have been much more expensive.
How did you figure out where to put it? Do you keep it in one place or do you move around?
I don’t live in my camper year round – I only use it when touring around Canada and the USA. So, on tour I drive around and stay in campsites or house concert hosts driveways. Then in the winter/spring when I’m not using it, I store it in my parents barn on the farm – which is usually about 8 months of the year.
What benefits are you experiencing from it so far?
I have learned a lot in my little camper. Just feeling like Pearl has my back and will keep me safe. A lot of trust. A lot of safety and joy and admiration. She’s also taught me about all the amazing people who are so friendly when they see me towing her. It brings people together and helps me to make friends on the road much easier.
It’s always so nice to know that I have a soft place to land after each one of my shows. It’s my personal dressing room that follows me every where. It’s my home on the road.
What helpful piece of advice would you give to others who are interested in going tiny? What mistakes could you help them avoid?
We hired a company to use a spray foam to insulate Pearl (she is wood frame and aluminum body) and it made a HUGE difference in overall sturdiness. I recommend that to anyone and everyone! It has been super helpful! Also – you need need NEED an air conditioner if you’re travelling in the USA in the summer. The first year I didn’t have an AC installed and it was the worst camping experience ever. I was so uncomfortable – I didn’t sleep for weeks on end. Please do yourself a favour and be equipped with a proper air conditioner!
Mistakes to avoid: I wouldn’t have made an indoor stove/over as much of a priority. Looking back, I’d probably take the extra space to add a toilet into the design, and a bed big enough for two people. (Right now I only have a single bed and it’s not very practical).
To cook, I’d then just take out a portable foldable grill and electric hot pot/instant pot. Cooking inside the camper ends up trapping food smells and makes it hot inside – so I rarely even use my indoor oven and stove anymore. However I will say that if I am ever off grid, it’s really nice to have the propane stove as an option – but you could easily get a portable foldable propane stove that does the trick and save space – which is what I would do next time.
Do you have a website, blog, or social media pages where we can connect with you and follow along?
http://www.instagram.com/jessicaallossery
http://www.facebook.com/jessicaallosserymusic
http://www.thelovelyindie.com/
Learn more
@jessicaallossery | The Lovely Indie
Our big thanks to Jessica Allossery for sharing!🙏
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Alex
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Really nice work. Also seems to be a cool way to save money if you have to travel a lot for work.
Nicely done, But Way too feminine and girly for my taste.
…anyone get the number of that company that did the spray foam insulation in her trailer?
It was a small company in little Chatham Ontario, Canada! I’m sure many cities have a company who does in-home spray foam insulation. A quick google search will help you find one !
Nicely done. Pretty. : ))
Beautiful!! Love all the photos too. Thanks
Absolutely lovely! The camper and the story. . .