‘I bought a damp old £500 caravan on Facebook and turned it into my dream holiday home’

A woman has gone viral on TikTok after sharing how she turned an old caravan into a trendy holiday home on wheels.

Hayley Rubery purchased the mobile home, which was riddled with damp, on Facebook Marketplace for £500 – and has since spent a further £500 renovating it into a modern, stylish spot to travel with partner Ben.

The thrifty 34-year-old, based in Norfolk, spotted the 1989 van Royce van online last year and spent months giving it an incredible revamp.

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Hayley and Ben, 40, purchased it in February 2024, spending five months cleaning and stripping it down, and saying goodbye to “years of grime”, reports What’s The Jam.

The caravan was in a sorry state, with damp throughout and dated furnishing in dire need of updating.

Hayley, a content creator, said: “It needed some TLC but we saw the potential.”

They fixed any broken elements, sanded and painted down what they could.

To decorate, they used repurposed furniture and bought second-hand goods to deck out their new pad.

Hayley said: “Who says you need a big budget to make big changes?

“We stretched every pound.

“It’s amazing what you can do when you get creative.

“We scoured the charity shops and Facebook Marketplace for budget buys.

“We also shopped at some of our favourite budget shops such as B&M, Poundland and Matalan.”

The duo spent £499.27 on the revamp, making the total spend – including the caravan – just under £1,000.

The finished result is incredible, with the van – nicknamed Joyce – decorated in light and bright tones, with cosy furnishings to add a homely feel.

The kitchen features a modern backsplash, fresh sink and all of the essentials.

Meanwhile the main living area features trendy wooden panelling and sage green paint.

A cosy double bed takes up room, decorated with fairy lights.

The couple even spray-painted the exterior, and say the caravan is now their “dream getaway on wheels” which is “perfect for affordable holidays”.

Hayley added: “Who says you need luxury to make memories?”

Now, the couple are gearing up for their first trip in ‘Joyce’ this month, and have plans to complete a similar revamp on a second, four-berth caravan which they have recently purchased.

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