Summer vacation has always been a very enjoyable time for children in the United States. They take a few weeks to acclimate to the summer schedule, loving the fact that they don’t have to wake up early in the morning and they have no homework at night. Once the newness of the situation wears off, however, they often start to get bored.

One of the best ways to beat boredom is to get involved in a project. That is what one Iowa teenager decided to do and he is now offering hope to other teens as well as their parents because of his ingenuity.

Luke Thill lives his life with his family and Dubuque, Iowa. He is 12 years old and has a rather interesting hobby. He loves the ‘tiny house’ movement, involving scaling down and living in little spaces.

He saved up money by mowing lawns in the neighborhood and decided that he would build his own place in his parent’s backyard. The Des Moines Register reported that his father, Greg Thill set out the guidelines for the project: “You raise the money. You build it. And you own it.”

As far as Greg was concerned, it was an opportunity like no other. “It was a chance for a kid to do something more than play video games or sports,” Luke’s dad told the Des Moines Register.

You might be wondering how such a youngster got his start in building this project. He had his father to guide him but he is also a resourceful individual. Many of the materials were salvaged from family members and he traded his labor for the services of skilled craftsmen.

“An electrician neighbor helped him wire it-if Thill cleaned out his garage. A Scout leader he knew helped him lay carpet in the loft bedroom-if he cut his lawn. He used leftover siding from his grandma’s house and a front door from his uncle’s friend.”

It wasn’t long before the little house started to shape up. Thill was excited with what he was doing: “I wanted to show kids it’s possible to build at this age.”

After he finished the house, he had enough space to be self-sufficient, 5 1/2 feet wide and 10 feet long. The majority of the materials were salvaged and the budget was only $1500.

At only 89 sq ft., the home had almost everything you could possibly want. It is lacking plumbing because it would have required planning and permits from the city but it does have electricity. It also has a kitchen with a refrigerator, a seating area with a folding table and an upstairs loft with a foam mattress bed.

Thill gave a video tour of his house on Facebook, saying: “I personally think it’s more comfortable than my own mattress in my bedroom.” He was proud of his creation but other people appreciated his ingenuity as well. He has even been asked to speak at Tiny Fest MidWest, an event that promotes the culture of tiny homes in the region.

He’s planning on building even more. An airstream type teardrop trailer has also been added to his list and he used it to travel to Kansas for a Tiny Fest MidWest meet up.

Luke seems to be really interested in the tiny house movement, both in a practical way and on a personal level. He says: “you can save money, travel the world and do what you want instead.”