A DRIVER has revealed how he lives completely rent-free by sleeping in his Kia, even managing to fit in a full-size bed.
Michael Hickey gave a step-by-step guide on how to turn a tiny hatchback into a serviceable home.
tiktok.com/@themichaelhickeyMichael Hickey turned his car into a mini mobile home[/caption]
GettyHe kitted out his Kia Rio with a full-sized bed (stock image)[/caption]
tiktok.com/@themichaelhickeyHe ripped out two of the seats, installed a wooden frame and covered it with foam matting[/caption]
In a clip uploaded to TikTok, he said: “This is how I built my bed in the 2009 Kia Rio.
“A lot of people have been asking for it so here it is.
“The bed allows me to live rent-free in my car and travel wherever I want and not have to pay for a hotel.”
All it took was some bedding, a few planks of wood and some basic tools.
The first thing Michael did was to remove the passenger-side front and rear seats to give himself a blank slate to work with in one half of the motor.
However, this left an uneven ridge where the floor of the car dipped in as it led into the rear footwell.
To correct this, Michael took a few lengths of light wood and screwed them together to create a frame that levelled off the surface.
Sheets of plywood were then trimmed down to fit the frame and placed across it to provide a flat, even base for the bed.
On top of this, he placed a foam mat, which can be picked up at B&Q for as little as £6.99.
Finally, he put his bedding over this, complete with a stapled-down sheet, duvet and pillow, leaving him with a comfy bed.
He even screwed some cabinet hinges into one side of the plywood, allowing him to lift the boards up together and unveil the cavity underneath to be used for storage.
Michael added: “The whole goal for the bed was to make it so I could lie down comfortably flat on my back and make sure I wasn’t scrunched up in the car.
“That’s exactly what we did.
“I have a camping stove so I can cook just about anything and I go and shower at [the gym].”
Living the dream
He even works as a delivery driver out of his mobile home to earn some extra cash as he travels across the US.
Social media commenters were inspired by the demo.
One wrote: “Bro living the dream.”
Another added: “I love your sense of responsibility and independence.”
It comes after drivers in Oxfordshire were left fuming about a new council scheme that will see them pay to park outside their own homes, with similar restrictions springing up across the nation.
tiktok.com/@themichaelhickeyIt allowed him to live ‘rent-free’ as he travels around the US[/caption]
tiktok.com/@themichaelhickeyMichael also works as a delivery driver to earn extra cash[/caption]
tiktok.com/@themichaelhickeyOne commenter said he was ‘living the dream’[/caption]