How wonderful that you're taking the time to learn more about us and the story behind Thuisje van Hout 🌿🏡!
We are Fleur, Sander, and Jetje Zuidhoek – and of course, our loyal Labrador, Poef. With love and enthusiasm, we created this Tiny House in April 2025, a place where not only we but also others can relax and unwind.
We want this! But how?
Fleur had dreamed for years of creating her own “place” – a warm, welcoming environment where people feel at home. She even captured this feeling in a little poem:
📸 [Photo of the poem]
But with a busy life as an account manager at the arts education organization Kleinkunstig, a passion for singing (check out Sterre Productions 😉), a family, and a playful Labrador, this dream always seemed like something for "when we grow up."
Sander, a lecturer in Applied Psychology at Saxion, was increasingly asked to speak, research, and coach on mental and physical health. With his background as a neuropsychologist and passion for well-being, he is an all-round source of knowledge. As a bassist, he remained active in several bands. His two sons, Siem and Eelke, had already moved out, but they regularly met up for a game of chess, pool, or a beer in the city.
And Jetje? She sang her heart out in singing lessons, cuddled Poef all day if she could, devoured the Harry Potter books, and skated all over Zwolle.
And then the itch started…
"Could we actually…?"
"What if…?"
For us, a thought like that never remains just a thought experiment for long. We wanted this! But how could we combine it with everything we were already doing?
It all became real during a boat trip through the canals of Zwolle (highly recommended!). Suddenly, Sander asked, "What if you took some time off to just make this happen?"
Thanks to the wonderful flexibility of Kleinkunstig, Fleur was able to take a leave of absence from December 2024 to March 2025, and… from that moment on, things moved fast.
Go, go, go!
When Fleur commits to something, she goes all in. Within days, she reached out to Marijke from Kappert Huisjes, who quickly said: “I might have something for you.”
Reading about Camping Klein Zwitserland, Fleur was immediately excited:
✅ Surrounded by nature
✅ Plenty to do in the area
✅ Independent rental management
✅ Dogs welcome
✅ Open all year round
"Sander, this sounds perfect!"
Within days, the first viewing was scheduled. Within a week, we were sitting down with Arnold and Marijke from Kappert Huisjes to draft the first plans, and just a few days later, we met the owners of Camping Klein Zwitserland, Nasim and Martin. The connection was instant – and to top it off, they even wanted to hire our bands to perform at the campsite! Win-win. 🎶
By early February, everything was official: contracts were signed, agreements finalized, and… construction began!
Now, just a few months later, Thuisje van Hout is a place where we proudly welcome others. A place to relax, explore, and enjoy.
💛 We hope to see you in Zuidwolde! 💛