Veteran Family Retired in This Awesome, Ultra-Functional Tiny Home on Wheels

If I were based in the United States, where skoolies are easy to come by, and the road infrastructure is made for larger vehicles, I'd probably start a school bus conversion. I feel like skoolies are worth alternatives to camper vans; here's why.

Meet Geoff, Amber, and their 18-year-old son, Ayden, who live and travel in a self-converted 2007 BlueBird school bus that measures 40 feet (12.2 meters) in length. Geoff is a veteran, having spent 26 years in the Navy. He's no stranger to the mobile lifestyle, having lived in multiple RVs while in the Navy.

While he was still on active duty, the duo spent two years converting this bus. I know, two years is a lot of time, but just wait till you see how cozy and functional this rig is, and you'll probably agree that the time and money they spent were worth it.

Regarding the budget, most skoolies I've written about (and I've covered many rigs here on autoevolution) cost between $30,000 and $40,000 (€27,933 and €37,244). Naturally, the more you invest in its features, the more comfortable and practical it will be, at least in theory.

In this family's case, they bought the base vehicle for $7,000 ($6,518) and invested around $50,000 to $60,000 (€46,544 to €55,853) into its conversion, bringing the total cost to about $67,000 (€62,369).

As usual, I'll start the tour with the rig's exterior. It's finished all around in blue paint paired with a white roof. On top of the vehicle, you'll find a custom rack made from Unistruts, which holds solar panels, kayaks, and paddleboards. We don't know the exact capacity of the solar panels, but judging by the roof's looks, I'd say the total capacity has to be at least 1,000 W.

There's no such thing as too much storage when it comes to tiny homes on wheels. So, to make full use of the exterior space, the couple installed three Viking toolboxes. Another exterior compartment houses a Honda generator for those days when there's not enough sun to power the batteries.

Step inside, and you'll feel like you just entered a conventional home. Geoff and Amber opted for a warm and bright interior design consisting of white cabinetry, a white ceiling with two long beams, grey walls, and laminate flooring, with the look complemented by various wooden accents.

Above the driver's cabin, Geoff and Amber created shadow boxes to showcase all of Geoff's Navy medals, coins, and other military memorabilia.

The following part of this rig's interior is the living room. It comprises a dinette with two benches and a sizeable table on one side, and a long desk on the other. What's more, the dinette can be transformed into a long couch or bed by attaching the tabletop between the benches and rearranging the cushions. Underneath the smaller bench, the family housed a diesel heater.

The desk is Ayden's spot - he uses it for online school and gaming. As a gamer, I can certainly appreciate his setup, which consists of a large monitor, a full gaming PC, speakers, and a mechanical keyboard.

Next, we have the kitchen, which is split into two parts. It features a huge farmhouse-style sink, long and spacious butcher block countertops, a vintage-style oven/four-burner stove combo, a massive fridge/freezer with the same color as the oven, and a Berkey water filter.

The family has numerous options for kitchen storage, including many drawers, cabinets, a gigantic pull-out pantry, shelves, and a magnetic knife rack. Moreover, the fact that there are no overhead cabinets, like in most other skoolies, makes the space feel a lot roomier.

Walk past the kitchen, and you'll notice the interior narrows down into a hallway. On the right, you'll discover Ayden's bedroom. Many bus dwellers create open bedrooms for their kids – but since their son is grown up, Geoff and Amber wanted him to have his own closed-off space.

Slide the door open, and you'll discover a cozy bedroom space with a bunk bed, a TV, a sizeable window, rattan overhead cabinets, and a swivel fan. Moreover, the room is large enough for their son to be able to sit up in it.

Opposite the bedroom, you'll find the rig's bathroom, separated from the rest of the area by another sliding door. It boasts an Air Head composting toilet, a small sink with a cabinet underneath, and a full shower with tiled walls and a stone floor.

Finally, the master bedroom occupies the rear part of the interior. Geoff and Amber have ample storage space in two large closets and many drawers. Another closet holds the electrical system. Its highlights are three 206 Ah batteries, a 3,000 W inverter/charger, and charge controllers connected to the solar panels on the roof.

Other notable features in this space are a mattress mounted from east to west, a massive skylight, a swivel fan, and an 8,000 BTU mini-split. Furthermore, underneath the bed, the couple fitted a 100-gallon (378-liter) freshwater tank connected to a pump.

I love that the room is very well-lit during the day due to the skylight and the many surrounding windows.

All in all, this family did a fantastic job with their tiny home on wheels. It has a well-thought-out design, countless creature comforts, and allows for long-term off-grid travels.

Yes, it took them two years and a considerable sum of money to complete the project, but I think you'll agree that it was 100% worth it. I know it's not a fair comparison, but this rig cost way less than a conventional home, yet it's just as practical. Anyway, what matters is that it was worth it to them.