Mom Shows Off Inside of School Bus Made Into Incredible Home for Family of 5
Heard about the tiny house movement? It’s hard to miss, with pictures of compact and super cute living spaces flooding social media.
There are also folks who live year-round in campers and recreational vehicles. And just a few decades back, vans were often modified for those who liked feeling at home on the open road.
But more recently, Starla Sullivan decided to convert a bona fide school bus into a home. And boy, has she created a comfy and stylish residence-on-wheels for her family of five.
The website treehugger.com explains that Starla is an interior designer who lives in Washington state. Clearly, she’s put her skills to work crafting clever multi-use spaces for her three kids and husband, Brian.
Want to take a tour? Sites and Facebook pages like Hysatirical and others have shared a video, in which Starla highlights the amazing features of this solar-powered “mobile home.”
According to treehugger.com, the 40-foot bus is affectionately called “Big Bertha.” It even has its very own Facebook page, website, and a YouTube channel that includes additional tours and insights.
Brian works in aerospace manufacturing. He explains that the family used to live near Seattle in a two-bedroom apartment, working constantly yet still feeling “trapped in a negative cash flow.”
So to help with Brian’s commute to a new job, the family began checking out bus conversion videos. Long story short, they ultimately designed quite the moveable masterpiece.
Starla’s video tour provides more show-and-tell details. Walking into the entryway, you immediately see an ingenious shoe storage area that serves as a mudroom.
Once those entry doors shut, colorful flooring is placed over the stairs to create an art space for the children. A larger door separates this front area from the remaining residence, which includes a master bedroom, bathroom, and full living room.
Strolling through, it’s clear that useful storage areas abound. Every last nook and cranny has been re-purposed to help foster a sense of organization and comfort.
Starla’s innovations include fold-down tables, and storage that doubles as seating. Even the appliances lend added efficiency and functionality.
The kitchen is especially well-appointed and spacious. Groceries and dry goods are stored in roomy bins to minimize clutter. Counters and racks can be used for multiple activities like meal prep, clothes drying, sewing and laundry folding.
The curtain-adorned living room features two identical sofas on either side. Their cushions conceal interconnected slats that pull out to create full-sized beds.
The bathroom is outfitted with a composting toilet, plus a high-efficiency washer. The family hangs their laundry to dry, and the shower/bathtub is great for extra storage.
Brian tells treehugger.com that Big Bertha is actually registered as an RV. That means he and Starla don’t need a special license to drive it around when their schedule demands it.
He also explains that this inventive style of living gives the whole gang more quality time together.
“The most important thing in life is people, and spending the most time with our family and children was a huge priority. We were not about to sacrifice our family time to work multiple jobs, paying for a lifestyle we didn’t want,” he says.
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