Family of 5 Lives Happily in a Renovated School Bus

There seems to be a constant negative chatter about Millennials these days. And though it’s true that most are glued to their phones, we have to give it to them up—they have certainly found ways to put positive spins on negative situations. Take this couple, for instance; you’ve just got to see how they managed to blur the lines of what homeownership looks like, all by using a whole lot of creativity.

In 2014, mother and father of 3, Starla and Brian Sullivan, were exhausted. The young parents were living paycheck-to-paycheck, paying off student loans, and renting an apartment they could barely afford. Like many folks out there, Brian was commuting a whopping 3 hours per day while Starla raised kids who, due to his busy schedule, “never saw” their daddy.

One night, while watching some YouTube videos, Starla had a bit of an ‘a-ha’ moment that would completely transform the family’s way of living. While sitting and watching a program about tiny houses, particularly one that featured a family living in a renovated bus, Starla turned to her husband and asked 10 prophetic words, “Do you want to live in a bus with me?”

After his wife came up with the unusual proposition, Brian saw the light. He says, “I started to realize all of these little things that were benefits that, you know, I hadn’t thought of before, like being able to be mobile, like being able to pick up and move if I got a different job and it was 20 miles away, or something.”

“We’re ridiculous people, and this is a ridiculous lifestyle and it just works,” Starla adds. Well, after that explanation, we certainly wouldn’t label them as ridiculous! If anything, they are ultra-practical!

Now, fantasizing about living the tiny house lifestyle is definitely different than the reality of it, especially when there are three little ones involved. When the couple was in the midst of planning for the major life change, Starla made it clear that she didn’t want to feel like she was camping out in a vehicle every night; she wanted to make the bus her home.

So, both Brian and Starla came up with some super smart, space-saving hacks that would put your grandpa’s old Murphy Bed to shame!

To give you an idea, all of the sofas pull out into full-sized beds. And don’t think that this growing family is eating out every night. Believe it or not, their bus comes with a fully-equipped kitchen including a neat-looking microwave-oven combination, plenty of storage space for cookware, and more counter space than you’d think!

The scrappy couple even figured out a way to fit a washing machine in their tiny home! It sits next to their “bathtub,” which we have to admit isn’t quite as modern and chic as the rest of their dream-home-on-wheels, but at least their kids don’t seem to mind!

Now, we know that you’re probably curious about Brian and Starla’s bottom line. How much did this cost anyways?

According to their monthly breakdown, they say that they only spend about $500 per month on “rent” (or land to park the bus) and the total renovation and vehicle purchase only cost them about $32,800. All in all, they say that their family only spends 1/3 of their budget pre-tiny home. Score!

To see a full tour of this young family’s gorgeous tiny home, as well as to hear some of the inevitable downsides of bus living, be sure to click on Barcroft TV’s video below.

What do you think of Brian and Starla’s converted bus? Do you feel that their cramped lifestyle is worth the money saved? Are you a tiny home dweller and, if so, what’s your favorite part about it? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!