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$20K School Bus Is a Motorhome Dream Designed by a Single Woman

Out of all the motorhomes, vintage school buses are among the coolest builds due to how much comfort you can pack inside them. As RVs are seeing a surge in popularity, people are starting to give these skoolies a second chance at life.
$20k School Bus Motorhome with Lots of Storage and a Functional Kitchen 23 photos
Photo: Tiny Home Tours / YouTube
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Living in such a home can be rather challenging, as you have to know, at least to a moderate extent, how to repair your vehicle if it happens to break down in the middle of nowhere. Then there’s the challenge of making these old school buses capable of either running off-grid or being plugged into shore utilities. Not to mention the amount of stuff that you have to get rid of for all the important things to fit.

This lifestyle is also a blessing if you manage to pass all the other impediments. You get to travel wherever you want without minding the accommodation. But the most important thing, in my opinion, is having the chance to design it yourself (like a Barbie pink bus).

Liv and her two dogs are living full-time in a 2003 Chevy Express 3500 school bus named Poppy. She used to work as a nurse but decided to quit and buy this bus from the Facebook Marketplace, all within 48 hours.

The exterior has been repainted from dark green to a pinkish-orange (hence the name of the bus) and white. The door locking mechanism was also changed to a shed lock with a small flaw, it cannot be locked from the inside. Liv has to lock this door from the outside and then get on the bus from the driver’s side.

\$20k School Bus Motorhome with Lots of Storage and a Functional Kitchen
Photo: Tiny Home Tours / YouTube
The interior is as welcoming and gorgeous as the exterior, with mostly bright colors and wood accents. The living room is the first area on the front side of the bus. If I only had two words to choose in order to describe this living room, it would be storage space. Everything here is storage or has storage hidden underneath.

Liv designed it with a clothes closet, a small couch with plenty of storage, and a shoe cabinet that hides more than just shoes. She also added a long shelf above the couch with a few decorations and books. All the stuff on the shelf is secured with Velcro underneath. This way, nothing will fall when traveling.

In order for the large closet to fit, she had to make some compromises. And that was not having a bathroom inside the school bus. However, she stated that not having a bathroom is not one of her regrets.

The front side of the motorhome looks nothing like a bus but rather like a true home. She added a cedar wall on which a shelf with flowers was installed and a few hooks with moon phases design. All the electrical systems are placed in a large cabinet on the left side of the driver’s seat. It hosts two 100-amp lead-acid batteries, a 2,000-watt inverter, and a charge controller. And, of course, 400 watts of solar panels are installed on the roof.

\$20k School Bus Motorhome with Lots of Storage and a Functional Kitchen
Photo: Tiny Home Tours / YouTube
Most of the things inside this bus were changed from how they originally looked, but that does not include the ceiling. It is still the original metal ceiling, which provides a unique decorating opportunity. Because it is magnetic, various ornaments and trinkets can be stuck to it, creating a homey feeling. It is also sturdy, even for two hammock hardware, which add extra seating for the guests.

Most of the kitchen was already in there when she bought the RV. That includes all the upper cabinets, the countertop, and the sink. Liv added a stovetop, base cabinet doors and frames, and a mini fridge. The upper cabinets also got a few shelves installed, and one of them is used as a large pantry.

The bedroom is located at the very rear of the bus. Liv managed to fit a queen-size mattress and a long cabinet at the end of the bed. There are windows on all sides, allowing for great views wherever she travels. An AC unit was mounted on the rear wall to keep this place cooled down in the summer. Unfortunately, this AC works only with a generator or shore power.

There is plenty of storage underneath the bed, which even includes a bed for the dogs. It is also a storage place for propane and water tanks, tools, camping bin, and other stuff.

\$20k School Bus Motorhome with Lots of Storage and a Functional Kitchen
Photo: Tiny Home Tours / YouTube
Liv bought this bus for $10,500 (€9,697), and with all the customization that she made, it ended up costing around $20,000 (€18,471). Keep in mind that the bus already came with solar panels and the kitchen. So, she could have already lived in the bus.

However, if we think that with that amount of money, she has a roof over her head and a stylish motorhome, we could say that it is a win. For a single person or a couple, this lifestyle of traveling and living in an RV could make for the most amazing years of someone’s life.

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About the author: Angela Balaciu
Angela Balaciu profile photo

Angela has always been attracted to the artsy and quirky sides of the world. When she discovered the automotive world is filled with all kinds of wonders, a new passion was born.
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