Couple Trades 4,000-Sq-Ft Home to Live Into Amazing Off-Grid Skoolie

James Jansen loves to build. He designed several campers before deciding to step it up and go a little bigger with a bus conversion. He wanted to live with his wife, Doreen, in a tiny home that would be easier to maintain and would also allow them to visit their children whenever they wanted. So the two embraced the nomadic lifestyle.

Their Skoolie, which they lovingly named Wonder Kind, is packed with unique features. Although it’s much smaller than their previous home, Wonder Kind has enough space for everything they need. It has a roof raise, which gives the couple tons of headroom. James also added stucco to the bus’ interior, giving it more depth.

Speaking of the interior, this Skoolie is fitted with many amenities you’d find in a traditional dwelling. It has a full-size kitchen that includes a commercial sink with covers that can be moved so they don’t lose countertop space. But they also have a generous walnut countertop on the opposite that features plenty of storage space underneath. Above it, there’s a big spice rack and several shelves.

The kitchen is equipped with a commercial stove, a convection microwave, and a full-size refrigerator. There’s even space for a coffee bar! The dining area is at the front of the bus. They have a table that can be placed in the cockpit area when they’re not driving. The advantage is that they can enjoy a panoramic view since this space is surrounded by windows. It also features a skylight above that lets natural light come inside.

At the rear are the bedroom and the bathroom. Unlike most bus conversions that separate the two areas, this one puts them together. This makes the Skoolie feel bigger and allows the two to have more storage.
For example, next to the shower, they have a height-size closet with open shelves, a small area where they hang their clothes, and some more space where they put different items. They also have a beautiful vanity and a comfortable queen-size bed. Next to the bed is a large pull-out closet for their clothes.

The living room is quite simple, and it offers plenty of wiggle room. It has two chairs, a small table, and an office area that includes a small desk placed in front of a large window. From the living room, the couple can also access the roof by using a ladder. On the roof, Wonder Kind is outfitted with a 2,700-watt solar array, which allows James and Doreene to live off the grid whenever they want.

Recently, their Skoolie was presented on the Tiny Home Tours Youtube channel. Check out the clip attached down below to find out more about their amenity-filled bus conversion.