This School Bus Was Turned Into a Cute and Affordable Tiny Home/Music Studio on Wheels

There are many reasons why one would opt for a skoolie as a full-time mobile – I won't go into detail right now, but you can check out this article I wrote not long ago on why skoolies are a worthy alternative to the popular camper vans. Or, if you're determined to build one yourself, take a look at what it takes to transform a school bus into a tiny home on wheels.

Cody and Alyssa make a living playing music. When everything shut down during the pandemic, they created a TikTok account and rapidly grew in popularity. This gave them the courage, as well as the financial backing, to shift the way they worked by moving into a mobile home and performing at gigs all around the United States. I know a lot of people are hating on TikTok (and for good reasons). But see, the infamous app can also lead to beautiful outcomes.

So, instead of making a conversion themselves, the couple found a skoolie on Facebook Marketplace made by another couple, Doug and Cindy White. They ended up paying $34,000 (€31,536) for it, which I say is an excellent deal, considering that most skoolies I've written about are in the $30,000 to $40,000 (€27,826 to €37,101) range.

What we have here is a 2001 Thomas Built bus. Based on the pictures I found of what the bus looked like before, Cody and Alyssa didn't make many modifications. And that's one of the benefits of buying a nice pre-built skoolie – you can just grab your stuff, move straight in, and think of the places where you'd like to adventure instead of what design and features to choose for your tiny home on wheels.

As usual, I'll start with the rig's exterior – it's finished in white and mint blue paint on the outside and comes with various features. For instance, just like most buses, there are multiple compartments used for storage, one of which holds propane tanks. At the rear, there's a ladder that leads to the roof. Up there, you'll find two A/C units.

Step inside, and you'll discover a warm and homey design. The exterior color theme continues inside, with mint blue accents paired with many wood tones, including vinyl plank flooring and a wood ceiling.

Since this is a flat-nose skoolie with a front-mounted engine, you can make repairs directly from inside the bus, in the driver's cabin. However, that also means you hear all the noise of the engine while driving. To make full use of the space in the driver's cabin, they covered the engine cover with a table.

One of the first changes the couple made was to install an RV front door, which provides better insulation. Above, the couple mounted a TV, which they not only use to watch stuff but also to game with their friends on a Nintendo 64 – this is definitely something I'd incorporate if I were to build a skoolie.

Walk deeper inside the bus, and you'll be in the seating area. It consists of a couch and a table on the passenger side and two benches with cupholders on the other side. Moreover, for storage, you can use overhead cabinets on both sides of the seating area, as well as spaces underneath the couch and benches.

There's also a "workout area" with a workout bench and some weights. This spot made me think that I've never seen a gym in a skoolie build before, probably because it takes too much space.

Next up, we have the kitchen, which has a unique dual counter setup. It features a tiny stainless steel sink, an oven/four-burner stove combo, a gigantic mixer, a plant shelf, and overhead jars holding dry goods and spices. For storage, there are multiple drawers and cabinets, as well as a massive cupboard opposite the two counters. Next to it, you'll find a large fridge/freezer and an overhead microwave.

As traveling artists, Cody and Alyssa need a spot to store all their instruments and gear. They devised one behind the kitchen cupboard, where they hold a U-Bass, guitars, a piano, recording equipment, and more.

Step past the kitchen, and you'll discover this bus's shower. I love that the couple didn't go small with it. A nice touch is that it boasts a modern look, with grey tiles all around. Cody and Alyssa also installed one feature that most bus and van dwellers would love to have inside their rigs: a washer/dryer combo.

As Alyssa explained, because they play at a vast range of events, they need to be prepared with all sorts of outfits. So, the couple devised a huge closet with five drawers and two hanging closets.

On the opposite side, you'll find the bathroom, which boasts two mirrors, a large window, a sink, and a composting toilet.

Finally, the rear of the interior is occupied by the bedroom, featuring two overhead cabinets, a headboard nightstand, and a king-size bed that spans across the entire area. What's more, the space is very well-lit due to windows all around.

Oh, and there are two water tanks underneath the back part of the bed, accessible by opening the rear door from the outside. Unfortunately, I couldn't find out how powerful the electrical system is, but I'm guessing it's enough to support off-grid travel for a couple of days.

All in all, Alyssa and Cody really hit the jackpot with this skoolie, considering how much they paid for it. It's homey, well-equipped, and efficiently uses all the space inside.