Brandon and Ashley Trebitowski were intrigued by the idea of living in a tiny home. It sounded like a great way to pay off debts, downsize their material belongings, reconnect with nature, and spend more time with their children.
The Trebitowskis and their three children moved from a 2,100-square-foot home into a 240-square-foot converted school bus.
The young family spent six months converting the Bluebird school bus into a home, and they couldn’t be happier with the final result. In fact, Ashley says that it has become their favorite place to be in the world. The tiny home is fully mobile, but as of right now, the family has settled in Corrales, New Mexico.
The living room of the home is simple. Two sofas sit behind the driver and passenger seats; they can be folded out to create a sleeping area.
The living room has little to basically no decor whatsoever. Just a few throw pillows and a throw blanket is all the Trebitowskis wanted for the seating area.
“Our bus is minimally decorated and everything was self-built,” Ashley told Apartment Therapy.
The kitchen is the Trebitowskis’ favorite room in the house.
“We love the way the wood grain pops off the white walls. The black sink and faucet standout in the countertop. It also is the most used area of the bus. We are cooking constantly. It’s a beautiful functional kitchen,” Ashley explains.
“Minimal, industrial, modern, we prefer texture and building materials to be the decor of our home. We want our home to be beautiful even with nothing in it,” Ashley says.
“Make It Simple But Significant”
The sign that hangs in the kitchen is essentially the family’s life motto. Notice the absolutely gorgeous woodwork used for the countertop, so simple, yet so stunning. Although the kitchen has plenty of cabinets for storage, a small shelf sits at eye level and is perfect for storing produce or anything else you’d want at an arm’s reach.
On either side of the hallway are bunk beds for the children.
Underneath the bunk beds are large cabinets and drawers that provide lots of storage for toys, clothing, and bedding.
Ashley and Brandon’s bright, fun bedroom is found in the rear of the bus.
“I think the entire build of our bus was our proudest DIY. We gutted, framed and built in an entire house in this metal box. It’s now our home and was one of the most worthwhile, hardest project we’ve ever worked on,” Ashley responded when asked about their proudest DIY moment.
Living a more simple and downsized life has completely changed the way the family thinks about joy and happiness. They’ve begun to prioritize people over things – an inspirational reminder for everyone.
The bathroom is broken up into two areas – the toilet room and the shower room.
“Our subway tiled, lifted, shower with a clear skylight overhead is by far an indulgence in the “skoolie” world. It’s one of a kind and is absolutely beautiful,” Ashley says.
There is no doubt that the Trebitwoski family has seemed to find their ‘happy place.’ Ashley’s advice for anyone thinking about making a major change in life?
“My advice is stop waiting to change your path, if you have goals pursue them! Stop waiting for the right time and do something. Nothing worth doing is ever easy!”
Follow the Trebitowskis on their life’s adventure by checking out their website and signing up for their newsletter.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
