Have you ever considered minimizing your living space?

Essentially, this entails exchanging your current home for a smaller or less costly one. Gabriel and Debbie Mayes accomplished exactly that when they decided to live in a 248-square-foot school bus transformed into a modest home.

Gabriel and Debbie first came up with the concept in January of 2016. This came about as a result of Gabriel’s desire to be closer to his six-member family. The couple, along with their four children, resided in a 5,000-square-foot home.

Gabriel became aware of his family’s separation as a result of owning such a large property at one point.

There was a point when he had checked three rooms and still couldn’t find Debbie, so he had to text her to find out where she was. It was undoubtedly a wake-up call for the father of the house, so he spoke with his wife about reducing their home.

Debbie stumbled across a Facebook video of a couple who had modified a school bus and were traveling with it in mind. The thought came to her out of nowhere, and she discussed it with her husband right away.

Gabriel enjoyed the idea of taking the school bus home, but he understood that it would be difficult. The fact that the couple Debbie saw did not have children was a big source of worry!

It was a difficult decision, and the couple made sure that their four children, Gracen, Darby, Deacon, and Jovey, were involved in the process.

The kids were first doubtful, but as they learned that they would have the option to travel, they couldn’t wait to move into their school bus turned little house.

Following their decision, the couple moved on to the next step: designing and conceptualizing their new home.

A smaller place would necessitate careful planning to make it liveable and comfortable. They wanted a distinct area where they could host guestes rather than a spot where they could see all of the house in one glance.

It was undoubtedly difficult to create such a compact area while keeping functionality and comfort in mind. Gabriel and Debbie eventually finished transforming the Skoolie school bus into a charming house.

There was even aisle space between the living room and the bedroom and kitchen. The full makeover cost $38,000 and took six months to complete.

Gabriel, Debbie, and their children finally boarded the bus for their first excursion in their home on wheels after six months of hard work. The kids were overjoyed, as were the parents, who knew they had made the correct decision.

The family began in Tennessee, traveled via Nevada to California, and then down the California coast to Big Sur and back.

When questioned about their favorite travel destination, they all agreed that their trip along Big Sur was ‘awesome,’ despite the fact that driving in the area with a school bus was terrifying.

It had all been worthwhile.

The Mayes family took a huge risk in making this decision, and it paid out handsomely. The kids have had a lot of experiences, and their bond is stronger than ever.

The Mayes family, who also go by the moniker ‘The Mayes Team,’ has a website where they document their travels in their mobile home and offer advice on downsizing.