Meet the California Family of 6 Living in a School Bus

The converted vehicle features two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.

This family of six traded their 5,000-square-foot home to squeeze into a 250-square-foot converted school bus.

Gabriel and Debbie Mayes help their kids do homework on TV trays in the bus' living room.

In the kitchen, there is a stove and refrigerator under the counter.

Finding space for groceries is a challenge and the family admits they live on a half of gallon of milk because nothing larger would fit. 

Debbie cooks vegetables inside the bus and a main dish is grilled outside.

There's only one tiny bathroom for the family of six and their kids range in age from 2 to 10. The kitchen sink also serves as a bathing area for the smallest family member.

The two bedrooms are in the back of the bus. One of them has bunk beds on each side of the room for the four children.

Mom and dad have to climb into their own private retreat, which doubles as a closet.

"On either side, we have storage, which is where we keep Gabriel's and [my] clothes go,” Debbie said. 

The kids say their friends at school can't believe it.

The family is based at an RV park in Redding, Calif. The children have a ton of space to play outside and they also take the bus on road trips. 

The kids are amazed — they can go anywhere they want in the comfort of their own home. 

"That was the point," Gabriel said. "We could all be in the same room at all times. As crazy as it may sound, we are having a blast doing it."

The bus has come a long way since the family converted it for $38,000. The web designers pay $650 dollars a month for rent at the RV park.

"Now all of the money we are making we can put away in savings," Gabrielle says. 

With their growing family, the bus is not their forever home. They are looking to move in two years.

The family showcases their adventures on Instagram.

They also have a website that showcases how they live. 

RELATED STORIES