My husband, Nick, and I chose to embark on a journey in January 2014 when we purchased the bus as a way of downsizing and simplifying life.
© Amy Guy
At the time we had one child with a second on the way. We didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into.
Meet our converted 1985 Volvo ‘Bendy’ Bus.
We bought the bus from a lady whose father had purchased a number of buses from Metro Tasmania and he had passed away. This was the only Articulated (Bendy) bus and we picked it up for $6,000.
As we didn’t have a heavy rigid license ourselves, we got a friend, Brian, to do the drive from Hobart to Hillwood for us. It drove pretty well and took about 3.5 hours until the bus was finally in its place. We had to take down a fence to the paddock to get it there!
© Lauren McKinnon
Our ethos of simple, sustainable living is what inspired us to begin the journey of creating our very own bus home. What would normally have gone into landfill was given a second life. We created a home. I love that.
What is in the bus reflects us. Ninety percent of what you’ll find is secondhand or locally made. We up-cycled, used second hand materials, handmade items, sourced local products and overall aimed to be conscious in our purchases to create a unique home with character.
We had no intention of putting the bus on Airbnb when we were building and creating it, we just did what we would with any reno. We created what we wanted as a home that reflected our approach to living: simplicity, functionality and beauty. We were also in the season of babies, toddlers and pregnancy and wanted to be around each other as a family in these precious and challenging days. Having Nick home while I was sick and pregnant with our second and raising our wild first born is something I will never take for granted. It was these days we could potter, cook, play, nap, breastfeed, grow my belly, watch Nick build and create our home and live those slow new family days together.
All that we had when we lived in here for our family, but for our guests now…low-tox cleaning products. Unbleached toilet paper. Linen for the bedding, which is better for sleep and breaks down quickly. No polyester. Minimal plastic. A wood fire that can be cooked on in the winter, or brew a coffee in the morning. Windows for natural light. A fan for the warmer months. A table cloth for summer meals, woollen blankets for those winter nights, and as many books as I can fit. A full kitchen to prepare quality, simple, delicious foods that are nourishing for our bodies. A selection of delicious teas and coffee. Just all my simple favs.
Our original inspiration, source unknown.
From the very beginning our aim was to make the bus feel less like a typical motorhome and more like a cozy cabin.
We came across this Bus House on the internet and both loved it! We set out to create something similar for our own Bus Home. We wanted a spacious, cosy, warm space to have and raise our little family.
We had a toddler and were pregnant with our second when we moved in. I loved having a much smaller space while having little ones. There is so much we just do not need. It keeps things a lot simpler from the 'stuff' perspective. We were close by in every part of the bus which is so necessary when having little ones. Tending to them in the night, cooking meals and play... it was all much easier to keep clean and manage.
The connection to nature is a huge part of creativity for me. To have all those windows to be as close to nature as possible while cosy and tucked up inside. Easy access to the outside as majority of the warmer months are spent outside. We cooked and ate outside. Explored with our little ones, went for bushwalks and time down at the river. Friends stayed and slept in tents and caravans. Bonfires in the winter outside and plenty of frosty mornings with a roaring fire and a soup or stew bubbling away on the wood stove. Being within nature, surrounded by nature brings the best out in us. We feel grounded, more who we are meant to be.
We lived in the bus with our two boys until 2018. Now, The Bus Home opens itself to guests who get to experience its magic. To share the joy and inspiration of this place is so special.
I still find myself lost in wonder when we stay as a family. A place to think and ponder, to dream. It truly was a childhood dream putting this place together. This huge, cosy, inspiring home that resembles the ultimate cubby. A space where guests are excited to stay.
I wanted all the little luxuries and to create an unforgettable stay. The bus itself has a wonder about it. I have then filled it with books and an art nook, games and little question cards, all sorts of cuppas and some choccy. It becomes an experience that brings alive dreams, ideas and possibilities. That refreshes. That helps you to stop. To think, ponder and be. To not be distracted and busy. To slow down. To wonder. To leave inspired.
We are all on a journey and often times we are so busy and caught up in the day to day we forget what’s important. We are just in pilot mode and get through each day. When we are given the space to truly stop and rest we are reminded again of what we really want, how we really want to give, what is important… and we build the courage to create the change we know we need and want. Doing that with loved ones means everything.
May our home be your home for a little while and give you the rest and inspiration you need.
Emma x
© Grace Shennan