A large family under one roof poses a new challenge every day. Imagine this roof as a 2009 Van Hool TD925 double-decker bus; the family is Dane and Deena Eyerly, along with their six kids. Overwhelming as it sounds, the couple lives full-time on the converted megabus to tour as a family and spend quality time together. Dane and Deena bought their mobile home/bus in September 2020 to travel around the United States. Let’s take a look at how the couple managed to downsize from their 2,000-square-foot home into 458-square-feet of living space on this incredible family bus:
Big papa, as the kids call Dane Eyerly, lives with his brood onboard a converted bus measuring 45 ft. in length, around 13-ft-tall.
The tour begins from the front of the bus, doubles up as a cockpit and home office. The freelance consultant for tech start-ups brings the computer screen out when stationed for work. The area also stores all the equipment he needs, like GPS.
The back of the homely bus begins by passing large refrigerators and freezers complete with fridge magnets like in a regular stationery home with kids.
The kitchen occupies a lot of space in the bus, with the cabinets juxtaposed near the home office and plenty of seating and working space on the other end.
The full kitchen is well-equipped with a spacious butcher block countertop, a large sink, a two-burner induction cooktop, and an oven.
The dining area is a bright, comfortable space that welcomes natural light from giant windows. As per Dane, these massive windows were why they bought the bus in the first place.
Cleverly, the backs of the dining room sofas convert to tables on being pulled forward. The couch on the opposite end has some concealed storage as well.
At the back of the bus sits a smaller bathroom with a macerating toilet, organizing racks, and a small sink. The upper deck houses another small bathroom and a separate space for a shower.
The cedar shower cubicle is very durable, being water and mold-resistant. It stands 7 feet tall, is wide enough to accommodate adults, and is concealed by a sliding nautilus door.
The top level of the bus includes a ventless washer-dryer combo. With eight people inside, this one appliance certainly cannot take the entire load (pun intended), which means several inevitable trips made to the laundry mat.
With a full house, maintenance becomes an everyday chore. The Eyerly elders have installed a Sweepo Vac underneath the washing machine that sucks in all the dirt with a push of a button.
The upper level of the bus is home to six sleeping pods. The kids each have their own dedicated bed with a common closet area at the end.
Coming ahead, one reaches the living area with benches with storage, a small table, and a king bed.
The kind bed on the upper level folds into a flat platform where the kids can play during the day. The same serves as a comfy bed for the parents at night.
The roof deck is where the family lounges, watches movies, plays games, and star gazes. They attach a hammock between the rails on lazy days to make the most of their private outdoor area. The roof is outfitted with four solar panels and boat decking to make the area much less slippery.
