A couple lives in a 350-square-foot tour bus that has a bathtub and double-decker closet. Take a look inside.
- Hannah and Cody Lane live and work in a 350-square-foot tour bus.
- The bus features a double-decker closet that used to be bunk beds and a bathtub.
- It cost the Lanes about $85,000 to purchase and renovate their bus.
Hannah and Cody Lane started working remotely before the pandemic hit.
Hannah, 24, is a wedding photographer and real-estate agent for The Lane Team at Bluegrass Sotheby's International Realty, while Cody, 33, is a microbiologist. In 2019, Cody got a remote position that allowed him not to be tied down by an office.
The couple had always loved traveling, and Cody's new job seemed like the perfect opportunity to embrace a new lifestyle, particularly since Hannah was already traveling frequently to photograph weddings.
The Lanes decided to sell their house in Kentucky and live on the road full-time. They planned to buy and renovate an RV or school bus.
The Lanes ultimately decided to purchase a tour bus.
A used tour bus was right for the Lanes because the vehicles are designed for long-term living, with elements like plumbing and electricity already installed, so it would be easier to renovate.
"It just gave us more of a foundation since we both worked full-time," Hannah said. "We didn't have the free time to fully build a skoolie like other people."
The bus also appealed to Cody because they have higher ceilings than RVs or school buses, and he's over six feet tall. He liked the idea of not feeling cramped.
They purchased their 350-square-foot bus for $34,000. They did the bulk of the renovation themselves, and they had to spend an additional $20,000 on mechanics.
They also bought a $3,000 trailer, which lets them pull a car behind the bus.
Hannah and Cody customized the bus to suit their needs.
The couple's living room is at the front of the bus.
It has a couch that converts into a bed, as well as an additional chair. The futon also has storage underneath it.
They spent $1,800 painting their space, and $500 on lighting.
Even the couple's dashboard is aesthetically pleasing.
The Lanes upgraded the driver and passenger seats, and they gave the dashboard a sleek black-and-white look.
They hung a TV above the dashboard as well.
Upholstering the bus cost $4,000.
They decorated the space with a natural and minimalist feel.
Cody said he and Hannah used "earth tones" in the space to give it a warm and welcoming vibe.
Neutral-toned rugs and curtains blend with the white walls for a fresh look.
The bus also has a door that separates the back and front of the vehicle, so Hannah and Cody are able to take work calls at the same time without interrupting each other.
They spent $2,130 decorating their home, and the floors cost $3,000.
The kitchen offers ample counter space.
Despite its small square footage, the bus has a microwave, stove, oven, refrigerator, and farmhouse sink.
The couple's tour bus can carry more weight than other types of vehicles, so they had more options when decorating.
For instance, the kitchen has real quartz countertops.
Renovating the kitchen cost the Lanes $3,675, and the cabinets in their bus cost $4,300.
The dining area doubles as an office.
"We made it out of a butcher block countertop," Hannah said of the $400 table.
Their stools slide under the table to save space and create a chic look.
A built-in shelf sits next to the table as well for easy storage.
The Lanes' double-decker closet gives them ample storage space.
When the Lanes bought their bus, it had 6-foot-long bunk beds built into the wall of the hallway.
They didn't need the extra beds, so they decided to take them out and create a double-decker closet instead.
Woven shades cover the closet when the Lanes aren't taking clothes in or out of it.
The Lanes have a large bathroom that sits across from their closet.
The bathroom has real tile on the walls and floors since the bus can handle the weight of the material, giving it a chic look. The tile costs $700.
Hannah told Insider the bathroom is her favorite part of the bus because it's so big.
"If he's showering or we're getting ready, we can both be in there, and it's not like we're on top of each other," she said.
They had a door built for the bathroom, which cost $550.
The bus also has a bathtub, unlike most mobile homes.
"I think that's what sold us" on the bus, Hannah told Insider. "That was an essential to me."
The tub also has a showerhead, giving the couple bathing options. A green wall makes the room pop.
The Lanes spend a lot of time in their bedroom.
Their bedroom has storage built into the walls behind the bed and under the bed itself. They haven't used all of the storage space behind their bed yet, so they can keep storing more items if need be.
The bed is surrounded by windows, so there's no shortage of natural light in the space.
The green shiplap walls bring warmth to the room.
The Lanes paid special attention to the details as they decorated.
For instance, they bought $3,500 bamboo curtains that fit with their home's natural aesthetic and matched their closet doors.
"We made this bus the way we wanted it and purchased it to start with because of what we needed out of everyday life," Cody said.
Buying and renovating the bus cost the Lanes about $81,500.
They told Insider renovating the tour bus was cheaper than it would have been for them to renovate a school bus or RV, as the bus already had so much of what they need.
The bus doesn't have solar power, so the Lanes have to stay at RV parks to ensure they have Wi-Fi when they work.
Combined with utilities and food costs, the Lanes only spend about $1,000 at most each month.
Living on the road can be difficult for the couple at times.
Hannah told Insider she misses her larger community when she and Cody travel.
"I struggle with not being around friends and family," she said. "It's just the two of us, which is amazing, but sometimes you miss that social interaction."
The pandemic has made them even more isolated. "It's really hard right now to meet people during the pandemic because people are weary of being around unfamiliar people," Hannah said.
For Cody, constantly finding RV parks that will accept their bus can be taxing. According to the Lanes, some RV parks only accept certain types of vehicles, so finding locations that accept their bus is time-consuming.
But seeing new places all the time makes it worth it for the Lanes.
The Lanes told Insider they change locations every one to two months, letting Hannah's wedding gigs guide them on where to go next.
Traveling is the biggest benefit of their lifestyle, as the Lanes said they love seeing new places and get stir crazy when they can't.
"It's so fun to get off work and then get to go to the Grand Canyon compared to getting off work and going to a restaurant to decompress," Hannah said.
"We're always excited to pull up to somewhere new that we haven't been," Cody said. "It gives us that spark of energy."
They plan to keep living on the road until it's "not practical" anymore, as Cody put it.
The Lanes share the nitty-gritty details of their bus life on social media to inspire other people to embrace alternative living.
The couple shares everything from the products that make their bus life easier to how to go to the bathroom on a bus on their social-media accounts.
"There are not a lot of resources or support because it's not conventional," they said of living in a tour bus, so they hope they can be that resource for people. Their TikTok has almost 125,000 followers at the time of writing.
"We just want to encourage people to go out and do things that are unconventional. And it's not as hard as they might think," Hannah said.
"The hardest part of downsizing is just taking the leap," she added. "Once you do it and you get the courage to go through with it, everything else just falls into place."
You can keep up with the Lanes on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also see more of Hannah's photography here.
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