Twins fuel trendy ‘van life’ — by converting school buses into homes
A pair of twin sisters left their 9-to-5s in the dust to help drive the Skoolie trend — where adventure seekers live in renovated school buses.
#Skoolie has over 2 billion views on TikTok as the laid-back lifestyle continues to grow in popularity, despite cramped quarters, loneliness struggles, hygiene challenges and safety concerns.
Minnesota twins Courtney and Cassidy Stutelberg combined their savvy DIY skills to develop their bus-building business Nomadic Homes after Courtney quit her job as an operations specialist in 2017 and set off on a vacation to Alaska and Canada.
When her 1990 GMC Suburban needed a new transmission the following year, Courtney instead chose to invest in a retro school bus for $2,500.
“Initially, the question was to either find a place to live, sell the suburban or buy the bus — and of course, throw a couple of thousand dollars into the conversion and build a home-on-wheels,” Courtney told Jam Press.
“I had never built anything before, but my ex-partner had some carpentry skills, so I learned how to build a bed, a makeshift kitchen and figured out running water,” she added.
After living in the bus for six months and making $5,000 in upgrades, she decided the newly habitable mobile was too big and sold it for an estimated $10,000.
Courtney purchased and refurbished a second and third bus, which sparked the business idea.
“I’m a fast learner when it comes to hands-on projects, as I’m quite good at watching someone do something, or even looking at a picture, and replicating it,” she explained.
“I was self-taught by watching videos and learning from others in the communities I’ve visited.”
Courtney said she spent the next five years traveling across 49 states while renovating buses and selling them for a high profit.
Sister Cassidy joined her in March 2022, as she had quit her nursing job and longed for a new start.
“Although I have some background in restoring an old car, I came into the business with no experience,” Cassidy told Jam Press. “So my first conversion was a huge learning process, but I was up for the challenge.”
“[When I started] I had no idea how to build a wall,” Cassidy admitted. “Now, I am almost as good as Courtney — at least I like to think so.”
Each bus is tailored to the client’s needs. The twins said all but one of their customers have been single women, who either bring them a bus or help them source one.
A full build starts at $65,000 — though the Stutelbergs agree that inspiring women is priceless.
“Courtney and I have the ability to change people’s lives — whether it’s building them a home or just being there for support and encouragement. It is truly something special,” Cassidy told Jam Press.
Courtney added: “We strive to encourage women, and men, of course, to have the courage in themselves to hit the road solo.”
According to the RV Industry Association, about 400,000 RV owners live full-time in their rigs.
A group of three women recently made headlines for living in a school bus and traveling the nation after realizing they were being cheated on by the same guy. They have shared how the journey has strengthened their bond.
There are downsides as well. The 2021 killing of Gabby Petito laid bare the struggles #VanLife couples can face while being isolated from their support networks.
