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Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are traveling the United States in their 120-square-foot skoolie

Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are traveling the United States in their 120-square-foot skoolie

Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are traveling the United States in their 120-square-foot skoolie

Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are traveling the United States in their 120-square-foot skoolie

Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are traveling the United States in their 120-square-foot skoolie

Seriously, these abodes will make any suburb-dweller want to cut out the clutter and downsize.

Designed by Broadhurst Architects, this prefab corn crib-inspired structure takes its basic form from traditional American corn cribs, which were common farm buildings that served to store and dry corn. The chic, modern 250-square-foot structure is delivered and assembled on-site, and includes a sleeping loft, an expandable kitchen wall, a bathroom, and living room. An insulated glass garage door opens to a small deck, connecting the interior space to the landscape beyond. Made of sustainable and recyclable materials, the structure can be dismantled and relocated to another site. —ESN Look inside the Crib at Strathmore. Read more: Inside the happiest little 1,375-square-foot cottage

Diedricksen of RelaxShacks.com and built by Joe Everson of Tennessee Tiny Homes, this transforming micro A-frame cost only $1,200 to construct. One roof/wall is made of Tuftex polycarbonate roofing: Not only is it translucent to allow in natural light, the lightweight material is attached to the structure with hinges so it easily can be raised and propped on legs to expand the space from 80 square feet to 110. On the other side of the A, the purlins supporting the roof sheathing are placed horizontally to serve double duty as shelves. Two daybeds offer additional storage, a kitchen wall features a sink and space for a mini fridge, and a micro loft has a hinged "sunroof" for ventilation. Architect duo David and Jeanie Stiles drafted the build-it-yourself plans for this A-frame, which are on sale for $30. —ESN Designed by Derek "Deek"  Look inside the transforming A-frame. Read more: 28 rustic bathroom ideas

The 204-square-foot "Wind River Bungalow" is the Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of tiny house enthusiasts Travis and Brittany Pyke, who started Wind River Custom Homes to help others fulfill their dreams of living simply in mini dream homes. Constructed of rain-screen cedar and hardy siding for extreme durability, the bungalow is full of custom features, including a pine and cedar interior, polymer concrete counters, and a loft ladder integrated into the shelving system. —ESN Look inside the Wind River Bungalow. Read more: 10 ways add colorful vintage style to your kitchen

This is the Olympia, Washington home of tiny house pioneer Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny, a memoir that details her decision to downsize to an 84-square-foot house that she built from the ground up after a near-death experience. Constructed atop a metal truck trailer, the super-small pine-and-cedar bungalow houses a kitchen counter with a propane one-burner, a sleeping loft, solar-powered lights, a composting toilet, and a sink (but no running water). To help others realize their tiny house dreams, Dee also founded Portland Alternative Dwellings, a tiny house education, resource, and consulting company.

This floating 240-square-foot cabin is an off-the-grid summer escape for Maine couple Foy and Louisa Brown. Assembled onshore, a foundation of plastic floatation tubs, Styrofoam, and pontoons was then towed to sea, and the cottage was built above it, using mostly pine shiplap. Louisa carries water out daily via canoe for a tank that fills the shower and kitchen; at night, candles, oil lamps, and solar lights illuminate the home. Look inside Foy and Louisa's floating home

This darling red-roofed cottage sits in a grove of leafy trees near the water's edge in Freeport, Maine. Designed by Mac Lloyd of Creative Cottages, the environmentally sensitive abode packs in a full kitchen, bathroom, living space, sleeping quarters, gas fireplace, laundry, and a loft space, while still managing to seem airy and spacious. Look inside the Oceanside Retreat.

At first glance, the 400-square-foot Wedge, designed by Wheelhaus, appears to be a tiny luxury cabin but it's actually a mobile Park Model RV. Lofty 17-foot ceilings and a large sliding glass window at the front give an open feel to the rustic yet modern dwelling, which features a bedroom, bathroom, and combined kitchen/living room area. A 100-square-foot deck offers additional entertaining space. The Wedge is one of six turn-key models offered by Wheelhaus that start from $82,000. Not looking to buy? The Wedge is also available to rent at Fireside Resort at Jackson Hole Campground. Look inside the Wedge

It's hard to believe this cute-as-a-button 780-square-foot historic cottage sits in the middle of a bustling metropolis. The house, owned by David Hawkanson, the executive director of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater Company, was built a few years after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when the Chicago Relief and Aid Society began offering so-called fire-relief cottage kits that included pre-cut wood, a door, a chimney, and a room partition. While historians believe more of these tiny cottages exist in Chicago, all but a couple of examples (like Hawkanson's) have become unrecognizable thanks to extensive renovations over the years. Read more about this tiny Chicago dwelling.

Talk about a picture perfect country getaway: This custom built 336-square-foot cabin sits on 24 sprawling acres in West Point, Texas—just steps from its own four-acre constant flow lake, tiny lakehouse, and wooden pier. The rustic wood-paneled interior features a living space, full kitchen, bathroom, and two lofted bedrooms, all housed under a corrugated metal roof. The property, including the cabin and open-plan lakehouse (pictured), are on the market for $434,900. Look inside this rustic lakeside cabin

Set in a wooded area, this 300-square-foot studio retreat in Chappaqua, New York, is nestled between two rock outcroppings—one is used as a backdrop and the other as a bookend to the deck. The design team at Workshop/apd chose Dark Ipe siding and decking and walnut interiors for a natural mid-century modern look that connects the structure to its wooded surroundings. Windows wrapping the western facade frame the scenery and visually enlarge the intimate space. —ESN Find out more about the Studio Retreat.

One of 14 tiny cabins at the Blue Moon Rising ecotourism retreat in McHenry, Maryland, the 250-square foot Kaya has a rustic reclaimed metal and wood exterior. Built by the folks at Hobbitat, the quaint interior features a living space, queen-bed nook, bathroom, and kitchen with a view of nature, all under a curved, corrugated metal ceiling. Rental rates per night range from $249 to $349. —ESN Look inside the Kaya.

This 112-square-foot mobile cabin belongs to extreme skier Zac Giffin, the host of FYI's Tiny House Nation, a show that features people from across the country who are living the tiny house lifestyle. The tiny abode is home to Giffin and his girlfriend, skier Molly Baker. Built on a trailer, the house features a little wood stove, living space, and a lofted guest bedroom and storage area accessed by a floating staircase. Built by Giffin for almost $25,000, the structure took seven weeks to complete. Look inside Zac's home.

Located near Watergate Bay in Cornwall, England of all places, the Sundance, a Wild West-themed wagon-style dwelling, is available to rent through Unique Homestays. Decorated with a "saloon chic" aesthetic (think wagon wheel art and sheepskin throws), the quaint interior features a wood-clad master bedroom, a bathroom with a walk-in rain shower, and a full kitchen. After a day riding horses on the nearby beach, relax with a glass of wine while sitting in a rocking chair on the lantern-lit front porch. Rental rates are about $800 for a three-night stay. Look inside the Sundance.

One of six tiny houses—each built on wheels and outfitted with a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping loft—at Caravan—The Tiny House Hotel in Portland, Oregon, the Skyline cabin is one of the newest additions to the hotel. The 160-square-foot structure is constructed of mostly salvaged materials and houses two queen beds. Rental rates are $125 per night. Look inside the Skyline.

Designed by Broadhurst Architects as a weekend retreat for a family from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., The Shack at Hinkle Farm sits on the southern slope of South Fork Mountain in West Virginia. With no electricity, the family relies on oil lamps for light and a small wood stove for heat; rain water is collected from the roof for the outdoor shower. An aluminum and glass garage door opens to a cantilevered wooden deck, where a removable canvas awning offers shade and shelter. Look inside The Shack at Hinkle Farm.

Inspired by and built by the team responsible for the gorgeous cottages at the Canoe Bay resort in the woods of Wisconsin, the 392-square-foot Escape looks like a high-end cabin but is actually a 28- by 14-foot Park Model RV on wheels. Vaulted ceilings and a large window wall give an airy feel to the cottage, which includes a living room with fireplace and kitchen wall and a separate bedroom and bath. Large French doors open to a screened porch that can be used as an extended living room, sleeping porch, or a dining area. The red-striped chaise lounge doubles as a bed with heated coils, perfect for naps on chilly days. Escape is available to rent at Canoe Bay, or can be custom-built for buyers and delivered ready to live-in. Prices start at $79,900. —ESN Look inside the Escape.

With its 1920s cabins and vintage Boy Scout tents, Camp Wandawega, located in Elkhorn Wisconsin, evokes the set of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. But the camp's most charming feature is its three-level treehouse, built around a massive elm tree and outfitted with Pendleton blankets, tree swings, and Mason jar light fixtures. Used as a common space, guests can read a book in the treehouse's library on a rainy day or spend a lazy afternoon on the bottom-level hammock. Take a look inside Tom's Treehouse.

Carrie and Shane Caverly built their 200-square-foot house in the spring of 2012 after growing tired of paying mortgages and rent. Built on a trailer, the house features a low-maintenance steel roof, an on-demand hot water heater, an incinerating toilet, and a passive solar design. Carrie, an architectural designer, and Shane, a custom builder, now run Clothesline Tiny Homes, offering downloadable tiny house plans, design consulting, and custom building. After living in their tiny house for 20 months in New Mexico, the couple has now moved to Colorado, where they're building a 1,000-square-foot home. (Their tiny house will serve as a guest cottage.)

Look inside Carrie and Shane's tiny home.

With authentic country character and hand-crafted, farmhouse-inspired details, Tiny Heirloom Homes makes it easy to downsize and upgrade at the same time. This 192-square-foot luxury farmhouse is outfitted with a sleeping loft, kitchen, bathroom, living space, and even a laundry machine. The base model, similar to the one shown here, starts at $65,000 and includes delivery plus a one-time trip out to the company's Oregon City headquarters to see its construction. Look inside this tiny luxury farmhouse.

This serene tiny house in rural California is home to web designer Alek Lisefski, his girlfriend, Anjali, and their dog, Anya. Built on an 8- by 20-foot trailer, with three feet added for the back porch, the house features 10 windows and an all-glass door to opening up the small interior space to the outdoors to feel less claustrophobic and more connected to the surroundings. Designed and built by Alek himself for about $30,000, he is now selling construction plans so others can can build a house of their own to the same specs. —ESN See more of Alek's house.

Surrounded by peaceful, bucolic farmland in Somerset, England, the Shepherds Hut Retreat is comprised of four tiny "huts" available for rent. Each structure overlooks a nearby pond, and includes its own private deck and fire pit. Inside the 20- by eight-foot huts, you'll find a fully functioning kitchen, a bathroom, a dining area, and a built-in bed. Rental rates start from around $243 per weekend. Look inside the huts.

This fully restored 1920s sheep wagon sits on the 30,000-acre Heward family ranch in Shirley Basin, Wyoming. The tiny wagon is outfitted with a full-size bed, two built-in cold boxes, a folding table, and a wood burning stove. Accommodating up to four people, the wagon can be moved around the property depending on the renters' recreational interests (fly fishing, stargazing, and hiking are just some of the many options). Rental rates are $100 per night. Look inside the 1920s Sheep Wagon.

The "Writer's Block" cabin designed by Cheng + Snyder features storage for a canoe under its bed and workbench space. Located in Westport, Maine on the banks of the Sheepscott River, the 190-square-foot hideaway features windows arranged to maximize views and allow for passive heating and cooling. Look inside the Writer's Block cabin.

Though it clocks in at just 260-square-feet, this cottage's bright and colorful design exudes a cheery atmosphere from all corners. Designed by Richardson Architects, the tiny structure is situated on a dairy farm near the Northern California coastline and was constructed using non-corrosive and wear-resistant materials. The exterior features a large wraparound porch, a chalkboard, and ample seating, while the interior is filled with bright red and yellow hues. Look inside this cheery Northern California cottage.

The Matchbox (pictured, right), designed by Jay Austin, lives at Boneyard Studios, a tiny house community founded in 2012 in Washington D.C. with a mission to promote the benefits of small house living and support the tiny house community. Clocking in at 140 square feet, the carbon-neutral, self-sustaining house features skylights and wide windows for passiving cooling and earthen plaster for humidity control. Look inside the Matchbox.

The Yolo County Cabin, designed by Butler Armsden Architects, sits on a 400-acre farm in the rural Northern California town of Winters. With a structure inspired by the local water towers and lean-to sheds that dot the area's surrounding agricultural landscape, the home's elevated viewing terrace offers a 360-degree view of the land. Look inside the Yolo County Cabin.

Set in a lush tropical paradise, the 250-square-foot Sunset Beach Treehouse Bungalow in Haleiwa, Hawaii overlooks one of the North Shore's most famous surf spots. Renters climb a 100-step stone path to reach the structure, nestled among black lava rocks and a leafy canopy of Banyan, avocado, and mango trees. Featuring a full-size bed as well as a lofted sleeping area, the treehouse sleeps as many as three people, and includes a kitchenette and bathroom. Rental rates start from $1,200 per week. Look inside the Sunset Beach Treehouse Bungalow.

This 400-square-foot cabin with a refined decor sits nestled among fir, cedar, and madrone trees on the East Sound of Washington state's Orcas Island. Designed by architect David Vandervort, the cross-shaped floorplan creates distinct alcoves for the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom, while a ladder provides access to the loft bedroom above the central living room. French doors lead out to a patio of flagstone, which is also used at the cabin's entrance. (Building plans of a prototype of this cabin are available for purchase from Vandervort.) —ESN Look inside the Orcas Island Cabin.

Painted with six colors, The Painted Lady is an intricately designed micro farmhouse in Round Top, Texas, from Tiny Texas Houses. With a Victorian style exterior, the interior measures 12- by 26-feet and features a built-in couch, full kitchen, Murphy bed, sleeping loft, and bathroom with a glassed-in shower with a river rock floor. The home is 99 percent pure salvage, including the beams, floor joists, studs, windows, doors, and interior and exterior skins. —ESN Look inside The Painted Lady.

Built from salvaged materials, no two of the homes from Luling, Texas-based Tiny Texas Houses, which start at 120 square feet, are alike.

Nearly every surface in Fifi O'Neill's Sarasota, Florida, home displays some sort of collection: weathered accessories, antique linens, white pottery, vintage enamelware, more pottery—you get the picture. And yet, at only 1,375 square feet, the two-bedroom, two-bath cottage feels cheerful and open, not cluttered or over-crowded. Her secret? Putting her favorite finds to work, not just up on a shelf to be admired. Look inside Fifi's cottage.

This 336-square-foot original WeeHouse from Alchemy Architects was built in 2003 to house a family off the grid on the Minnesota prairie near Lake Pepin. With floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, the modern micro home is flooded with light. The interior is completely wrapped in douglas fir and features Ikea built-in cabinetry and kitchen elements. —ESN See more of the original WeeHouse.

The historic community of Wesleyan Grove in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard is well known for its hundreds of adorable, colorful gingerbread cottages. The community began as a Methodist Church campground in the 1860s, where open air revival meetings were held during the warmer months. Church members eventually began building summer cottages, many of which feature ornate Victorian details and colorful trim. Wesleyan Grove is now designated as a National Historic Landmark District. While the cottages are privately owned, several are available to rent. See more photos of the Wesleyan Grove cottages.

Armed with plenty of curb appeal, the Loring is a prefab small bungalow from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. With a ceiling measuring almost 17 feet tall, the model comes in 261-square-foot and 356-square-foot versions. The plans cost $759. Look inside the Loring.

Brittany Yunker built her 160-square-foot home, located on the shores of the Puget Sound in Olympia, Washington, using Tumbleweed Tiny House Company's Cypress 18 Equator building plans, one of the company's most popular designs. The house-on-wheels, which is available to rent, sits on an 18-foot flatbed and is equipped with electricity and a small RV-style hot water heater for the sink and shower. Look inside the Bayside Bungalow.

One of the first tiny house manufacturers, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company now offers travel trailers and prefab cottages starting at 117 square feet. Pictured here is the company's Harbinger model, which features a bump-out in the front that can be used as a sitting or sleeping area. Look inside the Harbinger.

Made from 95 percent salvaged materials, the Arched Zebu is a tiny prairie house from Texas Tiny Houses. Measuring 12- by 18-feet, the house is built from materials that are close to 200 years old. Featuring beautiful arched windows, the cottage includes a lofted sleep area, kitchen, and shabby chic details. Look inside the Arched Zebu.

Designed by Katrina Cottages, this compact two-bedroom cottage has a 544-square-foot living area and a charming little porch big enough for several rocking chairs. The plan set and and building license are available for $850, while the company estimates that the cost to construct this model will range between $65,280 to $76,000. Learn more about the KC 544.

Designed as an affordable solution to the housing crisis after Hurricane Katrina, Katrina Cottages start at 308 square feet.

One of the largest homes from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, the two-story Sebastarosa model can be built as a two-bedroom (750 square feet) or three-bedroom (847 square feet) home. Read more about the Sebastarosa.

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company's Bodega model features a fireplace, a full bath, and a kitchen, with the optional addition of a bedroom that would take the space to 356 square feet. Designed to keep construction costs low, the plans cost $759. Look inside the Bodega.

Designed by Katrina Cottages, this charming little one-bedroom house measures 14-feet wide and 30-feet long, including a miniature front porch. The house plans and building license can be purchased for $575, and the company estimates it will cost between $38,000 and $46,000 to complete.. Learn more about the KC 308.

This story originally appeared on The Wayward Home. 

Heather Yandziak and Nicholas Underwood are living the dream traveling in their 120-square-foot skoolie, which they bought off Craigslist and converted into a tiny home.

The two spent one year renovating the 1998 Thomas Vista 3600 into a school bus camper. The tiny skoolie runs on solar power, has a living room, dining area, office, guest bed, bedroom and storage.

The bus, dubbed Vicaribus, has been all over the United States in the past three months and is just the cutest skoolie I've seen.

So, I wanted to catch up with the couple to see how they picked their skoolie and what went into converting their bus into the perfect little camper. Nicholas provided the answers to the following questions.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO LIVE IN A SKOOLIE FULL TIME?

We both love to travel and have been fortunate enough to go to lots of places all over the world. A few years ago we moved to Denver from Atlanta just to try somewhere new as a home base.

After a couple of years in Denver, we started discussing what we might do or where we might go next and eventually decided we just wanted to travel the U.S for a while, since there was so much of it we hadn't seen.

I always have at least some sort of DIY project going on, if not several, and the huge challenge of converting a skoolie was very appealing to me. Plus, we both loved the idea of having a vehicle that was designed exactly the way we wanted it and completely unique. Oddly, we never even considered any sort of traditional RV.

HOW DID YOU PICK THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL BUS?

After some consideration over what type and size bus would be best for what we wanted to do, we ultimately determined we should look for school bus of medium length to give us the perfect mix of maneuverability and interior space.

We opened up Craigslist’s Florida listings and started the hunt. We chose Florida because I was still technically a resident of Florida and that’s where we wanted to have the bus titled.

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Two weeks later I was on a plane to Tampa to buy the first skoolie we looked at. That’s no joke. We immediately fell in love with what is now our 1998 Thomas Vista 3600, which happened to be the first one we saw on Craigslist.

At the time, the current owners had already given it its white and blue paint job, and had already ripped out the seats, replacing them with some cheap flooring and a couple of couches. The nice paint job and already removed seats combined with its adorable snub-nosed look were enough to convince us that this was the bus for us.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING TO CHOOSE A SKOOLIE TO LIVE IN?

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It was quite a challenge fitting everything into 120-square feet. We pretty much just started with our basic idea and figured it out as we went. We built from the front to the back, section by section. We also made sure to use the minimal amount of material needed to not waste any space, and we were able to create all kinds of storage nooks as we went.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT CONVERTING YOUR SKOOLIE, AND WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU'D KNOWN MORE ABOUT WHEN YOU STARTED?

One of the more tricky parts of the school bus conversion was custom building a waterproof wet-bath to house our composting toilet by Nature's Head and on-demand shower.

The dimensions of the space we left for the bathroom were too small to use any off-the-shelf shower parts, which would have made the build much easier. We got everything to fit and work in the end, but is probably our least favorite part of the build.

Also, we have never used the shower! Our water tank is pretty small and a shower would use it up quickly, and pretty much everywhere we stay also has a shower, so we just use those and body wipes to stay fresh the couple days in between.

If we did it again we wouldn’t worry about the shower and waterproofing of the bathroom, which would have saved lots of money and time.

WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTS ABOUT LIVING AND TRAVELING IN THE SCHOOL BUS? DO YOU EVER WISH YOU'D CHOSEN AN RV INSTEAD?

Without a doubt, the best part is the freedom. The whole point was and is the freedom. We get to go anywhere and do anything we want (within reason) and completely on our own schedule. If we like an area we can stay as long as we want. If we end up somewhere we don’t like, we just move on. It’s amazing!

There would probably be a couple of benefits to having a traditional RV, like a more comfortable drive and potentially better gas mileage, but so far having this completely custom and unique home has far outweighed those benefits.

HOW DO YOU TWO MAKE MONEY WHILE TRAVELING IN YOUR SKOOLIE?

Heather is on sabbatical during this first year, but eventually, we will slow down our travels so she can start doing 13-week gigs as a Travel Physical Therapist.

You can follow the the couple’s journey on their website and Instagram.

This story originally appeared on The Wayward Home.