If you’re looking to live the life of freedom inside your skoolie full-time, it’s quite a transition to undergo. Not to mention, figuring out all the things you need can be a tricky process.
Living inside a bus can be uncomfortable if you’re not efficient with your use of space. Some items can also be a real help to improve your control over warmth, food, and hygiene to stay happy on the road.
Here are 21 skoolie essentials you’ll want to bring along no matter where your travels and adventures take you!
1. Camp Stove
To be honest, a solid stove is one of the most essential items to have in your bus. A propane or butane stove can give you the freedom to cook all your meals inside your bus. However, propane can be dangerous, so make sure that your space is well ventilated.
In addition, to be safe, you’ll want to buy a carbon monoxide detector for the event of a gas leak. To combat any potential fires with a stove in the bus, you’ll also want a fire extinguisher in case of a cooking issue.
2. Magnetic Spice Jars
Along with all the metal in your bus, magnetic spice jars are also a great addition to your skoolie essentials. Similar to any other tiny house on wheels, you’ll want spice storage that’s easy to access, and doesn’t take up limited cupboard space.
3. DC to AC Power Inverter
Maintaining consistent power is crucial on the road. A handy DC to AC power inverter can plug right into the cigarette lighter to charge things like laptops and tablets. This one even includes a pair of USB plugs to charge cell phones. This can be a useful piece of gear to work on a computer or for watching a movie.
4. Ryobi Fan
One thing you’ll realize in your conversion or tiny home is that it gets stuffy! With a small space, (hot or cold) you have to keep the air moving. You can hang this fan up and leave it running. The battery can charge off solar, with little power drain.
5. Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater
During the winter months, it can get especially cold inside a bus. These small portable buddy heaters can keep you very warm and toasty during the coldest weather. They do use propane, so it’s important to use them with caution!
6. Hydro Flask
If you’re at a place to stop, or on the move, it can be quite handy to have your little container to keep your drinks nice and cool inside. This is a great option to reduce waste and avoid the need for plastic bottles. It’s also a fantastic way to reduce the drain on your already limited water supply. If you want to stay hydrated on a budget, you can check out our best hydro flask knock-off brands.
7. Fruit Hammock
One of the staples of #skoolie, the fruit hammock is something quite popular with bus lifers. It’s quite inexpensive and helps to hold a variety of produce. Anytime you want to save space in the pantry or cupboard, this is a great spot for it.
8. Solar Shower
Finding showers on the road can be a bit challenging depending on where you’re located. Unless you’re at a city or campground, you may not always have easy access. Hanging a solar shower can be a simple way to have a warm shower anywhere you travel. This one can hold up to 5 gallons of water and heats the water with solar technology.
9. Portable Toilet
One of the top concerns people have about bus life is: how do you go to the bathroom? A simple solution is to use a portable toilet. It’s not always the best if you can find a toilet (so the holding tank lasts longer). However, these are easy to tuck away and store for times when you can’t make it to a restroom in the middle of the night.
10. Solar Portable Charger
For those going off-grid, solar power can be essential for keeping tech powered up. A solar portable charger can keep small electronics charged up and ready to go when out of the bus.
11. Toothbrush Holder
Storing bathroom gear can be difficult without a proper place for it. With a toothbrush holder, you have a dedicated location for your brushes to go. This helps to keep them clean and not get lost in the mix of other gear.
12. Hand Vacuum
Staying clean in a bus is something many people forget about. Having a nice hand vacuum is one of those practical items that can help to keep the tiny house living space neat and tidy.
13. Comfort Seat Cushion
Sitting in a bus’s driver’s seat for hours at a time can get uncomfortable no matter how good the cushion is. A comfortable seat cushion can be a real help for alleviating any back pain.
14. Bluetooth Speaker
When listening to music, watching a movie or TV show, you’re going to want some good audio. Your best bet for sound on the go on a bus is to use a Bluetooth portable speaker. These provide loud volume, and you can even take them with you outside for around the campsite. This one by JBL is waterproof, so no worries about rain or spills.
15. Backup Camera
Installing a proper RV backup camera for your skoolie is easily one of the best decisions you can make. It’s already hard enough to move such a large rig, anything to make your maneuvering life easier is worth it. Really any type of van, tiny house, or school bus should have this when on the road. This will give you an improved vision for navigating tight spaces, backcountry roads, or any narrow areas.
16. Portable Small Water Jugs
Everyone needs water… how do you plan to store it? This aqua container holds 7 gallons and is easier to carry and fill up that other large options.
17. Microfiber Towel
Staying dry is important to keep excess water from building up or getting tracked inside the bus. A microfiber towel is an upgrade from a traditional cotton towel as it dries much faster. This helps a lot with showering since they can dry in under 30 minutes.
18. Solar Starter Kit
For those going all-in on bus life, a proper solar kit is a necessity for improving power consumption when not running the engine. This solar starter kit includes everything someone would need to get started (other than a battery).
19. Front-Window Sunshade
Like insulation, a sunshade helps to keep cool during hot weather. This is a must when parked in warmer climates, and acts as a privacy shield as well.
20. Reflectix Insulation
Adding reflectix insulation can help to better insulate the bus. Many people opt to use this material as a way to cover their windows as “blinds”.
21. Magnetic Hooks
With the amount of metal you’re surrounded by in a bus, it makes sense to utilize magnetic hooks. These are fantastic to throw around and hold small items such as a lanyard, keys, or anything else you can think of.
Conclusion
These skoolie essentials and must-have accessories for your school bus conversion have been sourced from a variety of bus-lifers to create the ultimate compiled list. This way, you get a diversified viewpoint of what you may need for your bus.
Hope this list helps you with your adventures and travels!