A COUPLE left their nine-to-fives for life on the road with their two small children - they discovered a clever way to keep space private. They lived in a van with their newborn for three months before deciding to convert their second 40-foot bus. Chase and Mariajosé, a husband and wife duo, made themselves famous on YouTube ( @mariajoseandchase ) for making beautiful homes out of the confined spaces of vans and retired buses.
Their first rig, a 40-foot bus , was beautiful - but they felt it was too much for just the two of them. Chase told The U.S.
Sun in an exclusive interview that he wasn't a fan of the driving style that came with a bus, either. So, they sold the bus and made a home out of a Ford Transit van. Discover More Conversions Mariajosé and Chase found they preferred living out of a van over a bus, and decided to live in the van full-time after selling their home in Nashville, Tennessee.
However, a curve ball was thrown at them when Mariajosé fell pregnant with the couple's first child. Looking toward the future, the couple opened up their shop in Nashville so the two could build conversions for customers. On the same property, a house was built for the growing family to retreat to if they needed to.
Most read in Motors Before settling down, however, Chase and Mariajosé stayed on the road with their newborn daughter for three months before making changes. "Thankfully we didn't need to make many changes except making space for a car seat," said Chase. "She also slept with us, so it wasn't that hard.
" The van, though, quickly became too small for the growing family. Especially when Mariajosé became pregnant with their second child, which pushed the couple to consider a bus for their third rig. "When we had the bus there was too much space, so we went to a van, and when I got pregnant, I was like, 'Maybe this is too small,' and then figured it was too small of a space so we bought a bus," said Mariajosé.
As of July, their second child, a son, is almost a month old and Chase is hacking away at the bus build. On their channel, Chase has installed a diesel heater for the winter , solar panels to power air conditioning in the front and back of the bus, and has constructed a frame for the couple's queen bed. Whether in a big or small rig, there are a few things every traveler should know before hitting the road Having a home on wheels is a great way to save money and travel safely, but there are a few things that should be addressed before traveling long distances and parking for extended periods.
Consider the location. Different regions and climates present different challenges, like warm days but cold nights, persistent rain and humidity, or extremely dry air. Knowing what you're driving into can help make the stay more comfortable.
Factor in costs and prepare. How much are RV campsites? Average fuel costs? Are there laundromats nearby that accept credit or debit cards? Are there hardware stores close by in case something breaks? How about RV insurance? Be flexible. As always when traveling, it's important to plan, but travelers must stay flexible when things go unexpectedly.
Pack lightly. Even though an RV is a home on wheels, a small space will quickly teach travelers how to organize items by what's necessary and what's convenient. Consider the weather.
Pack according to the weather, and take note that insulation in an RV isn't as effective as insulation in a house. Always bring extra items to keep warm or cool. Source: Progressive Auto Insurance "We built the bed frame over the dual wheels to have it centered," said Chase.
For their children, Chase built a second room that will eventually have bunk beds for both kids to sleep in. However, he noted that many of the windows have been removed to preserve privacy for his kids. Every window in the soon-to-be kids' room has been removed.
Read More on The US Sun In addition, Chase mentioned they plan to build a deck on their Nashville property that that bus can "connect" to. The most recent update video can be watched and enjoyed here ..
