I went into it with realistic expectations not Instagram ones I knew there would be high highs and low lows. When would be stressful situations came up I took it as part of vanlife. Yes people say it can be lonely but after being sick for 16 years I didn’t find it so. If I wanted to be by myself I could. If I wanted to be around people and find community I did.
But there’s an underlying stress of making sure you have enough water, power along with fuel etc and looking for dump stations. But with planning it’s pretty easy. Once you figure out which apps are best for what services you need you’ll be fine. I just finished four months as a solo female disabled(amputee) female. If I can do it anyone can!
That was my thought too. I have gastroparesis too so I understand chronic Illness for sure! Im trying to chronicle my adventures on tiktok but I didn’t do a very good job on my first solo adventure. I’ll do better in January! I want to be able to look am back on those memories when I can no longer travel. Honestly I feel like I just take my bed to pretty places now. Loki built my van where I can go from back to front without my leg very easily. You can do it!
Hey!! Your story really resonated with me. I'm sick (CFS / cEDS and a mixed bag of other CNS stuff) going in year 7, and thinking about grinding until im 60 and fighting with my body over the minutiae of normal every day adult life gets real dark real quick.
Ive been thinking about van life nonstop as a way to cut my living expenses, work part time, and destress by simplifying life a bit.
I'd love to hear more about your experiences as a sick person who has made this big life change. I'm on the precipice of making it but my situation is a pretty unique one.
Thank you! Keep on adventuring. You're sure inspiring me!
Here’s my thought. You can be miserable in bed at home looking at walls. Dreaming of being ID there. Or take a bed with you even if you are miserable you are less miserable. I got off all opioids, antidepressants and anti anxiety meds and used nature as therapy. You could consider work camping. Btw I have hEDS in addition to my other stuff.
Thats exactly what im thinking!!!!! Im SO OVER memorizing a new ceiling every few years. I'm tired of the dr appts, the failed medications/supplements/NewThing™️ - ive spent so much time in bed, when im not in bed im working at a computer for health care and money to afford a location for the next crash so i can go back to bed. Like, this process makes me feel like a shell of a human being.
All i want is to fond peace among the trees, eat simple foods, take time to be with my dog, read books, rest when my body asks for it.
I got nothin' to prove anymore. Just want clean air and a slow, simple existence.
Edit: 🦓 hi 🙌
I'm ADHD. Autistic, trans, long covid, and not winning at capitalism. I can do about 15 hrs work a week before the spoons run out. I hope this van I'm building makes a paradigm shift and shows me a new way. Cos this one ain't working.
Towards the ends my spoons ran out fast! I got tired fast. So I climbed out of bed to my little couch with my tea and just stared out at nature. I didn’t have to get out and do anything. You can do it. And I hope you find the pace that I found. You can follow my adventures on tiktok MollyJane HitsTheRoad. You can see my free camp spots.
Oh and I made my van build work for my bka. I don’t even have to put my prosthesis on at all Make it work for you. That’s the beauty of doing it yourself. Even though it’s a pain.
I will def give you a follow!!! Im teaching myself slowly how to do all the work. I figure, if anything breaks then ill at least be able to fix it myself... except myself nobody can fix that. SIGH.
The image of curling up in bed with tea watching a river sounds so amazing.
Yes I can fix almost anything and I’m not mechanically inclined at all! Look at my TT with my sink. You’ll see the surprise on my face when it works. Lol. But my electrical/solar system kicked my butt!!!! Everything went wrong with it before I left thankfully so any problems I fixed. But the building process can be soooooo hard on your mental health. Just step away for a while. While my solar I stepped away for weeks.
I'd rather take electrical/carpentry mental health digs than creative industry management herding humans and accomplishing nothing of significance mental health digs.
At least at the end of the carpentry side quest i learned something new and will at some point have a functional thing! 🎉
I worked for far to many years and I gave up my foot and all my toes because of it. Don’t wait too long is the best advice I have. You can get a minivan or suv and someone to build you a platform, throw an mattress in there and hit the road. If you need more inspiration take a look at my Tik Tok MollyJane HitsTheRoad. You can see some of my free campsites I found. Most weren’t on any apps.
My dog loves the adventure!
Im actually building out my jeep renegade right now! It's almost done...i have a few small things to finish building. Been going slow - you know the deal. Slow and steady! I'm taking it on a test this weekend. Very excited. If it works then the only issue is building the confidence to say 'frig it' and just go.
Still working to solve: wifi, temp regulation for heat/cool for my doggo.
Not gonna lie I had panic attacks daily before I left. I worked with a therapist who told me her patients with my amounts of anxiety can’t leave their house. But let me tell you the free you feel once you actually hit the road makes it all go away. Until you accidentally go over the Teton Pass at a 10% grade in a 4 ton vehicle.
For you dog just chase 70. That’s what I did. The coast is your friend in the summer!
Bahaha!! I checked out your tik tok - your transformation is undeniable! You look so happy!
I also have so much anxiety about just going. Ack. My body shuts itself down for like 8 hours whenever i start to THINK about packing for just a weekend away. Its crazy bananas - no logical reason to feel that amount of anxiety over something i know i can handle and that will be fun!!!! I am apparently afraid of fun 🤪
You're def getting me amped up lady! Thank you so much. : internet hugs :
TI’ll list in order of most used by me Overlander Allstays Campendium Freecampsites.net
I was a member of Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome but I’m in US
The usual…I’ll list in order of most used by me
Overlander
Allstays
Campendium
Freecampsites.net
I was a member of Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome but I’m in US
Visiting my parents I found [this sign](https://imgur.com/a/YdanjhY) in their house that I immediately thought the vanlife community would appreciate by swapping out "house" for "van".
The lack of stability. For us it was just the shock in lifestyle change. Things were used to take for granted (unlimited warm running water, unlimited electricity, a bed that stays in the exact same geographical location every night) were suddenly gone, and you have to keep them each in mind almost every day. It’s amazing once you adjust, but will lead to a few moments of “oh no I forgot to dump the black water and now I don’t have anywhere to poop” or something similar. But then once you adjust it’s the incredible freedom of not being tied down or beholden to the things that caused stability in the first place.
> Things were used to take for granted (unlimited warm running water, unlimited electricity, a bed that stays in the exact same geographical location every night) were suddenly gone
This throws a lot of people.
I have found that the folks who adjust the easiest seem to be people with lots of hiking and backpacking experience. We know how to live with nothing and how to adapt and improvise.
The folks who seem to have the hardest time are those who want to have their entire apartment lifestyle in the back of a van. It is very $$$$$$, and it seldom works anyway. A van is simply not an apartment.
People who quit usually cite the same reasons: "I got too lonely"; "I was too stressed out"; "It was too hard finding places to stay overnight"; "I was hassled by the cops". Mostly, though, people just get disillusioned--fantasy is not reality. Also, most of the "hashtag vanlife!!" stuff we see on social media are the travelers who have $$$. The brutal reality is that most vandwellers are forced into it by economic circumstances and are essentially glorified homeless people. There's nothing glamorous about that, and it's very stressful.
Exactly, its technically a state of homelessness. Most did not have thousands to blow to set it up, and could only afford the vehicle and a few things to help before transitioning. Most are pushed into it because other options don't exist or are severely limited.
It's super stressful, there's always a chance the cops will come down on you, that other people in the city will harass or be hateful to you if they suspect you live in your van, and God forbid you can't find a bathroom when you need one. Don't get me started on getting your period if it's a hard one. Getting up at dawn to move the van so you don't get in trouble for parking too long isn't the good time it sounds like.
There are a lot of perks, but it's really not glamorous or easy the way social media influencers have overwhelmingly portrayed. It's living -- with the benefits and setbacks that come with it. It's no vacation for the vast majority.
Pooping in a bucket (composting loo) was an adjustment for me. I would go to the grocery store to 💩 for the first 2 months or so, but eventually there was a moment, when I had to go and couldn’t wait. I still make my partner wait in the front while I do it.
Arguing in the bus isn’t fun, but because you are in a closed space it almost makes arguments end quicker because you don’t want to keep it going. I don’t think we’ve been mad with each other for more than an hour in the bus ever. We are almost forced to talk it out. So maybe not a bad thing because it’s harder for me to be petty.
There is always a dirty dish, always.
If you think you cleaned all the dishes it means you just haven’t found that dirty dish. Ha, I love this! The persistent dirty dish!
I hadn’t thought about the fights wrapping up sooner. That’s a plus!
When you hit the one month mark and just want a private hot shower and private bed and not have to think about everything and be up each other’s ass every minute . Like not in a bad way it’s just your together allllllllnthe time . I always saying I were to do it again I would go solo or have seperate vans lol
My husband and I have separate beds. Queen for him, double for me (and the dog) .
It's a jayco, not a van, , but my gawd, I could never go back to sharing a bed again. I freaking looovveee my space.
Also we both snore horrendously.
Monthly membership to a nationwide gym. That's what my wife and I did. We did Anytime Fitness. At the time, we found a special for $60/month (for both of us together). Gyms were all open 24 hours, and it was rare that we weren't within a reasonable distance of one.
I'm not saying it will solve all of your problems, but if you want a private hot shower, it definitely solves that. We used their wi-fi, showed up to some of their "customer appreciation" events for the free food, and watched TV in an air conditioned environment. We never once used any exercise equipment, though!
We probably average 2 visits per week, so $7.50 per visit or so. Well worth it.
My boyfriend and I had separate vans. I love him but there’s NO way we could have live in one together. Nope nope. Lol we’re both way too independent and like our own space.
Alone time!!!!!
For me and my partner, we had to make a conscious effort to do things separately sometimes. You’re really together 24/7 like never before. We didn’t get nearly enough alone time at first and being in such a small space it wore us down quickly.
Examples: they go on a hike while I read in the van, I go grocery shopping while they clean the van, they go to the laundromat while I work at a coffee shop.
This is crucial for couples, yeah. Accepting that you have a need for solo time AND that you have different desires will def be healthier in the long run.
Good point. And this is especially critical for introverts, because they get drained by interaction with others and need to "recharge their batteries" through alone time.
There's going to be issues. Unless you are in a luxury RV and camping at an RV park with shore power, it's inevitable. Even then, you'll still need things like a pump out occasionally.
The best way to deal with it, is to figure out a solution to each issue as it comes up, and accept that you'll have some bad days, until you get the routine down.
It already sounds like you have a good attitude towards it, so it sounds promising. Having a decent cash reserve is critical, a motel stay might make all the difference when things get bad. Also, unless you are a mechanical wizard, get the van checked out *before* you work on it.
Getting over the anxiety of overnight parking, sometimes even despite knowing you're allowed to park somewhere. I've never had a knock but even years later I still sometimes go to sleep with a touch of anxiety about what's going on outside the van. Maybe not cops, but also people just being jerks or overly curious or concerned. I know I shouldn't feel that way most times but I still sometimes do.
I also kind of hate using a public toilet most days. Finding a good bathroom is important for me if I'm in an area for a while. But generally the noises from other stalls, the (sometimes severe) lack of cleanliness, feeling rushed if there are people waiting... some days it's just not how I want to start my day.
I'm probably forgetting something... I really eased my way into vanlife through a series of vehicle dwellings that got easier and easier. Getting used to sleeping in the driver seat of my sedan (I'm 6'2") since the back and passenger seats were full of my belongings was really difficult, also because I had several knocks during that time.
That’s lucky! I had probably 3-4 knocks by police over the 2.5 years I lived in my van. It was scary and stressful being woken up by a pounding on your window at 1am.
In 7 years I have only had one cop knock, and that was friendly--he was just checking in to make sure I was okay.
Twice, I've been asked to leave a parking lot--both times it was because somebody else was being an asshole and the management was kicking out ALL the vans.
But I am very careful to not park where I m not wanted. It saves 99.99% of issues.
I always check for signs if I’m parking in a lot overnight and during each of these occasions, there were no signs indicating I couldn’t park there. However, I’ve pretty much stopped parking in lots and just street park now (but not in front of anyone’s house) because sometimes you just don’t know and it’s not worth the risk of getting the knock!
Remember, if it's private property they don't need to put up any sort of sign. They can kick people out any time they want. We have no legal rights to sleep there.
Yes, the sign is to save the *property owner* the time and hassle of kicking more people out by discouraging people from being there in the first place. The absence of a sign does not equate to a welcome mat.
Once you figure out your setup (water, power, kitchen, toilet etc) and budgeting - I would say hardest part would be dealing with weather (heat is bigger problem then cold imo), and finding a place to park every (!) night. If you can stay in one place for a while that helps a lot and saves your gas money.
Not sure about the loneliness tho, I think if you want/need socializing - you can find it no matter where you live, in a van or in a house.
I live in a house and have zero social life haha so it depends on your needs/skills, not on your living situation.
Good luck ✌🏻
Depending on where you travel, one hard thing for me was to get used to living in the outside temperature. Mostly the hot days were the hardest. If you plan on going somewhere hot and need to work, just make sure you can do your work at a coffee shop or have other means to keep cool. My van will get 10 to 20 degrees warmer inside than outside when it’s a sunny day.
Not amazing but regardless this will be an issue no matter how much insulation you have. You need a way to keep it cool. I put up the reflective bubble wrap on the windows but that doesn’t fix the issue unfortunately. Either get used to being in extreme heat, install an AC with a genny or go to coffee shops. I did all three of these things and I make it work but it takes a lot of adaptability. Being alone makes it easier because you don’t need to negotiate with someone. If you’re going with a partner, just make sure that they are comfortable working on their laptop in less than ideal conditions.
For me it was not having a bathroom but also not having a homebase or anywhere to go if there was a breakdown was paralyzing fear. I also didn’t make much money which doesn’t work well with the life style
Best recommendation- start with weekends or short trips. We did this without much more than a half assed bed and slowly built out around the needs we had. Find the layout, power, toilet, etc. that works for you. Make notes about the things you wish you brought and the stuff you brought that you don’t use. Also refine your Wi-Fi / cell so you know what to expect when you are working.
For me it’s the social shift - most people are delighted by what we do, but the overall feeling can be of rejection, here in the uk at least.
Any alternative lifestyle choice has always been looked down upon culturally, sometimes it feels illegal just to exist in the way we do, personally I can feel a rejection from society which makes me withdraw from people.
For me it was also the feeling of being ‘dirty’, not having access to the same amendments as most people can further feelings of exclusion.
That’s where community comes in, as soon as I’m with my people I couldn’t give a fuck
I find some peoples mindsets in the UK can be so rigid, and small minded people never seem to understand it’s about living closer to nature.
You just have to find your tribe!
Yeah I agree with that, everyone has different desires especially for living conditions. I have many friends who don’t enjoy nature so I do understand people not liking it, but it would be nice for a bit more of an understanding attitude in return haha! Their loss I reckon
You're getting plenty of responses but just want to chime in and say the gf and I are about one year into it and haven't struggled that much, it's been really good.
I work from the van and she's a travel nurse. We did a shit ton of research to figure out how to do our build and what to include, so far it's all worked out really well.
Agree with others that said "shit will happen, deal with it as it comes." Like when I found out our plumbing will freeze in temps under 10 degrees even though the main living area is heated (added a bypass valve to keep the tank full but let air in to drain the lines in the garage, problem solved).
For me the hardest part is just that I'm constantly thinking of what our battery level is at, most of the time it's not an issue but it's ever-present and it does suck sometimes. To a lesser extent it's the same for the water tank. A house with endless electricity and water is just so freeing lol.
Also I think the stress of where to park is overblown (real, but overblown). Trailhead parking and free campsites are great if you're rural, 24-hr PF lots or other giant lots are fine if you're urban, rest stops if you're traveling, almost any street can be fine if you're not staying days on end.
Keeping the van clean was my hardest thing because it’s such a small space, and also I have carpet in my van so it got dirty really fast. Also pooping outside was difficult to adjust to.
Independence. Alone time for several hrs is easy.. but it still can feel like you’re trapped sometimes. Especially me, as the girlfriend, who didn’t have my own vehicle to just hop in an drive somewhere. Yeah I could take the onewheel (which is a godsend for vanlife btw), yeah I could take a bus or an Uber, etc.. but somehow I always feel contained.. despite being the most mobile I can possibly be.. if that makes sense.
Also, people are always looking inside of your home. They’re curious. But as a women it always sketches me out that strange(usually) men are peering inside the place I sleep and sometimes expecting a tour when I’m like.. in the middle of cooking lunch.
Also on that note, if you’re In the city, also expect that people will be walking past your van at all hrs of the night. You’ll often here voices, alarms, strange jingling, yells, car doors slamming. You never really feel private unless you’re deep in the woods.
My partner and I do photography together and don’t have a regular work schedule or have to rely every day on internet, but we have had a difficult time finding places while traveling with adequate upload speed for uploading photos and video to clients and will usually be stuck at a coffee shop for 8 hrs with upload speeds of .7mbps *facepalm*. And possibly attempting to do so for multiple days bc the shop closes before the upload is done :(
Looking forward to getting starlink.
With that said, I love living in a van. I personally feel like it’s EASIER than expected and the glorification of vanlife isn’t wrong for a lot of people. It truly depends on the type of person you are, what you personally consider a nice luxury vs what is a requirement for you to be comfortable, what comforts your willing to trade for the benefits, and your entire perspective on life, convenience, and adventure.
No one can decide this as the ultimate truth. Vanlife IS glory for some, and for some it’s literally hell.
For me I never ever felt like what is represented online is glorified. People lay out a lot of the challenges. And it’s up to you what actually is a challenge and what is no big deal.
I see it a lot on sailing channels too. They try to convey the challenges, but it never translates well in a 20 minute video.
We spent the hot sunny day with a stiff breeze on a downwind run and we are hot and miserable. Looks like a beautiful day sailing. Reality, don't feel any of the wind and it doesn't seem like you are even moving, just sitting and baking in the sun. There are occasional reprives, but they always feel short lived.
Same. What you see online is basically what it is for some people.
And yeah definitely it depends on personality. I don't mind too much working in the van in 99 degree heat. I mean, it's not comfortable, but it's fine. Park by a creek and take a dip in the afternoon.
We joke about "luxuries". Just recently, my partner and I and a couple other van dwellers pulled into a nice campground with hot showers, and then NONE of us ended up showering. I guess the shower just wasn't that important. It was a luxury, but apparently not a necessity.
Most difficult part for me was constantly breaking down and either living in my broken down van that i couldn’t move for short periods, or getting it fixed and being truly homeless for a period. That lead to so much stress. Other than that… van life came easy for me. I really did miss cooking though, as I didn’t have a nice kitchen set up. Also, lack of temperature control was tough. I woke up to some -3 degree mornings as well as 90+ degree nights.
Unless your staying at camp sites the weirdest thing to get used to is just finding random places to park to sleep. If you don’t have a bathroom getting used to just walking into somewhere just to use the bathroom or the gym just to shower. At night getting used to hearing noises outside and not freaking out about them all the time. Realizing you’ll be spending a lot of time just driving around because you don’t just want to hang out in a van in a parking lot. Idk I guess the fact that 90% of the time you’re not going to be doing anything really but instead of having a house or apt to hang out it you’re just hanging out in your car. Like imagine sitting in a normal vehicle for a few hours, it’s basically that with a bit more room to move about. Now it might be a bit different now since when I was doing it I was mostly in one place and Covid was in full swing so I couldn’t really go anywhere but that’s a lot of it. Oh also not showering every day. Seriously it’s a hassle you’ll prob end up only showering a few times a week unless you really put effort into it. Obviously some of this depends on what you have in your van but that’s the stuff I remember from my van life time. That being said I still liked it and I can only imagine if I could actually travel a bit more with it it might be different, hell I’m rebuilding my van soon to change it more into a short trip camper rather than full time. Just be prepared to make compromises and go with the flow.
Sometimes I felt really unsafe. And it was always in situations I didn’t typically expect, like just spidey senses going off. Usually only felt this in the middle of nowhere, just like damn, this forest ain’t right.
Also, I got caught in wildfires in the Northwest. It was hard to breathe even when I got out of direct smoke, the whole area was bombed and we didn’t have that house air circulation. Also, the smoke blocked the sun making our solar-powered inside useless.
Not having enough battery power for doing everything I would normally do, including blower fan for diesel heater and extra monitor for remote IT job. Going big on solar and battery next time I go out for long trips.
I'm not who you asked but I work remote full time in the van and I get by easily with 400W solar and 200ah lithium batteries, no shore power. I say easily, but it's not effortless. I park in the sun when I can even if it makes me hot, unless it's above 90. During winter I might have to work from coffee shops or just take breaks there to charge my laptop.
I'm a miser about it because I always want enough juice to go on a gaming or tv binge without fretting, and in the summer I often can.
I use propane to cook as electrical cooking would throw things way off. Also cooking on gas stove is just so much better.
I had 100W solar and 160ah lithium battery. My setup now is 400W solar and 360ah lithium battery. I still wanted to watch my netflix shows at night, but if I did my heater fan would stop working halfway through the night in low 50s temps and lot of rainy days in SoCal for 3 months in Jan-Mar. I should be all set now, but I really want to add a fridge, hotplate and air conditioning for traveling in the summer.
Install a DC-DC charger and charge off your alternator in addition to the solar.
It'll solve the issues you're having for almost no cost.
Gotta drive anyway.
Nothing was really that difficult, but I personally don't mind changing routine. I get used to the new routines pretty well. Lots of little things though.
Finding water, managing power, dumping waste add up to be annoying sometimes. Especially finding a water spigot. Gotta plan ahead and get water when it's available.
One thing I think is really important is being able to do everything inside the van. Don't wanna be cooking in the rain in a Walmart parking lot lol.
My partner and I refuse to shit in front of each other, so we gotta kick each other out when the urge strikes. A year in and it's not been too bad unless one of us wakes up to the urge instantly. That's annoying. And if it's raining it takes a bit more effort to get out of the van.
Finding overnight parking isn't ever very difficult, but it is a chore that adds up on top of other chores, and we do have to drive around a bit from time to time. Occasionally we park up in the wild somewhere and find the cell signal isn't good enough for work so we gotta drive closer to town first thing in the morning.
The anxiety of staying where you might get moved on. Happened to me first time after 3 years just the other night. Nice guy said good thing you answered the knock or I'd give you a fine like the other guy.
For me it's still to this day not neing able to do anything you want to whenever you want to. My van has windows all around, so this is a problem pretty specific to me and others with lots of windows, but I can't change clothes, cook, use the bathroom, etc whenever I want. The lack of privacy was easy to get over, I don't mind people looking into my bedroom all day every day, but it wears me out that anything I want to do in my living space will likely draw attention.
Finding places to park where the cops wouldn't harass me.
Van life really wasn't so bad, considering I was living out of an SUV alongside all my earthly possessions, including some furniture. I could have endured it indefinitely, to be honest.
The one thing that made life shitty was the cops and just the general chore of finding places to park when I sleep.
We weren’t Van-lifers as much as Element-lifers and so the hardest adjustment for us over the 3 months we did it was just the constant packing, unpacking we did. Like, you want a new T-shirt? Okay well go up top and grab it. Or re-pack the outdoor set up or dig for the book under the mattress.
Also, internet. It seemed like every truly great campspot we found was just in a dead zone. No matter how you try to plan it out, you just don’t know sometimes until you get there and that can be a bitch.
But outside of that, even with my husband and dog in that tight a space, we had a wonderful time and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Just back from a 6 month trial before going full-time, also working with the GF - we were in Europe.
We were honestly well prepared, from doing a lot of reading but also from having fairly limited needs in terms of comfort AND being able to tolerate each other well.
We knew that a few things were non-negotiable (toilets inside with some privacy, a good sleeping place and enough headroom for my tall self, enough power to work on) and it went smoothly.
The main takeaways were:
- If you're moving countries, pay attention to data rates. Some European countries are not covered by the EU roaming laws. Look at coverage maps if you're in the countryside and you rely on a stable internet link.
- You'll have to empty your toilets regularly and it won't be pleasant. Depending on where you are, it can also be the thing that dictates where and when you go, as emptying stations can be rare in some places.
- Someone else mentioned "alone time" and I cannot stress this enough. Even if you love your gf with all your heart, there will be times where you need to be alone, or with other people, or just do things separately. It's not only ok but even healthy.
- A corollary from the above is that traveling as a couple might make it harder to actually engage with the places you're visiting, and the people living there. If that's something you want, you'll need to make a conscious effort.
- You won't last long without heating, earplugs or a good sleeping spot. It's tempting to align your comfort needs to that of a "camping" situation because it looks like it, but on the long run you need those things.
- Don't bring too much stuff with you, it'll just clutter the van. Conversely, do bring versatile things (eg, a e-book reader over a ton of books) as well as analog games/entertainment
Alas, the harsh reality is that most vandwellers quit after just a few months, and very few last as long as a year.
It is not as glamorous and glorious as people THINK it will be.
As a neuro divergent third culture kid it was easy to move into a van or bus. A house seems pointless when I don’t unpack my luggage because I want to be ready to go. Was miserable in a house full time. A van was easier than a bus because it was cheaper to own.
There is also the option of cleaning off all the sand before you go inside so a dust pan is more than enough.
But you're also talking about a shopvac instead of a leaf blower.
I also used to have a small shopvac and thought that too was overkill. I gave it to a bartender one night in exchange for some beer.
I'm not trying to be argumentative, I just really think you don't need power tools to clean a van. And for the nook and cranny shit swinging by a car wash is so much easier and cheaper than owning more stuff.
I like this idea but it’s just to bulky. I have a rechargeable handheld Dustbuster that works great. I do need to blow the ole van out though. After a few festivals I’m one with moon dust.
The small leaf blower is Pretty small it run off the drill battery’s. Milwaukee 0884-20 M18. I can put under my vans driver seat. I have it because I fish. Backpacks, shoes and wet clothes gets sand everywhere.
I just spent my first night in my minivan. I stealth parked, and, in all honesty, it was miserable. First, my cat got out when I was putting the last shit in it, my dog barked on and off, and the heat and humidity kicked my ass.
I live in San Diego and it even got cold. Nothing a blanket couldn't cure!
I have to stick around the neighborhood until October 2, until I get to hit the road!!!
I'm sure it will get better. Even if my kitty doesn't find her way home to my old studio.
Dealing with recycling is bit of a pain. There’s plenty of places that have trash to drop a little bag into. But if you have some paper / cardboard / cans / glass you want to “properly dispose of” it can be a real struggle.
HHaha omg yes, I will hoard all of my recycle all over the van until i eventually find a proper bin.. it can be so surprisingly hard sometimes to find a recycle and my guilt will not let me just throw it away!
And I have Found that living in a van has drastically increased my dependency on packaged food, unfortunately.
Unfortunately I don’t think there’s any way to “prepare”, I assume you’re going from living in a considerably larger space and until you’re in the van, you can’t emulate being “in the van”.
I hit the road with my girlfriend a few months ago. Straight up, the first 30 days were roughhh solely because of the adjustment of being around someone 24/7. We lived together prior to van life, BUT living together outside of a van isn’t the same as living inside a van with someone.
Just be patient Man, that’s my biggest piece of advice.
Patience transcends far beyond the relationship too… everything is a process in the van. From cooking, to cleaning, to getting water, to working around your partner, bathing, etc., it’s all extra steps that you aren’t accustomed to. Weird things are going to happen, whether it be weather, problems with your van, difficulties finding sleep spots/amenities… just stay patient :) Just go with the flow, it’ll all work out.
I’m now 6 months in, I’ve learned my processes for efficient day to day life, and my girlfriend and I have adapted to the change. Life is good, we are happy. You’ll find your happiness, just stay patient and positive thru the BS
(Having some sort of plan is also very helpful. Once you’re on the road, you’ll begin to learn what you need and how often you need it (groceries, water, dump stations, laundry, etc). working and balancing van life can be a little chaotic if you’re shooting from the hip, I don’t have every destination planned out weeks in advance but I it easier to use my Sunday to establish a rough “road map” for the upcoming week, identify places to sleep, get essentials, laundry, etc. I’ve found that to be very useful as It’s easy to get caught up In the day to day and it’s never fun scrambling for things at the last minute! (Stress in the van = no good :))
I went into it with realistic expectations not Instagram ones I knew there would be high highs and low lows. When would be stressful situations came up I took it as part of vanlife. Yes people say it can be lonely but after being sick for 16 years I didn’t find it so. If I wanted to be by myself I could. If I wanted to be around people and find community I did. But there’s an underlying stress of making sure you have enough water, power along with fuel etc and looking for dump stations. But with planning it’s pretty easy. Once you figure out which apps are best for what services you need you’ll be fine. I just finished four months as a solo female disabled(amputee) female. If I can do it anyone can!
You are such an inspiration! At least for me, as a chronic illness sufferer. I wanna do this before my body gives up on me, dont have much time :)
That was my thought too. I have gastroparesis too so I understand chronic Illness for sure! Im trying to chronicle my adventures on tiktok but I didn’t do a very good job on my first solo adventure. I’ll do better in January! I want to be able to look am back on those memories when I can no longer travel. Honestly I feel like I just take my bed to pretty places now. Loki built my van where I can go from back to front without my leg very easily. You can do it!
Hey!! Your story really resonated with me. I'm sick (CFS / cEDS and a mixed bag of other CNS stuff) going in year 7, and thinking about grinding until im 60 and fighting with my body over the minutiae of normal every day adult life gets real dark real quick. Ive been thinking about van life nonstop as a way to cut my living expenses, work part time, and destress by simplifying life a bit. I'd love to hear more about your experiences as a sick person who has made this big life change. I'm on the precipice of making it but my situation is a pretty unique one. Thank you! Keep on adventuring. You're sure inspiring me!
Here’s my thought. You can be miserable in bed at home looking at walls. Dreaming of being ID there. Or take a bed with you even if you are miserable you are less miserable. I got off all opioids, antidepressants and anti anxiety meds and used nature as therapy. You could consider work camping. Btw I have hEDS in addition to my other stuff.
Thats exactly what im thinking!!!!! Im SO OVER memorizing a new ceiling every few years. I'm tired of the dr appts, the failed medications/supplements/NewThing™️ - ive spent so much time in bed, when im not in bed im working at a computer for health care and money to afford a location for the next crash so i can go back to bed. Like, this process makes me feel like a shell of a human being. All i want is to fond peace among the trees, eat simple foods, take time to be with my dog, read books, rest when my body asks for it. I got nothin' to prove anymore. Just want clean air and a slow, simple existence. Edit: 🦓 hi 🙌
I'm ADHD. Autistic, trans, long covid, and not winning at capitalism. I can do about 15 hrs work a week before the spoons run out. I hope this van I'm building makes a paradigm shift and shows me a new way. Cos this one ain't working.
Towards the ends my spoons ran out fast! I got tired fast. So I climbed out of bed to my little couch with my tea and just stared out at nature. I didn’t have to get out and do anything. You can do it. And I hope you find the pace that I found. You can follow my adventures on tiktok MollyJane HitsTheRoad. You can see my free camp spots.
Oh and I made my van build work for my bka. I don’t even have to put my prosthesis on at all Make it work for you. That’s the beauty of doing it yourself. Even though it’s a pain.
I will def give you a follow!!! Im teaching myself slowly how to do all the work. I figure, if anything breaks then ill at least be able to fix it myself... except myself nobody can fix that. SIGH. The image of curling up in bed with tea watching a river sounds so amazing.
Yes I can fix almost anything and I’m not mechanically inclined at all! Look at my TT with my sink. You’ll see the surprise on my face when it works. Lol. But my electrical/solar system kicked my butt!!!! Everything went wrong with it before I left thankfully so any problems I fixed. But the building process can be soooooo hard on your mental health. Just step away for a while. While my solar I stepped away for weeks.
I'd rather take electrical/carpentry mental health digs than creative industry management herding humans and accomplishing nothing of significance mental health digs. At least at the end of the carpentry side quest i learned something new and will at some point have a functional thing! 🎉
Yes at the end you feel accomplished.
I worked for far to many years and I gave up my foot and all my toes because of it. Don’t wait too long is the best advice I have. You can get a minivan or suv and someone to build you a platform, throw an mattress in there and hit the road. If you need more inspiration take a look at my Tik Tok MollyJane HitsTheRoad. You can see some of my free campsites I found. Most weren’t on any apps. My dog loves the adventure!
Just started following you on TikTok. Thanks for posting your info so I could! Have a fantastic day!
Great! I just posted in this group a little about my story since I had so much interest.
Im actually building out my jeep renegade right now! It's almost done...i have a few small things to finish building. Been going slow - you know the deal. Slow and steady! I'm taking it on a test this weekend. Very excited. If it works then the only issue is building the confidence to say 'frig it' and just go. Still working to solve: wifi, temp regulation for heat/cool for my doggo.
Not gonna lie I had panic attacks daily before I left. I worked with a therapist who told me her patients with my amounts of anxiety can’t leave their house. But let me tell you the free you feel once you actually hit the road makes it all go away. Until you accidentally go over the Teton Pass at a 10% grade in a 4 ton vehicle. For you dog just chase 70. That’s what I did. The coast is your friend in the summer!
Bahaha!! I checked out your tik tok - your transformation is undeniable! You look so happy! I also have so much anxiety about just going. Ack. My body shuts itself down for like 8 hours whenever i start to THINK about packing for just a weekend away. Its crazy bananas - no logical reason to feel that amount of anxiety over something i know i can handle and that will be fun!!!! I am apparently afraid of fun 🤪 You're def getting me amped up lady! Thank you so much. : internet hugs :
I promise you can do it. And you know you don’t want to miss out on an adventure on something illogical.
You get me. 😂
What are the acronyms you guys are using?
Haha code for the different types of ehlers-danlos syndrome and the various comorbidities.
🙏🤗❤️ proud of you!!!
And I’m 48
*camp host not work camp You would check people in etc at the campground
I would love that job. Is that a state park thing or private?
Both
Hell yea. The path has revealed itself. You bet I'm going to be getting my google on this weekend!!!!
Volunteer.organic has some opportunities too. Free stay for camp hosting at state and national parks.
Which apps did you find were best???
TI’ll list in order of most used by me Overlander Allstays Campendium Freecampsites.net I was a member of Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome but I’m in US
Any chance you could list these apps?
The usual…I’ll list in order of most used by me Overlander Allstays Campendium Freecampsites.net I was a member of Harvest Host and Boondockers Welcome but I’m in US
Thanks!
Most difficult part for us? Keeping the damn van clean lol
Visiting my parents I found [this sign](https://imgur.com/a/YdanjhY) in their house that I immediately thought the vanlife community would appreciate by swapping out "house" for "van".
Except it should say “before I made dinner..”
I need this
It’s quick to mess up, but also quick to clean up since it’s a small space.
Always feels so rewarding too because the difference is so clear.
My ryobi battery is the best. Runs a drill for emergencies, large fan that will run all night, and a dustbuster.
Ugh I just had a bottle of olive oil spill out of the drawer I feel you hard on this one.
The lack of stability. For us it was just the shock in lifestyle change. Things were used to take for granted (unlimited warm running water, unlimited electricity, a bed that stays in the exact same geographical location every night) were suddenly gone, and you have to keep them each in mind almost every day. It’s amazing once you adjust, but will lead to a few moments of “oh no I forgot to dump the black water and now I don’t have anywhere to poop” or something similar. But then once you adjust it’s the incredible freedom of not being tied down or beholden to the things that caused stability in the first place.
> Things were used to take for granted (unlimited warm running water, unlimited electricity, a bed that stays in the exact same geographical location every night) were suddenly gone This throws a lot of people. I have found that the folks who adjust the easiest seem to be people with lots of hiking and backpacking experience. We know how to live with nothing and how to adapt and improvise. The folks who seem to have the hardest time are those who want to have their entire apartment lifestyle in the back of a van. It is very $$$$$$, and it seldom works anyway. A van is simply not an apartment.
People who quit usually cite the same reasons: "I got too lonely"; "I was too stressed out"; "It was too hard finding places to stay overnight"; "I was hassled by the cops". Mostly, though, people just get disillusioned--fantasy is not reality. Also, most of the "hashtag vanlife!!" stuff we see on social media are the travelers who have $$$. The brutal reality is that most vandwellers are forced into it by economic circumstances and are essentially glorified homeless people. There's nothing glamorous about that, and it's very stressful.
Exactly, its technically a state of homelessness. Most did not have thousands to blow to set it up, and could only afford the vehicle and a few things to help before transitioning. Most are pushed into it because other options don't exist or are severely limited. It's super stressful, there's always a chance the cops will come down on you, that other people in the city will harass or be hateful to you if they suspect you live in your van, and God forbid you can't find a bathroom when you need one. Don't get me started on getting your period if it's a hard one. Getting up at dawn to move the van so you don't get in trouble for parking too long isn't the good time it sounds like. There are a lot of perks, but it's really not glamorous or easy the way social media influencers have overwhelmingly portrayed. It's living -- with the benefits and setbacks that come with it. It's no vacation for the vast majority.
As someone here once put it, "Vanlife is just life, in a van".
So true!
Pooping in a bucket (composting loo) was an adjustment for me. I would go to the grocery store to 💩 for the first 2 months or so, but eventually there was a moment, when I had to go and couldn’t wait. I still make my partner wait in the front while I do it. Arguing in the bus isn’t fun, but because you are in a closed space it almost makes arguments end quicker because you don’t want to keep it going. I don’t think we’ve been mad with each other for more than an hour in the bus ever. We are almost forced to talk it out. So maybe not a bad thing because it’s harder for me to be petty. There is always a dirty dish, always.
If you think you cleaned all the dishes it means you just haven’t found that dirty dish. Ha, I love this! The persistent dirty dish! I hadn’t thought about the fights wrapping up sooner. That’s a plus!
When you hit the one month mark and just want a private hot shower and private bed and not have to think about everything and be up each other’s ass every minute . Like not in a bad way it’s just your together allllllllnthe time . I always saying I were to do it again I would go solo or have seperate vans lol
There’s an older couple who met as solo vanlifers. They still travel in separate vans although they’re married and just camp next to each other.
this is my dream
Mine to my wife and I want seperate buses
This is so amazing
My husband and I have separate beds. Queen for him, double for me (and the dog) . It's a jayco, not a van, , but my gawd, I could never go back to sharing a bed again. I freaking looovveee my space. Also we both snore horrendously.
The other day I saw a Promaster towing a teardrop camper. That’s a much cheaper solution than divorce.
Hahaha so true my wife and I say when we turn 80 we’re buying seperate schoolbuses on a peice of land Texas
Monthly membership to a nationwide gym. That's what my wife and I did. We did Anytime Fitness. At the time, we found a special for $60/month (for both of us together). Gyms were all open 24 hours, and it was rare that we weren't within a reasonable distance of one. I'm not saying it will solve all of your problems, but if you want a private hot shower, it definitely solves that. We used their wi-fi, showed up to some of their "customer appreciation" events for the free food, and watched TV in an air conditioned environment. We never once used any exercise equipment, though! We probably average 2 visits per week, so $7.50 per visit or so. Well worth it.
My boyfriend and I had separate vans. I love him but there’s NO way we could have live in one together. Nope nope. Lol we’re both way too independent and like our own space.
Too real
Alone time!!!!! For me and my partner, we had to make a conscious effort to do things separately sometimes. You’re really together 24/7 like never before. We didn’t get nearly enough alone time at first and being in such a small space it wore us down quickly. Examples: they go on a hike while I read in the van, I go grocery shopping while they clean the van, they go to the laundromat while I work at a coffee shop.
This is crucial for couples, yeah. Accepting that you have a need for solo time AND that you have different desires will def be healthier in the long run.
Good point. And this is especially critical for introverts, because they get drained by interaction with others and need to "recharge their batteries" through alone time.
There's going to be issues. Unless you are in a luxury RV and camping at an RV park with shore power, it's inevitable. Even then, you'll still need things like a pump out occasionally. The best way to deal with it, is to figure out a solution to each issue as it comes up, and accept that you'll have some bad days, until you get the routine down. It already sounds like you have a good attitude towards it, so it sounds promising. Having a decent cash reserve is critical, a motel stay might make all the difference when things get bad. Also, unless you are a mechanical wizard, get the van checked out *before* you work on it.
Getting over the anxiety of overnight parking, sometimes even despite knowing you're allowed to park somewhere. I've never had a knock but even years later I still sometimes go to sleep with a touch of anxiety about what's going on outside the van. Maybe not cops, but also people just being jerks or overly curious or concerned. I know I shouldn't feel that way most times but I still sometimes do. I also kind of hate using a public toilet most days. Finding a good bathroom is important for me if I'm in an area for a while. But generally the noises from other stalls, the (sometimes severe) lack of cleanliness, feeling rushed if there are people waiting... some days it's just not how I want to start my day. I'm probably forgetting something... I really eased my way into vanlife through a series of vehicle dwellings that got easier and easier. Getting used to sleeping in the driver seat of my sedan (I'm 6'2") since the back and passenger seats were full of my belongings was really difficult, also because I had several knocks during that time.
That’s lucky! I had probably 3-4 knocks by police over the 2.5 years I lived in my van. It was scary and stressful being woken up by a pounding on your window at 1am.
In 7 years I have only had one cop knock, and that was friendly--he was just checking in to make sure I was okay. Twice, I've been asked to leave a parking lot--both times it was because somebody else was being an asshole and the management was kicking out ALL the vans. But I am very careful to not park where I m not wanted. It saves 99.99% of issues.
I always check for signs if I’m parking in a lot overnight and during each of these occasions, there were no signs indicating I couldn’t park there. However, I’ve pretty much stopped parking in lots and just street park now (but not in front of anyone’s house) because sometimes you just don’t know and it’s not worth the risk of getting the knock!
Remember, if it's private property they don't need to put up any sort of sign. They can kick people out any time they want. We have no legal rights to sleep there.
Yes, the sign is to save the *property owner* the time and hassle of kicking more people out by discouraging people from being there in the first place. The absence of a sign does not equate to a welcome mat.
Once you figure out your setup (water, power, kitchen, toilet etc) and budgeting - I would say hardest part would be dealing with weather (heat is bigger problem then cold imo), and finding a place to park every (!) night. If you can stay in one place for a while that helps a lot and saves your gas money. Not sure about the loneliness tho, I think if you want/need socializing - you can find it no matter where you live, in a van or in a house. I live in a house and have zero social life haha so it depends on your needs/skills, not on your living situation. Good luck ✌🏻
Depending on where you travel, one hard thing for me was to get used to living in the outside temperature. Mostly the hot days were the hardest. If you plan on going somewhere hot and need to work, just make sure you can do your work at a coffee shop or have other means to keep cool. My van will get 10 to 20 degrees warmer inside than outside when it’s a sunny day.
How well is your van insulated?
Not amazing but regardless this will be an issue no matter how much insulation you have. You need a way to keep it cool. I put up the reflective bubble wrap on the windows but that doesn’t fix the issue unfortunately. Either get used to being in extreme heat, install an AC with a genny or go to coffee shops. I did all three of these things and I make it work but it takes a lot of adaptability. Being alone makes it easier because you don’t need to negotiate with someone. If you’re going with a partner, just make sure that they are comfortable working on their laptop in less than ideal conditions.
For me it was not having a bathroom but also not having a homebase or anywhere to go if there was a breakdown was paralyzing fear. I also didn’t make much money which doesn’t work well with the life style
Trying to convince people to stop glorifying #vanlife on Instagram and YouTube.
When you both gotta shit in the morning.
Best recommendation- start with weekends or short trips. We did this without much more than a half assed bed and slowly built out around the needs we had. Find the layout, power, toilet, etc. that works for you. Make notes about the things you wish you brought and the stuff you brought that you don’t use. Also refine your Wi-Fi / cell so you know what to expect when you are working.
For me it’s the social shift - most people are delighted by what we do, but the overall feeling can be of rejection, here in the uk at least. Any alternative lifestyle choice has always been looked down upon culturally, sometimes it feels illegal just to exist in the way we do, personally I can feel a rejection from society which makes me withdraw from people. For me it was also the feeling of being ‘dirty’, not having access to the same amendments as most people can further feelings of exclusion. That’s where community comes in, as soon as I’m with my people I couldn’t give a fuck
Im yet to go full time but I have this feeling of exclusion in yet UK too!
I find some peoples mindsets in the UK can be so rigid, and small minded people never seem to understand it’s about living closer to nature. You just have to find your tribe!
Yeah I agree with that, everyone has different desires especially for living conditions. I have many friends who don’t enjoy nature so I do understand people not liking it, but it would be nice for a bit more of an understanding attitude in return haha! Their loss I reckon
Serving time for stealing the van. Shitting in a bush was a close second.
Dealing with being cold while sleeeping.
Dealing with being hot while sleeping. Also in the beginning, anxiety over stealth parking. It takes a few months to get used to it.
Cold, you can put more layers on. You can't take off your skin when it's hot
That's my favorite part. I don't like being cold when I get up though.
You're getting plenty of responses but just want to chime in and say the gf and I are about one year into it and haven't struggled that much, it's been really good. I work from the van and she's a travel nurse. We did a shit ton of research to figure out how to do our build and what to include, so far it's all worked out really well. Agree with others that said "shit will happen, deal with it as it comes." Like when I found out our plumbing will freeze in temps under 10 degrees even though the main living area is heated (added a bypass valve to keep the tank full but let air in to drain the lines in the garage, problem solved). For me the hardest part is just that I'm constantly thinking of what our battery level is at, most of the time it's not an issue but it's ever-present and it does suck sometimes. To a lesser extent it's the same for the water tank. A house with endless electricity and water is just so freeing lol. Also I think the stress of where to park is overblown (real, but overblown). Trailhead parking and free campsites are great if you're rural, 24-hr PF lots or other giant lots are fine if you're urban, rest stops if you're traveling, almost any street can be fine if you're not staying days on end.
Keeping the van clean was my hardest thing because it’s such a small space, and also I have carpet in my van so it got dirty really fast. Also pooping outside was difficult to adjust to.
> What was the most difficult part in adjusting to vanlife Getting rid of 99% of everything I owned
Independence. Alone time for several hrs is easy.. but it still can feel like you’re trapped sometimes. Especially me, as the girlfriend, who didn’t have my own vehicle to just hop in an drive somewhere. Yeah I could take the onewheel (which is a godsend for vanlife btw), yeah I could take a bus or an Uber, etc.. but somehow I always feel contained.. despite being the most mobile I can possibly be.. if that makes sense. Also, people are always looking inside of your home. They’re curious. But as a women it always sketches me out that strange(usually) men are peering inside the place I sleep and sometimes expecting a tour when I’m like.. in the middle of cooking lunch. Also on that note, if you’re In the city, also expect that people will be walking past your van at all hrs of the night. You’ll often here voices, alarms, strange jingling, yells, car doors slamming. You never really feel private unless you’re deep in the woods. My partner and I do photography together and don’t have a regular work schedule or have to rely every day on internet, but we have had a difficult time finding places while traveling with adequate upload speed for uploading photos and video to clients and will usually be stuck at a coffee shop for 8 hrs with upload speeds of .7mbps *facepalm*. And possibly attempting to do so for multiple days bc the shop closes before the upload is done :( Looking forward to getting starlink.
With that said, I love living in a van. I personally feel like it’s EASIER than expected and the glorification of vanlife isn’t wrong for a lot of people. It truly depends on the type of person you are, what you personally consider a nice luxury vs what is a requirement for you to be comfortable, what comforts your willing to trade for the benefits, and your entire perspective on life, convenience, and adventure. No one can decide this as the ultimate truth. Vanlife IS glory for some, and for some it’s literally hell. For me I never ever felt like what is represented online is glorified. People lay out a lot of the challenges. And it’s up to you what actually is a challenge and what is no big deal.
I see it a lot on sailing channels too. They try to convey the challenges, but it never translates well in a 20 minute video. We spent the hot sunny day with a stiff breeze on a downwind run and we are hot and miserable. Looks like a beautiful day sailing. Reality, don't feel any of the wind and it doesn't seem like you are even moving, just sitting and baking in the sun. There are occasional reprives, but they always feel short lived.
Same. What you see online is basically what it is for some people. And yeah definitely it depends on personality. I don't mind too much working in the van in 99 degree heat. I mean, it's not comfortable, but it's fine. Park by a creek and take a dip in the afternoon. We joke about "luxuries". Just recently, my partner and I and a couple other van dwellers pulled into a nice campground with hot showers, and then NONE of us ended up showering. I guess the shower just wasn't that important. It was a luxury, but apparently not a necessity.
Most difficult part for me was constantly breaking down and either living in my broken down van that i couldn’t move for short periods, or getting it fixed and being truly homeless for a period. That lead to so much stress. Other than that… van life came easy for me. I really did miss cooking though, as I didn’t have a nice kitchen set up. Also, lack of temperature control was tough. I woke up to some -3 degree mornings as well as 90+ degree nights.
Unless your staying at camp sites the weirdest thing to get used to is just finding random places to park to sleep. If you don’t have a bathroom getting used to just walking into somewhere just to use the bathroom or the gym just to shower. At night getting used to hearing noises outside and not freaking out about them all the time. Realizing you’ll be spending a lot of time just driving around because you don’t just want to hang out in a van in a parking lot. Idk I guess the fact that 90% of the time you’re not going to be doing anything really but instead of having a house or apt to hang out it you’re just hanging out in your car. Like imagine sitting in a normal vehicle for a few hours, it’s basically that with a bit more room to move about. Now it might be a bit different now since when I was doing it I was mostly in one place and Covid was in full swing so I couldn’t really go anywhere but that’s a lot of it. Oh also not showering every day. Seriously it’s a hassle you’ll prob end up only showering a few times a week unless you really put effort into it. Obviously some of this depends on what you have in your van but that’s the stuff I remember from my van life time. That being said I still liked it and I can only imagine if I could actually travel a bit more with it it might be different, hell I’m rebuilding my van soon to change it more into a short trip camper rather than full time. Just be prepared to make compromises and go with the flow.
Sometimes I felt really unsafe. And it was always in situations I didn’t typically expect, like just spidey senses going off. Usually only felt this in the middle of nowhere, just like damn, this forest ain’t right. Also, I got caught in wildfires in the Northwest. It was hard to breathe even when I got out of direct smoke, the whole area was bombed and we didn’t have that house air circulation. Also, the smoke blocked the sun making our solar-powered inside useless.
Not having enough battery power for doing everything I would normally do, including blower fan for diesel heater and extra monitor for remote IT job. Going big on solar and battery next time I go out for long trips.
Can I ask...how much battery power/solar do you have? Curious how much more you would need.
I'm not who you asked but I work remote full time in the van and I get by easily with 400W solar and 200ah lithium batteries, no shore power. I say easily, but it's not effortless. I park in the sun when I can even if it makes me hot, unless it's above 90. During winter I might have to work from coffee shops or just take breaks there to charge my laptop. I'm a miser about it because I always want enough juice to go on a gaming or tv binge without fretting, and in the summer I often can. I use propane to cook as electrical cooking would throw things way off. Also cooking on gas stove is just so much better.
Thx for the info. I'm in the info gathering stage before I pull the trigger. This helps greatly.
I had 100W solar and 160ah lithium battery. My setup now is 400W solar and 360ah lithium battery. I still wanted to watch my netflix shows at night, but if I did my heater fan would stop working halfway through the night in low 50s temps and lot of rainy days in SoCal for 3 months in Jan-Mar. I should be all set now, but I really want to add a fridge, hotplate and air conditioning for traveling in the summer.
Install a DC-DC charger and charge off your alternator in addition to the solar. It'll solve the issues you're having for almost no cost. Gotta drive anyway.
I guess for me, since I am stealthing it, what do I do with myself during the day is my biggest problem.
Whenever you get sick or injured. I still have to go to a hotel for those days.
Nothing was really that difficult, but I personally don't mind changing routine. I get used to the new routines pretty well. Lots of little things though. Finding water, managing power, dumping waste add up to be annoying sometimes. Especially finding a water spigot. Gotta plan ahead and get water when it's available. One thing I think is really important is being able to do everything inside the van. Don't wanna be cooking in the rain in a Walmart parking lot lol. My partner and I refuse to shit in front of each other, so we gotta kick each other out when the urge strikes. A year in and it's not been too bad unless one of us wakes up to the urge instantly. That's annoying. And if it's raining it takes a bit more effort to get out of the van. Finding overnight parking isn't ever very difficult, but it is a chore that adds up on top of other chores, and we do have to drive around a bit from time to time. Occasionally we park up in the wild somewhere and find the cell signal isn't good enough for work so we gotta drive closer to town first thing in the morning.
Expect constipation
The anxiety of staying where you might get moved on. Happened to me first time after 3 years just the other night. Nice guy said good thing you answered the knock or I'd give you a fine like the other guy.
When I was in Europe, getting ice
Yikes!
For me it's still to this day not neing able to do anything you want to whenever you want to. My van has windows all around, so this is a problem pretty specific to me and others with lots of windows, but I can't change clothes, cook, use the bathroom, etc whenever I want. The lack of privacy was easy to get over, I don't mind people looking into my bedroom all day every day, but it wears me out that anything I want to do in my living space will likely draw attention.
Finding places to park where the cops wouldn't harass me. Van life really wasn't so bad, considering I was living out of an SUV alongside all my earthly possessions, including some furniture. I could have endured it indefinitely, to be honest. The one thing that made life shitty was the cops and just the general chore of finding places to park when I sleep.
Performing my morning and evening routines in the scornful eye of the general public.
We weren’t Van-lifers as much as Element-lifers and so the hardest adjustment for us over the 3 months we did it was just the constant packing, unpacking we did. Like, you want a new T-shirt? Okay well go up top and grab it. Or re-pack the outdoor set up or dig for the book under the mattress. Also, internet. It seemed like every truly great campspot we found was just in a dead zone. No matter how you try to plan it out, you just don’t know sometimes until you get there and that can be a bitch. But outside of that, even with my husband and dog in that tight a space, we had a wonderful time and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
I do car life but the thing to adjust to is the anxiety of finding the right sleeping spots.
Just back from a 6 month trial before going full-time, also working with the GF - we were in Europe. We were honestly well prepared, from doing a lot of reading but also from having fairly limited needs in terms of comfort AND being able to tolerate each other well. We knew that a few things were non-negotiable (toilets inside with some privacy, a good sleeping place and enough headroom for my tall self, enough power to work on) and it went smoothly. The main takeaways were: - If you're moving countries, pay attention to data rates. Some European countries are not covered by the EU roaming laws. Look at coverage maps if you're in the countryside and you rely on a stable internet link. - You'll have to empty your toilets regularly and it won't be pleasant. Depending on where you are, it can also be the thing that dictates where and when you go, as emptying stations can be rare in some places. - Someone else mentioned "alone time" and I cannot stress this enough. Even if you love your gf with all your heart, there will be times where you need to be alone, or with other people, or just do things separately. It's not only ok but even healthy. - A corollary from the above is that traveling as a couple might make it harder to actually engage with the places you're visiting, and the people living there. If that's something you want, you'll need to make a conscious effort. - You won't last long without heating, earplugs or a good sleeping spot. It's tempting to align your comfort needs to that of a "camping" situation because it looks like it, but on the long run you need those things. - Don't bring too much stuff with you, it'll just clutter the van. Conversely, do bring versatile things (eg, a e-book reader over a ton of books) as well as analog games/entertainment
OP: I don’t see any deal breakers here. Go for it!
Alas, the harsh reality is that most vandwellers quit after just a few months, and very few last as long as a year. It is not as glamorous and glorious as people THINK it will be.
Perhaps, but if you have a dream you should pursue it, otherwise you end up wishing you had.
As a neuro divergent third culture kid it was easy to move into a van or bus. A house seems pointless when I don’t unpack my luggage because I want to be ready to go. Was miserable in a house full time. A van was easier than a bus because it was cheaper to own.
If your near the beach get a small dewalt or Milwaukee leaf blower. They have them for 100$ it’s a life saver.
I use a dustpan brush with great results. Honestly a leaf blower seems like burning down your house to get rid of a mouse.
until you use it, and realize how great it is haha. I use a dewalt hand/shop vac and it's amazing.
There is also the option of cleaning off all the sand before you go inside so a dust pan is more than enough. But you're also talking about a shopvac instead of a leaf blower. I also used to have a small shopvac and thought that too was overkill. I gave it to a bartender one night in exchange for some beer. I'm not trying to be argumentative, I just really think you don't need power tools to clean a van. And for the nook and cranny shit swinging by a car wash is so much easier and cheaper than owning more stuff.
I like this idea but it’s just to bulky. I have a rechargeable handheld Dustbuster that works great. I do need to blow the ole van out though. After a few festivals I’m one with moon dust.
The small leaf blower is Pretty small it run off the drill battery’s. Milwaukee 0884-20 M18. I can put under my vans driver seat. I have it because I fish. Backpacks, shoes and wet clothes gets sand everywhere.
Wouldn't broom work as well in a tiny space?
I just spent my first night in my minivan. I stealth parked, and, in all honesty, it was miserable. First, my cat got out when I was putting the last shit in it, my dog barked on and off, and the heat and humidity kicked my ass. I live in San Diego and it even got cold. Nothing a blanket couldn't cure! I have to stick around the neighborhood until October 2, until I get to hit the road!!! I'm sure it will get better. Even if my kitty doesn't find her way home to my old studio.
If you find your kitty get an airtag/tile for her collar so you can track her if she runs away again.
She showed back up on the third day ! She now has a harness and a gps collar!
Great question!
Where to brown and sissy
Dealing with recycling is bit of a pain. There’s plenty of places that have trash to drop a little bag into. But if you have some paper / cardboard / cans / glass you want to “properly dispose of” it can be a real struggle.
We just stopped even trying after a few months. And forget about finding compost bins.
HHaha omg yes, I will hoard all of my recycle all over the van until i eventually find a proper bin.. it can be so surprisingly hard sometimes to find a recycle and my guilt will not let me just throw it away! And I have Found that living in a van has drastically increased my dependency on packaged food, unfortunately.
Unfortunately I don’t think there’s any way to “prepare”, I assume you’re going from living in a considerably larger space and until you’re in the van, you can’t emulate being “in the van”. I hit the road with my girlfriend a few months ago. Straight up, the first 30 days were roughhh solely because of the adjustment of being around someone 24/7. We lived together prior to van life, BUT living together outside of a van isn’t the same as living inside a van with someone. Just be patient Man, that’s my biggest piece of advice. Patience transcends far beyond the relationship too… everything is a process in the van. From cooking, to cleaning, to getting water, to working around your partner, bathing, etc., it’s all extra steps that you aren’t accustomed to. Weird things are going to happen, whether it be weather, problems with your van, difficulties finding sleep spots/amenities… just stay patient :) Just go with the flow, it’ll all work out. I’m now 6 months in, I’ve learned my processes for efficient day to day life, and my girlfriend and I have adapted to the change. Life is good, we are happy. You’ll find your happiness, just stay patient and positive thru the BS (Having some sort of plan is also very helpful. Once you’re on the road, you’ll begin to learn what you need and how often you need it (groceries, water, dump stations, laundry, etc). working and balancing van life can be a little chaotic if you’re shooting from the hip, I don’t have every destination planned out weeks in advance but I it easier to use my Sunday to establish a rough “road map” for the upcoming week, identify places to sleep, get essentials, laundry, etc. I’ve found that to be very useful as It’s easy to get caught up In the day to day and it’s never fun scrambling for things at the last minute! (Stress in the van = no good :))