How To Live In A Van: A Beginner’s Guide to #VanLife
Say hello to van-life, the ultimate minimalist lifestyle:
Wide-open spaces as far as the eye can see
Breathtaking sunsets, staining oranges and reds over shimmering purple oceans
The fathomless expansiveness of star-speckled night skies
The ability to seek any adventure that takes your fancy in any given moment
Strong feelings of connection with the natural world
Can you really have all of this, while reducing your impact upon our beautiful planet?
Yes, you really can. In fact, it’s very much achievable on a small budget. This, my friends, is what it’s like to live in a van.
What Is #vanlife?
As a digital nomad, I’ve spent my fair share of time in a van.
While it may take some getting used to at first, it’s not as hard as you might think.
In fact, I’ve never felt happier than when I was living from a van. It felt at times like I had found a cheat code to the modern rat race. I was spending less money, had more time to do things that I enjoyed, and could wake up anywhere that my van could take me. Not only that, but it also freed me from the grind that made me so miserable in my early 20s. Somebody I bumped into while traveling a few years ago made a statement that I’ve never forgotten. He said, “It doesn’t matter who is winning the rat race, at the end of the day we are all still rats.”
Well, I’m definitely not trying to be a rat.
And you don’t have to be one either. View van life as an investment. You’ll be saving yourself money by freeing yourself from household bills, that keep you working long hours in a soul-crushing job that is high demand (and high stress)...sapping every ounce of your energy and happiness.
Not only that, but living in a van is seriously good for the planet.
From the inconsolable wildfires on the West Coast to the nasty hurricanes in the East, our planet is begging us to slow down and enjoy it a little bit more. And van life allows you to do exactly that.
How Van Living Is The Ultimate Nod Toward Minimalism
You know that feeling you get when you clean out your garage or move house?
You decide to shed some material weight. A couple of Craigslist sales later and you’ve turned the unridden mountain bike and an old TV set into sweet-smelling cash. Well, take a breath. Doesn’t that feel good? A clearing of external objects liberates your internal world.
A weight lifted, a freeing of the mind.
Imagine this feeling on a large scale, downsizing your whole life into a compact space.
Think about it…your intuition is screaming ‘minimalism!’
Because to accumulate is literally to fill your only living space with unneeded clutter. And it’s totally unnecessary to do. With van life, though, you’ve found the remedy for consumerism.
And to reduce consumerism is to reduce your impact upon the Earth’s resources. The average American produces around 22 tons of carbon emissions every year. We are the leading consumers of material things and producers of carbon emissions in the world!
The worst part? The global average is much, much less at around 4 tons, making our lifestyles seem excessively wasteful in comparison. Downsizing to a smaller space with less space to heat or cool, less room to fill with unneeded items, and less money spent on it all is a major step in the right direction.
(All the while producing your own power from the sun.)
I recently crunched some numbers to calculate just how much an individual is likely to consume while living in a van. Taking into account gas emissions, doing laundry, cooking, food consumption, waste disposal and general purchases, I figured a van dweller would produce an emissions total of around 6.5 tons.
While that is still above the global average, it is a massive reduction when compared to the average American. So with all this in mind, what are some easy steps to get your butt into a van and onto the open road?
Read through the tips below to help you get started.
How to Live in a Van: 6 Steps to Get Started
So if you feel ready, let me suggest some great tips to move you closer to your inner nonconformist adventurer.
1. Pick The Van That Meets Your Needs
Picking a van is an incredibly exciting step. You’ve made the commitment to this newfound lifestyle and this is the first step towards your new life. Picking the correct van, though, can be one of the hardest parts.
These are a few things to think about before you make the big purchase:
Do you expect to spend time offroad, beating along forest tracks? Or will you be cruising the highways in the lap of luxury?
Do you wish to be able to stand in your new van or are you shooting for something more discreet and minimal?
Which brands have the highest cost of parts? And can you easily find a mechanic to fix any problems that may arise along the way?
Of course, if you enjoy van life there is always room for an upgrade down the track. We are all different, with many differing priorities.
2. Ensure There Is Ample Room For Necessities
While minimalism is the goal, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need certain items to ensure life on the road runs smoothly.
Depending on where you live—warm or cold areas or somewhere in between—staying warm or keeping cool is definitely something to consider. Fans, heaters, extra winter clothing or beachwear take up valuable space. Trust me, you don’t want to be clambering over the top of camp chairs or surfboards just to get into bed.
3. Expect The Unexpected
Just like in life, things do go wrong on the road; it’s unavoidable. Nobody wants to be stuck on the side of the road trying to hitch a ride to the nearest town for an unexpected repair or an emergency trip to the gas station.
Carrying a toolkit, a full gas can, some water for an overheating radiator or a fire extinguisher for a cooking emergency is a must for avoiding any mishaps that might befall your precious little home.
4. Find Free Camping
Finding free camps can be challenging, depending on where you’re traveling. Thankfully there are plenty of apps you can easily download on your phone to help. iOverlander is a good place to start.
Truck and rest stops are great too. Some gas stations also offer 24-hour resting areas. Don’t get me wrong, these options aren’t that glamorous and are often a last resort.
It’s not all bad though. There are many free camps or sites for a small fee that you can use in National Parks or State Forests. This is the ultimate goal that makes it all worth it, miles from anybody, with open horizons and the sounds of wildlife to lull you to sleep.
Yes, please!
5. Personal Hygiene
I’ll be honest; it can be an issue if your van doesn’t have room for a shower or toilet. Solar showers or portable toilets are great when you’re in the great outdoors, but not so good when you’re in a town or city. This is where public amenities are your best friend! The coastline is often great as there are many showers and public toilets for beachgoers and salty surfers. Another great tip is to sign up for a franchise gym. Big gym companies can be found in many towns. Regularly visiting gym amenities may even motivate a workout? Who knows.
6. Work On The Road
Of course, simplifying your life and reducing living costs doesn’t mean you won’t require some kind of income. There are ways to live on the road while still putting money away.
Internet is essential to working on the road. Project Fi service for your cell phone will certainly help, especially if you’re making regular trips overseas. Project Fi is a phone carrier operated by Google. It offers data service on three mobile networks T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Sprint. The service is also great when traveling overseas. It will also work in many countries, saving the need to change SIM cards every time you arrive in a new destination.
Coffee shops also offer a great workspace. Free WiFi, charging facilities, amenities and of course, liquid motivation in the form of coffee can be very handy when you’re slaving away in front of your phone or laptop.
Ready to Take The Leap?
There is always going to be upsides and downsides to any lifestyle. Although van life is not without its own unique challenges, I guarantee that the pros will certainly outway the cons.
You’ll love the freedom it provides you with. The ability to take your little home with you wherever your heart desires is a feeling that will constantly excite you. All the while reducing your footprint and sticking it to the man as you deftly avoid expensive utility bills and unaffordable mortgages.
Vanlife goes beyond just a financial investment though. It’s an investment into yourself and your wellbeing. You’ll find more time in your day than you ever thought was achievable.
Happiness and contentment, unrestricted, unconstrained - and on the raod.