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Living in a van certainly doesn’t carry the stigma of Matt Foley, motivational speaker, living-in-a-van-down-by-the-river, anymore. In recent years, the trend to mobilize, see the world and live more simply has driven thousands of free spirited people of all ages to alternative temporary and full time living solutions including tiny homes, RVs, and now vans. If you’re making a go at van life, here are some tips for making the most of the experience.
1. Keep It Uncomplicated
While you can spend your life savings on a van and getting it set up with everything you could possibly want, it doesn’t have to be that way. Van life starts with a decision to live a simpler, more flexible, and travel-friendly lifestyle. It can be accomplished with any vehicle, not only a van, and you can outfit your vehicle any way that makes it work for you, your budget, and lifestyle. Now, that said, having some comforts, and luxuries even, can make your van life experience a little easier, especially if you expect it to be a full-time endeavor that endures over a number of years.
Resources like a self-contained power system such as solar panels, additional fuel storage, and ample water reservoirs are essential for basic feasibility in the long term. Simpler things like how to cook and eat from a van, how to most easily shower (how to use leave in conditioner) and eliminate bodily waste while on the go in your van will almost take care of themselves compared to some of the van essentials like power, fuel, and water.
2. Maintain Your Vehicle
Whatever vehicle you choose for your van life experience, make sure you have a more than adequate budget to cover routine maintenance as well as some of the unforeseen maintenance that may occur. It goes without saying that having your van properly insured plays a big role in being able to maintain it, just as a brick-and-mortar house would need to be insured and maintained. You may need something beyond standard vehicle insurance, especially if your van is professionally outfitted more like a recreational vehicle or tiny home.
It goes without saying that you will need a good, trustworthy mechanic at your home-base location, someone you can even call from the road to consult on issues before taking your vehicle to a mechanic you do not know. That said, some van lifers are going to want to become more involved in vehicle maintenance themselves, for the simple reason that the skills may come in handy when out on the road and far from a mechanic shop. It may be a good idea to stock a few basic car maintenance supplies as you set out on a new adventure in your van.
3. Find Van Community
As the van life movement gains popularity, you should look for ways to connect into the various communities the lifestyle provides. Traveling in caravans and with friends or others of similar perspectives and interests not only can enhance your social life and mental and emotional well-being while doing van life, it can also provide you with the added safety and security of community. Especially when you find a group that travels together, you may find yourself helping others and being helped yourself by people in the group. You also may find that they know of special spots to visit or other amazing places you might otherwise not have discovered. For all of these reasons, community can definitely enhance your van life experience. You may find your community organically as you travel, or you may link into them through social media groups, or via helpful websites that have community connection points for van lifers.
While the van life movement has gripped many younger people in their twenties and thirties, it is really a cross-generational phenomenon with participants of all ages and walks of life. When it comes to making the most of van life, really the only rule seems to be making it your own.