A van? Not what I first expected, but... OK!

[Beeps and eats]

The items I would be considering now are a good ventilation fan, stove for cooking, kitchen utensils and pots pans and items like that. And sleep gear as in mattress and blankets plus a quality sleeping bag. Use them before your build and get to know each item and how useful it is. The more dual purpose items you have the less space you take up. The one area most people are lacking in is experience, just go camping with what you will have in your vehicle. I can get by quite well with a sleeping bag and backpacker's cook set.
The rest is only convenience items. Once you get comfortable camping in a one person tent and then move into a built out van you will feel like you are in a hotel that moves. Minus room service of course.

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[Jack]

... Once you get comfortable camping in a one person tent and then move into a built out van you will feel like you are in a hotel that moves.   Minus room service of course.

Good advice and great points.  In order to get out sooner than my original goal date, I haven't ruled out just leaving with the bare essentials, as long as everything else is in order.

 

[Mechelle]

1/2 and 1/2 will keep for over a week without refrigeration, eggs for over a month...  most veggies will last almost as long if kept in a cooler place at night... milk and meat are the only real problems with out refrigeration

 

[Mechelle]

1/2 and 1/2 will keep for over a week without refrigeration, eggs for over a month...  most veggies will last almost as long if kept in a cooler place at night... milk and meat are the only real problems with out refrigeration

 

[Mechelle]

Hi Jack,
My first experience with solar was with an old old timer off the grid guy.  Dirt cheap, all you need is a panel, a cheap inverter, a deep cycle marine battery (he used walmart) connectors and an extension cord.  Entire set up is <$300.
Me

 

[rhondaweasley]

I would say don't drown in the research while you are waiting. If there are things you don't understand (for me, I still haven't gone solar) research those. But people do vanliving/RV living all types of different ways, including without solar at all. And almost everyone changes their set-up and/or entire Rig after doing it awhile. Banking money is the *most* important thing you are doing. Figuring out the income stream is the most important thing you are doing.

Unlike changing apartments, nomadic living in a vehicle is changing lifestyles in a HUGE way. And it's way more than what you bring/don't bring. Accept this, just starting out you will waste at least a little bit of money probably figuring out what suits *you* for living out of whatever vehicle you acquire. You should thin out as much as you can (as far as what you own), but you will both buy stuff you don't need and bring stuff you don't need. Mentally, prepare for purging to be a continual process.

 

[ckelly78z]

I really like the idea of marking out on the floor, the dimensions of a standard size cargo van on the floor of your apartment. Build yourself a ceiling (out of cardboard or whatever) to determine where the roof, and sides of the van will be, and practice sleeping, moving around inside of those dimensions like you would at night, or in bad weather. This will give you a good idea of the small amount of space you will have,

If budget is an issue, maybe you could try renting a van for the weekend for a little camping trip out of the city to see how you like it.

 

[squire]

Start cooking all your meals on ONE burner of your stove (if it has different sizes, use the smallest) from non-refrigerated items. If you have money issues now that will probably not change living in a van. Most people over spend their income, saving money is mostly a mental thing. If you are a clean freak or germaphobe this is a hard life.
For a little fun and learning experience, build a cardboard fort (free cardboard of course) the size of a van (even cut out windows) and try living in it. You will get the closed-end feeling you will not get from taping off the size on the floor (but that is a good way to start).
If you are planning on a standard height van this will get you used to never standing up.

 

[travelaround]

That would be so discouraging, I think... being inside a cardboard replica wouldn't account for the beautiful world and changing sights right outside your van's windows. There's very little room inside a van. The big draw is what's outside.

 

[B and C]

You can still move around outside the box (is this like thinking outside the box?), go outside and to the store etc. This is not meant to be a prison. If you want to sit somewhere else in the house, take your yard chair with you and go sit there. At night, get back in your box to get ready for bed and to sleep (did you remember to take your chair back home with you?). You can leave your chair right outside your box door like camping. If it is a rainy day, go sit in the box or drive somewhere where you can go inside (library?).

This is all to give you an inkling of what it would be like.

 

[becida]

Going nomad is more than dealing with a smaller space, it's a change in your life.  Give it a lot of thought then think some more.

After a couple of years I woke up one morning in Ehrenberg, I was in my van, as I laid there & had the thought "I'd like to go home". I looked around and remembered that "this" was my home.... That was three years ago & I'm still a nomad. I'm in Florida right now, in an RV.

This is a change in lifestyle but it's not a permanent change... you can always pick another direction and have at it!

 

[QinReno]

I would say don't drown in the research while you are waiting. 

Not too surprisingly, jack lasted for about a month and a half on this forum. Long gone now. The guy hadn't even owned a car for 25-years or whatever, so suddenly jumping into living in a van is like trying to scale a cliff.

I've read so many rationalizations about living in a van. I've spent 14-15 weeks over the past year on 5-6 trips in my van, and I plan to spend much more time over the next year. But I sure would NOT want to live in it full-time. It's great for trips, as the gas mileage is good, but I've spent 90% of my time outdoors on those trips. Very little in the way of normal relaxing home-life like people have with regulars RVs. I wouldn't want to be holed up in the van for 2 weeks or so during bad weather. Nuh-uh.

For full-timing over the long-term, I'd still suggest a Class-C or TT, regardless of gender. But then, I'm a very old man and I want a bit more comfort than with the van over the long-run ... shower, regular toilet, room to stand up.

Cardboard fort with low-ceiling in the front room - great idea. +1.

 

[ckelly78z]

I have thought about all possibilities to "vanlife", and don't believe I would be happy in a space I couldn't stand up in, or that didn't have a toilet/shower/fridge. My wife and I currently have a 2011 32' Heartland North Country travel trailer with 1 large slide out, that we pull behind my 2004 diesel limited Excursion. We camped 10 different times this year mostly over weekends, but 2 separate weeks also, and loved it. It is very comfortable, and quiet, with a real quality build level. This tow rig weighs 18,000 going down the road, so it limits us from getting off the beaten path, but for now, will continue to try out all of our wonderful State Parks, and all they have to offer.

We both enjoy bicycling, and hiking, but just don't have the time to do much more than we did this year. It will have to be enough for us until we finally retire in about 8-10 years.

If it were just me and the dog to consider, I would be happy long term in a 20-22' class C motorhome with my bicycle, and kayak along for the adventure.

 

[bullfrog]

To me one person in a van that can still tolarate bending is very doable. Two people even sleeping can be difficult unless your really short and skinny. As long as you can sleep comfortably stay warm/cool and follow good weather/enjoy activites outside the van on bad weather days, the other stuff can be dealt with by visits to parks/health clubs/truck stops/friends/motels. A lot of us have done it as truck drivers and having the freedom to choose where we do it is tremendous. A lot of us have backpacked and dreamed of having a metal tent. Live on the water not the dock in a boat and maintenance on a van is nothing. I guess a lot of whether or not you are happy doing this depends on what you have done in the past and your expections. Me I want to do as much as I can to make myself happy each day as I'm sure I'm over due to run out of days.