minivan build help request in AR

[carestock]

Hi van dwellers, I am reaching out for help from talent in the Universe. I would like to improve my bed and kitchen with wood or PVC pipe configurations. I have been looking at minivan conversions for 1 year and there are so many great ideas. I am currently in Arkansas and willing to travel to a build site meet-up on the SE or Midwest. I am not sure how much supply materials are needed. I am a senior female veteran on a fixed income traveling with 2 standard poodles; Ace and Joker.  I drive a Chrysler town and country minivan. I am currently having the stow and go seats removed and plan to leave them with family in Arkansas. My adult kids have no building tools or experience and can not afford to help me. I sure hope that I can get a bed off the floor and improve storage because I suffer with chronic pain. I love to drive and need to travel because I get an itch to move on pretty often so living my best and most happy life is being a nomad. My kids depended on me for too long and I got weighted down with their problems and I was not happy just sitting at home. I raised one grand daughter from birth. I want to be free.
I will watch for responses to my post so we can communicate better. I love the information on this website and hope to meet Bob, one day.

 

[Trebor English]

In my minivan I have no "build", I just put stuff in the back.  I have a 4 inch square cargo net for the back of a pickup.  When I drive I put this up vertically to keep my stuff along the left wall.  

Behind the driver's seat I have a fridge followed by 2 Sterilite plastic 3 drawer units.

My sleeping pad goes on the floor at night. During the day the pad, sleeping bag, etc all go on top of the plastic drawers.  I used to have a camping cot from Walmart but I gave it away.  It took more space than I thought it was worth.  

I installed a maxx fan in the back. That's the only thing that really took work.  Most minivan users don't want to cut a 14 inch square hole in the roof and use little fans that fit in opened windows.  

The stove, 2 burner propane camp stove, is all the way back opposite the drawers, attached to a plastic shelf. The shelf is attached at the right rear corner using coat hanger wire twisted like a twist tie on a loaf of bread.  It used to be 4 shelves but I only have one shelf and four legs.  

Passenger foot space gets water jugs. Passenger seat gets laundry and other overflow.  I have turned the passenger seat around and put it back several times.  Indecision.  

My point is that if you just want function, it can be easy.  If you want pretty wood furniture custom made to fit that might take a different skill set.

 

[carestock]

Thank you for sharing your rig set-up. I want to first be comfortable and then organized. Not fancy, just simple and quality because I am going to be good to myself since I have given to others my whole life. In my senior years I am going to focus on me, it's my turn to be number one. It is important to me that my rig will function for my disabilities. I am also looking for a swivel base for the passenger seat, I'll need to remove the center console unit for clearance issues. Early models had swivel stow and go seats for second row seats but I know I do not want to use up precious space in that living area.