Please tell me if I can do this! I really dont know!

[ORANGE]

I have watched tons of videos.  Still I don't know if I can do this.  I wish to give you as much information, and will answer all questions for you all to determine whether I can.
I do own a 2005 Mercury Villager I think it plenty big enough to live in.

Here is my circumstance.

Ive watched lots of videos, and seen some who are in disability.  Here is mine.

Ive had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for decades.  Unable to work the whole time.  I truly dont know what kind of energy is necessary to live in a van!!

Here is what I can do in a typical day/week.
I have no problem shopping for food, cooking for myself every day.
At least most days I can, shop at a grocery store, drive to the library or a  thrift store.  Some days can do more activites, stay out longer, some days can do less or nothing, more a lay down day.

I cant walk very far, or long. But I do not need motorcarts at store.

I do lounge a LOT at home.

Inside apartment I can take care of laundry cleaning cooking etc.

I have been sick for so long I cannot determine what sort of energy is  required to be successful as a van dwelling nomad!  That is why I need your help.

Next month I am moving into a 550 sq ft apartment for 375 a month.  Very affordable.  So I have a full year to learn about vandwelling and slowly making my van into a nomad pad.  I doubt I can do much of the work myself.  I could hire a man to do the converting of it, building a bed, and shelves etc.  I would not have the energy/tools to do that.

So please have at me here.

I deep down think, that maybe I could GET BETTER have MORE ENERGY doing this.  Medical/alternative have been useless.  But I love how he keeps saying nature is healing.  And how therapist have ordered patients to go live in a van.  So maybe this will be my answer!  But if I need the energy up front and you dont think I have enoough then of course this will be a no go.

I am 55 next month.  But Ive beeen 90 for 20 years.

So please vote AND post a reason for your vote.

 

[ORANGE]

I meant 2002 Mercury Villager 6cy. The edit button has disappeared so I thought I best clear that up quickly!!!

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums ORANGE! I think you should try it out before making any major changes. Buy an air mattress or sleeping pad. Remove the rear seats of your car if that is necessary to get a flat surface. Buy a cheap cooler or take food that does not need to be refrigerated. Drive to the closest state or county park and stay for a week if possible. A longer stay will give you time to rest up from the trip and judge how much energy you'll need to live in a small space. A high top van will probably be a better choice for you so that you can stand up and have a place for all of your supplies. Having to move things constantly is tiring even for people who do not have chronic fatigue.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Trebor English]

I have a Ford Windstar.  That is about the same size as a Mercury Villager.  The second and third row seats are heavy.  With them out I have a space 5 feet wide and 3 feet from the front seats to the wheels.  Then behind that it's 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep.  All the way to the back on the left side I have two Sterilite 3 drawer units.  On the right I have a single section of a plastic book case where the two burner camp stove sits.  These are held in place with steel coat hanger wire twisted like the wire twisty on a loaf of bread.  

Practice.  Measure your space as if the second and third row seats are out.  Set up a space that size inside your apartment.  Put stuff there.  Get a pad to sleep on.  Roll up the pad and sit on a lawn chair.  Just stay in that space.  As you drive around look for an old cooler in somebody's trash.  Get one.  If you fit, get a camping stove.  Get something to put the camp stove on.  A bit at a time move into that space.  Get a bucket to sit on.  Crawl around on your hands and knees as if you don't have standing room.  

With chronic fatigue there are days when it is a struggle just to eat lunch.  You can set stuff up to accommodate those days.  Simple very low prep food right at hand, easy to get water, etc.  Rather than gallon water jugs you'll have days that pint size bottles are what you need.  

As you move more into that space you can tell if this might work.  At any point you can decide to stop and not be out a bunch of money.

Get someone to lift the seats out.  Use a hand truck to move them into your apartment for storage.  Move your 5' by 7' mockup into the Villager and try it without going far.  Go farther, stay longer.  

Don't start in July in Yuma or January in North Dakota.  You don't have to rush.  Some people get thrown out on Tuesday and are officially car dwellers on Wednesday.  You have a mini van, a great start.  It has carpet and finished walls.  Cardboard cut outs and curtains for windows are all you need to move in.  

It seems like in a van everything takes longer and is harder.  You have to be organized.  Otherwise it is not different.  The same things need to be done every day.

 

[ORANGE]

What an excellent post for me Trebor, thank you very much. I will!

I am moving to Bristol (not English ha) So pretty far from where all the action is with you folks out west.

Oh, what else I know about me I can tell. I visted Colorado Springs from Tulsa. I hated Colorado Springs, after days I felt like I was going to die, I could not take that elevation, so I bugged out.

I visited Albuquerque from Tulsa, my goodness I LOVED it there, stayed for a week. No problem at that elevation. So just 1 thousand feet difference. ABQ is 5k Colorado Springs is 6k. It really made a difference.

So I think if I did the out west van dwelling, there are places you folks go after Ehrenberg I dont know if I can do because of the elevation. Like Sedona fine but Flagstaff no way.

I love the Sun and the open spaces desert. I also like green. Should I focus on this east side of the country? I do have someone I can have for mail, residence, I have that right now. My husband. The move from here would be a year split. Hed rather I stayed. But I do the 375 and he the 1 bd here the living expense difference is 250 a month more. Not a ton of money, but AZ would be less!



I had lived in Sarasota FL for a decade. I met a person on the beach who was a vandweller. I have moved around a bit, lived in Eugene OR too. So I guess I have the itchy feet lol.


Oh I havent signed a lease for the next month 375 apartment. Just paid an application. I am so possessed thinking, why dont I stay where I am and just decide to do the best I can to go to Arizona for nov dec jan feb then make my way back to NW Indiana somewhere inbetween for march April. Then back. That gives me experience and knowledge how to do it better. I mean if I had THE LIST, I could buy everything needful for a start from Amazon and have it here in a week.

Anywho.

 

[ORANGE]

Oh, and I never drove long day after day after day to get anywhere. I do know I can drive 5 or 6 hours for day after day, like where I to come to . RTR Ehrenberg.

 

[Trebor English]

I mean if I had THE LIST, I could buy everything needful for a start from Amazon and have it here in a week.

Your list is different from my list.  Get a note pad and make a list of everything you touch.  If you think of something you used in the last week add it to the list.  The list of things you want on the road will include some of those things and some other things.  For example, in the van I have a two burner camp stove and a stainless pot with an aluminum heat spreader bottom.  That replaces the bowl in the microwave to make oatmeal.  

There will be stuff you start with that you decide in very short order that you don't need and don't want to keep because of the bulk.  Give or throw away.  There will be stuff you need that didn't make it.  Buy it on the road.  In my experience, if Walmart doesn't carry it I probably don't really need it with few exceptions.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I have always had more energy, and felt better, and more alive when I was traveling, versus sitting inside 4 walls looking at the same neighborhood day after day.

But that kinda describes most of us on here....

Maybe, just maybe, you will feel better when you spend time on the road. But you really should spend a week camping somewhere close by to see if it will work for you.

Best of luck!

 

[ORANGE]

Thanks!

So just prelimminary I could go less than 6 hours to Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. Someone wrote this."Was there for 3 weeks in June. Paid $30.00 for an annual pass good for a year in any back country campsite. Was very enjoyable, good fishing, swimming, and trails. Rangers would come around about once a week checking passes, and all were friendly, and willing to talk a few minutes. No problem finding secluded spots with over 500 campsites to choose from. highly recommend.

It is close to home, and I could jump right in. Already have an airbed I like and have used. Husband can bring up the van seats (did that before).

Oh my gosh! I think Im going to do this. Yes. The bathroom, and kitchen needs Ill have to decide and buy, watch more videos. Cause Id rather not use electricity and bathrooms at the camping because it wont give me an accurate, this is what it is like to live for months.

Where I was going to move to an apartment next month, I could instead test drive living out of a van. Then I could maybe get up and go to RTR!

I can change on a dime about a thing and go for it, and my husband is sure used to me doing so. Ill research land between the lakes and then the Tips Tricks and Rules thing.

Thanks!

 

[LivGolden]

I have always had more energy, and felt better, and more alive when I was traveling, versus sitting inside 4 walls looking at the same neighborhood day after day.

But that kinda describes most of us on here....

Maybe, just maybe, you will feel better when you spend time on the road. But you really should spend a week camping somewhere close by to see if it will work for you.

Best of luck!

Yes!

 

[ORANGE]

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=25680 this shows the Mondo King

I forgot how freezing I was on an air mattress. I really need a comfy place to sleep because I can be very light sleeper.

So should I go ahead and get the ThermoRest Mondo King 4 inch? 77 Inches long aughto fit, then I could just lay it up against wall? Most important to me, is first to get the pad for sleeping, laying on what will go into van and try out the camp chair as my only sitting. Even at home this will tell me much. Stay off sofa and recliner.

At home I usually microwave and electric pressure cook. So, since Im not going to go "electric" for the van, too big a learning curve at this point. So should I get the prius ladies little cooker? I could buy a little pressure cooker, I like this Indian one Id seen b4 on amazon. That is also a "microwave" cuz a little pressure with the food in there will reheat it nicely just left alone for pressure to come down. Or get the big tank cooker? Would only need one burner as that is all I ever use.

Next when you say cooler you mean a bag of ice, put food in cooler sort? Id want a really great one, because I dont think Id ever get a refrigerator ever. I didnt see any review for a high quality really keeps the foods cold for days product. Is there a best choice for that?

Ready to buy bed, cooker and cooler.

Toilet? Oy! That is really really hard to consider. Again I liked the Prius lady. I have exactly that smaller 2.5 gallon white walmart bucket that used to have icing in it right now. But wow....Guess Id start using that in the house too. So need a seat and hamster shavings?

Cleaning up? Id try the alcohol/water spray trick maybe. My hair? Long hair, hate not washing every day. So gonna still use shower I think here I think.

When I take a couple weeks to live in my van after the in home trial I may just cut my hair short. So simple to wash then. With little water.

At what temperature will I need a heater at night? I know for the desert I will need one. But dont know how cold my van will get at 50 at night for the camping trial. Im a wimp in cold weather.

Sorry from sooo much posting. These are more words then I likely use in a weeks time!

If I buy it I will do it! First in house. Next nearby for couple of weeks. Then AZ for months!

 

[LivGolden]

I can't recommend the Nemo Cosmo insulated mattress more. I have it with the cover. It is my #1 piece of equipment. Foot pumped, as well. #1! 

My hair is curly and so I keep it short with bangs longer than the rest- and it's fine. No fuss; no mess. 

I have the Causalyg and it's fine. Really don't use it much ---

As for stove- I have a JetBoil with coffee press and love it!

I hope you have fun! 

Cheers

 

[QinReno]

I forgot how freezing I was on an air mattress.  I really need a comfy place to sleep because I can be very light sleeper.

So should I go ahead and get the ThermoRest Mondo King 4 inch?  77 Inches long  
.............
At what temperature will I need a heater at night?  I know for the desert I will need one.  But dont know how cold my van will get at 50 at night for the camping trial.  Im a wimp in cold weather.!

You can keep your air mattress, just get an insulting foam pad to put on top of it, under your sleeping bag. If you go with any 4" thick inflatable mattress/pad, be sure to get the wide one, eg 25". Otherwise, a thick inflatable mattress any narrower than that will not be stable enough to sleep on.

When I was down in central AZ and NM in Feb/March, it was down in the low 20s almost every night, so you need a very good down bag. Short of running a heater all might long, what you can do is reach over and start the heater up in the morning 1/2 hour before you get up.

 

[GypsyJan]

With a van, try using a rolling office chair inside instead of crawling on your hands and knees. In a small space, it won't take much to roll from point A to point B and that would save lots of energy. I think vandwelling adventures would be excellent therapy....you just have to find ways to do things smarter, not harder. I have a RAV4 and cardiac arrhythmia...I love having the cot set up as I travel so I can just park wherever and nap as needed. I won't be hiking the Appalachian Trail, but I can drive to parks adjacent to it and enjoy the same views.

You will need to figure your own formula/guideline. Mine is 2-3-4 (drive 200 miles per day maximum, settle for the day by 3 pm, and try not to drive more than 4 hours daily). So what if it takes a day or 3 longer to get there! I'll be there in my own good time. Also, make sure you have it in the budget to stay at a motel if needed somewhere along the way. Just rest up, shower, watch TV, and return to vanlife when you are able again.

 

[ORANGE]

Yes GypsyJan I like your pre-set limits!

I am forgetting I can lay down for an hour or two and then drive a few more hours. Never had a bed b4 on the road! And a motel, if I gotta/wanta is a good allowance.

I need to make a budget post next!

Well, my air mattress is a true twin size, so I think it is just too wide maybe QinReno

LivGolden I had to look up all those, ugh, so much to learn, chose, then pull the trigger.

 

[ORANGE]

Seats torn out I have around 5 ft 5 inches at sliding doors, 4 ft 4 inches back half of van then 7 ft long to front seats. It is 4 ft 3 inch center height.

So Im thinking of it as a 5x7 utility trailer. But ALL glass ha!

Havent signed a lease yet and already Im gonna balk and do something else. Instead of the one whole year in Bristol.

Im going to do 6 months in Northern Alabama, I lived there 6 months last winter. Then try out camping for days until weeks. Live in my apartment with more practice of life on the road being sitting on camp chair. Just baby stepping making the van good enough for these longer campings trials.

Come the newness of Spring I will have decided what to buy and where to go.

So Im not going to sign a years lease cuz I dont want to be trapped. Cuz I want to proceed.
If I find too limited energy precludes me from doing this then I will know that.

But most importantly if I felt I have to go back to husband I can still run away in my van whenever I want! That would save my sanity!

Thanks for listening.

 

[QinReno]

Full-time, long term van life can be difficult. One option is to establish a homebase somewheres where the cost of living is relatively cheap, ie outside of most major cities, and then travel from there. That's what I'm doing and I like it a lot. Since getting my van, I am trying to get out on trips 1/3 of the time and more.

 

[Dingfelder]

When I see videos on people's opinions on RV/Van life, many of them show hygiene to be a make-or-break issue in their comfort and happiness. Especially for women, I think. So it might be helpful to start working on those issues in advance.

Perhaps you could stop using your bathroom and kitchen in the same way for a while and see if you can take it. Figure out how you would do it in a van/RV, buy some of the necessary items, and live like that for a long time. If you do come to a point that you can't take it, you'll have found out the cheap, easy, and super-low-risk way that van/RV life isn't for you.

Having a good long while to decide puts you in an ideal position. You can experiment at a pace that feels okay to you. You can turn adapting into an adventure rather than an ordeal.

Might as well get started while the getting is easy!

 

[ORANGE]

Dingfielder you are right. Those would be my make or break issues. And I was gonna to do kitchen/bathroom like that in my apartment, a little at a time then try to go 2 weeks out etc. Wont use a grill of course, but just one burner, no sink.

And then take it to the van.

And then take it on the road.

And yes QinReno, I dont HAVE to take it full time. I do have an always welcome home way up here in NW indiana near Lake Michigan. And if that is the case then Ive got far south for winter, go home get sick of it, then head out in summer far north or east right? Never tied but ever secure.

I do really really hate creepy crawlies. After 10 years in Sarasota FL I just hate the idea of southern humidity. Bob's world of the SW and Nevada residency and Mexico dentist /doctoring that is so appealing to me. Snakes awesome. Scorpians Cool. Tarantula, hey dont folks have them as furry pets?

I mean as soon as one of those giant spiders from FL get in my car and if I couldnt kill it on sight and it disappears somewhere in my car I AM MOVING OUT. SW FL spiders as big as a tea cup saucer around. Gross and gross! Calling me a cab, and going to a motel! Then Im calling the police saying there is drugs in that car, and let them tear it all out and take everything out and search ha ha ha. Bye Bye Spider.

Once in Sarasota I was close to ordering a pizza just so the pizza guy would come into the house and kill the giant spider in my sink. Tell him 20 bucks in a tip to kill it.

 

[LivGolden]

This is how I did it. I started behaving at home the way I'd have to while on the Road. I learned easily that I was over-pampered at home and that I could adjust to my environment quite effortlessly. I was spoiled to our sauna and enjoyed having it but it was completely unnecessary and was really just a brief part of the bells and whistles I was spoiled to. Now, a hot shower at a SP is just as satisfying. More. And a flush toilet feels like a luxury. The bottom line is freedom vs comfort. I chose Freedom!...