why Vandwelling doesn't work

[flying kurbmaster]

my first van  was a 1968 chevy  i fixed it up leatherette, new paint, shag carpet, etc no stove, I crossed the north American continent with it traded it for a motorcycle and rode that back, then I had 1972 Volkswagen van up and down Cascadia, a 1973 Ford F100 with a camperette cross the northern part of the continent,  I tried to live in but did not like it, never settled, then an 1981 Dodge van drove to the high north, I camped with it but never even thought of living full time in it. a mid 80's chevy van, a 1991 S10 with a camperette same thing, why did I waste so much money on rent when I could have lived in them, with todays knowledge that would not have been hard, what is the difference from today, I think cooking facilities, food storage, toilet facilities,( bucket ) proper ventilation, it was very hot in some of the other vans in summer, cold in winter, washing arrangements, curtains, perhaps personal piece of mind? ok with being alone? what would be the tipping point that makes it comfortable or miserable, I lived on a sailboat for a number of years and felt good about that as it had all the amenities, for me I think successful van living  is about organization, having the capability of food storage and preparation. about sleeping comfortably and being able to store clothes. having entertainment, books, hobbies, tv, stereo, music, internet etc... it has to be comfortable. I  think people fail at it because one or some of these things is lacking or is it a mind set?

 

[SoulRaven]

Comfort and convenience are at the top of my list, and that means being able to live IN my van, not just live out of my van. That means I want my own kitchen and bathroom, along with the other stuff you have mentioned.

The smaller your living space, the more planning is required to be successful.

 

[nobodyG17]

Like most things in life there is no one size fits all.  

For most it is comfort and convenience.    For some it is just surviving.   And all points in between.  The beauty of humanity.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

There is a post on reddit/vandwellers where the op lists all the reasons vandwelling doesnt work. However each problem is solvable. He says you cant cook inside... because he didnt have a fan to suck out the gas stove fumes. etc etc

Right now its 3 C outside and I am super comfortable in my cargo van. I put in the time and effort to plan and have a healthy source of heat, good insulation and lots of ventilation. To me those are essential. Also helps if you have minimalist mindset because being a packrat living in 54 sq feet just wouldnt be comfortable.

 

[FALCON]

From what I've gathered, these are the main reasons Vandwelling doesn't work:
- If someone doesn't really want it to work, it wont.
- If someone isn't willing or able to put significant effort into it, it won't work
- If someone either lacks access to information about vandwelling, or is not very good at thinking creatively, it may not work for them.

As you see, these are all more about the individual than the concept of vandwelling.

Here are some that are more of actual reasons and certainly do apply to some people:
- If you're capable of earning a high income but have to be tied to one location, and you want to keep working for a while to save up money, it may make more sense to just rent an apartment or room.
- If seeking out a significant other is a very important goal for you, living in a van (and traveling around) will probably limit your options more than more normal lifestyles. (But, if Vandwelling is something you enjoy, it may help you find like-minded people much better than if you were living a more normal lifestyle)

 

[One Awesome Inch]

^Totally agree^

 

[GotSmart]

Lies I have been told.

The check is in the mail.
I will always love you.
No new taxes.
This runs great!
Gold and silver will always go up.
My kids are little angels! 
I will be there in 5 minutes.
Vandwelling does not work. 

 

[Patrick46]

to me, it's just like anything else in life...

you get out of it, whatever you put into it!

If you don't put much in, then don't expect much out.

 

[Almost There]

The title of the thread is a little bit confusing to me!

Is it a statement that van dwelling doesn't work and for whom?

Is it a question as to whether van dwelling does or doesn't work?

If it's a blanket statement that van dwelling does not work for anyone then I have to respectfully disagree quite strongly.

For me, van dwelling works just fine. I have everything I need built tidily in to a small compact 'studio apartment on wheels'. I can go anywhere I reasonably want to go! I can live below my income and I am free....

But then this van wasn't my first rodeo and I am neat and tidy to start with. There have been some vans I've seen that definitely aren't working for the owner - usually related to lack of convenient built in storage so that all the contents are being tossed around either by washboard/bumpy roads or by the dweller themself whilst looking for something else that they can't find.



I'm a happy camper and getting happier by the day...my first two 12v electrical circuits were turned on yesterday. I now have a light that is not run by Rayovac and a source of refrigeration that doesn't melt.... :heart:

 

[PatsyG]

The title of the thread is a little bit confusing to me!

Is it a statement that van dwelling doesn't work and for whom?

Is it a question as to whether van dwelling does or doesn't work?

If it's a blanket statement that van dwelling does not work for anyone then I have to respectfully disagree quite strongly.

For me, van dwelling works just fine. I have everything I need built tidily in to a small compact 'studio apartment on wheels'. I can go anywhere I reasonably want to go! I can live below my income and I am free....

But then this van wasn't my first rodeo and I am neat and tidy to start with. There have been some vans I've seen that definitely aren't working for the owner - usually related to lack of convenient built in storage so that all the contents are being tossed around either by washboard/bumpy roads or by the dweller themself whilst looking for something else that they can't find.



I'm a happy camper and getting happier by the day...my first two 12v electrical circuits were turned on yesterday. I now have a light that is not run by Rayovac and a source of refrigeration that doesn't melt.... :heart:

Good on you for the electricity and making things work.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

The title of the thread is a little bit confusing to me 

the title is as clear as day, WHY Vandwelling doesn't work? you obviously got it as you answered it perfectly you answered why it works for you with all the comforts of home, getting happier by the day by adding more conveniences  and set an example as to why it is not working for others because of their set up. I suppose I could of asked "Vandwelling why it works and why it doesn't", or what are the things that make Van dwelling work and what are the things that make it miserable, but that would have taken up three lines and I wanted to focus on the mistake we can make that don't make it enjoyable, therefore I asked, Why vandwelling doesn't work, then I went on to explain how Vandwelling didn't appeal to me with a bunch of my own experiences and why I thought it worked today, for me, ending with the question that perhaps it is not about the comforts but rather a mind set.   the other thing is that making a statement I knew it would get the attention of those that would get their hair up saying a blanket statement what do you mean vandwelling doesn't work.

 

[akrvbob]

the title is as clear as day, WHY Vandwelling doesn't work? you obviously got it as you answered 

You left off the question  mark in the title making it a declarative statement and not a question.

It made no sense so I just ignored it.
Bob

 

[USExplorer]

Living on the road requires one to have an open and adaptable mind. Most people choose not to live on the road because they do not have an open and adaptable mind. A shortage of cash makes such a mindset even more important.

If vandwelling is not a voluntary choice, then it won't be enjoyable. Also, if one is a slave to comfort and luxury, the privations of the budget mobile life will cause withdrawals.

I have far more luxury than a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail or a hitchhiking hippie, but far less than a retiree in a Class A motorhome or a trailer park resident. I could live just fine with far less luxury then I currently live in, if I had a good reason to do so.

 

[buckwilk]

Picking apart the subject line is rather pointless and demeaning. It isn't difficult to understand the OP,s thought and question. The idea that vandwelling does or doesn't work should be of interest to anyone here. When a new person hits this site they are inundated with the positive side of this lifestyle. To assume that every person exploring alternate lifestyles will be happy and fulfilled living in a van in the desert is not realistic or practical. That it is an answer for some, undoubtedly, for most, not likely.

 

[ascii_man]

I think it might not work for someone who was tied to a specific area where safe and legal / tolerated parking wasn't available, or someone who was a light sleeper, or someone in a hot climate who had to be well-rested and presentable for a job.

All of these could cause problems even for someone who had a flexible, positive attitude.

 

[SoulRaven]

Living on the road requires one to have an open and adaptable mind. Most people choose not to live on the road because they do not have an open and adaptable mind. A shortage of cash makes such a mindset even more important.

If vandwelling is not a voluntary choice, then it won't be enjoyable. Also, if one is a slave to comfort and luxury, the privations of the budget mobile life will cause withdrawals.

I have far more luxury than a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail or a hitchhiking hippie, but far less than a retiree in a Class A motorhome or a trailer park resident. I could live just fine with far less luxury then I currently live in, if I had a good reason to do so.

I am a slave to both comfort and luxury, and my < $1500 van including the camper conversion provides every luxury of any fancy Class A or even a house.  The systems might be different, but budget doesn't need to play a significant role in either comfort or luxury.

I live in my van by choice, even though I have the money to live any way I choose.  I think that is the most important prerequisite and distinction for how happy or successful someone will be living in a van, not necessarily money, but the fact that it is a choice rather than something being forced upon them.

You need to be comfortable living in a small space, and you need to be creative enough to make that small space comfortable.  Once you have mastered that, all you need is an income.

 

[SoulRaven]

Picking apart the subject line is rather pointless and demeaning. It isn't difficult to understand the OP,s thought and question. The idea that vandwelling does or doesn't work should be of interest to anyone here. When a new person hits this site they are inundated with the positive side of this lifestyle. To assume that every person exploring alternate lifestyles will be happy and fulfilled living in a van in the desert is not realistic or practical. That it is an answer for some, undoubtedly, for most, not likely.

This is exactly why I never try to recruit people into a mobile lifestyle.  I love answering their questions, but in the end I believe it needs to be their choice without a lot of hype from other people, and that it requires proper planning if someone wants to be successful on their first try.

Any major lifestyle change can be very stressful, and everybody handles stress differently.  Proper planning can help reduce the stress levels, but probably not eliminate them all together.  Alternative lifestyles simply aren't for everyone.

Hey... I'm a survivor... And an alternative lifestyle lover...  But I still wouldn't want to live in a cave!
For somebody else, living in a cave might be their dream lifestyle...

I just enjoy supporting people who are following their own dreams, as long as they are truly their dreams and not some possible falsehood being dangled in front of them.

 

[SoulRaven]

I think it might not work for someone who was tied to a specific area where safe and legal / tolerated parking wasn't available, or someone who was a light sleeper, or someone in a hot climate who had to be well-rested and presentable for a job.

All of these could cause problems even for someone who had a flexible, positive attitude.

All of these can be overcome with relative ease and planning.

There's nothing about van dwelling that CAN'T be done or accomplished, but it is up to each individual to decide if it's the best path for them.

 

[ascii_man]

All of these can be overcome with relative ease and planning.

There's nothing about van dwelling that CAN'T be done or accomplished, but it is up to each individual to decide if it's the best path for them.

Nobody said it was impossible...but you could also live in a tent, under a bridge, or over a sewer grate, or on a space station like Scott Kelly. The point is that for a person facing several of those constraints, eventually it's just not worth it, unless your main goal in life is "to live in a van at all costs." Sometimes planning, of which you speak so fondly, leads to the conclusion that "unfortunately, this isn't a good fit for me." Like in my case, I planned and found a safe parking spot near the office for $50/month, I planned and rented a U-Haul and slept there and realized that it is extremely close to a freight train track which is very busy at night. So now I'm "planning" to not sleep there.

For many people, mobile living is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

 

[GotSmart]

Nobody said it was impossible...but you could also live in a tent, under a bridge, or over a sewer grate, or on a space station like Scott Kelly.  The point is that for a person facing several of those constraints, eventually it's just not worth it, unless your main goal in life is "to live in a van at all costs."  Sometimes planning, of which you speak so fondly, leads to the conclusion that "unfortunately, this isn't a good fit for me."  Like in my case, I planned and found a safe parking spot near the office for $50/month, I planned and rented a U-Haul and slept there and realized that it is extremely close to a freight train track which is very busy at night.  So now I'm "planning" to not sleep there.

For many people, mobile living is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

After a few days, the train that is not on time will wake you.   .  (Why is it quiet?)