Living the van life is a dream for a lot of people. While it might not be everyone’s ideal, it’s a fantastic way to try out a nomadic lifestyle while still having some of the comforts you might require. When you live in a van, you can travel around at will, taking road trips and visiting anywhere that takes your fancy. Plus, you don’t need to live in your van all the time. You can use it for travel, whether for a couple of days or months at a time, then park it up when it’s time to enjoy living indoors again.
It’s a dream that could be much more attainable than you think, but you have to know how to get started.
Get Your Van
First, the van. You won’t get far without one, so you need to decide what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure yet, you might want to try renting one to get a feel for what you want. Once you have a firmer idea, you have two main options. You could buy a van that’s already designed for travel. Or you could go for a camper van conversion. The second option could work out for you if you already own a van or you want to completely customise your van’s interior. Converting a van means you can design it to be exactly what you want and need.
Define Your Essentials
There’s not a lot of space in a van. You need to be able to pack your essentials so you have everything you need for travel. Of course, you have the benefit of the roof space if you do need to carry some extra stuff. But you’ll need to consider what you want to be able to access easily and have within reach inside the van. That includes everything from clothes and toiletries to cooking equipment or anything else you might require on your travels.
Put Safety First
Safety is always important when you’re living out of a van, whether you’re on the road or you’ve stopped for the night. You should think about how to stay safe, protecting yourself not just from potential vehicle accidents but also problems with other people, getting lost, breakdowns, or anything else that could happen. As well as keeping your wits about you, take steps such as making sure you have van insurance, taking a reliable communication device (cell phone or satellite phone), and planning your routes.
Connect with the Community
Did you know there’s a thriving van community out there? There are people all over who use their vans to travel around, sometimes full-time or perhaps just part-time. These people can be great for giving you advice and learning all the essential tricks. They’re also there to make friends with, so you can find people to travel with and hang out with when you stop for a day or two. Try looking online or meeting people in person at events or at various stops.
Get started with your new van life by considering the ups and downs, and determining how to build your perfect van experience.
