Could You Live in a Van?

Once upon a time I wrote a blog post called Could You Live in a Tiny House? At the time, Tiny Houses were a trend both in real life and in the media. My perspective was based on having lived in a 200 sq. ft. small-t, small-h tiny house many years ago, long before I was an organizer and before I had accumulated many possessions.

In my response to one of the comments I wrote:

I fantasize about traveling in a tiny RV (like a Rialta). But not living full time.

Since then I have switched, fantasy-wise, from a Winnebago Rialta to a customized Mercedes Sprinter Van. The main attraction to a Rialta (besides the small, drivable size) was access to the driver’s seat from the living compartment, which most (but not all) vans also have. In the event that a quick getaway seems prudent, I don’t want to have to go outside and walk around to the cab.

But a Rialta is a Class B Motorhome. Plus, they are no longer being manufactured. And a campervan, aka van conversion, is even smaller than a Rialta.

 

Why a van and not an RV?

Trick question. A converted van is just a tiny RV! For more info on the various classes of RVs: What is a Recreational Vehicle (RV; Definition, Types, Dimensions & Costs and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campervan.

So, why, then? Stealth! To anyone else who also lives in a van it would be obvious that someone is living inside, but I want to be able to park anywhere and not necessarily have everyone know. Some van conversions involve extra stuff on the roof (satellite, decking, storage, solar panels), or flares (side panel pop-outs, not to be confused with RV slide-outs), or extra vehicle height which would also give it away.

 

Am I planning to buy a van?

Will I ever, realistically, buy a converted van and live or travel around extensively in it? No.

I am getting too old and fat for that. And I need more access to medical care than I’d like to admit. (I’m sure there are people older than I am on the road, but they are also probably in better physical condition.) I also think the learning curve might be too much to rent one for just an occasional weekend. And the van customizations I would want would be cost prohibitive.

But a girl can dream, can’t she? Do you cook all the recipes you collect? Or make all the crafts you have supplies for?

Meanwhile do all my social media feeds think I’m in the market and show me every possible van conversion, design tool, and #vanlife video because I watch them all? Yes!

And do I have a mental list of deluxe features I would insist on having in my hypothetical van conversion? Of course! Basically, the more cool stuff you have in and on your van, the heavier it is and the more it will cost in materials, labor, maintenance, and gas.

 

Wish list of features

For starters:

• Cab access — As previously mentioned, I want direct access to the cab from the living area.
• Permanent bed — A bed takes up a lot of space, but who wants to have to reconfigure the dining area every day? They even have beds that power up and out of the way to the ceiling.
• Toilet/shower — This is usually one of the biggest sticking points in terms of space and cost. But there are lots of clever ways to have both. Some vanlifers use portable toilets and gym memberships for the shower privileges (Planet Fitness or Anytime Fitness). I’m a fan of outdoor showers, but not in cold weather or in a populated area. It’s fun to see the variety of ways people have managed to build toilet/shower compartments, often sliding away and converting into seating or counter space. This video shows one woman explaining How I Built A Shower In My Van Without Losing ANY Space, including pros and cons near the end.
• Wi-Fi — I’ve already mentioned “extra stuff on the roof”, but I would still need WiFi.  My fantasy van would have a low-profile satellite-based Wi-Fi for internet access in the wilderness.
• Cooking — I wouldn’t need the fanciest kitchen, but I would need a stove burner, a microwave, combo airfryer/toaster oven, and small (but not micro) fridge/freezer.
• Windows — Some vans I’ve seen have too few windows. I would imagine there can be too many to maintain structural integrity, but I’d want as many as possible.
• Window covers — Most any kind of window covering will provide a degree of privacy, but the more expensive magnetic kinds do a better job of sealing off light coming from inside at night. I also like the kind that closes off the cab from the living compartment (so one doesn’t have to cover all the windows in the cab, too.

 

Is vanlife for everyone?

Heck no!

Vanlife isn’t for everyone. But it’s fun to fantasize about! People seem to love it…until they don’t. LOL?

Here is one of a gazillion 60-second #vanlife tours: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6f1K9bv/ Some are picture-perfect snapshots of van life (sipping coffee in a clutter-free designer van while gazing out at an unobstructed view of the ocean); some focus on adventuresome lifestyles; and others are more about the logistics of having to find places to park, shower, and dump their compost toilets.

And here is a short video by someone who had a #vanlife career for several years and finally stopped and is happily living in a house: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6fVyKfM/ (By “#vanlife career”, I mean she earned money as a social media influencer.)

 

Keeping a van organized

Most van occupants will admit they spend a lot of time tidying up and sweeping dirty floors. This is due to lack of space, an outdoor lifestyle that gets things dirty, and pets. You’d be surprised how many vanlifers have pets (usually, but not always, dogs).

As you can imagine, with space at a premium, it becomes even more noticeable when things are lying about. You have to be much more intentional about what you own, and how you store it, than if you had more available space. Think more about what you’ll need, and less about what you like or want.

Granted, I have not lived in a van or any other type of RV. But I’ve camped, backpacked, and traveled — and organized — enough to say the same organizing principles apply: Give each item a “home”; keep like items together; decide how much of any item you will keep on hand; don’t overflow your containers; make use of vertical space; put things away after you use them. And if you decide you need a gadget to containerize items or subdivide a space, measure a couple of extra times to be sure it will really do what you want and fit the space.

Additionally, though, and different from organizing a regular home, thought must be given to securing items so they don’t shift around while driving.

I think the best way to get ideas for van storage is to see what other people are doing. They’re (usually) not professional organizers, but they often will say what worked for them and what didn’t. Here’s a ton of Van Storage Ideas (Google Image search results).

 

A few more resources

VanSpace 3D — This is not the only tool available for designing a custom van layout, but it’s the one I’ve seen mentioned most often. I think it would take me for-e-ver to design a van, even with a definite wish list and a fantasy unlimited budget, because I know everything I want won’t fit.

Harvest Hosts — This site gives you access to unlimited overnight stays at farms, wineries, breweries, golf courses, community hosts & more. This is more fun than a Walmart parking lot, which is usually still good in a pinch. National parks are awesome, too, of course, but the rules about overnight parking, pets, etc., vary widely by location.

Vanlife Academy — This site provides “how to” lessons on every aspect of van life. Some are free and some are paid.

 

What about you?

Do you have an RV? Ever lived in a van? Ever wanted to?

What tips do you have to share with us?

Please share with us in the comments below!

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• Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
  
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