Are you thinking about long-term camping in a van? Living full-time on the road? While blowing up in popularity, this is still a difficult lifestyle for many. Ever looked for camper vans for sale? The number of people selling converted vans saying that “plans changed” (AKA this life isn’t for me) is enormous. It’s really not for everyone, in the same way that living stationary in a home or apartment isn’t for everyone.
If you’re seriously considering living on the road full or part-time, here are 10 questions that you need to ask yourself before taking the plunge.
Am I ok with being in a small space?
Chances are unless you’re already living in a tiny home or rent just a private room and are confined to that space, you’ve probably never spent a long stretch of time in a space less than 100 square feet. Despite how pretty some of these rigs look on the inside, it’s a huge adjustment for your bedroom to also be your kitchen, your living room, your bathroom, and of course, your only vehicle.
I’m not saying that you can’t make it work. For many people, it’s actually comforting to have such a small space. It’s faster to clean, there are fewer possessions to worry about, and of course, you can make dinner while in bed, while working, and driving to your next location. The most important thing is to consider whether such a small space will work for you. For my wife, some sense of separation from room to room is a requirement. This is why we are considering a bus instead of a van!
Am I ok with showering once a week (maybe)?
Are you the type of person who needs to feel squeaky clean in order to feel presentable? Do you flinch at the sight of a thin layer of oil on your hair? If so, one of two things needs to happen. Either, question whether or not camping in a van full-time is really the best option for you, or, you need to seriously adjust the way you look at cleanliness. Is it really all that important to shower EVERY SINGLE DAY? I’d venture that it’s not. My skin and hair actually begin to revolt after more than a few days of showers in a row. Nonetheless, everyone is different! Just promise me you’ll think about this one 🙂 One great way to keep smelling decent is to do laundry often. Our Top 10 MUST HAVE Van Life Essentials post has a great van life laundry tool!
Am I ok with using mainly public restrooms?
This one can be difficult for a lot of people. Then again, most of these are difficult. That’s why it’s important to think very carefully about each of them before taking the plunge! Most of us, especially those that need to sit to pee, have a slightly exaggerated hate for public restrooms. Outside of the smell, germs, and occasional bugs in pit toilets, they’re really not that bad, are they? I guess I’ll leave that up to you.
Regardless of your opinion on public restrooms, if you plan on camping in a van full-time, you’ll need to come to terms with the fact that you’ll be spending more time than you’d like in them. Whether it’s a gas station, Walmart, or with varying degrees of cleanliness, campground pit toilets, begin to appreciate that they are there, rather than fume about having to use them.
Am I ok with bugs in my living space?
While there are ways to minimize the number of bugs that you have to deal with INSIDE your van, there’s no real way to fully protect against a few finding their way in. Assuming you’ll spending time in nature, you’re welcoming in mosquito bites with open arms. If you’re ok with that, great! If not, better get thinking! Personally, Ellie and I have had a great introduction to bugs in the house we are currently renting. For some reason, it is a hub for spiders…
Don’t worry, there are a few great ways to get rid of the bugs without dousing yourself in questionable chemicals. Here’s an interesting article that even suggests wearing clothes infused with insect repellant!
Am I ok with being hot or cold often?
There are a few crucial steps to ensuring that you are as comfortable as possible in your rig.
They are as follows:
- Insulate
- Cover your windows
- Ventilate
- Heat / AC
The first one goes without saying. That does not mean, however, that everyone takes this step seriously. You wouldn’t purchase a house without insulation. Why then would you live in a van or bus without insulation? You are asking to be uncomfortable when the only thing between the blazing heat or crippling cold is a thin layer of aluminum and a thin layer of wood. Take this step seriously if you want any control over the temperature in your vehicle.
This next one goes right along with the first. Even after insulating your van, chances are, none of your windows are properly insulated. If that’s the case, window covers are a must. While you hate to use them when the scenery is awesome, they are a must for temperature regulation and also provide some privacy. Windows are always a weak point for heat and cold coming in, but also for condensation, and window covers are the perfect solution.
Thirdly, you NEED to make sure that you properly ventilate your vehicle. This is important for a multitude of reasons. Most obviously, it’s important to keep airflow to regulate temperature. Especially if you don’t have a rear air conditioner, just getting the air moving in your vehicle will make a HUGE difference. Secondly, it is very important to regulate moisture. When cooking, or boiling water, having a fan to pull the moist air out is quite important to avoid the rotting of moist wood or the build-up of condensation which can cause rust.
Finally, you have the option of air conditioning and heat. You are able to install air conditioning units in the rear of the vehicle, but for energy-saving purposes, this often doesn’t make much sense unless you’re in a big space like a bus. Another great option is to install a diesel heater in your vehicle. This is an awesome way to keep warm in the winter without using your precious electricity.
Am I ok with dirt EVERYWHERE?
If you think that your house or apartment gets dirty, you should try camping in a van full-time. The general rule of thumb is the smaller the space, the quicker it will get dirty. This is magnified when you spend most of your time out in nature, often partaking in sports like hiking or mountain biking. The dirt and dust will pile up so be ready to clean OFTEN. The good thing is that a smaller space takes less time to clean, you’ll just have to do it more often. In our post about the Top 10 MUST HAVE Van Life Essentials, we cover a great option for managing dirt!
Am I ok with maneuvering a large vehicle?
Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to parallel park on a city street? Think about the vehicle that you were in, and now think about trying to do that in a big old van! your visibility is significantly reduced, and you have a much larger chunk of metal to maneuver. In order to decide if you are comfortable driving a vehicle of this size, I highly suggest going to test drive the vehicle that you are thinking about purchasing. This is especially important if you are thinking about purchasing a skoolie. These are slightly different to drive and will take much more getting used to.
Am I ok with doing the annoying stuff often? (grocery shopping, getting water, dumping water, dumping toilet)
While camping in a van full-time brings with it a sense of freedom in that you decided where to go and when it also brings a few responsibilities that you don’t necessarily have in a home or apartment. Be prepared to go grocery shopping often because the fridge and pantry space is often sparse. Another huge thing about living in a van is that finding water becomes a large task. You can either refill at a grocery store, a campground, or an RV park. From there, you need to find where to dump grey water and black water. RV parks and campgrounds are great options for this. Sometimes gas stations and rest stops will offer dumping as well.
Am I ok with being in my thoughts A LOT?
While camping in a van full-time will get you in touch with many cool and like-minded people, it will also give you lots of time to be alone with your thoughts. Even if you are with a significant other, you will have lots of time to spend on your own, and this often leads humans to think. If you’re the type of person that can’t be alone in their thoughts for too long, I wouldn’t dissuade you from taking on this lifestyle. Instead, I’d encourage you to look at this as an opportunity to grow. Finding a way to be content in your thoughts is one of the most powerful experiences you could take from living in a van! Don’t avoid it!
Am I ok with only a few sets of clothes?
Ever watched the Tidying Up series? If not, take a look at it, or something regarding minimalism. There will need to be a significant mindset shift to feel ok with downsizing enough to fit everything you own into a van. As humans, Americans specifically, we tend to be a bit materialistic and find comfort in the things that we own. While it can be difficult, it is also incredibly fulfilling to downsize your possessions only to those that bring you value or happiness. Think 3 sets of clothes, 3 pairs of shoes, 3 sets of silverware, 2 plates, that kind of thing. It’s going to be difficult for us, but again, this will be an awesome growing experience for many of us and is a part of this lifestyle shift that will change us for the better.
Conclusion
Well? Is this the lifestyle for you? I hope that these 10 questions have really made you think about whether camping in a van long-term is a realistic move for you. It’s not for everyone, but those who can take everything listed above in stride will freaking love it! If you’re nervous about a few of these things, that’s totally ok! I’d highly recommend renting out a camper van for a few days or weeks and taking a test run to see if you function well in the environment.
It’s not uncommon for some of these things to seem impossible, but when experiencing the positives of van life, you realize that you’re quite ok with sacrificing in certain areas.
Anyway, that’s it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and it encouraged you to think a bit!
As always, look out for another post next Sunday! Subscribe to our email list below to be notified of new posts!
