Van life is taking outdoor adventures to new heights.
In case you’ve missed out on the trend, the main benefit of van life is that it offers Americans the chance to live minimally, on the road, and with total freedom.
The van life movement was born partly from the lockdown period, which helped spur interest in other things like digital nomadism and living outside of cities.
Van life, similar to RVing, gives people the power of mobility. Compared to RVs, vans are a bit more rugged-ready, affordable, and customizable—with trade-offs related to space and convenience, of course.
Though I haven’t lived full-time in a van, I’ve spent stints living inside one; first in Australia in 2013 and then in Portugal in 2022. The van in Australia was pretty barebones—no water storage, no electricity. Just a tent strapped to the roof and a small kitchen setup.
My stint of van life in Portugal was a lot more comfortable. Its owners had customized the van to add water storage, a small sink, a comfortable bed, and even shelves. The modular storage was also helpful and intuitive.
Thanks to that setup, I could have stayed for a while comfortably.
It’s made me wonder about modern van life, especially for those who have a solid setup and a year or two of experience under their belts. What sorts of concessions are full-timers making? What sorts of comforts do they still have access to?
Let’s take a closer look at the basics of van life according to full-timers.
Sleeping
A person’s sleep is only as good as their mattress.
Most people living full-time in a van invest in a great mattress topper or mattress. Most people create slats that extend their bed at night, meaning space isn’t an issue for customized vans.
Instead, other factors like ventilation and insulation will go a long way in guaranteeing a good night’s rest.
Then there’s finding a good place to park. This can be a tough challenge for those heading into cities or towns. In remote places, the challenge might revolve around finding flat ground suitable for parking.
Then there are knocks in the night. One full-timer mentioned that finding parking in the wrong spot (like a parking lot or residential street) can lead to expected wake-ups from security at any hour of the night. Sometimes, they’re required to move their vans in the middle of the night.
Cooking
Cooking in a van is a lot simpler than you might think. Most sinks include slats that transform them into flat counter space.
And most electrical setups—especially those running on solar power—generate enough energy to keep a mini-fridge and its mini-freezer cold.
I’ve seen a few top-tier vans that also have electrical burners. However, most full-timers use propane tanks and portable stove-tops—which enable people to grill steaks next to rushing rivers or pop popcorn with views of the Grand Canyon.
The catch here is restocking on food and supplies. Most full-timers need to wander back into civilization to fill up their caches at least once every two weeks.
Washing & cleaning
Water is limited in vans. Even full-timers who have larger tanks or rain catchment solutions must be mindful of their water usage.
From sinks to showers to cleaning up little messes along the way, I imagine this is one of the tougher parts of living in a van.
Water filters are a good solution, as these can turn any potable source into fresher and healthier drinking water. But even with water filters, most full-timers head to a water source to refill their tanks at least once a week.
And what about bathing? Great vans might have showers, but starter vans probably won’t. In these cases, full-timers rely on rivers, creeks, camping sites, friendly neighbors, and more. The same goes for bathrooms.
In terms of water, I think the real catch is laundry.
Washing dishes and keeping yourself clean is one thing—but there’s no workaround for a sweaty t-shirt that’s already been re-used. The fine print here: If you live in a van, you probably spend a good amount of time planning out what comes next.
Driving
Driving should be the easy part, right? Well, not always.
Before setting off, most people spend a good amount of time perfecting their van’s layout and load. Overloading the van can degrade the vehicle and make driving dangerous on country roads.
Similarly, everything in storage needs to be strapped down, locked tight, and stuck in place.
Planning
Let’s circle back to the demands of planning.
The greatest benefit of living in a van full-time is the freedom of the open road. But that also requires some organization, including looking at gas prices, choosing specific routes, and paying for parking.
But the most important factor that I’ve seen mentioned time and time again is repairs.
Almost all full-timers have had their van go out of commission with a costly repair—which could happen in any city. That sometimes incurs high hotel fees in addition to repair costs.
While that shouldn’t be shocking to anyone who owns a vehicle, it’s still worth pointing out that these hiccups can make van life pricier than most think. Always plan to budget for maintenance and repairs, especially in the first few years.