The Vanual | Complete Guide to Living the Van Life

Is it for you?

Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Different experiences for different people

The variety of people you’ll find living and traveling in a van is wide and all-encompassing. You’ll find climbers and outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy spending as much time as possible out in nature. Former desk jockeys now doing freelance work in an ever-changing environment. Penny pinching young professionals avoiding exorbitant rent prices in the city. Newlyweds starting the new chapter of their lives together with a grand adventure.

Whatever your reason, your experience of living a mobile lifestyle will differ from anyone elses. Your budget, your van, your preferences, your plan—all of these aspects will give you a bias towards what you like and dislike about the vanlife. Consequently, the “tips and tricks” I’ve learned over the past year is advice built on my personal opinion. Some of it will prove useful. Some of it might not apply. However, all of it is just a glimpse at what can only be fully learned through experience.

You learn many things very quickly when living a van. Like don’t take selfies while driving.

The negatives of vanlife

As many upsides as there are to living in a van, there are just as many downsides. It’s important to be honest and frank about these as they could be a deal breaker for those considering the vanlife:

Inconvenience. The simplest things you probably take for granted while living in a stationary home can take two, three, four times as long while living in a van. Almost everything requires a bit of planning and preparation. This includes using wifi, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, doing laundry, cooking and finding a place to sleep. These are the realities of the vanlife that you’ll face every single day.
Loneliness. Even if you regard yourself as a bit of a lone wolf (as I do), the constant solitude can eventually generate feelings of loneliness. If left untreated this can easily slip into depression. The cure to this is simple: honest human connection. This could be simple small talk with the people you come in contact with during daily life or it could entail connecting with old friends and family.
Legal grey area. In many places around the US it’s frowned upon by local law enforcement to live in your vehicle. In a few cities it’s even downright illegal. However, if you follow local parking laws and are discreet, no one will know or care (more on that later).

A certain level of skepticism and caution is required when living in a van.

The positives of vanlife

There are many extraordinary benefits to living in a van. If there weren’t, this site wouldn’t exist! The few I’ve listed below is just the tip of the iceberg:

Freedom. The ability to go where you want when you want for as long as you want can’t be underestimated. It’s something very few of us ever get to experience during our lifetimes.
Cost-effective. After the initial conversion costs, living in a van can be quite inexpensive if you are smart about budgeting. You can live in and travel to the most beautiful places in the world for a small fraction of what others pay. The villa looking out over ocean cliffs or a beautiful snowcapped mountain? You can wake up to that same beautiful view… for free.
Simplicity. Such a small living space will force you to cut out the extraneous and superfluous out of your life. This will prove stressful at first, but you’ll soon find it to be easier and almost therapeutic as time goes on. Once you remove these nonessential items, you are left with only the things you value the most. A level of simplicity that discards distractions and encourages significance and meaning.

One of the many amazing views you can wake up to that wouldn’t be possible in a normal apartment.

Choosing a Van

Thu, 05 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Anything Volkswagen

Ever since the 1950’s, Volkswagen has been making vans that people have been living and traveling out of. Every generation of the Type 2 van has it’s own community of die hard fans. The original T1 and T2 (sometimes called a VW-Bus or Kombi) are what you think of when you hear “hippie van”. The third generation of the Type 2 is probably one of the most sought after campervans. You’ll here people call these a Vanagon. There’s a popular variant of these Vanagons that have been converted to have a camping layout complete with a bed, kitchen and often a pop-top roof. These are Westfalias or “Westy” for short.

Pros:

The quintessential camper van. They just look plain cool.
Strong community of van owners on and offline.
Many have already been converted to live in. Very little needs to be done to make it a home.

Cons

These vans are notoriously fickle. Can and will break down often.
Specialty parts can be hard to come by.
Not a “stealthy” campervan. Easy to tell someone is living inside.

Friend and fellow vanlifer showing off his Westy in front of an epic vista. Photo by William Woodward.
A beauty of a bus. The appearance of these vans is simply iconic. Photo by William Woodward.

Conversion Vans

These are typically full-size cargo vans that automakers have converted to accommodate family camping and road trips. They’ll often have a bench seat in the back that folds down into a bed, some cabinets, large windows with shades and some dated decals on the exterior. Most will have high-top roofs installed.

Pros:

Already converted. If you’re not picky, you could most likely move in right away after buying.
Many with low miles are sold cheap.
Captain chairs!

Cons

The craftsmanship on the inside is usually low-quality and dated.
Difficult to make unique without tearing most of the inside out.

The go-to ride for a road-tripping family of five.

Cargo Vans

My van of choice. A true blank slate. There are two main types of cargo vans that come from manufacturers. Passenger cargo vans have windows and several rows of seats, while panel cargo vans have no windows and (sometimes) metal shelving in the back. Cargo vans can vary drastically in size from compact to extended length. They are also the go to van to have converted into hardcore, off-road campers called “Adventure Mobiles”.

It should also be noted that there has been a push in recent years from car manufacturers for more Euro-style cargo vans with tall, human-height roofs. Unfortunately, it will be a while before these vans show up regularly on the used market at a price most can afford.

Pros:

Ultimate flexibility and options for converting into a camper.
Common parts and most mechanics can work on them with ease.
Can be extremely stealthy and very difficult to tell it’s a camper from the outside. Makes it easier to park and blend-in.
Built like a tank. If well-maintained during their lifetime, they can reach 300k miles, sometimes even 400k miles with little trouble.

Cons

Older years have terrible mpg. My 2003 Chevy Express gets 11 to 12mpg on a good day.
Social stigma. You’ll hear a lot of “creepy white van” jokes. Get used to it.
Most reasonably priced (under $5k) used vans will have a lot of miles. Upper 100k’s to lower 200k’s seems to be the average.

After all my research, the robust flexibility of a cargo van made it an easy choice for me.

Everything else

While the name of this site is The Vanual, most of this advice will work for anyone living a mobile lifestyle—regardless of vehicle. And the world of camper conversions can encompass just about any vehicle. Some will slap a camping unit in the bed of a pickup. Others have built a mansion of sorts inside an old box truck or school bus. And of course there is also the massively expansive RV market.

Found this guy tucked away on a farm in California. Apparently the truck doesn’t run and is used a permanent guest home.

The ideal van

Since most of us can’t afford to buy a new vehicle, the used classifieds will become your best friend. When you’re buying a used van there’s a couple things to keep in mind that will save a lot of headache and heartache later on.

Avoid a car that was used anywhere near salt. This means salt water, salt flats or salt put on roads to melt ice. Since salt is corrosive many of these cars will have rust. You will want to avoid rust like zombies in the apocalypse. You’ll be battling it until the end of van’s rusty life.

Low mileage is your friend. The less miles on a van means more miles you’ll be able to drive mostly trouble-free. Finally, get the van checked out by a mechanic before buying. The last thing you want to be doing is finding out something is broken later on and spending the money you could spend on your conversion on vehicle repairs.

It should be noted, that all of this advice I did not follow myself and came to regret at some point later on. Please learn from my many mistakes :)

I bought my van with over 200k miles on it. A number of miles that some cars won’t ever see. Let’s hope the risk pays off and my ride can hold itself together for a couple more years.

The Essentials

Wed, 04 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Fridges

My Choice: ARB 50qt Fridge Freezer. The portable fridges made today are light years beyond what you may find in a dingy RV made 10 or 15 years ago. The biggest improvement is that they consume a small fraction of electricity compared to their predecessors. What I like about ARB’s fridge is that since it’s made by a 4x4 accessories company this fridge can withstand anything thrown at it. Not to mention it has a refined design that makes it simple to use, and enough space to store a week or more worth of food. While I power this most of the time with my solar, I’d recommend buying a 12v cigarette lighter plug to power the fridge on long drives or when your solar is running low. ($850 new / Amazon)

The Alternative: Coleman 40qt Powerchiller. If a fridge and ice cooler had a child, the Powerchiller would be that offspring. It’s got a small-form factor and the convenient ability to use it like a traditional chest cooler or upright like a small refrigerator. The downside to this option is that it only refrigerates it’s contents to 40° below the surrounding temperature. Since you want to keep any meats and dairy below 40° F it would not be advisable to use this to refrigerate if it’s 80° or higher inside your van (this would bring the internal temperature of the Powerchiller above the necessary 40°). Take into account that during the summer, the inside of your van can get twenty to thirty degrees higher than the outside temperature. ($100 new / Amazon)

Fits snugly right in its place. The door in front of it is removable so the fridge can be taken in and out with ease.
This thing has the perfect amount of space for the amount of groceries I buy. However, if you tend to buy more food there are two sizes larger than this ARB fridge I have.

Stoves

My Choice: Origo 2-burner Alcohol Stove. I’m incredibly cautious when it comes to propane and carbon monoxide—as you should be. So when I found out the Coleman propane stove I originally bought would need some alterations to the propane connector and a number of third-party adapters just to fit into it’s place in my kitchen unit, I started looking for other options.

Luckily, I stumbled upon alcohol stoves! Mainly used on boats, an alcohol stove runs off denatured alcohol (which you can buy at almost any hardware store) and is much safer in an enclosed space than propane (not pressurized or silently leaking carbon monoxide). I will occasionally get a tiny bit of irritation in my eyes from the alcohol which is solved by cracking open the window or roof fan. Ventilation is a good idea anyways when cooking. Even though I use the stove almost everyday to cook I’ve probably only spent around $30 on the alcohol fuel in the last six months. Not bad at all. The build quality of the Origo stove is also outstanding. Truely built to last. Much better than any Coleman stove I owned. ($240 new / Amazon UK)

The Alternative: Single Burner Butane Table Top Stove. I don’t know much about these, but have met other people that use them. They’re small and can be stored easily. The small bottles of butane can be pricey and you run the risk of CO fumes. If you decide to go this route please use proper ventilation. ($30 new / Amazon)

Love with this stove. Cranks the heat, is incredibly rugged and painless to clean.

Heater

My Choice: Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater. Options are more limited when it comes to effective heaters. This Mr. Heater uses 1lb propane cylinders and really cranks out the heat. In just a few minutes of being on it’ll heat up the inside of the van to a comfortable temperature. It’s approved for both outdoor and indoor usage, however, I recommend always checking the regulator connection with a little soapy water anytime after the propane cylinder is swapped out. The heater also includes auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels. Good news for safety nuts like me. If I use it for 10 minutes a couple times during the night a single bottle of propane will last 2 to 3 nights. If used less or on a lower setting, it can last much longer. It also has the option to connect to a larger propane tank via hose ($85 new / Amazon)

The Alternative: Mr. Heater Lil’ Buddy. The smaller brother of the above heater. Less heat but still comes with the low-oxygen sensor and auto shut-off for safety. It will heat continuously for around 5 hours. ($60 new / Amazon)

You won’t know how much you really need a heater until you’re sleeping in a van that gets down to below 40 degrees during the winter.

Solar systems

My Choice: Goal Zero Yeti Solar Generator and Boulder Panels. The Goal Zero brand is doing everything right. They’re one of the first companies to bring high-quality solar products to consumers with a focus on outdoor enthusiasts. I use two Boulder 90 solar panels on the roof (for a combined 180w) that charge a Yeti 1250. This 1250w solar genrator powers my fridge, lights, fan, and battery chargers through easy plug-and-play 12v, 120v, power pole and USB inputs. I do find myself having to actively conserve energy in particularly overcast climates (the northwest or anywhere during winter), however, for most places and time of year this isn’t an issue. Goal Zero products range in size (aka power output), so you’ll be able to approximate your power usage and find something that works for you. ($400 to $2500 new / Amazon)

The Alternative: DIY solar system If Goal Zero is a bit out of your budget, you can attempt to build your own DIY solar system. You’ll need a solar panel, a controller, deep cycle battery, inverter and a whole lot of wiring. Some electrical experience is recommended. Don’t want to short your wires and cause a fire. ($250 and up / Amazon)

Fans

My Choice: Fantastic Vent - Model 7350. It’s pointless to consider any other brand for a roof fan. Fan-tastic Vent has been around forever and are used in most RV’s. The particular model I bought has adjustable speed, intake and outtake setting and a rain sensor (which has saved my forgetful butt multiple times). It’s power usage is efficient and the polycarbonate lid blocks some light, but still acts like a nice subdued skylight during the day. Overall no complaints except their incredibly confusing model numbers. Seriously Fantastic Vent, figure it out.

The Alternative: A window Since I use the fan less as a cooling tool and more as ventilation when cooking or just hanging out inside, a window could do the same. An open window is just less effective at pulling smoke out and you lose some privacy.

The most effective way to use this fan is to have a window or door cracked to allow the air inside to circulate. You’ll get a lot more power this way.

Water

My Choice: 5 gallon water jug. The one thing I decided not to go all out on was my water situation. I felt like a sink with two potable water tanks and a water pump would take up too much space in my kitchen unit and countertop. For hand-washing I decided to just use hand sanitizer and for dish washing I use natural and toxin free disinfecting wipes. For drinking water I found the perfect sized 5 gallon jug. Try to find one with a handle that isn’t flush with the spout so the handle doesn’t get in the way when closing the cabinet doors. ($40 new / Amazon)

The Alternative: Full sink and water pump. To build a sink you’ll need the sink/faucet unit which will be inset into the counter. Second you’ll need two water tanks—one for fresh water and one for used grey water. Finally you’ll need a water pump and some hose. Connect it all up and you should have a working sink. (Approx. $250 new / Amazon)

Simple to use and easy to fill up. Holds plenty of water for drinking and cooking.

Sleeping and Safety

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Stealth van life

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to embrace the “stealth” van life. This is the practice of making it appear as if you don’t live in your van and your vehicle is just like any other vehicle on the road. This will give you the flexibility of staying out in nature when you want, but more importantly living in urban areas with ease and without hassle.

The best way to blend into your surroundings is by making your van look as unmemorable as possible on the outside. Since plain white cargo vans are so common as commercial work vehicles, if you live in one, you immediately gain some urban camoflage. For those living in camper style vans like a Vanagon or older VW, avoid lots of stickers or crazy paint jobs. These will make your van stand out and make it easier for local residents or authorities to notice you and your parking habits. Also, black out your windows with black out curtains or opaque window tint.

Goes to show how similar a cargo campervan looks to all the other work trucks next to it. Super stealth mode.

Sleeping in the van overnight

This used to be something I worried a lot about leading up to my move into the van. And to be honest, after about a week of traveling all my worries disappeared. If you have a stealthy van, and you use common sense, you’ll be able to find free, legal parking overnight quite easily.

The key to this is to never park in the same spot two days in a row. If you’re in an area for an extended amount of time, find several legal overnight parking spots and rotate between them every night. It’s also recommended to have a selection of “night” spots that are used only for sleeping and several “day” spots that you leave your van at during the day. Don’t stay up late watching a movie or cooking in your night spot. Don’t go outside your van to brush your teeth in your night spot. The night spot is for one thing and one thing only: sleeping.

When it comes to the actual act of sleeping, it’ll take time to adjust to the noise. Being parked and sleeping in the city, brings you a lot closer to the urban noises of the concrete jungle. Eventually you’ll learn to tune it all out. For the very light sleepers, there’s always earplugs.

Wonderful views to wake up to in Northern California.

Where to park overnight

Out in nature: There are many amazing pieces of public land you can legally park and camp out on for days—sometimes even weeks at a time. Many of these spots are free to the public. Almost all BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and USFS (United States Forest Service) allows boondocking (which is the act of remotely camping outside developed campgrounds). The best way to find top-notch boondocking sites is to do your homework ahead of time. Search on forums or “boondocking websites”, ask a ranger at a nearby BLM or USFS office, or just pull out your gps/map. I’ve also found that since vans are relatively small and discreet compared to an RV, you can park overnight in parking lots and at trailheads in National Parks. Try to find places where other cars are left overnight from people staying at nearby hotels or people tent camping overnight within the park.

In the city: Similar advice for urban camping. The best place to park overnight in the city is anywhere where cars are normally left overnight or where it’s not uncommon for people to arrive and leave throughout the night. Places like hotel parking lots, 24 hour grocery stores, rest stops, and yes, even Walmart. However, in most cities it’s totally fine (and advised) to park on the street where most local residents park their cars. As long as you obey local parking signs and laws, you won’t have a problem.

One of the best free camp spots on the West coast. Hidden away in the mountains in Big Sur. Did I mention it was free?
The van easily blends into the normal everyday cars parked on a city street. Even more effective if you can find a street with another cargo van parked on it.

Where to avoid parking overnight

After a while, you’ll begin to develop a sixth sense of what is a decent place to park overnight and what places to avoid. Almost every city has a “good” part of town where crime is relatively low and a “bad” part of town where there is a higher chance of a break-in. Use common sense. Avoid parking on dark, secluded streets or parking lots without many or any cars parked by you. I also try to avoid parking directly in front of a person’s house since most people are pretty aware of the “usual” cars in front of their abode. It raises suspicion and increases the risk of getting uninvited visitors.

If the store isn't open 24 hours (or isn't a Walmart) you pull the risk of getting a visit from the tow man during the middle of the night. Some of these stores don't play around.
Empty parking lot near a park is not advised. Most public parks in the city have a closing time and are routinely checked on by police throughout the night.

The infamous knock

If you follow the above advice you won’t have to experience police or security knocking on your door in the middle of the night. However, some people regardless of how careful they are have gotten a knock on their door from cops or private security. What to do next is a somewhat controversial and divided subject. Some believe if you have been discreet, are positive you are parked legally and the person knocking on your door is unsure if someone is inside, it’s best to stay quiet, ignore the knocking and move your van once they leave.

However, if you’re unsure about being legally parked or police have noticed you living in your vehicle (by you not following the advice above), it’s best to turn on your lights and talk with them. And yes you do have inherent rights on US soil to what questions you need to answer and what police can search, but overall I’ve found it’s better and less aggressive to be honest, open and cooperative with them.

I’d tell them I’m traveling and just passing through the area. Most of the time they’ll tell you you can’t park in your current spot for any number of reasons (a sign you didn’t see or it being private property, etc) and they’ll ask you to move. To this I would then ask them where might be a good place to park—and then I’d move my van there. End of interaction. I have heard on rare, rare occasions of someone being fined and ticketed for improper parking or living in your van (if it’s illegal in the area), but these are extremely rare and something I’ve never experienced personally. Be safe, be nice, and know your rights.

A visit from the cops at night is definitely an experience you want to avoid.

Van security

Most van dweller’s worst nightmares are about someone breaking into their van. Not only would they be breaking into a vehicle, but they would be breaking into a home. An incredibly invasive experience I’m sure. To prevent this, it’s incredibly important to lock your van if you step out—even for just a minute. You can get much more involved with your vehicle’s security if that’s something you feel is important or desired. Things like advanced alarm systems, door deadbolts, caged dividers, padlocked door locks or even GPS systems. For those with especially precious materials with them (laptops, passports, hard drives, camera gear), I’ve heard of folks securing a safe to their van’s floor. Just a thought.

For those leaving their van for an extended amounts of time (i.e. international travel) find a place that allows long-term parking that has some sort of night security, cameras, gate, etc. You may have to pay for this. This will ensure your home on wheels is safe and secure while you’re gone.

Locking your doors whenever you leave the van is an easy habit to practice. Just make sure not to lock your keys in your car. That’s happened a couple times to me.

Personal security

To protect themselves from a would-be burglar, some van dwellers feel the need to have some sort of “personal security” item with them in their van. Something like a bat, a taser or mace. I don’t carry any of those things with me because I feel like I’m smart enough about where and how I park to avoid an interaction with someone looking to steal things. However, in the extremely rare case that you hear someone starting to tinker with your doors or windows (the sounds of a would-be burglar), the best thing to do is to let it be known that someone is in the vehicle. Yell, bang on the walls or remotely start your car alarm.

99% of folks breaking into cars just want to break in, steal something, and get out quickly without anybody noticing them. If they know someone is in the vehicle, it’ll scare them and most likely get them to run off. I would then recommend moving your vehicle immediately after.

Like I said, to get a knock on your door from police is rare. To get someone to break into your vehicle (especially when you’re inside) is nearly impossible if you use your common sense.

This is my personal security. A thug of a bodyguard named Frank. Don’t mess with him. He’s a real prick.

The inevitable van breakdown

Your van is going to break down. It’s going to happen. Most likely it’ll be something small like a flat tire or dead battery. Hopefully, it’s nothing major (anything engine or transmission related). Regardless, it’s advisable to have a basic set of tools with you to do on-the-road repairs. A jack, jack stand and tire iron for the flat tire. A set of ratchets and wrenches for other small repairs.

If you do have a major breakdown happen to your van—something that is beyond your skill set or tool set—make sure to have a AAA membership. Call them up and they’ll get a tow out to you quickly and without trouble. It’s saved my butt on a number of occasions.

Fingers crossed you don’t have to deal with any breakdowns on the road. If you do though, make sure to stay patient and calm. Makes it much easier to sort things out.

Health and Hygiene

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Keeping up appearances

There’s a certain stigma and prejudice most people have about those who live a mobile lifestyle (aka “the dirty hippie”). The best way to combat this is to maintain the level of hygiene that most normal citizens practice. Besides showering and brushing your teeth, this means getting consistent haircuts, shaving regularly, and wearing clean clothes. You’ll have a much easier time living around people if they’re not suspicious of your atypical appearance. It’s common sense.

General van tidiness

The easiest way to keep yourself healthy and sane living in a van is to keep the inside of your vehicle clean and uncluttered. Keeping your living confined to such a small space means that all the mess, all the germs, all the dirt that typically accumulates within an entire apartment or house is now in the 6’ x 10’ box you call home. To combat this I make it a top priority to keep my home clean and tidy.

Everyday, usually after cooking, I’ll habitually wipe down my countertop and lightly sweep my floor with a hand broom. Once a week, I’ll have a “chore day”. This is the day I wash my clothes and sheets at the laundromat, buy my groceries and clean most of the surfaces with disinfecting spray—including the inside of my fridge. And finally, once every month or two I’ll empty everything from my van and deeply clean all the cracks and corners of my storage area and kitchen cabinets. This is also the time that I decide if there’s anything I can do without and get rid of.

You’d be surprised how much random dirt and junk can collect on a small floor area. A daily one minute brush job can make a big difference.

Showering

One of the most common questions about living in a van is “Where do you shower?” My answer is not as exciting as it could be. 90% of the time I shower at the gym. If you’re in an area for an extended amount of time, you could get a gym membership at one of the many chain gyms around the US. In smaller communities with less people, there are usually only one or two locally owned and operated gyms. Taking a shower here means biting the bullet and paying for a day pass that are typically $5-$10/day.

Getting further from established cities and closer to popular nature destinations, you may find yourself washing off at a campground shower facility. I’ve also heard good things about the various solar showers on the market. However, when you’re far from any remnant of human society, do what our ancestors did and find a river or a lake and wash off there. The last resort (and least environmentally conscious) option for those living in a van is the use of baby wipes. Lots and lots of baby wipes. I haven’t had to stoop to that level quite yet.

Finally, if you go through a town where you have a friend (or a friend of a friend) be shameless in asking them to take a shower at their place. Could be the difference between you smelling like a normal upstanding citizen and one of those orcs from Middle Earth.

These are the showers you'll have to get used to using. Not exactly spa quality, but it does the job.
Don't forget your flip flops.

Number one and number two

I’m surprised by the amount of times this gets asked. The answer is obvious. For both peeing and pooping, you’ll be taking advantage of the endless supply of public bathrooms. Make it a habit to go #2 at one of these public restrooms before retiring to the van for the night. Otherwise, you may be making an emergency trip to some 24 hour joint in the middle of the night to use their restroom.

However, we have all woken up in the middle of the night having to go pee. You wouldn’t want to drive all the way to a place just to use their bathroom to go pee. So what do you do then? Answer: The pee bottle. It’s the dirty little secret of any van dweller. For me, I use an opaque laundry detergent bottle. It’s discreet, has a wide mouth for minimum mess, a handle for holding, and liquid-tight lid. Every once in a while I’ll pour some bleach into it and swish it around to get rid of the unwanted odors and germs. Keep it clean people.

You know what this is… Hint: it’s not actually laundry detergent.

Brushing your teeth

Since I almost always have my backpack or jacket with me when I’m away from the van, I’ll usually have a toothbrush and toothpaste on me wherever I go. Again, I’ll take advantage of public restrooms in the morning and evening to brush my teeth. Try to find a single person restroom that has a locking door, so you can brush your teeth in peace without any strange looks from other bathroom patrons.

If you don’t have access to a public restroom, just use a cup of water to wash you mouth out and toothbrush off.

Early morning teeth brushing with the obligatory crazy bed head.

Mental health

Living in a van can get claustrophobic and lonely at times which can lead to depression and other mental health problems. Make an active effort to spend as little time during the day inside the van. Instead, go outside, work on something meaningful, explore new places, talk to new people and meet up with friends. This will ensure your mind stays happy and healthy.

one of the number of hikes I find myself on. Helps clear the mind and stay focused.

Working and Living

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Making money on the road

Eventually you’re going to need an income on the road. The way you go about doing this is going to differ from person to person based on the specific skill sets of the individual. There are those whose profession of choice allows them to work from anywhere because of computers and the internet. A digital nomad of sorts. For me this is doing freelance film and photography work. Similar pursuits include graphic design, web development, virtual office assistance or computer programming.

I also know of carpenters, tailors, music teachers, mechanics and barbers who continuously travel to new places and will offer up their services to local shops for short-term work. A day. A week. Maybe even a month.

And finally there are those without specialized skills who can find work that doesn’t require a robust portfolio or resume. These are often seasonal and short-term. This could include picking fruit on a farm, event staffing at music festivals or general odd jobs son Craigslist. There’s something out there for you.

On set, directing a shoot in Boston.
The ability to write and edit videos out in the wild is a luxury most don't have.

Wifi, wifi, wifi

Many people embrace the mobile lifestyle to reduce their dependency on technology and the internet. However, there are times where you’ll want or need to use your computer and the web. In many cases, answering email, doing online research and uploading work to our portfolios is a necessity to successfully living and working on the road. And of course, sometimes you just have to chill on Netflix or browse Reddit. No problem with that either.

So how does one access the internet on the road? Well, even in the smallest of towns I’ve found places offering free internet. If you’re willing to pay a little for a hot drink or a meal, find a coffee shop or diner that’s okay with you pulling out your computer for a while. If you want to save your money you can always take advantage of busy hotel lobbies or public libraries. Even some state and national parks are starting to offer free wifi in certain areas. If you don’t have any luck with that, your last option is to drive around with your phone to search for the one unprotected wifi network in the area. Best of luck.

There is a library in almost every city in the US. Some are large and beautiful. Others are small and cozy. All have free, relatively fast wifi.

Home address

Occasionally, you’ll need to list a home address on documents. This could be work related, tax related or any number of other things. The easiest thing to do in this case is to find someone you trust who’d be willing to let you put their address as your own. For me, this is my parents. However, you could ask a close friend, sibling or other family member. Most of the time (if you’re not doing anything illegal) they’ll be cool with it.

Keep in mind that the reason you list your address on certain things is because you’ll be receiving mail at some point. If you’re close enough you’ll be able to occasionally come pick it up. For long-distance travellers, you’ll need to coordinate the secondary sending of your mail to a PO box or another friend closer by.

A wonderful care package from my parents with all my equally wonderful tax paperwork.

Finances and living expenses

Unlike most people with full-time jobs, steady income and routine bills, a van dweller’s income and spending can be unpredictable. This is why you need to try and make it as predictable as possible so you know how much money you’re spending and where you’re spending it. Using the envelope method or a budgeting app like Mint for things like gas and food will determine how far you’ll travel and how much you’ll be cooking in your van during a given month. And without any sort of rent or mortgage, you’ll be able to use this saving opportunity to your advantage. Pay off long standing bills. Save more. Use your money on new experiences.

Here’s my personal financial case study. While living in Cambridge, MA (across the river from Boston) I was spending approximately $1500 a month. It breakdowns like so: $900 on rent and utilities, $300 on groceries, $200 on eating out and bars, $100 on entertainment, and $50 on transportation (subway and Uber). While living in a van, I approximately spend $710 a month (less than half of what I was spending in Boston). This breaks down like so: $240 on gas, $70 on car insurance, $250 on food, $100 on eating out and bars, and $50 on entertainment. If it’s really a tight month, I can drive less, cut eating out, and find only free things to entertain myself. This could potentially bring my total costs per month down to around $250-$300. That’s cheap living right there.

Introduction

Fri, 09 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

1 First things first

Contrary to what is implied with the name of this site, the information provided here is less of a strict paint-by-number manual, and more of a general guide that you can stick to or deviate from as much as you want.

Depending on your budget, vehicle, or just general requirements your experience may differ considerably from what is outlined in the information on this site. However, there are many tried and true practices most van conversions follow and my hope is you’ll be able to use my journey as a resource throughout the process.

Before: A used 2003 Chevy Express formerly owned by an electrician in Vermont. After: A finished campervan fit for a relatively short-statured king.

2 Do I need carpentry experience?

No! Carpentry experience is not required. Luckily the conversion process is conducive to learning general carpentry skills in an incremental fashion. Every step builds off of what you did previously.

You’re going to make mistakes and get frustrated along the way. It’s going to take a significant amount of time. This is normal. By the end of it all, you’ll have developed a whole new set of skills that will empower you to build and create for a lifetime to come.

Pretending like I know what I’m doing.

Dad Knows Best

Try to find someone with carpentry/general handyman skills to provide advice, instruction and the occasional helping hand. And since it is the 21st century, you can always learn a lot by watching instructional videos on Youtube.

3 Time spent on conversion

I bought my van in August of 2014. I didn’t have a finished campervan until June the following year. Admittedly, a full-time job at the beginning and several intensive freelance projects afterwards meant the work on the van was an on and off again procedure. If I had worked on the van consistently everyday with few distractions, I’d estimate the amount of time it would take to go from empty van to finished camper would be about two to three months.

So how can you speed up the process? Here’s a few ideas:

Convert your van during the summer. Longer days, more sun and warmer weather will dramatically increase your productivity.
Rope an extra person (or two!) into helping you. My dad helped me quite a lot on this project. However, we estimated I did approximately 70% of the work by myself and 30% with the two of us. Needless to say, two definitely get more done than just one.
Be less picky. I’m known to be a stickler for the details—which can be a good thing—except when everything takes three times as long because you can’t decide on the perfect shade of brown for the wood stain.

While converting a van you’ll often get asked by friends and family when the van will be complete. Comparing your answers over time gives a true sense of expectations versus reality.

4 Money spent on conversion

The empty cargo van was bought for $4k. New tires and the several repairs needed (that we mostly did ourselves) cost around $3k. The cost of materials and tools to convert the van ballooned to around $5k. This made the total cost of the van conversion around $12k. If I add in the cost of the things I bartered for (fridge and solar) the total would jump to almost $15k. That’s a lot of money! And definitely more money than I planned on spending. However, since I saw this project as more of a personal design exercise and fantastic learning opportunity, I felt like I could justify the cost.

There are people who’ve—out of necessity—converted their vans for only a few hundred dollars. It’s possible. For every material and tool I used there are cheaper alternatives that will shave off major money from the total cost. Alter an Ikea shelving unit instead of building custom cabinets. Use strand board instead of birch plywood. Don’t paint. Simplify your needs and requirements. These are all things that can reduce cost.

5 Designing the van’s layout

There’s a reason most van conversions differ significantly from one another. Each person and each van has a unique set of requirements. While I—being a shorter individual—can manage sleeping perpendicular to the walls of the van, taller folks will need a longer bed and thus a different van layout. I planned on cooking most meals, so I valued a decent amount of space for a stove, refrigerator and pantry. Others who plan on eating out or eating simpler could use that kitchen space for something else entirely.

There is one quality that is true of every successful van conversion: space is used efficiently. There’s not a wasted inch and almost every part of the van should have multiple uses. In my case, my bed also functions as a couch and my main place of storage. My kitchen doubles as a desk and a dining area. Finding ways to combine functions in a multi-purpose way is the key to squeezing the most out of a small space.

The multiple iterations of what the kitchen unit could be. The finished layout is not much different from these initial sketches.
A bird's eye view of the entire van's layout. The small space limits the possibilities significantly. These limitations can be a good thing.

6 Designing the van’s look and feel

I’ve done design work off and on for the better part of 5 years. This meant I quite enjoyed the challenge of creating a campervan that was unique and incorporated my aesthetic preferences in a meaningful way. Using Photoshop I combined minimalist Scandinavian design principles with a tiny hint of industrial style to mockup a look that ended up being surprisingly close to what the final product looked like.

Whether your style leans more rustic, more “hippie” or something else entirely, try to imagine what you want your van to look and feel like when it’s all said and done. Those broad choices will most likely impact the materials you use and the way you use them.

An initial mockup of the interior made in Photoshop during a wintry December night.

Preparation

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

1 Remove pre-existing fixtures from the van

The first decade of my van’s existence it was used by an electrician up in Vermont. This meant it had all the staples of a work cargo van: metal tool shelves, a front cage and a very dirty floor mats. To get a true blank slate, it’s important to strip the van of all of these fixtures.

First, remove the shelving and front cage. You won’t need them anymore. Make a buck by selling them on Craigslist. Remove your front seats, runners and floor mats. Set them aside where they won’t get ruined or stolen.

Sold these guys on Craigslist for $150. Not bad.

2 Do a quick preliminary cleaning

If your van is more than a year old, it most likely has a layer of dirt, grime and dust build up on the floor. Use a shopvac and small hand broom to clean it. You may need to use a small scraper to loosen any areas of large dirt buildup that has accumulated.

While the amount of dirt found under the mat of a decade old van isn’t surprising, the level of disgust is still high.

3 Grind all surface rust off

Using an angle grinder and wire brush attachment, grind off all surface rust from inside your van. Look for subtle, uneven surfaces on the metal to find rust that is concealed by your van’s paint job. For tight areas and corners, you will have to use a small wire brush to scrape the rust off.

All the dark spots on the floor are areas where surface rust was present and had to be ground off.

4 Clean entire van thoroughly

Before you paint, make sure every surface is spotless. Sweep and vacuum the dust. Then take soap and water to scrub everything clean. My shoes can get pretty dirty so I took the precaution of wearing disposable booties during cleaning and painting.

While this door step and the driving area of the van was cleaned and painted after most of the conversion was done, it would have been easier to do at the very beginning with the rest of the van.
The door step after a good scrub and clean is already a huge improvement.

7 Spray anti-rust paint on any exposed metal

First, tape anything you don’t want painted white using painter’s tape. This includes weather stripping, latches and door panels.

There’s multiple brands of rust-conversion paint. Some comes in a spray can. The really heavy duty stuff comes in a two part mixture you brush on. Use the one of your choosing to paint over any exposed metal that you grinded.

While it’s debatable whether this step is really necessary, it seems like a reasonable precaution to take. Rust is no joke.

8 Spray paint final coat of white paint

Purchase several cans of glossy white spray paint. Be sure it is made to paint metal. Spray evenly over the floor, walls and ceiling. After completing, you should have a cargo van that looks like it came straight off the dealership lot.

While the appearance of this paint job is irrelevant (it’s all going to be covered up later), it’s still good to practice good spray painting technique. Nice even strokes from the right distance.

9 Reinstall front floor mat and front seats

Clean both the front floor mat and seats before placing back in your van. Leave the floor mat for the cargo area outside as you’ll be using this to make a floor template in the next chapter.

For certain parts of the van that are missing or otherwise damaged, check your local junkyard for a replacement. My driver’s side seat had a big tear and was inexpensively replaced with another seat found at the junkyard.

Insulation

Wed, 07 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

1 Cut reflectix to fit wall

Precut the reflectix insulation to roughly the same size as the section of wall you’re covering. Then after applying duct tape to temporarily hold it up to the wall, run a sharpie along the edges and curves to get an accurate pattern of where to cut off the excess.

Shoving the reflectix into the crack of the wheel well.

2 Glue reflectix to wall

Use heavy duty spray adhesive to permanently attach the reflectix to the wall. Spray on backside of reflectix. Spray on wall. Wait 5 minutes. Line up reflectix to wall and firmly press.

The spray adhesive is extremely sticky, so try to line it up to exactly the right place before you apply. It’s difficult to move around afterwards.
A wall full of reflectix is a beautiful site to see. Like the inside of a spaceship of sorts.

3 Cut and glue reflectix to ceiling

No special templates for this. For my van, the roof width was exactly the same width as the large roll of reflectix. Just had to measure length and cut.

You can use the spray adhesive to attach reflectix to the ceiling, but I just used Tyvek tape around the edges. Holds up fine.

Since heat rises, the reflectix on your ceiling does the important job of keeping the heat inside your van during the cold winter months.

4 Cut rigid foam paneling to cover upper panels and ceiling

Measure and cut the rigid foam to fit into the ceiling and the pop-out windows (if you have them). These should go over the reflectix. If you cut the foam ever so slightly larger than it needs to be, you can squeeze the paneling into it’s spot and it’ll stay without any assistance. Probably still good to tape the edges with Tyvek for added precaution.

The interior of these pop-out windows were completely asymmetrical. Incremental measurements were made to make a perfectly fitting template for a perfectly fitting rigid insulation.

5 Spray foam in every remaining crack, crevice and gap

Couple tips for foaming. Do not use the “Big Gap Filler” unless you want foam bellowing out of the gaps 12 hours later. It just expands too much relative to what you spray. Makes it difficult to control. Instead, use the step down: “Gap and Crack Filler”.

Also, avoid foaming during cold weather (or at least use a heater for the entirety of foaming). If it’s too cold the foam won’t setup properly and then 2 months later, when it gets warmer, you’ll find foam oozing out of your woodwork.

Lastly, if you have REALLY big open gaps to fill, foam about a third or half of the depth and let it it dry. Once it dries, foam the rest. If you don’t do this, the weight of the foam will just push out onto your floor and cause a huge mess and major headache.

After it’s fully setup and dry, trim excess foam.

The spray insulation is extremely messy to work with. Be careful and patient to reduce the amount of clean up after the fact.
If you can buy the spray foam in bulk, do it. You're going to use a lot of it.

6 Make paper template for floor to cut reflectix and rigid paneling

Using the paper scrap method, make a template of your floor with a roll of rose paper. Try to be as detailed and accurate as you can.

Additionally, if you take really good care of this template (making sure not to wrinkle, tear or otherwise damage it), you’ll be able to use this template for the insulation AND subflooring. Two birds with one stone.

The first time I realized the amount of space I'd be calling home in the near future.
Still enough room to beat up on a little brother though.

7 Attach reflectix and rigid paneling to floor

Since the individual pieces of reflectix and rigid foam material will likely be smaller than you’re full template, you’ll have to design a mosaic layout. Try to lay it out efficiently so you’re creating the least amount of excess material.

Trace the template onto your mosaic of material and cut. Move the material inside the van and use tyvek tape to tape the seams of the mosaic layout. Tape the edges of the insulation to the van so it doesn’t move.

Some minor adjustments to the rigid insulation may be necessary to get the right fit. Usually these can be done by eye.

8 Cut, stuff and attach fiberglass insulation to walls

Last bit of insulation to complete is the fiberglass insulation for the bottom-half of your walls (or your full wall if your van doesn’t have windows). Cut the fiberglass insulation to roughly the same size as the space you are covering. Then trim to fit curves and odd shapes.

Put the fiberglass insulation into thick garbage bags and Tyvek tape any openings or tears to form a moisture-proof barrier. Some modification of the garbage bags will be necessary. Be careful not to puncture unwanted holes in the garbage bags.

Lastly, use Tyvek tape to attach the insulated garbage bags to the walls in their appropriate places.

Not exactly pretty, but it does the job. Remember to use gloves and wear long sleeves when handling itchy fiberglass insulation.

Flooring

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

1 Use floor template to cut plywood subfloor

If you still have a flawless floor template from insulating you can use it for this step. Otherwise, make a new one. The raw sheets of plywood will be smaller than the floor of your van. You’ll have to create another mosaic layout with the plywood. Try to differ the seams of the wood subflooring to that of your rigid panel insulation.

Triple check the accuracy of your template before cutting expensive birch plywood.
Scraps of cardboard were used to make this template. It was a pit of a pain to move out of the van without screwing up the proportions.
Some minor adjustments may be necessary after a rough fitting.

2 Attach subfloor with screws

Once your subfloor is in place inside the van you’ll need to secure it to the metal cargo van floor through the layers of insulation below. I used a chalk line to mark where the cargo van’s floor grooves are and then only drilled where the grooves were raised. Make sure to use anti-rust screws and countersink them into the wood.

I was still able to see the grooves of the van's floor at the very back and very front of the van. Then it was just a matter of connecting the dots.
I broke about three drill bits making the pilot holes for these screws. Be prepared for a last-minute run to the hardware store.

3 Fill and sand screw holes. Caulk seams.

Self explanatory. Fill with wood filler. Use only medium to fine sandpaper grit so you don’t sand too much off your wood subfloor.

Using caulk, fill the seams present in the mosaic layout of your subfloor. Make sure the caulk is level with the wood.

You may have to fill a hole with filler a second time after the initial sanding.

4 PAUSE. Finish walls and ceiling before laying down floor vinyl

Waiting to install your vinyl floor will prevent it from being scratched or damaged while building the walls and ceiling. Putting up your walls beforehand will also shrink the flooring that you need to cover with vinyl. This means you’ll be able to use six foot wide single sheet vinyl instead of the full 12 ft wide variety.

The Vanual | Complete Guide to Living the Van Life

Is it for you?

Different experiences for different people

You learn many things very quickly when living a van. Like don’t take selfies while driving.

The negatives of vanlife

A certain level of skepticism and caution is required when living in a van.

The positives of vanlife

One of the many amazing views you can wake up to that wouldn’t be possible in a normal apartment.

Choosing a Van

Anything Volkswagen

Friend and fellow vanlifer showing off his Westy in front of an epic vista. Photo by William Woodward.

A beauty of a bus. The appearance of these vans is simply iconic. Photo by William Woodward.

Conversion Vans

The go-to ride for a road-tripping family of five.

Cargo Vans

After all my research, the robust flexibility of a cargo van made it an easy choice for me.

Everything else

Found this guy tucked away on a farm in California. Apparently the truck doesn’t run and is used a permanent guest home.

The ideal van

I bought my van with over 200k miles on it. A number of miles that some cars won’t ever see. Let’s hope the risk pays off and my ride can hold itself together for a couple more years.

The Essentials

Fridges

Fits snugly right in its place. The door in front of it is removable so the fridge can be taken in and out with ease.

This thing has the perfect amount of space for the amount of groceries I buy. However, if you tend to buy more food there are two sizes larger than this ARB fridge I have.

Stoves

Love with this stove. Cranks the heat, is incredibly rugged and painless to clean.

Heater

You won’t know how much you really need a heater until you’re sleeping in a van that gets down to below 40 degrees during the winter.

Solar systems

To learn a little more about my solar setup I recommend watching this video by the good folks at Huckberry. Their setup and Goal Zero gear is nearly identical to what I have in my van.

Fans

The most effective way to use this fan is to have a window or door cracked to allow the air inside to circulate. You’ll get a lot more power this way.

Water

Simple to use and easy to fill up. Holds plenty of water for drinking and cooking.

Sleeping and Safety

Stealth van life

Goes to show how similar a cargo campervan looks to all the other work trucks next to it. Super stealth mode.

Sleeping in the van overnight

Wonderful views to wake up to in Northern California.

Where to park overnight

One of the best free camp spots on the West coast. Hidden away in the mountains in Big Sur. Did I mention it was free?

The van easily blends into the normal everyday cars parked on a city street. Even more effective if you can find a street with another cargo van parked on it.

Where to avoid parking overnight

If the store isn't open 24 hours (or isn't a Walmart) you pull the risk of getting a visit from the tow man during the middle of the night. Some of these stores don't play around.

Empty parking lot near a park is not advised. Most public parks in the city have a closing time and are routinely checked on by police throughout the night.

The infamous knock

A visit from the cops at night is definitely an experience you want to avoid.

Van security

Locking your doors whenever you leave the van is an easy habit to practice. Just make sure not to lock your keys in your car. That’s happened a couple times to me.

Personal security

This is my personal security. A thug of a bodyguard named Frank. Don’t mess with him. He’s a real prick.

The inevitable van breakdown

Fingers crossed you don’t have to deal with any breakdowns on the road. If you do though, make sure to stay patient and calm. Makes it much easier to sort things out.

Health and Hygiene

Keeping up appearances

General van tidiness

You’d be surprised how much random dirt and junk can collect on a small floor area. A daily one minute brush job can make a big difference.

Showering

These are the showers you'll have to get used to using. Not exactly spa quality, but it does the job.

Don't forget your flip flops.

Number one and number two

You know what this is… Hint: it’s not actually laundry detergent.

Brushing your teeth

Early morning teeth brushing with the obligatory crazy bed head.

Mental health

one of the number of hikes I find myself on. Helps clear the mind and stay focused.

Working and Living

Making money on the road

On set, directing a shoot in Boston.

The ability to write and edit videos out in the wild is a luxury most don't have.

Wifi, wifi, wifi

There is a library in almost every city in the US. Some are large and beautiful. Others are small and cozy. All have free, relatively fast wifi.

Home address

A wonderful care package from my parents with all my equally wonderful tax paperwork.

Finances and living expenses

Introduction

1 First things first

Before: A used 2003 Chevy Express formerly owned by an electrician in Vermont. After: A finished campervan fit for a relatively short-statured king.

2 Do I need carpentry experience?

Pretending like I know what I’m doing.