Contemplating residing in a van full time and even for an extended journey? Fearful concerning the professionals and cons, and questioning what it’s REALLY like? I stop my job to journey Europe in a motorhome a number of years in the past. On this put up, I’ll share among the most stunning issues about vanlife, together with issues with residing in a van and issues I didn’t anticipate.
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Residing in a Van full time- the reality
Have you ever ever wished to promote the home, do away with your ‘stuff’, inform your boss you stop your job, pack some necessities and head off over the horizon in your van?
What’s stopped you?
Widespread sense?
I imply,come on, it’s not like common individuals truly DO that.
Er… Hello. I’m Kat. Years in the past I stop my (very well-paid and safe) job as an air-traffic controller, so as to tour round Europe in a motorhome long-term with my then husband.
This wasn’t a ‘hole 12 months’. We didn’t say ‘let’s see the way it goes for a couple of months.’ We received a van, saved like loopy individuals till we hit our objective, offered most of our possessions, and headed off over the horizon.
That was in early 2018, and we positive have had some adventures. There have been highs and lows, like our van catching hearth and a world pandemic, however I nonetheless say quitting my job and residing in a van has modified my life for the higher.
I do know residing in a van full time and even for a very long time is just not for everybody. But when, deep down, it appears like one thing you’d LOVE to strive, listed below are 9 issues I want I’d identified to expect- that will help you be extra ready than I used to be!
How you reside in a van is NOT how you reside in a home
We lived on boats for 15+ years and had a home for a short while too and on each of these, we have been used to having a little bit of house to do totally different actions and spend a bit time aside.
My ex-husband had his workplace, and his storage/ ‘man shed’ for tinkering with the motorbikes.
I had a eating room (which was largely a craft room), our bed room and I used the spare room as a house health club/ dumping floor (oh, the luxurious!)
However when residing in a van full time, you don’t have all these additional areas. Relying on the format of the van you purchase (get recommendation on how to decide on and purchase the suitable van for YOU right here), one house must do EVERYTHING. For all of you. On the similar time.
We learnt (in a short time) that the 2 of us struggled engaged on the street collectively, particularly sharing the identical house.
It drove me NUTS having to hearken to him on the cellphone for hours, and I’m positive he felt the identical listening to me attempting to movie a YouTube video (and repeating one half again and again and OVER once more).
(Speaking of Youtube, I’m SO CLOSE to hitting our subscriber objective. Should you aren’t already, you may subscribe proper right here at no cost. I actually do admire your assist.)
Over time, we discovered to adapt how we lived and labored collectively from the street. I took the canine for lengthy (lengthy!) walks while he received some work achieved, and he promised to not utterly rewire the van or begin messing with the web while I used to be attempting to work on this motorhome weblog, movie a youtube video (or watch the F1!)
The purpose is to compromise. We have been so used to doing issues independently, in separate rooms, with out even actually fascinated about it, that it took time to discover a rhythm which labored for us as a van life couple after we solely had one house.
You’ll overpack for vanlife. Massively
I promise, you do NOT want as a lot stuff while you’re residing in a van as you suppose you do.
But all of us overpack after we first begin vanlife. For instance, after we began residing in a motorhome, we packed 4 heat, snuggly blankets with us. FOUR.
And yes- these was only for the two of us!
We additionally packed a juicer, blender, hand whisk and cake tins. None of which we used.
I’m not saying YOU shouldn’t pack this stuff. Should you juice on daily basis or bake muffins frequently, then they need to completely be on the checklist (and might you please come and journey with me?!) however we didn’t use them.
So we shouldn’t be carrying them. Downsizing is tough, nevertheless it’s necessary to not go over your payload and residing with litter has its personal challenges. Be ruthless!
TOP TIP: It may assist to place some issues into storage if you happen to’re going to be residing in a van full time, after which see if you happen to want something. However, actually, my guess is you most likely received’t!
Full time vanlife won’t make you more healthy
I actually thought that when I lived in a van full time, I’d stand up earlier, meditate each morning, go for a run every day, eat fruit and carrot sticks for breakfast and inside per week I’d be a stick skinny mannequin.
Oh, and I’d lastly have the time to study to surf and be a scorching surfer chick with blonde hair.
Shockingly sufficient, it didn’t occur.
I do truly get up early most days, however that’s as a result of I journey with a canine and strolling within the morning is certainly one of my favorite issues.
However I journey in Europe and have spent quite a lot of time motorhoming in France. The place they’ve croissants on each nook. And freshly baked crusty baguettes. And scrumptious muffins. So no, funnily sufficient, I by no means misplaced 2 stone.
And I’ve tried browsing. A number of instances. I’m RUBBISH at it. Extra beached whale than seaside babe sadly. I’m additionally not blonde…
Simply bear in mind, residing in a van received’t change who YOU are (this is applicable to the individuals you journey with too!) You’ll nonetheless be the identical particular person, with the identical likes, dislikes and habits.
You’ll attempt to pack an excessive amount of in
To start with of van life, I learnt in a short time that the way you journey whereas on vacation is just not how you must journey while you’re residing in a van full time.
I had the tendency to plan in an excessive amount of driving – and never sufficient sightseeing or exploring time. Inside a couple of weeks, I used to be exhausted from travelling virtually on daily basis and at risk of burning out.
Now, I attempt to plan one or possibly two driving days after which one or two exploring days the place I keep put or at the least keep within the native space. So residing on the street is a balancing act.
I’ve additionally learnt that issues run smoother if I plan particular working days and enjoyable days. And it’s important to plan some downtime, the place you may learn a e book, do upkeep jobs on the van (get your FREE motorhome upkeep guidelines right here) or simply sunbathe on a seaside.
Additionally, do not forget that it’s OK to not transfer wherever for per week. Or two. Or three. Journey slowly, at your personal tempo. Nobody is maintaining rating. Listed below are some suggestions for planning street journeys if you happen to want them.
Chores should nonetheless be achieved (they usually take longer!)
I’m sorry to say, residing in a van doesn’t take away the necessity to do chores, like cleansing or washing garments on the street. And, much more sadly, some issues take a LOT longer- like when you have to go discover a laundrette.
On the plus facet, the van is (most likely) a a lot smaller house than your home, so issues get clear in a 3rd of the time!
The van additionally wants common upkeep to maintain it in good condition. Don’t ignore this- it’s necessary to keep away from breakdowns. You possibly can seize your FREE motorhome upkeep guidelines right here.
Household and mates might not get your want to dwell in a van and journey
There are two sorts of individuals on this planet. Those that can not fathom the concept of residing in a van or a ship… and people of us for whom residing alternatively is the last word dream.
To say my household and most of my mates have been shocked by my option to stop my job and journey in a van is an understatement. Most of them tried to speak me out of it.
I spent ages attempting to clarify my feelings- how I wished to discover the world while I used to be younger sufficient to take pleasure in it; how having an enormous home wasn’t that necessary to me and the way trapped I felt by the ‘9-5’ (I used to be an air-traffic controller, and we labored shifts… however you get the concept.
Finally, I remembered that this was MY life and it was completely okay for me to have totally different goals and life targets than they do. They get much more confused once I sometimes make a journey on my own to expertise solo feminine vanlife.
To them, it made no sense to depart a well-paid and safe job searching for freedom and journey. To me, it made no sense to remain. You probably have relations like that, anticipate some heated debates for some time!
Residing in a van makes individuals interested in your funds
Within the ‘actual’ world, you’re unlikely to ask full strangers about how a lot their life-style prices them. Or their retirement plans. Or how they earn cash. Or what occurs in the event that they get sick.
However, for some cause, residing in a van full time or long run, particularly if you happen to’re not working a ‘actual’ job, makes individuals interested in how a lot it prices to dwell in a van.
Like most Brits, I used to be purchased up to not discuss cash. Even now, years later, it will possibly really feel odd to have individuals ask how a lot I spend every month or “how will we lower your expenses for my street journeys“.
In fact, I attempt to be way more open with anybody contemplating altering their very own life; I bear in mind how daunted I felt by the cash side of residing in a van and leaving my job and being scared I wouldn’t have the ability to make the financials work.
The opposite factor which shocked me about leaving my job to dwell and journey in a van is the query ‘what do you do?’
Earlier than I left work, I by no means realised how typically we ask that query after we first meet somebody, and the way a lot of our social identification relies on our jobs. This was one of many greatest issues for me about residing in a van- I struggled for a very long time to search out a solution which labored for me.
It’s additionally been fascinating to see how individuals work together in several social teams and the totally different questions vanlifers ask one another while you meet on the street. Those that have been residing of their vans full time for some time are more likely to ask about the place you’ve been and what modifications you’ve made to your car, as an alternative of what you do for work.
Residing in a van full time can really feel overwhelming
One of many greatest classes I learnt was that an excessive amount of freedom could be daunting. If you’re a clean map and might go ANYWHERE… the place do you go?
After I did fulltime vanlife, I found that ‘wandering and winging it’ doesn’t at all times work for me. As ex-military, I choose having strong targets and a plan. Issues to tick off a listing. Locations to go to and issues to do.
After all, there are huge benefits to that freedom too.
Having the ability to keep in a spot for so long as I like, or with the ability to detour if I’m invited to an occasion or uncover a pageant happening, is among the greatest issues about not having to be again at work on Monday morning!
It’s positively a stability between over-planning and permitting time to take pleasure in what life brings us.
Need to create a life you LOVE?
Whether or not it’s quitting your job to journey, downsizing, or residing in a van full-time, altering your life and residing ‘outdoors the norm’ could be scary. To assist, obtain our FREE 5 steps to Freedom mini-guide on the way to create a life you LOVE
The individuals you meet on the street will change your life
Speaking of different vanlifers, when you begin residing in a van full time or on an extended journey, you’ll uncover an unbelievable neighborhood of people that suppose alongside comparable strains to you by way of priorities and searching on the world.
They are going to get your determination to vary your life, or stop your job or take life by each fingers and LIVE it.
I’ve had some great nights round campfires, sharing beers and tales with complete strangers. I’ve chatted with individuals from all around the world, even when they don’t communicate the identical language.
These are the individuals who encourage me to go to locations I’ve by no means heard of and the individuals I really like to remain in contact with and observe their adventures.
Remaining Ideas about residing in a van
Altering your life is hard. There are one million causes NOT to go for it- most of which revolve across the unknown being scary and the various (many!) ‘what ifs’.
I did quite a lot of analysis earlier than I lastly took the plunge and determine to downsize and dwell in a van. I had already spent 15 years residing on a ship, and I discovered the way to price range and the way to dwell in a small house collectively.
Nevertheless, even with all that, the issues above nonetheless took me without warning. Some are good, some much less so, however all contributed to this unbelievable journey I’m was on. I wouldn’t change my determination for something, even with the troubles all of us confronted in 2020.
I encourage anybody fascinated about altering their life to suppose it by however don’t let worry maintain you again. In any case, you solely get this one life and van residing may very well be the very best determination you ever make.
Should you’d wish to get some encouragement or have questions, be at liberty to search out me on Instagram or be a part of our Fb group– I LOVE listening to from individuals courageous sufficient to dwell outdoors the norm.
And, in fact, be a part of our tribe and get the weekly publication the place I share loads of tips on vanlife and street tripping. Enroll kind is under.
Good luck!
Kat x
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