Back when I lived in an apartment and all I could hear were my neighbours fighting, or loud parties, I was so ready to say hasta la vista. Fast-forward two years and I’ve experienced a whole other range of difficulties living in a van.
Van life can be a good life, but it can also be more difficult than living in a non-moving home. This is entirely subjective, surely some people will always prefer a van life. I don’t hate living in a van, there’s just a few tips and suggestions I’d like to share.
If you’re on the verge of selling your belongings and moving into a tiny space, read this list first. I’m very solution-based so in each section I’ve added my own solution to each problem trying to share my perspective in a positive light.
Table of Contents
Travel Burnout
Not everyone that lives in a van travels a lot, but it is an easily nomadic lifestyle. And, travel burnout is a very real problem. Normally, when I’m facing travel burnout, I would want to go home and not be on the move for a while. With my home on the move, it’s not exactly that easy.
Even if I spend a few days relaxing at a single campground, it’s still hard to get that same feeling of relaxing. Especially if the weather isn’t exactly favourable. A solution I’ve found to this though is taking up some casual work. If it involves accommodation I can have a few weeks or longer to focus on different things.
That way I take in a new version of travelling and have time to discover one place a bit more, all while feeling revitalized and ready for more travelling at the end.
Unfavourable Weather
Speaking of weather, it’s the single most deterring factor to living in a van. Whether you live in a car or a high-top van, van life means constantly going outdoors and facing the elements. When it’s freezing, or hot and humid, this can be problematic.
It’s not just about wearing suitable clothes, or turning on a fan. What the real problem can be is to fully relax and get more energy to deal with the weather. There’s a few ways to cope with the unfavourable weather. It could be to spend time in a coffee shop, but this can get tiring.
I prefer to book a few days at an affordable hotel to get out of those weather conditions. And, to review my travel plans, possibly avoiding more unfavourable weather.
Making Money
Van life can definitely be a more economical way to travel and live, especially on your wallet. But, it’s not free and there’s usually big money that has to go around to support this lifestyle—such as insurance, mechanical repairs, or a van build.
Money can also be a major stress factor, it definitely has been for me. But, what’s great about money is that it comes and goes. And, saving is often easier with less living costs. If you’re a freelancer, just make sure to always have extra savings. The same goes for those travelling and working, plan to find work before you’re desperate to avoid stress.
Also it’s important to think about how you’ll make money before hitting the road in your van. Otherwise your money will deplete even quicker, and the stress will pile on faster as well.
(Not) Sleeping Well
A good night’s sleep can make the difference in general motivation, focus and a positive mood. Multiple bad night’s sleeps can ruin those and so many other factors that could elevate your day rather than bring it down. Living in a van isn’t much different than having bad neighbours. The difference is that there’s more neighbours, and more variables in how those people act near your van.
If you’re a light sleeper already, think about how this could affect your sleep even more. Personally I use an eye mask most nights and have ear plugs available if things are noisy. This will help ease my mind and allow me to sleep longer instead of waking up with the sun—which isn’t bad depending on how early it rises.
If you need other help with calming down, think about essential oils. You don’t need a diffuser either, just rub the oils onto your body, sheets and pillow for cozy dreaming. My favourite essential oils brand is Vitruvi, a local Vancouver brand which makes sustainable oils and blends for every mood!
Healthy Living Can be Hard
My dream with van life was to be somewhere beautiful everyday, go for hikes to exercise, sleep and relax in my van, eat healthy and repeat. I don’t love repetition, but if I could choose, this would be the best.
The honest truth about van life, is there’s lots of driving without the option to exercise. Sleeping and relaxing can be harder when driving is done without exercise. And, eating healthy takes up a lot of fridge space, which doesn’t always make it easy long-term.
I want to share a few different solutions and perspectives on this. Repetition can feel mundane, but without driving you won’t get somewhere new. It’s just something I put up with, and sharing the drive with a partner or friend makes it easier. As for exercise, I try to walk around wherever it’s safe to do so. This in turn can help make me feel more relaxed.
As for eating healthy, I go grocery shopping more often, so at least every few days. I carry extra pasta and sauce for emergency meals incase I’m low on fresh foods.
Close Quarters
Sharing van life with someone else helps so much with feeling connected and social. It’s also a great way to avoid isolation. However, being with someone else 24/7 can be rough. Not because there’s any problems with either person travelling together, but because it’s normal to need some time alone at times.
And that’s exactly the solution. Don’t leave or run away, just go for a walk, read a book, do what you want. It’s okay to leave your travelling partner for a little bit! That way you can both return to each other refreshed and ready for more socializing and fun times.
Lack of Privacy
There’s always a time when you’re going to want to do something without the public watching. That gets a lot harder with van life. It’s pretty normal to have days you don’t want to have to face strangers at every moment of the day. This is when privacy becomes difficult.
There may not always be a good time to get privacy, but I try to get time alone at least each day. Even if it’s just before bed, it’s relaxing to have some time that I don’t have to face other people. It also means if I am travelling with other people I have to be comfortable enough to say I need some time alone. This for me is what makes a trip more enjoyable.
Everything Takes Longer
Van life might mean minimalistic living, but nearly everything takes longer than it would day to day. Even having a sink in your van, that means one must refill and empty jugs constantly. It’s still better than other situations, but I know cooking especially in a van almost always takes longer.
With most things taking longer in van life, it’s a big reason I don’t cook as extravagant meals as I once did. I still cook well, but often limit it. Especially as it means I’m standing through tough weather elements, like the burning Australian sun. Just relax, get what you can done, and the rest will come.
Staying Clean
In a compact space, such as van life, it’s normal that things get messy and dirty fast. While it doesn’t necessarily take long to clean up, it is a constant battle. Even in such a small space.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed about messes, I try to target certain things each day, or few days. This way, I’m not cleaning all day every day, but instead keeping things relatively organized in the van. I recommend to get a few boxes to store things instead of having small things laying around everywhere. It helps a lot to protect things in a box and feel more organized.
Mechanical Problems
Finishing off the list of the worst parts of living in a van is mechanical problems with that amazing tiny home. Mechanical problems can be a huge stress factor for van life. Mainly because if the van you live in isn’t running, it’s not much of a life.
My partner and I, have had our fair share of mechanical problems, from confusing oil leaks to electrical problems. There’s a lot of unknowns with owning a vehicle, especially one that’s over 20 years old. Something that’s helped a lot with this is to go for regular services, about every 10,000 km. Go somewhere reliable, because that can make the difference of someone doing a good job, or not.
Roadside assistance has also helped a lot, if we have a breakdown, it covers accommodation, vehicle rental and towing charges. Those costs alone could add up to thousands, and for just a few hundred dollars a year, it’s exactly the peace of mind I’m all about.
Van life is an incredible way to live and travel, check out my article on how to live a sustainable and eco-friendly van life to making your environmental footprint smaller.
