Could you live in a van? I could if I had this one, it’s designed to be a “stealth van”, it has loads of space and the space is used in a most logical and efficient manner. I like that it is tall enough to comfortably stand, even for the taller chaps. It does have a bathroom, as of the time of this video, the bathroom only contains a toilet, but it will eventually contain a shower.
The video briefly shows and explains the following features of their van:
-Garage and storage area
-LPG storage box
-Bedroom
-Natural light and ventilation
-Benefits of a ‘stealth’ style conversion
-Kitchen and dinette area
-Overhead storage cabinets
-Bathroom and toilet area; and
-Battery storage and supply (lithium phosphate)
She’s burgundy, discrete, low cost and can take you wherever you want to go in comfort, well as long as you are named Dylan Magaster :)
The nice thing about living in a converted van is they are discrete, you don’t necessarily LOOK like you are camping out or living in your van, you can drive it nearly anywhere, you can park it without drawing unnecessary attention.
I like all the wood features inside this van, it is setup to cook, including a refrigerator – which is actually a converted freezer! Of course, being a female, I would want a toilet, Dylan speaks about not having issues using public toilets, I personally prefer using my own equipment, but that’s just me. It would be easy enough to have a small portable potty, either a commercial one or one I made.
Are you cut out for van life? It’s definitely not for everyone, nor is living off-grid for that matter, so it’s important to try it out first. See if you can rent or borrow a van for a vacation, or even just a weekend. These folk suggest just spending the night in a WalMart parking lot to see if you are OK with doing that. If you have been to a WalMart parking lot, you no doubt have seen all the campers and RVs sitting on the outskirts of the lot, those are people who are traveling through and just want a spot to spend the night. WalMart allows people to do this, mostly in hopes of the travelers spending some green inside their stores…
I would think you would need to be good with having limited stuff, my friend Beth who has cycled between living in a van, to pulling a small camper to now living in a larger RV is always talking about getting rid of “crapola”, her word for too much stuff. I also think you are required to be part gypsy, you must enjoy traveling, something I don’t wish to do quite honestly, I’m a major homebody and once I find a spot, I want to nest.
Whatever thoughts you had about turning 30, I bet they didn’t make you leave your job, pack your bags and spend 4 years living in your van. Well, it did if you were Mikah.
In 2005, his dad passed away after a battle with cancer, and Mikah, aged 19 took a road trip- supposedly a fun, post-freshman year getaway. It quickly turned into an unforgettable experience of self-reflection and independence. Now he has visited very national park in one trip as a tribute to his Dad and to the USA’s amazing LGBT peoples.
On the 11th anniversary of his fathers’ death Mikah, originally from Nebraska, made the choice to dedicate his dad’s love of driving and travel to each and every national park in the United States. This double world record trip will not only make him the youngest person to experience every unit, but the sole person to do so on one continuous trip.
Mikah has dedicated the trip not only to the memory of his father but also for youth diversity and says he wants to use his trip to “connect with youngsters, along with an LGBT community stereotyped outside the parks, and show how the national parks can be part of their lives.”
“Whether it was Yellowstone, Arches, or The Statue of Liberty I wanted to see all the U.S. national parks.” He said.
You can keep up with his journey by following his interactive map or following his Facebook page for updates.…
Vandwelling is an interesting way to live, having your home and your vehicle all in one, this lady converted her van into a home herself, I do wish we could have seen her in this video, she still managed to give all of us a tour of her home.
I really like the toilet, it’s called a C-Head, it’s one that is used in boats, it takes up very little space and is simple to use. I had heard about many different kinds of composting toilets, this is a new one on me.
I’d love to see how she is living today, perhaps we will find her again, until then, enjoy the video. https://youtu.be/uQXkPHx89os
“I want to go full nomad and be free, but I need to figure out how to get rid of my job first.” When I say this to people (friends and strangers alike) an almost hysterical look washes over their face, followed by a humorous smirk with a suggestion to just pick up the phone and quit. I wish it could be that simple… or could it be? I have a job with a large car dealership as a Web Administrator/Graphic Designer. I appreciate it, as it’s the best-paying job I’ve ever had (which still isn’t much). Instead of answering phones all day and watching the clock, I get to use my creativity. My days and weeks usually sail by.…
Five o’clock quickly arrived at my desk on my first night as a full-time RVer. I left my office and walked into the dark parking lot knowing I would be home in less than 30 seconds. No one from work knew it. Since I land acting and print gigs on occasion, they believe my camper is to go on jobs out of town. Half-truths go a long way. I also made it a point for them to know that owning an RV has always been a dream of mine. I considered letting my co-workers know of my new lifestyle, but I’ve grown less trusting with age. My managers may feel less compelled to give me higher raises since I have fewer expenses. My supervisor may look at me with scorn if I come in late on a snowy day. Co-workers may think I’m just plain kooky… and they would be right! Yes, none of these things would be fair, but life isn’t fair and neither are people’s judgments and actions. If the folks at work ever did find out (and some may already suspect), I guess it wouldn’t be a big deal. However, why put myself out there if I don’t have to?
As I approached close to my camper, I visually took it all in. “This is my home!”. Realizing this felt odd, good… and a little scary. I got in the van and drove to my RV friendly parking spot. Like a dog, I instinctively circled the lot twice before parking. There were two big rig trucks settled in for the night, so I parked next to them under a light post.…
……I have bought my new home… and her name is Eunice.
Here she is! This beauty is a 1994 Ford Coachman, a fully self-contained camper van. The interior is a sophisticated teal, my favorite color. Although I would deny suggestions that this what sold me (of course I would).
I put down a deposit just in time! A group of retirees, ready to buy, pulled up to the curb where the van was still displayed for sale just as the previous owner was writing my receipt.
My mechanic (who kicked in negotiation services for free) talked down the previous owner, Rich, to $6,800. It was worth every penny. Rich, who declined the much higher price the old folks offered with very good grace, always made sure Eunice had the best of everything. He used a storage facility in winter, thus allowing her a relatively youthful appearance despite her maturity. She rides smooth!…
