Vanlife: Frequently Asked Questions
When we tell people we live in a van, we are usually met with a combination of admiration and confusion. While everyone can appreciate the call of the open road, there are a lot of logistical questions that inevitably follow. We wanted to give you an insight on our vanlife. Hope you enjoy our frequently asked questions!
Q: Why are you living in a van?
A: Simple answer, Why not? A more complete answer is explained on previous blog post titled, “Life’s Too Short”. We learned at a young age that life isn’t promised so if we want to do something, we need to do it now.
Q: Which van do you have and how did you build it out?
A: We have a 2013 Mercedes Sprinter 144 with a high roof. It is rear-wheel drive, we wish we had a 4X4 but our bank accounts said otherwise. With a lot of planning, we designed and built the van to meet our personal needs. For more details on the build out, refer to “The Fixer Upper” on the blog.
Q: How do you afford living in a van?
A: By living in a van, our expenses have significantly decreased allowing us to live off of Grant’s income. Even though I have stopped working, Grant has not. In fact, one could argue that he is working harder than ever on his photography while I am relaxing as hard as ever! To help prepare, we started saving years ago and have set a budget that allow us to live this lifestyle. We also are renting our house out. The Denver housing market is outrageous for renters but excellent for home owners.
Q: Where do you sleep?
A: Instagram can fool you. When searching vanlife on social media, you will run across these amazing camp spots overlooking the coast or a large mountain range which can be the case...sometimes. What social media doesn’t show are the large Walmart parking lots or travel stations that are frequently used as campsites. Where we sleep all depends on where we are at. We have apps that provide information on different sleeping areas with reviews that have been extremely helpful.
On the east coast, there is not is not a lot of public land. Our choices were limited to staying at paid campgrounds (which we couldn’t do that every night or it would break the bank) or staying at Walmarts. The benefits for staying at a Walmart are public bathrooms and fresh baked donuts in the morning.The west coast has allowed more freedom with camping. We spend the majority of our nights on BLM or Forest Service land often over looking those amazing views we all see on instagram. Occasionally we will stay in campgrounds especially when we are in National Parks and it makes sense logistically.
Q: Do you have a bathroom or shower?
A: No. Purchasing the smaller size van meant sacrificing certain items. Because of the space a shower or toilet would take up, we opted to leave it out. So far (knock on wood) we haven’t had any emergencies!
On average, we shower about every other day. When we are in a remote camp spot and the temperatures aren’t freezing, our portable pump shower works great. When we can’t use our pump shower, campgrounds (mostly coined operated showers), travel centers (pricey but clean), RV parks (usually unlimited time), or visiting friends or family do the job. On the days we don’t shower, we have a “shower in a bag” which are large wipes that do a fairly decent job at making us feel fresh.
We have seen some camper vans with a composting toilet right smack dab in the middle of the van. Let me remind you, we have the smaller van. Trying to keep some of the romance alive, we opted out of the cozy toilet in the center of the van. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need to have a bowel movement when Grant is two feet away sitting on the bed.
Q: What do you miss most about a conventional lifestyle?
A: TARGET!!! Being on a van budget means less time spent at Target. We frequently ask ourselves this question and it is always difficulty to come up with an answer. We love living in a van and are content with the trade offs. If I had to choose one thing, it would be unlimited hot showers at anytime.
Q: Do you have running water, a fridge or a stove?
A: Yes. We carry a 5 gallons of water and have an electric pump and faucet just like home. The water last about three to five days until we need to refill. We fill up at local campsites, RV parks, visitor centers, or people we have been visiting.
Our fridge (ARB brand) is similar to a cooler and can contain about a weeks worth of fresh food. Having such a large fridge at home, I was concerned with how everything would fit into a small fridge. Now I don’t know why we ever needed such a large fridge in the first place.
Our cooking stove is a Camp Chef two burner camp stove. This type of propane stove allows us to cook inside or outside depending on the weather. It has a convenient storage place so when it is not being use we have lots of counter space. This stove is by far better than any electrical stove I have used in a house.
Q: How did you pack enough clothes with such limited space?
A: I realized I wasn’t going to be a fashionista and decided to pack practical. A cute pair of boots wouldn’t do me much good rappelling into a cave in Alabama. The majority of my favorite clothes are still in Colorado. The benefit is whenever we visit it’s like a free shopping spree in my closet.
Q: Is it tough living in a small space with two people and a big dog?
A: Not as long as we are adaptable to each other. We have gotten into a rhythm when it comes to cooking, cleaning, or getting ready in the morning. Grant always says Lhotse is in his way but to be fair he also said that while we lived in a house. Lhotse just likes to be close.
Q: Where has been your favorite spot you have visited so far?
A: Exploring the East coast. Prior to this trip, I had only been to the big cities in the East. I absolutely fell in love with the fall colors in the north east, especially upstate New York. I could go back every year!
Q: Where are you going next?
A: Who knows! In all honesty, our plans change day to day, even hour to hour. That is the beauty of living in the van. Every day is our weekend!
