Vanlife is an increasingly popular lifestyle choice for those looking to live a more minimalist and mobile life. Living in a van allows you to explore new places, save money on rent and utilities, and live a simpler life. However, getting started with vanlife can seem daunting. Transitioning into van life can be a big change, but with careful planning and preparation, it can be a fulfilling and rewarding lifestyle. In this article, we'll provide a detailed guide on how to get started with vanlife, from your initial curiosity, to building or buying to hitting the road.
Confirm whether vanlife is right for you
Transitioning into vanlife is a pretty major decision and involved process; it’s not something that should typically be rushed into without careful consideration. If you're someone who loves adventure and the idea of living life on the road, then vanlife can be an absolute blast. But before you go all-in, it's important to really think about what you want out of life, what kind of lifestyle suits you, and whether you can afford it.
There are quite a few pros and cons of vanlife (read more here), so you really need to consider your lifestyle, financial needs, health requirements, and social tendencies. To really confirm whether vanlife is right for you:
Research the lifestyle through online blobs, videos, etc. to see how people similar to you actually live.
Take a test drive - we’ll get into this more again later, but it’s always worth it to rent a van or something similar and hit the road for at least a few days to make sure you’re comfortable with the nomadic lifestyle and limitations of vanlife. Read more about renting a van here.
Map out your budget by comparing your existing situation to that on the road. Consider the cost of buying a van, converting, gas, maintenance and more. Everyone’s circumstances will be different, and this is really important to do before taking the plunge. Vanlife can be cheaper than a traditional lifestyle, but it requires planning.
Figure out how you’ll sustain income (if needed): You may need to find a new job to support your nomadic lifestyle - fortunately, there are plenty of common options. Remote work, seasonal work, workamping, and temp work help vanlifers stay afloat on the road. There are tons of places to find these types of jobs, ranging from remote job boards like remote.co, to freelance platforms like upwork and more. Read more about how vanlifers make money here.
Think about your life priorities and goals - does vanlife line up with them or help to support them?
Connect with people in the vanlife community. Forums, online groups, in person events and more are available for you to learn more, but nothing beats first hand experience. We’re here to help as well, ask us anything!
Read more about deciding whether vanlife is right for you here. Basically take the time to weigh your options and make sure you're ready for the adventure of a lifetime - but be completely honest with yourself!
Research and Planning
Once you’ve confirmed that vanlife is perfect for you, the next step is to research and plan the type of van you want, the budget you need, and the lifestyle you want to lead. Take your time in this phase, it’s one of the most important.
Determine your expected lifestyle
Start with figuring out what your lifestyle might look like on the road. Is this van going to be used for full-time living while working a 9-5 job? Or is it going to be a part-time, or weekend travel solution? Are there particular needs that you expect to have? For instance, is there a particular hobby you want to pursue while on the road (ex. kayaking) that you may need to consider when designing, building or buying? What region are you going to be traveling in? All of these questions, and many more will factor into your choice of vehicle and the consequent design.
Decide which vehicle makes sense for you
Once you’ve thought about your likely lifestyle on the road, you’ll be better informed to choose a vehicle type. There are many different types of vans, and each comes with its pros and cons - the best vehicle will differ for everyone (read more here). Think about what you need in a van and what is important to you. Do you want a full-size van, a school bus, a compact van, or a converted van? The decision on the van will depend on your lifestyle needs, and requirements for size, cost, customization, etc.
Plan your design and layout
After figuring out your lifestyle needs and ideal vehicle type, start planning a design or layout that will match both. Do you need a kitchen, a bathroom, or a bed? What appliances or features will you build into the van? This step should be very carefully completed - you should find the measurements for your potential van online, and map out in detail exactly how everything will fit. For this step, it can be helpful to get inspiration online - refer back to your favorite youtube channels, instagram accounts, etc. to get a sense of how you could build out your van.
Double check your budget
Once you have an idea of what you want in terms of layout, double check the budget you previously brainstormed to make sure your dream design will actually work. Many of the appliances, equipment and even raw materials can add up quickly to be more expensive than anticipated. Having a detailed item by item spreadsheet of your exact purchases and costs can help to keep you on track during the build and purchase process.
Testing the Waters
We mentioned it before, but can’t emphasize enough - before fully committing to van life, it is a good idea to test the waters by taking a short trip. Rent a van or borrow one from a friend and go on a road trip for a few days or weeks. This will give you a taste of what van life is like and help you determine if it is the right lifestyle for you before dumping thousands of dollars into a purchase or build. Read more about renting a van here.
Purchase a van or similar vehicle
Keep in mind, part of this decision may be limited by the new or used market for vans available. Decide whether you’re going to buy a new or used vehicle. Also consider whether you want to buy a bare van, and convert it yourself, or if you’d like to purchase something previously converted and tweak it for your needs. This decision comes down to your budget and experience level with DIY work. To decide which vehicle makes sense for you to buy, take your time evaluating the marketplaces. For instance, r/vandwellermarketplace, Facebook groups, thevancamper, vanlifetrader, vanviewer, conversiontrader and more will help you understand what types of vans are out there, and identify some that fit your narrow needs/budget. Read more about finding a van for sale here. The final step here is to take the plunge and make the purchase! Be sure to always have a mechanic check the vehicle out before committing to anything.
Building and Converting
After purchasing a van (assuming you chose one you’d like to build out yourself), it’s time to begin the conversion. If you bought a van that has been previously converted, you can obviously skip this step. Beginning the DIY conversion can be quite intimidating, but fortunately there are a ton of resources available online (and we’re always here to help!).
Based on your planned layout and design, think about the order in which you may approach your build. For instance, do you want to start with the floor, then tackle electrical and plumbing and then the carpentry? Each person’s ideal order may differ depending on the unique features and requirements of their planned design.
Once you have a sense of how you’ll approach the build, think about whether you have the tools and experience to complete each section. If not, are there areas that you may want to outsource to professionals (for instance, the electrical or heating)? Are there areas where it may be helpful to learn some new skills? Beyond online resources on youtube, or build blogs, there are in person classes (often for free) that can help you through the build step-by-step. Read more about building a van with limited construction experience here.
At this point, you’ll be almost entirely focused on the build - and will continue construction until completion. Most of your time and effort will be spent on the conversion, but there are a few adjacent things to consider in parallel before you finish the build and hit the road.
Consider your insurance needs
Insurance policies for custom vans are very different from normal insurance, and can be pretty difficult to navigate. There are varying requirements between RV insurance and standard auto insurance. Most vanlfiers will have to work one-on-one with a company to design a specialty policy. Think about whether you need to insure your van fully, or if standard auto coverage will be sufficient before hitting the road. Read more about insurance policies for vans here.
Downsizing and Decluttering
As you complete the build, think about how you’ll actually transition your life to the van. One of the most significant challenges of van life is downsizing and decluttering. You will need to evaluate everything you own and decide what is essential and what can be sold, donated, or thrown away. Only bring what you need and what can fit in your van.
Plan your move-in
Think about the items you’ll bring on the road and where they will fit in the van. While building out the van, it can be helpful to think through the exact organization of the items that you plan to move in, so that you can make adjustments to the design on the fly if needed.
Finding a Community
While you continue your build, and even once your on the road, it can be really helpful to have access to people in a similar situation. Joining a van life community can be a great way to meet people who are living the same lifestyle. You can find online forums, Facebook groups, and Instagram pages dedicated to van life. There are also van life gatherings and meetups throughout the year.
Making adjustments
While building out the van, think about your daily life while living in a house, apartment, etc. How will you need to tweak your daily routine once you finish the build? As you begin your transition into van life, you may need to make adjustments to your lifestyle. For example, you may need to change the way you cook, shower, or do laundry. You may also need to adjust your daily routine to fit the limited space.
Plan your journey and hit the road
Congrats, this is the most exciting part of the process! Once you’ve finished your build it’s time to get moving. Depending on your lifestyle expectations, it may be helpful to plan out the beginning portion of your journey in detail. For instance, if you plan to travel across the country, think about the exact route you might take, including spots that you’ll plan to park overnight, places you can fill up on water, dump gray water and recharge electricity (if needed). On the more fun side, think about what attractions you might want to see on the way! Planning out your overnight locations and resources will save you an immense amount of time and stress once you’re on the road - you might be surprised at how much time it can take to stay organized when also driving, cooking, cleaning and maintaining the van on the road. Anything you can plan in advance will be incredibly beneficial. Read more about how to find overnight parking while living in a van here.
Before traveling incredibly far from your home and workshop, it's incredibly important to take a short test trip to make sure everything in your van works in practice. You may realize after completing the build, that to functionally live in the van you need a few minor tweaks to the plumbing, storage, etc. This is a lot easier to do when you're near your workshop than when on the road - it's worth delaying your long-term travel for a couple days.
Staying flexible and finding new sources fun
One of the most important things to remember is to stay flexible. Van life is full of surprises, and things may not always go as planned. Being able to adapt and adjust to unexpected situations is essential to a successful van life transition. Living in a van is incredibly special - be sure to make the most of it, picking up new hobbies and trying new activities on the road that you otherwise might not have had access to. Read more about common hobbies in vanlife here.
Overall, transitioning into van life requires careful planning, preparation, and a willingness to adapt. By taking the time to research and plan, you can successfully transition into van life and enjoy the freedom and adventure that it offers.
Where can I find first-hand answers about getting started with van life?
Reddit is a great start:
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