And so it begins: Settling into full time vanlife

Five early lessons in van living

Converting a van into my very own home on wheels has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. As a child I’d press my nose up against the back window of our family car in awe each time a 1960’s VW campervan chugged past us. I romanticised the freedom of being able to pack up and park up with a new view every day if I wanted to. It certainly seemed like an exciting way to live – more exciting than the monotony of daily life in the small hometown I’d grown out of.

But as I stepped into adulthood and the realities of skyrocketing house prices, rent and bills sunk in – the idea of building out a van took on a new meaning. Of course it gave us the opportunity to explore the world with some of the comforts of home on board, but it gave us the ability to live rent free, whilst working to save our earnings, rather than using them to line our landlord’s pockets.

Being on the road could also enable us to explore the concept of slow travel – something we were both eager to delve deeper into. Through personal endeavours and travelling for work, my partner and I have been lucky enough to save up and spend time exploring some of the most beautiful far-flung corners of the world – but that kind of travel comes at a cost. And, as the effects of the climate crisis emerge, flying thousands of miles only to be in a destination for a short period of time no longer sits right with us. So, having a home on wheels enables us to see the world at a much slower pace, driving no more than thirty minutes a day and some days not at all. Our solar panels enable us to live off-grid, leaving no trace behind.

So, after spending 18 months building out the van we now lovingly call Eugene – we hit the road at the beginning of 2024. We’ll be based in the UK until April due to work commitments, before taking the ferry over to Europe. We’ve only been on the road for a few weeks now, but it feels fitting to write about our early experiences to reflect on in years to come, in hopes that it might help you too.

Here are five early lessons we’ve learned whilst settling into full time vanlife:

It’s not as daunting as it seems!

Our minds were completely focussed on the build for the best part of two years – so when the time came to move in, we hadn’t given as much thought as you might assume to what daily van-living would entail.

Packing our entire lives into our tiny home was a challenging process, and condensing the amount of possessions we had felt overwhelming at first. But, as we settled into our first week on the road it felt as though a weight had been lifted. Having only the essentials on board has somehow brought more clarity to day to day living – you realise life feels easier when there are less ‘things’ there to distract you.

As someone with a busy and often irrational mind as the day draws to a close, I was apprehensive about how I’d feel sleeping inside the van. We’re avid campers but had never actually slept overnight in a van before we got Eugene, so taking the leap to full time vanlife was a risk! Yet setting a few key safety rules in place like no driving after dark, locking up and scouting the area well before settling in for the night definitely calmed those early jitters – and we genuinely feel we sleep better in the van than we did in our flat.

All of this is to say that honestly, it’s not as daunting as it seems. Many put off or never get round to staying in a campervan because of fear of the unknown, but giving it a go is the best way to see if this lifestyle is really for you. Getting out of your comfort zone could open you up to a world of opportunities you never considered before.

Finding water can be tricky…

As with any new venture, there are a few hiccups to be aware of. Finding a safe place to empty and fill your water in the UK can be really challenging. We spent the first few weeks in our van across the border in France, where we were overwhelmed by the amount of beautiful rest stops and general amenities available to van dwellers. It felt as though there was a place to park up for the night and access water every few hundred metres! Just a short distance across the pond however reveals a different story. England doesn’t feel set up for van lifers at all, and we’ve found finding water challenging over the past couple of weeks.

We’re both based in the South West for work at the moment, meaning we’ve had to rely on friends and family to fill our tanks, and a handful of campsites that are open year-round to drain our grey waste. We’re now based at the Cornish coast where, being a popular holiday destination for campers, things are a little more accommodating to vans. We’re eager to explore Scotland and have read many great things about life on the road over there, so will be heading up north in the coming months.

Until then, we’re finding that we’re getting through our water every 6-7 days, and have made use of gyms and camping facilities to make this go a little further if we know we won’t be in an area where we can easily fill or drain our water for a while. Luckily we have a composting loo that requires minimal maintenance – but for those with chemical systems, finding somewhere to dispose of your black water may be a challenge during the UK’s winter months.

Trust in the kindness of locals

Committing to slow travel and exploring our own back garden has revealed how little we know about the very part of the world that we grew up in. Getting to know new areas just a few miles further from where we’re from has been wonderful, and a reminder to trust in the kindness of people.

We know our world is changing, and things that once required a short conversation with a stranger are now digitised, meaning we’re interacting less and less with people on a daily basis. Being new to an area inevitably means you’re likely to take a few wrong turns, but as long as we’re safe, we’ve found speaking to people helps! Google maps has gotten us into more pickles than we can count, but sometimes all it takes is a helping hand (a human one!) to set us on the right track again.

Safety first

Living wild and free is fun until…it isn’t. The first few weeks of living on the road has been enlivening and exciting more than anything else, but the lifestyle does come with some drawbacks. Your entire life is in a home on wheels, so we found buying extra locks and other devices alongside taking valuables with us provided peace of mind when leaving for work for the day for example.

It’s also important to prioritise safety when you’re parking up for the night. We have instilled a ‘no night-driving’ rule, which means we aim to avoid driving in the dark, and ensure we explore the area we’re sleeping in thouroughly before settling in for the evening.

Our window through to the front cab enables us to safely get through to the drivers seat if we need to leave in a hurry, and we ensure blinds are closed for that extra level of ‘stealth’, avoiding unwanted attention.

Stealth is really important to us, and we stick to a strict ‘leave it better than you left it’ policy, ensuring we look after the environment around us by leaving no trace and picking up the litter others may have left behind. We maintain respect for our surroundings as well as preventing other members of the public making the assumption that any mess around may be us!

Adapt to living tiny

We’ve believed in the philosophy of living small to open up other areas of life for quite some time, and don’t have any interest in living in a big house with rooms that are rarely used. For us, the appeal of living tiny aside from the ever-changing morning view was the fact that it pushes you to get out, and treat the great outdoors as your extra rooms or garden. With this in mind, we didn’t think this way of life would take much getting used to – but in all honestly, it has!

Cooking, eating, sleeping, showering and going to the bathroom all within the same small space can be challenging – especially when the UK’s typical January weather puts on a show (of relentless rain!). Whether you’re going solo or in a partnership, we’ve found that prioritising time outside is key, whatever the weather. It’s also important to communicate. If one of you needs space, the other should make room and if your growing mug collection is getting out of hand – perhaps it’s time to re-gift them.

We’re still learning and taking each day as it comes, but sharing lessons is a useful way to help others whilst keeping a log of our early experiences.