If you’re a vanlifer, RVer, or backpacker, you live out on the open road, free from the restrictions of a fixed location. But when you live wherever you choose, that also means that you don’t actually live anywhere – or at least, not how society wants you to. Unfortunately for people like us, the legal …
Domicile for Nomads: Establishing a Legal Residence on the Road Read More »
How do you get mail and packages when you’re traveling long term and you don’t have a fixed address? This is one of the challenges of life on the road, but it’s not an insurmountable one. No matter what you need to have shipped to you – a letter, a package, an important piece of…
We didn’t install a roof rack when we built our van. At the time, we didn’t see the need for one. “Our roof is going to be taken over by solar panels and a vent fan,” we thought. “There’s no reason for us to get a roof rack.” How wrong we were. We know now …
Mounting an ARB Awning on a High Top Van (Without a Roof Rack) Read More »
It’s tough to live without electricity in today’s world, even when you’re traveling in a van. And if you want to keep your laptop charged, or if you like to make super healthy smoothies for breakfast, or if you prefer to freshly grind your coffee every morning – you need an inverter. An inverter is …
The Best 12V Power Inverters for DIY Campervans and RVs Read More »
It’s every vanlifer’s worst nightmare. There’s a leak somewhere, and a good rainstorm brings a steady drip of water that might not seem like a big deal at first. But that water ends up leaching into some dark, unventilated corner of your van, and before you know it you’ve got a mold problem. This is …
Vanlife Mold Prevention and Redoing Our Floor: Tips and Lessons Read More »
There’s nothing like having a refrigerator in your van to really bring the comforts of home on the road. Refrigeration means you can store fresh food and other cold items – like vegetables, dairy, meat, “booch,” and beer. It means you don’t have to fuss with a cooler full of ice and water-logged food. And …
Refrigeration on the Road: The Best 12V Portable Fridges for Vanlife Read More »
Updated for March 2018. We originally wrote this post way back in February 2017. After nearly a year on the road, that seems like a lifetime ago. We’ve learned a lot about how our electrical system functions in the real world, so we decided to update and enhance this post based on our experience actually using …
If you want to stay comfortable in your van no matter the weather, you need to insulate. Insulation is one of the most important steps of any van build, and it pays to take the time to do it right. There’s also a lot of confusion and debate over the best way to insulate a …
Insulating Your Van: Everything You Need to Know for Your DIY Van Build Read More »
It’s officially November, and for us that means it’s time for some anniversary celebrations! A year ago we launched this blog, quit our jobs, and jumped full steam into our van build. We’re also well past six months on the road, and we thought it would be helpful to reflect on what we’ve learned about …
5 Things We’d Change About Our Van Build (and 5 We Wouldn’t) Read More »
Having solar power in your van is just plain awesome. It means you can live completely off the grid with lights, a fridge, phones and computers – all while not worrying about electric bills or power outages. But sometimes solar power just isn’t enough, especially if your budget doesn’t allow you to throw down for …
Vanlife Essentials: Installing a Smart Battery Isolator Read More »
If you plan on going off grid for any length of time, you need water in your van. And if you like to cook as much as we do, you’ll also want a sink for washing dishes and a way to catch waste water. But how do you go about setting all of this up? …
Installing Our Water System: DIY Van Build Plumbing Made Easy Read More »
It’s now been over four months since we left our old lives behind and hit the road in our van. Since then we’ve learned a lot about what features we do and don’t need, and what actually works best when you live in a vehicle full time. As soon as we hit the road, we …
On the Road with Our Fan-Tastic Vent: Would We Buy it Again? Read More »
When we started Gnomad Homies, it was with the intention of talking to people living Vanlife. Then we met Averi from Pedal Project and decided to branch out to other forms of nomadic living. And that brings us to this week’s post. This week we talk to Lauren and Jesse Stuart of @wanderingstus. They are …
It gets hot in the summer. Even hotter inside of a van – no matter how good your insulation and ventilation are. And when the sun’s beating down and making that temperature rise, sometimes you just need to park your van in the shade to help keep it cool. The problem with that, though, is …
How to Build an Easy Portable Solar Panel Mount Out of PVC Read More »
Where do we house all of the electrical components in our van build? We have two big AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries in our van, and we decided to build our own battery box out of plywood. With a sealed battery like an AGM, a battery box isn’t technically required. If charged and discharged properly, …
How to Build a Plywood Battery Box for a DIY Van Conversion Read More »
How do you live in a van and make it comfortable at the same time? Especially if you’re traveling with another person, it’s vital to maximize every inch and make sure there’s plenty of available space for stretching out. Even more so if you have dogs (or cats) in the van with you. In our …
How to Fit a Queen-sized Bed in Your Van: Badass Pullout Bed Frame Design Read More »
You’ve got your van insulated, you’ve installed walls, a floor, and a ceiling. Now you need a bed, a kitchen unit, maybe a bench to sit on. But how, exactly, do you put all of this together? Whether you’re building furniture or building a custom van interior, there’s always more than one way to do just about …
How to Make Your DIY Van Build Easier with Pocket Holes Read More »
The next step in our van build was installing a roof vent exhaust fan, which means cutting a hole in the roof. Fun! A vent fan is an essential part of creating a comfortable living environment inside of a van. It keeps the van cool by sucking out hot air and creating airflow, and it …
Installing a Vent Fan on Our High Top Conversion Van Read More »
When you’re working towards a big goal, whether it’s building a van, learning an instrument, losing weight, training for a marathon, writing a novel, or [insert your goal here], it’s easy to get overwhelmed thinking about all the things that need to happen for you to achieve your goal. Focusing on the endgame alone has …
Focus on Today: Achieving Big Goals by Taking Small Actions Read More »
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