Identifying and Handling Mental Hardships on the Road
As awesome as van life is, it comes with mental hardships that aren’t often shared on social media. Here’s how to avoid burnout on the road.
Vanlife and Mental Health: How Vanlife Increased My Anxiety
Vanlife can set you free in so many ways. But there are real mental health consequences to moving all the time without a reliable place to sleep.
Diversify Vanlife and How to be a Strong Ally
It’s no secret that vanlife is not what it appears to be on Instagram. If you scroll through the vanlife reshare accounts, or read a media story about vanlife, or attend one of the many vanlife gatherings out there, you might come away thinking that vanlife is a lifestyle for young, attractive white people galavanting…
Our Adventure Becoming South Dakota Residents
Some of the biggest logistical problems that full-time nomads face revolve around not having a permanent residence. When you don’t have a fixed address, it can be very difficult to do many things that you need to do in today’s society, such as: Get a driver’s license Register your van Apply for insurance (auto, medical,…
Domicile for Nomads: Establishing a Legal Residence on the Road
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…
Mail and Packages on the Road: A Guide for Vanlife Nomads
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…
Vanlifer’s Guide to Sleeping, Camping, and Overnight Parking
So you bought a van, converted it to your new home, and now you’re about to hit the road. But once you’ve left the comfort of stationary dwelling, you’re faced with that looming question: Where do you sleep? No need to worry – there are plenty of places all over North America for you to…
How to Sell Everything You Own to Travel in a Van
The seed has been planted! “That’s it! I’m ready for a big change! I’m going to buy a van, turn it into a tiny home on wheels and I’m going to travel wherever I desire!” Yes! Such an exciting time! Once you get your van built out you’ll have to move in all of your…
9 Vanlife Hacks to Make the Most of Your Home on Wheels
When you first hit the road, you learn pretty quickly what works with your build and what doesn’t. What changes you need to make here, and what would be great to add there. It can be a lot of fun coming up with your own personal tweaks to your new living situation, but the trial…
Waste-Free Vanlife: 13 Tips for Ditching Single-Use Disposable Items
We generate an insane amount of waste in modern society. There are all kinds of disheartening facts and statistics out there – like how the average American throws away nearly 7 pounds of trash per day. Or how we don’t recycle 91% of the plastic that we use. Or how 8 million tons of plastic…
Refrigeration on the Road: The Best 12V Portable Fridges for Vanlife
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…
Vanlife with Dogs: Tips, Challenges, and Fun on the Road
Whether you’re a vandweller thinking about adding a furry friend to your nomadic lifestyle or a dog owner considering the leap to vanlife – there’s a lot to think about. How we’re able to live this lifestyle with two dogs is one of those questions we get all the time. Vanlife with a dog is…
17 Top Gifts for Vanlifers this Holiday Season
It’s that time of year again – when people everywhere spend money they don’t have to buy things nobody needs, all in the name of rampant consumerism and holiday cheer! Kidding aside, we’re actually big suckers for any excuse to bring your whole tribe of love together to laugh and sing and eat and maybe…
Vanlife with a Partner: 8 Tips for a Successful Relationship
There are plenty of vanlife couples on the road, but we’ve also talked to many people concerned that they could never live in a van with their significant other. The close quarters and constant togetherness of vanlife can be a challenge to any relationship. But diving into this awesome experience with your partner is also…
United We Van and the Ultimate Vanlife Cookbook
Well before John and I embarked on our own nomadic adventures, we noticed a strong sense of community among our fellow nomads. Back when we were bright-eyed noobs sporting a brand new 1996 Chevy van, we were connecting with vanlifers on social media and via Skype. And everyone was incredibly helpful answering any questions we…
How to Find Internet While Living on the Road
Internet is pretty much a necessity these days. Don’t get us wrong – we absolutely love opportunities to go fully off the grid, no cell service and all. It’s like our vacation. But the fact remains that we need internet access to work, to stay in contact with friends and family, and even to find…
What Does Vanlife Mean to Us? A Vibrant Community of Inspiration
One of the best things about vanlife is all the cool places you get to sleep. We spent this past weekend living in the woods on the coast of Lake Superior. It was unbelievably peaceful, and we could see the sun setting over the water through the trees. Safe to say, it’s one of the…
How SELF Journal Can Help You Make the Most Out of Van Life
We could not be more honored to write this sponsored post for our friends over at Best Self Co. Their awesome SELF Journals help us stay focused and achieve our goals every single day, and we highly recommend checking them out! This post also contains affiliate links. When you’re traveling and living in a van –…
How We Decided to Sell Everything and Live in a Van
Just a year ago we were a young married couple living your typical suburban, house-and-a-dog, debt-ridden 9-to-5 lifestyle. We had big dreams of quitting our jobs and traveling the world, but we weren’t taking action and didn’t have a plan. Fast forward to today: our house is nearly empty of possessions and there’s a 1996…