While living in a camper van definitely has its perks, it has some downfalls. Therefore, in this guide, I am going to share some camper van hacks to make vanlife easier.
From keeping those pesky bugs out of your camper van, adding extra storage space, or getting that extra power from your solar panels, these are great camper van hacks for everyone!
Whether you live in your camper van full-time or just it for small road trips, these top van life tips will ultimately make living in a van much more comfortable and enjoyable.
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Bug Nets or Bug Canopy:
First on the list of camper van hacks, are bug nets. One of the most annoying things in vanlife is when you get to the campsite and all you want to do is open your van doors to let a nice breeze run through.
But then there are bugs in your van. So a great solution is to add bug nets that can attach to the side doors and back door. That way you can let that cool breeze whaft through the van.
Jake and I DIY’d our own bug nets to fit our camper van.
Another option is to have a bug canopy. But do note these canopies can take up a good chunk of space when not in use.
But a bug canopy can allow you to enjoy the great outdoors without getting annoyed or eaten alive. Plus it can make the van feel like one big open space.
One thing we love about our bug net canopy is it can act as a sun shade as well. (But we have since upgraded to a different awning, details below).
Never Pay For Campsites:
The absolute #1 camper van hack is to never pay for campsites. There are so many helpful resources to help you find FREE camping around the world. So why not take advantage of it!
If you were to pay for a campsite every night, and let’s say on average you are paying about $25 per night. That would be $750 per month. That’s like paying rent.
So utilize BLM land, public land, parking lots you can park in over night for free, etc. It’s definitely still nice to stay at campgrounds every once and a while or when there is no free camping, but to pay for one every night makes living in a camper van much more stressful.
That in my opinion is defeating the whole point of the freedom of vanlife!
Awnings & Reflectix Sun shades
Having an awning so you can still enjoy the outdoors in one of my favorite camper van hacks.
We have the Moonshade which is designed to easily attach to your camper van in just minutes! We wrote a review about our MoonShade, so if you are wondering if it will work for you too, check out this post. Use code tworoamingsouls at checkout at Moonshade for $30 off!
You might also want to use reflectix sun shades in the windows of your camper van to protect the interior from extreme heat.
But during winter, you might use the window to collect as much warmth inside your van as possible.
Overall, sun shades and reflectix will be a game-changer for climate control in your van.
Jake and I have a sun shade for our front windshield that we keep up almost any time we aren’t driving. And we custom made all our reflectix window shades that fit into our side windows and rear windows of our camper van.
Another helpful tip, is to make sure your front windshield is pointed the other direction than where the sun is directly coming in. Obviously the sun moves, so either face the front windshield toward the North or South. Because the tilt of the front windshield will let in the most heat. Unless, it’s winter, and you want the extra warmth!
Solar Panel Tilt:
The best van camping hack we added to our campervan build was a solar panel tilt.
One problem Jake and I were always running into during the winter months, was a lack of solar power. Mainly because the sun is just up for less hours and much lower in the sky.
Therefore, one of the best camper van hacks in to tilt our solar panel. Jake came up with a unique DIY way to tilt our solar panel to get in that extra juice! And seriously it makes a huge difference!
Also, be sure to check out our post → 15 Things That Make Vanlife More Comfortable
Gym Membership (stay fit/showers):
A gym membership is definitely a camper van hack that will make vanlife easier. You not only can stay fit on the road, but you can also get a hot shower. Many vanlifers get a Planet Fitness Membership, because it is cheap, and there are tons of locations around the U.S.
Therefore, you can get in a quick workout and get clean and fresh afterward!
Vanlife app (Sekr) for building community:
One app you should definitely have installed on your smart phone is the Sekr app (previously known as the vanlife app). This app will provide you with tons of information that will help make vanlifer easier.
The app will show you free campsites, where to find laundromats, showers, water fill stations, dump stations, etc.
And the coolest feature of all is…. You can see other vanlifers nearby! So if you are feeling a little lonely or want to meet up with some other cool people, you can message other people near your location. It won’t give you actual locations, but just show you how many miles they are away from you. Then, you can send them a quick message and maybe see if they want to meet up!
Insulated Water Bottle:
A camper van must have item, is an insulated water bottle. It can get very hot in your van during the summer months. And there is nothing worse than trying to stay hydrated with warm water.
Therefore, we highly suggest investing in a quality water bottle. Jake and I both have a 32 oz Hydroflask.
But you can even go a step above and invest in a Larq water bottle. They are not only insulated but they also kill 99.99% of bacteria growth. Which is great for vanlife, because, let’s be honest, how often are you deep cleaning those fresh water jugs? And filling them up from not the most hygienic places?
Having an insulated water bottle is one of our favorite van life hacks. Plus having a way to keep refreshing water abundant will keep you much more hydrated throughout the day.
Fruit Hammock:
A constant problem we were having at the beginning of vanlife was our fruits and vegetables going bad before they technically should. We often had them stowed away in our cabinets or drawers so they wouldn’t role away to god knows where.
So one of our best camper van hacks was to use the awkward space above our kitchen sink to add in a fruit hammock.
This allowed the fruits and vegetables to get proper air flow, and helped us remember where every fruit and vegetable was, so they didn’t go bad!
And really, this is an easy way to have extra storage in your camper van because the fruits and veggies won’t be taking up valuable space in your cabinets and drawers.
paracord to hang wet stuff:
Sometimes you gotta hand wash your clothes (& be sure to use Earth Breeze Eco-Sheets), or maybe the dryer at the laundromat didn’t work so well. So you gotta find a way to hang your clothes in your camper van.
A good camper van hack is to have an easy clothesline you can set up. Then, the paracord can hang between trees at your campsite and you can have some dry clothes in a couple hours!
Or this can be great for hanging your towels between swims in the ocean!
There is simply so much you can do with paracord, so it’s just a camper van hack that should not be missed.
shoe rack for organization:
One camper van hack to make vanlife easier is a shoe rack organizer. This is not only good for having a place to put your shoes. It can also be where you put things that you need easily accessible. Such as headlamps, gloves, fire extinguisher.
We have a shoe organizer behind our passenger seat, and it simply just helps have extra storage and keep things more organized.
Limit the amount of meat you cook (easier to clean):
Jake and I have changed the way we eat in vanlife. We cook far less meat because it requires so much extra water to clean the pans because of the animal fat.
And generally meat goes bad faster in the fridge. So we have definitely switched to a more vegetarian eating habits with occasionally still eating meat.
This just helps us fill up our fresh water jugs less and get to enjoy off-grid living much longer!
Backup battery or Portable chargers:
Like mentioned above, during the winter months or if you just don’t have a large battery supply, a great way for van lifers to get that extra power they need is to get a portable solar generator.
Having an extra power bank can save you when you lose power.
For example, Jake and I got caught in a snowstorm in June up in the Utah mountains. We didn’t have an extra power bank and the sun was no where in sight. Our campervan got stuck in the mud, so we couldn’t leave the area til the ground dried out. So we basically just had to sit in the cold and had to find ways to entertain ourselves without electronics.
Some great portable solar batteries are the Jackery 500, the Goal Zero Yeti 500x or Renogy Phoenix 200 (about 1/2 the battery supply as the other two).
These batteries allow you to charge your laptop, and other devices throughout the day while hopefully your other solar power racks up enough power to use for the evening!
One bonus is they are portable. You can bring them into a coffee shop or wherever to charge them up for the next day. Or use a portable solar panel.
If a portable solar generator isn’t in the budget, consider getting a few smaller chargers to have for use in a pinch. Some of our favorite portable chargers are:
Mr. Buddy Heater:
If you plan to do winter vanlife, a Mr. Buddy Heater is one of the best camper van hacks for staying warm. But that’s only if you don’t already have a diesel heater installed.
Jake and I tend to escape the cold as much as possible, but sometimes a snow storm will roll through even in the Southern states. So we have a portable heater that we can pull out during these varies times.
Do note, a Mr. Buddy Heater can be VERY dangerous if you don’t have roof vents or at least a window you can create proper ventilation with. But with proper fresh air, a Mr. Buddy Heater can be a life saver on those cold winter days.
But if you only have limited space in your van, a heater might not be the most practical item to carry along.
A good plan B is to have a low degree sleeping bag, but that can take up some of your valuable storage areas. And you will want to make sure you have easy access to this item, since I’m sure you won’t want to search through your “van gearage” and let the warm air escape then van.
But if a heater seems like it will take up too much space, then check out our post, how survive winter vanlife without a heater for additional tips.
Gas buddy app to save money:
Let’s be real, vans and RV are GAS GUZZLERS.
Some camper vans might get better gas mileage than others, but we aren’t setting any records against a small sedan. And not to mention, our tanks are huge.
One of the most clever ways to beat the system is to use an app called Gas Buddy. It’s an app where peers can add the gas prices of gas stations around the country to help out fellow travelers.
It’s important to find the least expensive gas around so you can save a few bucks. It can honestly really add up!
Using the app Gas Buddy is one of the best camper van hacks I know. Especially in states where gas prices are all over the place (cough cough, California).
Gas Buddy has saved us probably $100’s of dollars over the years!
Our best suggestion is to always look for gas at least 60 miles before empty. Then search for the lowest price within that range. It might have you filling up your tank a littler earlier than expected, but overall it is one of the top van life tips for saving money.
Be sure to also check out other ways to Save Money On Gas In Your Camper Van.
Add a pop-up shower, so you can shower ANYWHERE!
If you are a full-time van lifer, you probably have solar shower or some sort of portable shower that you use outdoors. Unless you have a shower built into your camper van build, a pop-up shower is one of the best camper van hacks to use with a portable shower.
But having these showers that need to be used outdoors can strike some challenges when you are in populated areas. You either need to wear a swimsuit while you shower & not properly deep clean those much-need “areas”. Or you are in your birthday suit, flaunting it to the world.
Therefore, a pop-up shower is the perfect camper van hack to shower ANYWHERE! This pop-up shower was a late addition to our camper van, but well worth the wait. We sometimes would put off showering, because we were in places that don’t have much tree coverage, or the site was right off the road.
But with this privacy shelter, we can basically shower whenever we want. Well, maybe not in a Walmart parking lot… But I think you get the point. Plus it is awesome for when the wind is ripping, and you instantly get cold from any breeze.
Seriously this shower shelter is a game-changer and will make vanlife much easier for you to stay fresh and clean on the road!
Get non-Rattling kitchenware or Add A Magnetic Strip:
One of the best van life hacks that is often overlooked is rattling kitchenware. Every dirt road you send out on an adventure, there will be kitchenware rattling in those kitchen drawers.
Bamboo kitchen utensils are the best way to stop rattling in your kitchen drawers. They are strong, durable, and fit into a small space.
Another popular alternative to rattling kitchenware is to add a magnetic strip to a wall. Many people place their knives on this magnetic strip so they have easy access to their sharp knives when meal prepping. Plus they don’t get dull jostling around in your drawer.
But, personally, Jake and I feel this is quite a hazard for a moving vehicle. A little gruesome, but hypothetically we picture rear ending a car and knives flinging off toward us. Sooooo, while it can be a great camper van hack to reduce space in those storage areas, it can also be a hazard.
We are big fans of the magnetic spice rack as it can really open up extra storage space in your cabinets. And ultimately these magnetic spice racks can provide more room for food storage, which I think we are all in favor of!
get a cell-Signal booster or wifi ranger
Probably the hardest thing about living on the road is not always having cell signal. And for many of us to stay on the road, we need cell signal to work remotely.
Therefore, having a device to boost cell-signal is a camper van hack for making sure you always have a stronger connection if there is a cell-signal. Plus it only takes up a small amount of space for a large reward!
Jake and I use the Weboost Cell-Signal Booster which can boost our cell-signal on our cell phones up to 32 times.
If you often travel in cities where WiFi is readily available, consider getting a WiFi ranger. This will boost a WiFi connection to be stronger out in your camper van. This is great for places with a public connection where you don’t need a password to connect. Such as places like Walmart, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.
Having The Proper Bathroom Essentials
Sometimes you gotta go when you gotta go. While I think having a cassette toilet, portable toilet, or Composting Toilet is a vanlife essential, not everyone agrees.
Obviously you might just think, I’ll go in a public restroom or out in nature, but sometimes those options aren’t readily available. Maybe the bathroom is closed (due to covid) or its a public place, so you can’t go outside your camper van.
Therefore, you should have a pee jug for emergencies, and a backpacking poop bag for #2 emergencies.
For probably TMI, you can also check out our post (how we go to the bathroom in our camper van). But, it’s just a part of life, so it’s best to be prepared so you can make vanlife easier for yourself in case of an emergency!
Having The Proper Camper Van Off-Road Essentials
One of the quintessential camper van hacks to make vanlife easier is being prepared for the unexpected.
For example if you hear about a cool campsite off-grid, and they forget to tell you there is a super sandy section. And well… you get stuck. You will want to be able to dig yourself out of that hole yourself. Because often times, AAA won’t be able to get you at that location, or worse, you might not have cell-signal.
So you will want to make sure you are prepared with some camper van off-roading essentials when you go off-grid.
Our personal favorite camper van hack are these X-Bull Recovery Boards. These come at a fraction of the price of the original Maxtrax. But if you don’t plan to use them quite as extensively as Jeep Extreme Off-roading, the X-Bull traction boards should do you just fine.
The biggest negative is they take up a lot of space. One of the popular storage ideas for traction boards is to attach them to the outside of your camper van.
Small Fire Extinguisher For Safety:
Many vanlifers might not think about the possibility of your van catching fire. But accidents have happened and some were not fortunate enough to save their tiny home on wheels.
So be sure to always have a fire extinguisher within easy reach in case you leave that dish towel on the burner or your engine overheats.
Jake and I have this small fire extinguisher, it’s small enough to not take up a ton of extra room in our camper van. It’s one of the best camper van hacks, that could quite literally save your life! We add ours to our shoe organizer behind out passenger seat. It’s right next to our kitchen and readily available.
Laundry Detergent Sheets: Save space.
One of the ultimate storage ideas in your camper van is to use laundry detergent sheets. Traditional laundry detergent bottles are some bulky items to store in your camper van.
Over the past year, Jake and I have made the switch over to Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Eco-Sheets. (<–Check out our review). They are liquid-less, compact and use NO plastic! Plus they take up such a small amount of space.
There are so many benefits to switching from a large plastic to these eco-sheets. Not only will you slowly be saving the environment, you will be opening a large amount of space for extra storage.
Takeaway | Camper Van Hacks
There are many camper van hacks that can make vanlife easier and more comfortable. The more space in your van, the more space you have for living.
We live in our camper van full-time, so these little camper van hacks have been a game changer. We travel with everything we own, such as camping gear, backpacking gear, blow up kayak, etc. So we need to maximize our storage space and use these best campervan hacks to our benefit.
Our best suggestion is to use all the awkward spaces in your van for storage. For weird shaped areas, fit something malleable. Sometimes it can feel like a game of tetris, but optimizing your campervan storage can be rewarding.
We just wanted to share a few of our tips and tricks for living your best life on the road!
Also, be sure to check out our other post Money Saving Tips For Vanlifers & Rv’ers to save an extra buck or two!
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