After living in our campervan full-time for over a year we have learned some things. There are things we thought would work but failed, or found out things we didn’t think would work but turned out to be great. So learn from our successes and mistakes of vanlife, so you can start off living in your campervan full-time with great success. Here is a list of things we’ve learned after living in our campervan full-time.
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Velcro Sucks!
Bob Wells (the vanlife legend) told us velcro wouldn’t work, but my stubbornness got the best of me. I tried to use velcro a few times within the van build, such as…. We used velcro to attach our window covers to the windows, curtains to block out the sun & heat from the front cab and our seat cushions to the bench. And none of those attachments lasted long.
For the velcro attachment to the windows, the heat got well over 100+ degrees when the sun was shining. Velcro will not stick, even adding glue that is meant to withstand high temperatures didn’t get the job done.
Even for velcro that was meant for “fabric”, would separate. The velcro will come off places it should clearly stick. Plus it will create a gooey mess that is not easy to clean up after it fails. So our best advice, is skip the velcro all together!
The #1 thing we learned after living in our campervan full-time was that Magnets will work much better. And most of the van’s shell is made out of metal, so it shouldn’t be hard to incorporate magnets instead of velcro. We used these super-strong CMS Magnets and they work like a charm!
Your body regulates to your bathroom schedule
Definitely one of my biggest fears of moving into a van was going #2, because my body was on a morning schedule like clockwork.
It’s strange to say, but one of the things we’ve learned after living in our campervan full-time is our bodies seemed to know that bathrooms were a little more scarce. I can’t say this will magically happen for everyone, but I know I am not alone on this one.
My body quickly regulated to get off that schedule and seems to know when I’m gonna be near a bathroom or not. I still wake up in the middle of the night to go #1 but I just have a small bladder. But we can almost always make it to a bathroom in time for #2 or we are out in the middle of nowhere where you can dig a hole!
But, having a toilet for #1 in the van has been one of the best decisions to add in our van build. It is super nice for when you are in public places with no bathroom nearby or when you have to go in the middle of the night.
If you want to add a toilet to your van conversion check out our post: Best Portable Toilets For Vanlife & Camping
We have more room/storage than we thought
Initially moving into the van, we thought we wouldn’t be able to easily fit everything. But after organizing and getting a regular grocery schedule, we actually have space to spare! We may not have a large backup supply of pantry items or every outdoor recreation item you would normally store in your garage (bikes, football/basketball, etc) but we have more than enough space for extra food and a select few items for fun in the outdoors.
Note: We also purchased space saver bags to help us store clothes between seasons, and because you will most likely be changing elevation, they won’t hold airtight. Luckily, we have enough space that they don’t need to hold airtight but we still use them to hold all our extra clothes between seasons.
Reflectix works!
Reflectix foil insulation is magical to block out the heat of the sun peering through the windows! We don’t have any information to back up that they work as wall insulation, but we have reflectix coverings on all our windows around our van. And on days when it’s 80+, the van is still a decent temperature inside (with proper air flow……read more about Campervan Ventilation).
We layered our reflectix window coverings with fabric and sheeps wool on the inside for the colder months to keep as much heat in as we can. But, if you primarily travel in mild/warm temperatures, you should be fine with just a layer of bare reflectix.
Reflectix is a must have item in your van build! It will make all the difference.
The small propane tanks actually last a while
We had plans to incorporate a large propane tank inside the van, but after using the small ones, one of the things we’ve learned after living in our campervan full-time was that they lasted longer than we thought. Although we use the Camp Chef Everest which is one of most efficient camp stoves on the market. We use our camp stove about once or twice a day and one small canister can last us 3-4 weeks.
Adding a collapsible electric kettle was a game-changer for making our morning coffee and tea. Because we used to have to bring the camp stove out every morning and then again for lunch and dinner.
We still highly suggest adding a large propane tank if you have space and can properly close it off. (Check out this detailed guide by FarOutRide). Because one drawback to the small propane canisters is that they are non-refillable, and just add to the landfills. But for our purposes, the green canisters work just great.
A bug net is a must-have
On those hot summer days, you are gonna want air flow in the van. And depending on where you are traveling, you will most likely need a bug net! Because with summer comes bugs.
There are plenty of great options for bug nets on Amazon, but they will most likely not fit perfectly to your van doors. So, Jake and I bought mesh and made our own bug nets to the appropriate size of our van doors. We then use the CMS magnets to hold them in place on the metal van frame.
Showering weekly isn’t so bad
At first, I got a little weary about only showering once a week or so. But there are ways to freshen up on the road without having to take a full blown shower. We often use hygiene wipes, jump in a lake/river, or use our campervan sink to stay fresh between showers. Plus it’s better for your skin and hair to shower less.
And if you have long hair, dry shampoo will be your lifeline for keeping you looking fresh! Check out my post about Female Hygiene On The Road for more tips!
But, during those hot summer months, having a portable shower or camping near a lake or river can help you stay fresher on the go more often.
For more information on vanlife showers check out our post:
Best Portable Showers For Vanlife & Camping
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Libraries open late
Libraries are one of the best places for vanlifers to get wifi for free. But after traveling for a few months, we realized that if you want to have the internet for work in the morning, a lot of libraries open at 10am or later.
It’s difficult to find a public library that opens around 8am or earlier. So we suggest using your phone plan as a hot spot if you want to get internet bright and early in the morning and not have to spend money at a coffee shop.
For more information on how to find internet on the road or how to boost your cell-signal on the road check out our posts:
How To Get Internet And Wifi On The Road
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Protect your mattress from MOLD!
If you don’t properly vent under your mattress you will most likely grow mold. Many people add a hypervent under their mattress or cut holes in the wood that their bed sits on. Our problem is amplified because our bed platform is just a solid piece of plywood. But no matter what you have, there needs to be a way for air to flow under the bed so any moisture you create when you sleep, cook, from rain, etc can dissipate.
We had a disturbing time once we looked under our bed for the first time after a few months of living in the van to find mold spors growing one top of the wood and inside the wood. Luckily we were able to salvage the wood by bleaching, sanding and then adding vinegar to kill all the mold growth.
Learn how to DIY your own hypervent check out our post:
Vanlife: How To Prevent Mold Under Your Mattress | DIY Hypervent
It’s not that easy to Recycle
Jake and I try to separate our trash from recycling, but things we’ve learned after living in our campervan full-time we have found it to be very difficult to find places to dispose of our recycling. Our trash can is pretty small, so usually when it’s ready to dispose of we can just get rid of it in a public trash can. But, as for recycling, there are not many public recycling receptacles.
If we are in a city, we can find facilities that will collect your recycling, but in those smaller towns, which we tend to travel in more often, it is hard to find a place to properly dispose of our recycling.
Many National Parks, State Parks and campgrounds have recycling receptacles, but we try to avoid places where it isn’t easy to get trash and recycling trucks in and out. But, sometimes it is our only option.
Fruit hammock’s are a must
We tried living without a fruit hammock for a long time because it simply just wouldn’t fit very well in our kitchen space. But we have had our fair share of food getting moldy too quick, or bruising too quickly because we tucked it away in a cabinet or drawer where it didn’t have enough air to breathe or would bump back and forth against cans and boxes. So one of the things we’ve learned after living in our campervan full-time is a fruit hammock can solve all our issues.
So Jake used his magic and designed a custom fruit hammock that would fit well in our specific kitchen build. We used some of our leftover cargo netting from a different section in our van to build a custom fruit hammock above our sink that wouldn’t sit as low as a normal fruit hammock.
Unless you have unlimited fridge space to store all your fruit and veggies, having somewhere to store all your produce that doesn’t necessarily need to be refrigerated, a fruit hammock will help keep your food fresh for longer!
Takeaway:
Living in a van full-time definitely comes with its positives, but also comes with some struggles. We’ve had to deal with mold much more then we would ever like to in our lifetime, but if you don’t have proper ventilation, then moisture will be your enemy.
And not having the simple luxuries of a home such as toilet, shower, large fridge, internet, etc., you have to overcome those struggles daily. So learn from some of our mistakes of things we’ve learned along the way after living in our campervan full-time.
Please share this advice so you can be better prepared for your van build and life on the road.
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