How to Live in a Van?

Everyone's talking about van life these days. Your feed is probably full of people sipping coffee while watching perfect sunrises from their perfectly organized mobile homes. But learning how to live in a van isn't about getting the perfect shot for social media. It's about dealing with broken water pumps, finding places to park where you won't get hassled, and accepting that sometimes you'll smell bad for longer than you'd like.

Van life can be amazing, but it's messy and complicated and way harder than those YouTube videos make it look. People always want to know if it's cheaper than rent (sometimes), if it's lonely (depends), and whether they should quit their job to do it (probably not right away). The real answer is that van life works great for some people and drives others completely insane.

Before anyone sells everything and buys a van, they should know what they're actually getting into. Because the romantic idea of freedom and adventure is real, but so is the part where your toilet breaks at 2 AM in the middle of nowhere.

Van Conversions

Every conversion starts with big plans and ends with compromises. That's just how it works. People spend months planning elaborate layouts and electrical systems, then realize they don't actually need half that stuff and can't afford the other half.

The electrical system always costs more than expected. Solar panels sound great until you price out enough batteries to run a coffee maker. Most people end up with way more electrical capacity than they use or way less than they thought they needed. Start simple - lights, phone charging, maybe a small fridge. You can always add more later.

Water systems are where people really go overboard. Full plumbing with hot water and pressurized systems looks cool but takes up tons of space and adds complexity. A simple setup with a jug and a foot pump works fine for most people and leaves room for other stuff.

Kitchens need to be realistic about how much cooking actually happens. That four-burner stove and full-size oven might seem necessary, but most van meals end up being variations on pasta, sandwiches, or whatever's easy to make without dirtying every dish you own.

Bathrooms are complicated. A composting toilet and outdoor shower setup works for some people, but others need real facilities. Figure out which type you are before building something you'll hate using.

Storage is never enough, no matter how much you plan. Everything needs to be secured for driving, accessible when you need it, and organized so you can find stuff. Most people redesign their storage at least twice before getting it right.

Professional van builds can save headaches if you're not handy or don't want to spend months figuring out electrical systems and plumbing. Sometimes, paying someone who knows what they're doing costs less than buying tools and materials for all your mistakes.

What Van Life Actually Costs (Hint: More Than You Think)

Everyone lies about van life expenses. Social media is full of people claiming they live on $500 a month while somehow always eating at restaurants and staying at paid campgrounds. The real numbers are messier and usually higher.

The van itself is just the beginning. Even buying something move-in ready, you'll immediately want to change things. New mattress, different storage, better electrical setup - it adds up fast. Budget for modifications because you'll definitely make them.

Here's what expenses actually look like for most people:

That's roughly $1,200-$2,700 per month, and that's without major repairs or emergencies. Some people spend less by mostly free camping and cooking everything, while others spend more because they like comfort and convenience.

The hidden costs get you. Van insurance is weird and expensive. Repairs happen more often when you're living in the thing 24/7. You'll lose or break a gear and have to replace it. And unless you're really committed to only free camping, you'll end up paying for showers and real bathrooms more than expected.

Want to know how much does van life cost realistically? Plan for more than you think, especially the first year when you're figuring everything out. And how much is a camper van that won't make you miserable? Figure at least $60k for something decent, more if you want it done right.

The Parking

Finding places to park and sleep legally is way harder than van life YouTube makes it look. Most cities don't want you there, most neighborhoods definitely don't want you there, and even the "van-friendly" places have gotten stricter about overnight parking.

Walmart isn't the magical solution everyone claims. Half the stores don't allow overnight parking anymore, and the ones that do often have security guards who'll wake you up anyway. Those "Walmart welcomes RVs" signs don't necessarily include vans that look like people live in them.

National forests and BLM land are great when you can get to them, but they're not everywhere. The good spots fill up fast during busy seasons, and driving three hours to find free camping gets old when you just want to sleep somewhere safe.

Apps help, but they're not magic. Campendium, iOverlander, FreeRoam - they all have useful info, but it's only as good as the people using them. Half the "perfect free camping" spots turn out to be someone's driveway or a swamp that looked different in the photos.

Urban stealth camping works sometimes, but it's stressful, and you'll eventually get caught. Cops, security guards, angry homeowners, automatic sprinklers at 3 AM - it's all part of the experience. Don't count on flying under the radar forever.

The real solution is having multiple options. Some nights, you'll pay $35 for an RV park because you need a shower and WiFi. Some nights you'll boondock on public land. Some nights you'll get lucky and find a quiet street where nobody cares. And some nights you'll drive until you're exhausted, looking for anywhere legal to park.

Daily Life in the Van

Living in a van means every simple task becomes a project. Want water? Hope your tank isn't empty and your pump works. Need the bathroom at 3 AM? Better remember where you put your shoes and a flashlight. Want to cook dinner? Check your propane, open windows for ventilation, and prepare to wash dishes in a sink the size of a cereal bowl.

Van cooking is mostly variations on simple themes because anything complicated uses too many dishes and too much water. Pasta with jarred sauce, rice and beans, sandwiches, whatever doesn't require precision or fancy equipment. Those elaborate van meals on Instagram are either staged or made by people who don't mind spending an hour washing dishes.

Laundry becomes strategic. You're always calculating clean clothes vs laundromat proximity. Hand washing works for some things, but good luck with jeans or towels. Most people end up doing laundry way less often than they'd like and wearing things longer than they normally would.

Weather affects everything when you live in a metal box. Summer means fans running constantly or sweating all night. Winter means condensation on everything and trying to heat a space that leaks air everywhere. Spring and fall are perfect, which is why everyone's heading the same direction during good weather.

Showers depend on your setup and tolerance for being dirty. Some people build full bathrooms, others use gym memberships or campground facilities. Solar showers work, but take planning. Getting clean becomes more work and less frequent than you're probably used to.

The mental stuff is harder than the physical stuff. Constant decision-making gets exhausting - where to go, where to park, what to eat, where to get water, how to fix whatever broke today. Some days, you wake up and have no idea what you're doing or why you thought this was a good idea.

Community: Not What Social Media Shows

Van life social media makes it look like constant gatherings and instant friendships around campfires. Reality is more complicated. Yes, van lifers tend to be friendly and helpful, but it's not some magical community where everyone's best friends.

Most van lifers are actually pretty solitary. You'll wave at other vans, maybe chat if you're parked nearby, but lots of people are doing their own thing. The big gatherings happen, but they're often awkward small talk with strangers who happen to have the same living situation.

Online communities are more useful than in-person ones. Facebook groups and forums are great for technical advice, area recommendations, and finding help when something breaks. People will actually drive out of their way to help with repairs or loan tools, which is pretty amazing.

But there's drama too, just like anywhere. People get territorial about camping spots, judgmental about different approaches to van life, and weird about money. The "we're all free spirits" thing is mostly marketing.

The community that matters most is the people you stay in touch with from before van life. Maintaining relationships with friends and family takes work when you're constantly moving, but those connections matter more than random van life acquaintances.                 

Health and Safety Reality

Healthcare gets complicated when you don't have an address. Some insurance plans don't work well nationwide, and finding doctors when you're moving constantly is annoying. Prescription refills become logistics puzzles, and emergencies are scarier when you're not sure where the nearest hospital is.

Staying healthy is actually easier in some ways. You walk more, spend time outside, and there's less temptation to just sit around. But if you have ongoing health issues, van life can make managing them harder.

Safety is mostly common sense, but living in a van makes you more vulnerable than a house. You can't call the police and give them your address if something goes wrong. Most problems are minor - weird people in parking lots, getting asked to move by security, mechanical issues in inconvenient places.

The scariest stuff is mechanical breakdowns in remote areas. Being stranded somewhere with no cell service and a dead van is genuinely dangerous. Learning basic maintenance helps, but having good roadside assistance and emergency supplies matters more.

Mental health is a real consideration. Van life can be isolating, stressful, and overwhelming, especially when things go wrong. Having support systems and realistic expectations helps, but some people just aren't wired for this lifestyle.

Making the Jump (Or Not)

Don't quit your job and sell everything on day one. Try it first. Rent a van for a month, do some long road trips, and talk to people who actually live this way. Van life looks different from the inside than it does on Instagram.

Start with more money than you think you need. Everything costs more than expected, and having options when things go wrong makes the difference between an adventure and a disaster. Being broke in a van is not romantic - it's stressful and limits your choices when you need them most.

Be honest about what you can handle. If you hate being dirty, van life might not work. If you need personal space to recharge, 50 square feet gets old fast. If you're not at all mechanical, breaking down in the middle of nowhere will be expensive and scary. 

Have an exit plan. Van life doesn't have to be forever. Some people do it for six months, some for years. There's no shame in deciding it's not for you or that you're ready for something else. Don't stick with it longer than you enjoy it, just because quitting feels like failure.

The learning curve is steep and expensive. You'll make mistakes, buy things you don't need, and skip things you actually need. That's normal, but professional help can reduce the pain.

Getting Started Right

Van life can be incredible, but success comes from realistic planning, quality equipment, and honest expectations about what you're getting into. Don't try to figure everything out yourself - learn from people who've already made the mistakes.

Some companies even handle fleet services if you're thinking bigger than just one van, while others focus on getting individual setups right the first time.

Living in a van successfully is about building a mobile lifestyle that actually works for real life, with all its complications and surprises. If you're ready to do this right instead of learning everything the expensive way, the people at Infinity Vans understand what it takes to make van life work in the real world.