For those who haven’t heard of the term, VanLife is a lifestyle that revolves around traveling in a van. While it’s true that the daily routine may not always be exciting, it’s also true that there are challenges that come with every new experience.
Maintaining a VanLife as an individual is no different from any other lifestyle except for one thing: you must remain alert for ways to make your home more sustainable and cost-effective so you can continue living here for as long as possible. Let’s look at some of the challenges of maintaining a VanLife lifestyle…
Build up an infrastructure
The most important aspect of any community is building up a reliable infrastructure. The most essential parts of your setup will be your water supply, food supply, and toilet. These will be crucial to your daily life, keeping you well-fed, and hygienic. Another important part of your infrastructure will be a roof.
Your roof will have the job of keeping off the rain and heat during the day and keeping you safe at night. Make sure you have a strong roof, and a lockable door if you’re in a car that’s parked in open ground. A ladder will also come in handy if you’re in a small space with limited headroom.
Stay connected to the outside world
If you’re trying to maintain contact with the outside world while you’re living in a car, there are some limitations to keep in mind. Firstly, you’ll need a strong signal so that you can use your phone and the internet. If you’re living in remote areas with poor signals, you’ll need to consider how this will affect your lifestyle.
Secondly, you’ll need a reliable power supply. This can be an issue in remote areas, so make sure you check out your options and plan ahead. You’ll also need to make sure that you can charge your devices while you’re out and about.
Prepare for emergencies
One of the most important aspects of any community is ensuring that you’re prepared for emergencies. You never know when something might go wrong, and you need to be ready for it. So, keep a first aid kit, water purification tablets, a portable radio, and a solar panel in your car.
You can also have a fire extinguisher, a manual call-out kit, a manual windbreak, a road atlas, a satellite phone, and a toolbox in your vehicle as well. You’ll also need to keep your car well-maintained and make sure that you have an emergency plan in place.
Stick to your routine
One of the most important things to do is to stick to a routine. This will help you to stay motivated and organized when you’re living in a car. It’s important to have a routine so that you don’t get bored while you’re stuck in the car all day. To keep yourself busy, you can try DIY projects, reading books, or creating art. You can also exercise, meditate, or listen to music to keep your mind busy.
Stay healthy and keep fit
As you’re living in the car, you’re spending a lot of time in your car. Make sure that you keep it clean and well-maintained so that you don’t fall ill. You can also try to keep your body fit while you’re living in a van. This will help you to stay active and motivated throughout your day.
You can also try to get into a routine of going for walks or exercises in your car. During this time, you can also focus on what’s outside of your vehicles, such as the environment or your fellow vanlifers.
Don’t forget about the people in your life
While you’re living in your car, you might find that you spend most of your time alone. However, you need to remember to make time for the people in your life, even if they aren’t physically present. You can send lots of emails and make phone calls, so you don’t have to see them in person.
You can also make time to catch up on social media so that you don’t have time to be bored. If you don’t have a lot of privacy in your car, try to make time for yourself as much as possible.
Wrapping Up
Living in a van is a unique way to live. It allows you to travel and explore while keeping your costs low. However, it’s important to remember that life in a car doesn’t come without some challenges.
When planning your lifestyle, you need to remember that while there are some advantages to living in a van, there are also some challenges that you’ll need to overcome. These include building up an infrastructure, sticking to a routine, staying healthy and fit, and making time for your loved ones.
