5 tips for couples building a van together & 5 tips for living van life
5 Tips for Building your van with a partner
1) Figure out your floor plan and components
First things first, get on the same page about what floor plan will fit your needs as well as the different components you’d like to include. This will help with planning the rest of your van build!
2) Set a realistic budget for your needs
Everyone’s budget varies when it comes to a van conversion, so you’ll need to figure out what is doable for you.
What are you comfortable spending on your build?
What are the things you could potentially get rid of versus the things that you “must” have in your build?
3) Set a realistic timeline for your build
Figure out how long your build is going to take, and then double it!
Speaking from experience, van builds take way longer than you expect. As soon as you feel like the finish line is near, there are still going to be 100 things you need to do before it’s really finished.
It’s going to take longer than you think, so plan in a buffer with your timeline and don’t put so much pressure on yourself.
4) Expect a couple of fights along the way
When doing a van build, tensions can rise. It happens. We’re only human after all…
Don’t expect your van build to be fun all the time - you’re likely to have a couple of fights along the way.
Just remember all the amazing adventures you’ll have when the van is done!
5) Don’t ask what they got done at the end of the day
If you’re thinking about asking your partner what they accomplished at the end of the day… just don’t!
Van conversions really don’t look like much until they are about 90% done. There are a lot of moving parts, so even though it “looks” like nothing got done, there were probably at least 20 small things that got checked off the list!
5 tips for traveling in a van with a partner
1) Find out what your comfort level with finding places to sleep
Are you up for an adventure or do you thrive with plans ahead of time?
The number one struggle of van life can be figuring out where to sleep at night. If you plan ahead, you can find camping spots along the way.
If you’re up for an adventure and want to save money, you can find places to safely sleep overnight. We recommend checking out apps like iOverlander to find places you can “stealth” camp. Always be mindful and respectful of where you park overnight, and follow the local ordinances/laws in place.
2) What is your bathroom situation?
The next biggest thing to consider is your bathroom situation. How will you go #1 when it’s late at night? Where will you shower?
This is one of the big reasons why we are fans of having an enclosed shower/toilet “wet” bathroom in our vans - you don’t have to stress about where you will shower or go to the bathroom late at night.
3) Get out and explore!
You’re living van life for a reason - to explore! So enjoy the journey along the way and find those local hidden gems.
We loved looking for remote campgrounds (hopefully located close to water) just outside of the towns we were visiting. Towns like:
Durango, Colorado
Sandpoint, Idaho
Canmore, Alberta
Seaside, OR
Mackinaw City, MI
These are all incredible towns to explore during the day for shopping or dining. Then when you are ready for a few nights out in nature and the work schedule allows it (see #4) you get away. Ask the locals. Read books and explore local hashtags to find the adventure just off the main road.
4) Set work / life boundaries
One of the most challenging aspects of van life is balancing work and play.
Finances and work will determine much of your schedule when you are on the road. If you have the means for that not to be the case, congrats! Enjoy your fun on the road.
If not, you may find yourself constantly juggling when you need internet, cell service or a really comfortable coffee shop with great music to get some work done.
Plan ahead, and make sure you stop places that have good service/wifi.
5) Take breaks!
We visited tons of friends and family while we were on the road, which can be a great break from the van.
Some of the coolest places in the country are not very van life friendly. Respect that and maybe book a hotel or an airbnb for a night so you can relax, have a long hot shower and really enjoy the place.
Sometimes a night at an RV park and a good night sleep is all you need to feel recharged to hit the road again.
WANT TO JOIN A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTIVE VAN LIFERS?
Check out our Van Layout Guide - you’ll get access to our private community to connect with hundreds of other DIYers who are building their own van. Plus you’ll get to connect with us directly!