If you've been on social media in the past year or so, you've likely been recommended a bunch of short videos and reels about van life. But what is van life, you might ask if you've been living under a rock? Many who feel restricted and limited by constantly being stuck in the same place have opted to transform a van into their home on wheels. In other words, you're living on the road.
Complete with a bed, kitchen, and other necessities, van life has allowed people to travel the country without having to pay expensive prices for plane tickets, hotels, and so on. This new lifestyle trend highlights the beauty of freedom, independence, and living on the road without a destination in mind. But while social media continues to paint this lovely imagery of what it's like living in a van, there are a ton of things it's not showing you.
Let's take a look behind the camera today to really see how van life can be. Because hidden beneath those rose-colored social media glasses is a whole lot of ugly and struggle most influencers won't talk about.
Personal Hygiene Struggles
If you're interested in van life, it's important that you know these homes on wheels don't always come with everything you need. If you DIY your van, there's a chance you can build a model that fits more essentials that you want, but if you buy pre-made options, what you buy is what you get. And sometimes that means not getting a shower or a properly functioning toilet.
Be prepared to go several days without being able to take a shower, wash your hands, and much more if you choose to live in a van. After all, they don't have a functioning water system like houses do, so everything will be limited by the size of whatever water tank you're using.
Used too much water for your ramen? You might've just run out of water to wash your dishes with. It's going to be constant work trying to figure out how much you've got left in your reserves and how much time you have to wait until you can refill it again.
Which means if you're in the middle of nowhere and there's no free gym shower nearby, and you've run out of water in your tank, it means keeping yourself clean is going to be a bigger challenge than you may have anticipated. It'll truly open your eyes to how privileged we are to have access to running water at all times of the day.
Daily Chores Galore
Not a morning person? Love your lazy days? Well, if you're living out of a van, say goodbye to all of those things. Every day will be filled with little tasks and chores that you need to get out of the way before you can go about your day.
It can be as small as folding up your bed to make more space in the van, to something far more important like disposing of your waste. But whatever it is, we guarantee you won't be able to lounge around comfortably without stressing over something you need to get done first.
Which is why it isn't said enough that van life isn't for everybody. Simple tasks will suddenly transform into massive hurdles that take up your whole day. For instance, finding a place where you can park and stay overnight has to be done regularly, and early on too. If you slack and miss a day, good luck trying to find somewhere to sleep on a whim! Everything about van life requires structured planning and scheduling, and if that's not for you, you're going to have a very difficult time.
Safety Concerns
Last but not least, one factor that constantly gets overlooked about van life is safety. When you're living out in the public with just a thin door between you and the rest of the world, it's easy to feel anxious and stressed about your personal well-being.
After all, it's far easier to break into a car than it is a home. And if you want to level up your security for your van, you'll need to invest quite a bit of money that won't come cheap.
