As parents of a toddler, we really needed this one. When we began our build, our daughter was two and freshly potty trained. Having a toilet easily accessible was a must!

Also, I always have to use the restroom immediately after waking up. If we are in the forest, I have no shame. But squatting in a city is not cool and also pretty illegal. I didn't want to have to search for a place to use the restroom every single morning. 

It's wonderful to have the convenience of a restroom whenever we need it. 

For now, we use Thetford Porta Potti Curve. You can get them for just over $100. It has a battery powered flush and red/green indicators for fresh and waste water tank levels. 

We were trying to stay within our budget, so we didn't go with our first choice: Nature's Head Composting Toilet. Supposedly, you can poop in this one and it doesn't smell. We currently don't use ours for #2, so that would be nice. 

We empty our current toilet once a week. The Nature's Head toilet holds 60-80 solid uses, so basically, two people could go six weeks without emptying it. Right now, the bathroom chore is my LEAST favorite part of the week, so longer intervals between visiting dumping stations would be amazing. 

From the very beginning, solar was something we weren't going to do without. Naturally, it's one of the biggest commodities to living. We wanted to be able to go off the grid without needing to plug into power. 

We decided to go with a Goal Zero setup, and we are super happy with it.  

We have two 100 watt solar panels that mount to our Aluminess roof rack and a 1000 watt portable power station. 

Personally, I love when the weather outside is in the 60's during the day and 50's at night. The temperature in the van is perfect. 

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way-even when we try to follow the cooler weather. We also travel full-time with our dog, Beirut, so keeping the van's temperature safe for him is super important. 

Building this into the van was the absolute scariest part for me and Mars was the one doing it. 

We waited until our roof rack arrived before putting in the fan because we wanted to make sure the dimensions were right and would match the location of the fan space in the roof rack. 

Imagine finishing your build and then cutting a huge hole in your roof. There was little room for error, if any. Luckily, Mars is incredible and the fan was put in very well.

We purchased a MAXXFAN Deluxe and we power it through our house battery. It's a complete RV ventilation system with a vent, fan and rain shield. It has a 10-speed intake and exhaust as well as a thermostat. ​

In our original van layout, we planned to put in a shower. However, after doing a bunch of research, we found that many van lifers didn't use their showers as much as they wanted for the amount of work it took to build it. 

We actually went the first four months of living in the van without a shower. We became pretty creative with personal hygiene. We borrowed friends' showers as we passed through places where we knew people, we bathed Everly in our sink, we became like our great migrant ancestors and bathed in lakes and rivers. 

This worked out ok, but the activation energy it took to find a place to bathe was a little ridiculous at times.

We finally took the big leap and purchased a solar shower ...FOR LESS THAN $10. 

Why did we wait so long? I have no freaking clue. At least we have crazy memories of bathing in rivers. 

I would recommend buying a solar shower right off the bat. It's a super cheap option. The black side of the bag allows the water to heat from the sun. It can actually get pretty hot, so test the water with your hand before pouring it on yourself. 

We hang the bag from the side or back of the van and get five gallons of heated luxury.

Another amazing option we use almost daily is GYMS! We have a gym membership that is less than $45/month for both of us. Really, this has been my favorite shower hack! 

This is another wonderful invention that we waited MUCH too long to purchase.

When we began, we solely used our Biolite system to cook food, which really is an awesome set up. The coolest part is that Biolite converts heat energy into power to charge your phone, lights, etc. 

The biggest con to this setup was the amount of burn bans we encountered last summer in the pacific northwest. One spark could light the next biggest forest fire. So as much as we loved our little cookstove, we couldn't risk starting a fire. 

People often ask what we ate during this time. Well, neither of us eat much meat, so doing without wasn't a huge problem for us. We had A LOT of raw veggies, fruits, salads and sandwiches. 

We recently got a cooktop for around $50, which includes the cost of our cast iron skillet, and I'm in HEAVEN! The little stove even heats up the van a little bit on chilly mornings! Having the cooktop really opens up what we can create for meals in the van, and it's been amazing!

Our water pump is powered through our house battery as well. We have a seven gallon fresh water tank as well as a seven gallon grey water tank beneath the sink. 

We want to put a larger storage tank beneath the van at some point so we can free up space beneath the sink for extra storage. 

I use the sink several times a day, and we have a pretty good system right now for filling/dumping our water once a week. I've become super aware of the amount of water we use. We try to conserve as much as possible. I use a bowl to catch excess water when I'm doing the dishes, and I try to do them once a day in the evenings rather than every time we dirty a plate. 

For your build, I would highly recommend putting in running water. It beats carrying buckets from the river. Take it from me. 

Get a fridge that takes a SMALL amount of power.

We didn't do this...and it's a pain in the butt.

We're actually buying a Dometic fridge within the next couple of weeks. We maxed out our budget when the time came to buy a fridge, so we ended up with an Igloo cooler for around $100 that we switch back and forth between our house battery and our Goal Zero power station. 

The Igloo pulls quite a bit of power, but it has worked decently for the past year. 

Now, the charger won't stay plugged in at it randomly pops out when we don't realize it. So, that's no good. It's time to bite the bullet and buy a decent fridge.

Don't be like us. Buy a nice fridge for yourself sooner rather than later. 

Originally, we were going to get a mini fridge that stayed in the van. Now, after having a portable cooler for a year, we would much rather go with something that can come in and out of the van. 

Last, but certainly not least, get a roof rack. We went with an Aluminess rack because they are lightweight and fully customizable. Plus, it looks pretty badass.

I've mentioned this several times in previous posts, but it's my favorite part of the van. 

We use it to attach our solar panels so we can constantly pull in power, even when we are on the move. We store our Thule, which keeps extra clothes, shoes and outdoor gear. We also have a paddleboard holder on the side. The one thing we want to add is a bicycle rack, which Aluminess also offers. 

The incredible storage ability is the reason we recommend getting a roof rack, but the rack has also provided a wonderful getaway with a great view! 

When we were in Moab, we put a massage mat on top of the rack after putting Everly to sleep. We cuddled up there looking at the Milky Way and watching for shooting stars and the possible UFO. It's one of my favorite memories since we began this life in the van. 

These are the eight things I've found the most valuable in our van build, not including a bed, clothes, toothbrush, soap, you know, other regular things we enjoy having in our lives. 

If you have any more questions about our build, we would love to connect! Shoot us an email here:
​

This is one of our favorite families of SIX! Gabriel, Debbie and their four kids live full-time in their converted school bus.

They turned a 2000 Thomas High Top into a beautiful home complete with a rooftop deck, full kitchen and the ability to sleep EIGHT!

Did I mention they downsized from a 5,000 square foot house?!

They’re genuine storytelling ability and hilarious Instagram stories can make anyone feel like long lost friends!

You can check them out here:
Instagram 
​Blog

Ben & Mande took one year to convert a 1992 International School Bus into a home to enjoy with their dog, Penny.

We love the bright natural light and white interior mixed with wood elements. It feels open and beachy!

I think my FAVORITE part is that they can put their hammocks up on their rooftop deck! I can only imagine how much more epic sleeping under the stars would be from up there!

​Find the on Instagram and check out their blog.

Vanessa, Denver and their three boys London, Phoenix and Everest began the journey of converting a school bus with the idea in mind to just use the bus as a weekend getaway vehicle for camping trips, but that idea quickly changed!

Their new intention is to live in their 1995 International school bus conversion for a year or more!

They use a lot of white to open up the space in the bus. They also raised the roof about 20 inches in order to add better insulation and more storage.

Check out their Instagram & blog for some tiny home inspiration!

luke, Rachel and their two children live in one of the prettiest bus conversions we’ve ever had the pleasure to stumble across!

The best part? These skoolie builders would probably love to help you build yours! If you’re interested, head over to skoolie.com to fill out a build application.

Seriously though, a fully-functional kitchen AND a wood burning stove in 220 amazingly utilized square feet.

Check them out here: Instagram

You just might have seen these next guys on Tiny House Hunters!

This family of six + goldendoodle has a pretty similar philosophy to our own, and decided the best way to travel as a family would be to downsize and move everyone into a bus to travel and teach their kids about life as they go!

Check them out here: Instagram & Blog

This family of five gives us some serious motivation to build another tiny home on wheels. I personally LOVE the black and white scheme with pops of soft pink in the master bedroom!

The 1999 Blue Bird School Bus might be my dream bus. They also have a wood burning stove, which is something Mars is dying to have.

Check them out here: Instagram & YouTube

Cross country traveling is an incredible experience, but this couple takes it to another level by traveling from California to Argentina in their converted bus!

We are dreaming of doing this one day, but until then we will find inspiration from their incredible Instagram photos.

Marcos & Mili make me want to fill a bus with love, sunshine and sand from a beach right outside our own bus door!

​Follow them here: Instagram & Blog

I didn't fully realize how my life would change for the good when we moved into our tiny home on wheels, but it did. Here we are, exactly one year later, our original end date. This year flew by, and there is no way we are stopping this train..err..van. 

It wasn't easy at first, and sometimes it still isn't, but the good outweighs the bad by a landslide. I no longer find myself missing the comforts of our 1,600 square foot, four bedroom, two bath, typical American home. I love falling asleep to the sound of a nearby train or rain on our metal rooftop. I love waking up to the sunrise on a new home base.

The world is ours. It's a beautiful, magical place ready to be explored. 

If you think you're ready for this journey, make sure you realize that there are things you will give up. Here are six of them:

This one is obvious. If you are moving into a vehicle and turning it into your house, there is NO way you are bringing everything you'd own in a "normal" home with you.

Sacrifices will have to be made. 

We have exactly what we need and we use every bit of what we have. If we don't have a use for it, it doesn't stay with us. Each of us has one drawer for clothes. This was difficult. However, it's incredibly therapeutic to shed what no longer serves you. 

After a while, you'll begin to forget about all of the things you thought you had to have, and the addiction to stuff will slowly fade away. 

We got rid of our stuff, but with that, we also got rid of our other car payments and our mortgage. If you're renting, that's even better news! You no longer have to pour money into the black hole that is renting. 

Vanlife could be a way to help you save up for other dreams, or a more normal-sized home of your own. 

For us, we rented out our house. It's still there if we ever want to return. But in the meantime, we can build equity while working toward our bigger aspirations. 

If you're inhabiting this small space with anyone other than yourself, just know that you're about to get to know each other better than you ever have before. 

Your kitchen, bedroom, child's room (in our situation), living room, dining room and bathroom are all within a couple of steps from each other. At times, your van will become a Ninja Warrior course.

In a normal home, you take turns to use the restroom. In ours, we take turns to use the walking space. Soon you and your team will become a well oiled machine of stepping around each other and respecting one another's zones.

Letting go of the need to control is a great thing to practice whether or not you are living in a van. 

Life will always throw you curveballs. They're just a little more obvious in 80 square feet.  I've had to become much more patient and aware of my emotions. I'm not the greatest at it, but I'm better than I was one year ago. 

You also never know what might happen on the road. We've spent hours looking for a spot to park with no luck and had to figure things out on the fly. The unknown is also part of the adventure. 

Most people don't understand this lifestyle, and you'll be questioned about it quite often. You can't control what people think, or their opinions of you. As a vanlifer, you'll be propelled into owning who you are and letting go of outside expectations.

This was probably the biggest adjustment for me when we first started vanlife. I'm used to living out of a suitcase, but I was really unaware of how much electricity and water I use on a daily basis. 

We have a six gallon fresh water tank in the van and two 100W solar panels pulling energy to our 1000W Goal Zero power station.

Every little thing we use in the power station drains the battery. We therefore have to be super cognizant of turning things off and only using them for exactly the time we need.

When doing dishes, I try to use a bowl to catch the water so I won't waste any. 

In this photo, I actually took a silver tub we have on the back deck and filled it with water from the river to do the dishes and then refilled the tub again to wash my hair. I felt pretty resourceful and also like I could fare pretty well in a post-apocolyptic world. 

I'm not going to say you are totally limitless, but we feel like it most of the time. Because we are selective and intentional with everything, our stuff adds value to our lives as do our friendships and environments. 

Little by little, the things that held us down have faded into the background. After one year, I can see things clearer and I trust myself more. There is less stress, less worry, less weight. There's a feeling of limitlessness. 

"Where should we spend the Fall?"
"Let's go to the northeast!" 
"Let's spend next Summer in Canada and Alaska!" 
"Let's create more and write music together!"

Everything feels reachable. 

You no longer have to be limited by a 9-5 job, a mortgage payment, naysayers, or a zip code. Home is wherever you decide you want it to be. You realize that happiness wasn't found in things. It's underneath everything you've piled on top of yourself over the years. 

Little by little, living minimally and chasing sunsets has stripped it all away. 

You realize underneath it all, you were already limitless.

​From solo travelers to families of five-the vanlife community embraces everyone with a heart for living life differently and seeking a bit of adventure! 

These two are adorable and a freaking blast to follow. Mars especially loves their YouTube account where you can follow along on a real look into what living in a van is like!

Their Insta's aren't too shabby either. With cohesive, inspiring imagery, you'll want to get offline and go exploring with someone you love!  

​Instagram: @eh.mon & @rebeccamahoney

These are only some of the countless vanlife accounts out there. If traveling full time or being a weekend warrior is something you aspire to, it can definitely be done, and there are tons of us who would love to guide you along your way to making that happen!