Nomadic living is what you make it! But it can be a big change from conventional living and it's not right for everyone. (Though there's no commitment either; do it as long as you want or need to, and then switch back!) Some things will be better and some will be worse. The small living space and mobile nature of a vehicle make certain activities more difficult or time-consuming, while other activities are easier or don't need to be done at all (like mowing the lawn).
The challenges of living in a vehicle vary based on factors like where you are, what kind of vehicle you have, what features and equipment your vehicle has, and so on. But for many nomads, these are outweighed by the benefits: Why would anyone live in a van?
Many nomads regret not starting sooner!
Daily tasks
When living in a vehicle, expect many routine tasks to just take longer: cooking, bathroom, keeping clean, dressing.
There are many places to find and go:
- Finding places to sleep like campgrounds, street parking, and other free parking spots.
- Finding places to shower if you don't have a shower in your vehicle or use other methods to keep clean.
- Finding places to get fresh water for your tanks.
- Finding places to dump toilet tanks and other waste.
- Finding places to shop, which may be more frequent since you have less room to store food and other items.
- Finding places to do laundry, which may be more frequent since you have less room to store clothing.
Taken together, these can add up to a lot of decision fatigue – that is, your brain gets tired of making so many decisions so often. Being on the move regularly means it's harder to settle into a routine of going to the same places and seeing the same people and doing the same things week after week.
Other tasks:
- If you have a convertible bed or moveable bed, switching it to day or night mode.
- Set-up and take-down of camp, including leveling your vehicle if needed, connecting to campground hookups if applicable, etc.
- Checking the weather more often; when living in a vehicle, the temperature and weather may be more important to your plans.
- Systems in your vehicle that need to be monitored or maintained: what are my battery levels at? how much water do I have? how much fuel do I have?
- In the winter, clearing snow off of solar panels and being sure to park in the way of snow plows.
Other differences from conventional life
You will probably spend a lot more on fuel. You're not just driving more often, you're hauling around your entire home.
If you have a large vehicle, maneuvering can be difficult. Parking difficulty increases. Fuel efficiency is lower.
Managing your mail, taxes, and accounts is more difficult and time consuming.
You'll have less room for "stuff", which can mean considerable downsizing, storage units, or keeping things at the homes of friends or family. In a small space, if you have too much stuff, the things you need are often hard to get to or find.
If you move around regularly, it can be hard to make and keep friends. You can gather with other nomads in many places.
Continue exploring nomadic living
- Will I like nomadic living?
- Common regrets
- Will it be just like I've seen on Instagram? #vanlife #vandwellers
- Why a van and not an RV or something else?
- How much does it cost to live on the road?
- Is it true that I can camp for free?
Resources
| Resource | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| What's my vanlife really like? | An account from a seasoned vanlifer on his daily experiences. | |
| Search forums and groups | Search van life discussion groups for "what's it like to live in a vehicle?" | |
| Search related sites | Search van life sites for "what's it like to live in a vehicle?" | |
| Search NomadLife.wiki | Search other pages on this wiki for "what's it like to live in a vehicle?" |