Why Vanlife?

Hi Friend! We heard that you’re interested in Vanlife. Awesome! Before you start, you need to stop and figure out something very important: your “Why” for doing this in the first place! So please, take a second, read over this article, pull out a piece of paper and a pen, and ask yourself, “Why Vanlife?”

Why “Why Vanlife?”

Building out a van from scratch is difficult– especially if you start out with no experience like Zak and me. There is a huge learning curve, and there will be days when you just want to throw in the towel. There will also be days when you learn in a very real and terrifying way that NOTHING is square in a van– and again, you will just want to throw in the towel.

Even when your van is complete and you get on the road, there will be times when you will wonder if Vanlife is really for you… Do you really want to wake up in the morning and find a bathroom? Do you really want to pee in a jug? Do you really want to go multiple days without showering? Sometimes, the answer to every single one of these questions will be: “HELL NO!”

The best way to combat these crappy days is to sit down beforehand and figure out the real reasons behind why you want to do this. Find those reasons that pull at your heartstrings. Write them down on a piece of paper. Laminate that paper. Keep it in front of you when you’re building this thing out. Put it up in your van. Constantly remind yourself that you are going through these challenges for something bigger.

Our Why

Zak and I have pursued Vanlife because we are trying to experience our lives a differently. We want to get to know the people around this country, see the big cities, small towns, and national parks. We have chosen to live smaller in order to live bigger. Here is our most recent YouTube video explaining our story and process for deciding “Why Vanlife”. Hopefully this resonates with you and helps you get started on your journey of a lifetime. Good luck!

Excited to get your van journey rolling? Check out Vanlife Q&A #1!