Vandwelling 101 -- The Importance Of A Morning Routine

it is vital that you develop a routine to start your day. 

It's easy to just drift, hours become days, days become weeks, and weeks melt into years, squandering your time and resources.  I do not suggest rushing around with every moment packed with "meaningful moments" and frenzied attempts at mimicking the life you think is desirable. 

It's also easy to live by feelings and impulse. That's just as harmful (in my opinion) as living without emotions. 

I'm talking about balance, values, and self-discipline. Character. Freedom. Integrity. Really embracing all of life, good and bad. So, what does a morning routine have to do with this? Everything, it has everything to do with how your life is lived and who you become. 

My morning routine bridges the gap between sleeping and waking up. It sets the tone for my day. It helps me get things done. It facilitates a nice even emotional keel so that when life smacks me in the face full force as it tends to do, I'm able to roll with the punches.

Many will tell you to start the day off with a full breakfast. That's not me. Each person is different. I need to ease into my day gently with quiet and solitude. In my opinion, talking before the morning coffee is a crime worthy of the death penalty. 

I started this blog entry yesterday and as usual, my day went off the tracks. I did fix the stuck Van side door lock and I was able to close door fully to avoid a big draft. 

Today, in spite of very cold morning weather, my day is on track. I've had my morning coffee. The potty has been emptied while walking Kira for her potty. Trash has been taken out. The bedding is put up, and all the pillows as well. Kira is in her sweater and her collar on. Breakfast is last night's leftovers reheated and tastes delicious. 

I've filled the water jug (from big jug to gallon sized for ease of use). I have a small sink full of dishes to clean and put up. I've a second cup of coffee almost gone, and I have time to enjoy the crisp day.

And I got this blog finished and posted.

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Vandwelling 101- revisiting free entertainment

I get tired of being online on social media. I also like going where there is no internet or cell signal.

So, what can you do for free entertainment?

I love having audio books on hand. My second favorite...the old time Radio drama serials. You can find many of them online and download for off grid listening. I'll often put one in while doing routine cleaning or organizing tasks. There are millions of books out there.

Don't discount the old battery operated walkman Cassette players. You can find old audio books cheap or free out there on cassette tape. I used to have a box that was 2 ft by 2 ft by 6 ft full of the old cassette audio books. Use the solar yard lights with AA battery as a solar battery charger. Borrow the cassette books on tape from a library. Copy using the old dual deck boom box. Listen at your leisure.

That old smartphone that's no longer hooked up to the internet, it's a cheap mp4 player now. Chances are you have one hidden away in a drawer. You can transfer movies, songs, and digital Audiobooks to it by usb cable from your laptop.

Taking photos. I bought a canon elp digital camera complete for $5 at a Flea market. It works great. It came with a 32gb SD card. Easy enough to slip in my Laptop and copy. I have an old universal battery charger that charges the battery.

Then there are crafts like knitting, crocheting, or weaving. You cut your old clothes and cloth items into one inch spirals. You roll them up like a ball. You ate them set up to crochet rugs, blankets, or weave. The old ways from our great great grandparents.

I can sit quietly for hours and watch the birds, the animals, the trees, and the lakes. I really believe that a half hour viewing the sunset or the sunrise is beneficial to anyone.

These are just a few of the things i do that are very cheap or free. Try some, see what works for you

See you down the road

Lou

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Vandwelling 101 - Oh Shit My Van Broke Down

If you travel fulltime, you need to learn to do basic maintenance and simple repairs.

I actually carry enough to do full teardown and rebuild... And it fits in one tote.

I travel on very limited funds. Mechanic shops just aren't in my budget.

Anyone wishing to help with current major repairs click this link. I'll either repay as soon as I can or pay it forward, your choice.

paypal.me/LouBurgess

So let's talk about what basics you need to do most repairs.

First you need a manual, either a Chilton or Haynes manual specific to your vehicle. They run about $30 at any auto parts store.

I have a haynes manual for Ford full sized vans. My van is a 99 Ford e150 V8 5.4L engine.

If you don't know which manual, your vin number is on your title. That tells them which vehicle make and model you have.

Tools
The basics. Mine all fit in a tote. 

Tire pump compressor. $10 Family Dollar

2-1/2 bumper jack. Autozone $54

Good lug wrench.

Battery jump cables. Good set. Thicker the wires the better.

Ratchet set with both sae and metric sockets. 

Autozone $10 set is good.

Hammer. 

Set of wrenches. Ace hardware $5

Set of pliers. Ace hardware $5

Serpentine belt tool. Harbor Freight $15

Set of screwdrivers. Ace hardware $5

Universal socket

Nutdriver, automatic screwdriver with set of bits. Walmart $10

While this is not a comprehensive list, with these tools you can fix almost anything

Vandwelling 101-2, I Need A Good Night's Sleep.

The first thing I plan is where is my bed and how big will it be.

I'm 5'4", slender, and I have two small dogs that are absolute bed hogs.

In my first vehicle, it was a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire. There wasn't a lot of choice as far as bed layout and size. I merely laid out my bedding across the back seat and curled around my pups.

I was thrilled when I bought my 1997 Ford e250 extended body cargo van. My bed was very simple, a Coleman cot across the rear doors. It was not the most comfortable bed, but I added substantial padding underneath me & it worked. I was tickled to have a pillow and I could stretch out full length. Luxury!

I tried moving the bed in several different places but I found out that a rear bed from side to side worked for me.

When the Coleman cot bit the dust (losing springs and aluminum leg breaking), I replaced it with half inch plywood that I laid across 4 milk crates.
The milk crate base was great for storage but it was often awkward to access the storage. This type of bed, with 2 inch memory foam from a sewing store is definitely one of the easiest starter beds.

When you upgrade your bed at a later date, all elements of this starter bed can be used for other things. You can use the plywood for custom cabinet or a counter top or a table. The milk crates become stackable storage.

My current van is a 1999 Ford e150 conversion van. The bed is rear seat folds down. Mine is mechanical, rather than electrical. If I ever go back to a cargo van, I'd just use starter bed again until I find a futon of the size and style I want.

In Hawaii, my bed was a foam chair that folded out to the size of a twin mattress on the floor.

I guess what I'm saying more than anything is that you don't have to have everything perfect right from the start. I've always needed time and experience to figure out what suited me best. By being comfortable, but utilising simple solutions, it allowed me to enjoy myself more and to reduce my stress from the beginning.

It takes time and experience before you know exactly how you want your van.
For me, simple works better, and I always have to watch my budget.

See you down the road.

A Van Is NOT A House Vandwelling 101-1

One of the most important lessons is that while my van is my home, it is not a house. There is a learning curve and adjustment period when starting out.

I can almost see the puzzled looks and hear you thinking that I've lost my mind. I really haven't flipped my lid. Let's take a moment and explore this idea.

Usually a house has electric and you plug in or flip a switch. It has running water, a shower, and many things you think are necessities...but what if they aren't?

Living in my van is different from an apartment, a RV, or even camping. By discarding the ideas of making it a mobile house or a camper, we can approach the lifestyle from a completely new perspective rather than a pale imitation of sticks and bricks housing.

Let's make a list of what we really need. Everyone's list will be slightly different. I'm just going to go over some of the basics.

You need to be able to sleep comfortably. You need somewhere or way to store clothes.

You'll want to eat, cook, and stay clean.  Theres the matter of staying cool when it's hot or warm when its cold outside.

There's the matter of peeing and pooping.
These are everyday functions that we rarely think about how we accomplish them. Or we just try to adapt methods more suited to a fixed abode.

Looking at them in a fresh manner without preconceived ideas leads to an easier lifestyle.

You really don't need to wire your entire van like a house. In fact I rarely use the type of power used in a house. 12v dc (direct current) is much simpler, easier to learn and almost anyone can easily learn to safely do your own power system.

Sleeping. It's actually one of the easier parts of vandwelling to figure out and build your bed. Several types of comfortable beds don't require any actual building.

Your water system can vary from really simple to actual running water.

Storage for clothes, food, kitchen items can be modular or fancy custom builds.

Entertainment... Oh lots of variety and potential in this area. To TV or not to TV. How do I power my laptop? Where do I sit/lounge. Internet. Arggggh so many choices.

Showers and bathing...solar shower? Gym membership? Outside Showers?

How do I prepare meals? Do I want/need a fridge? How much power do I need?

Is your head spinning yet?

This lifestyle can be much simpler. You can actually start out with basics, and as you gain experience, your wants/needs will change.

A dear friend of mine had 4 batteries for power. She's now planning on selling two of them. Another person I know installed a 2000 watt inverter running off a second battery that was charged by her vehicle when running. We often buy more than we need when starting out.

Another person I know of is such a minimalist that she has 1 fork, 1 spoon, 1 bowl.

There are so many variations in this lifestyle from one extreme to the other.

I'll show you how to start with basic comforts. That'll get you going, there is a learning curve to this lifestyle and many buy way more than they need and have so little room that finding what you want is more work than necessary.

As you actually start vandwelling and gain experience, you'll start to figure out what your personal priorities are and you'll make better decisions about how to customise your van and amenities so that it truly is your home and lifestyle based on what is important to you.

That being said, this lifestyle doesn't suit everyone. This way, you can try it without totally overwhelming yourself.

Hopefully this introduction has caused you to think and ask questions.

See you around, more to come in the future.

Coming Soon -- Especially for Newbies

In the past, I've blogged primarily when I had something I felt worth saying rather than a weekly or daily blogger.

I've always found writing easy for me but I've never really yearned to be a published author. Let me clarify one thing...I have the utmost respect for those who are published authors, it takes much more than most of us will ever begin to guess.

I'm an experienced vandweller and RV-er. Many of you know that I have a smaller van group on Facebook. Lately I've had friends suggest I do a book on vandwelling.

I've always shied away from presenting myself as a guru or voice of authority on vans or vandwelling. I've always been turned off or repelled by those who endlessly promote themselves with YouTube channels or websites and forums.

While I am neither a guru or the ultimate authority on vandwelling, I am experienced and love sharing what I've learned along the way.

A lot of my lessons came from
     a) making common mistakes and
     b) being on a really tight budget.

Having MS means fatigue factored in and I had to figure out easier ways to do things.

So, I thought I'd use this blog as a means of passing on things I learned from other even more experienced travelers, the lessons I learned the hard way, and my personal philosophy on how to live this lifestyle.

I'm currently temporarily in an apartment, but I'll be returning to full time vandwelling and traveling early January 2017.

So, watch this blog (I'll set it up soon for email subscription) and I'll go over many of the basics starting very soon.

Perhaps I'll see some of you on the road soon.

Traveling Slowly, Stopping Longer

I'm on no particular time table. There is no place I have to be at any certain time.

Learning to live this way has been incredibly freeing. Stress drops off. I no longer deal with traffic or bad weather. If it's windy or raining, I just find a safe place to park. I route my driving through busy cities at off peak times or find a base to park and explore that city.

Often I'll spend all day at a park. Pull out my propane stove, cook a simple meal. Watch the birds fly and the squirrels run around. Take time to just breathe and enjoy.

No television in my van. I can stream videos, watch "tv" on hulu or cbs.com i might watch ten hours of "tv" a week.

I love listening to audio books, or enjoying a real book.

Since I travel with two small dogs, I take walks. Rarely do I have time to be bored.

While my living space may seem small to some, in a sense the whole world outside becomes my front yard.

This lifestyle has improved my health, my disposition, and my attitude. It's also much more affordable than many cheap apartments. In a sense, I've come into my own, discovering both the world around me and who I've always been meant to be.

Travel is broadening.

The Perfect Van

Every newbie researches trying to find the perfect van. The van you currently have is the perfect van to start with.

There's a learning curve on vandwelling. No-one is exempt. Vans are highly individualistic and there really isn't any way other than living in one to decide which style is perfect for you.

Some prefer an extended cargo van all kitted out as if it's a RV with sink, shower, and toilet. Some prefer a camper van that comes with these features, others prefer to do their own.

Others want just a conversion van. You just throw some clothes and a camp stove in and take off on adventures.

Do you prefer boondocking in the desert? Or parked by a lake in the woods? The site freecampsites.net shows where you can park legally.

There is no one size fits all perfect van. It's truly about your preferences and your lifestyle. This is the chance to live how you like, rather than conforming to someone else's dream.

I've found the perfect van for me and my lifestyle. I hope you find yours.

See you on the road somewhere...

A Van Life...What To Wear

This particular post is directed mainly at women. As a woman, I may have opinions on men's wardrobe but no real experience.

Every single vandwelling woman almost always packs too many choices in clothes and footwear.

I've been traveling off and on for decades. I've been full-time in a van again for about 3 years, before that 2 years in a compact car.

So I've gained some experience and insights on clothing.

Tip #1
Get rid of that suitcase. They are awkward to pack in the vehicle. They also make you look homeless.

I currently use a plastic 3 drawer unit.

Tip #2
Roll your clothes.
I roll my clothes right after i wash and dry them. They have fewer wrinkles (there is a learning curve to rolling clothes), and take up much less space.

Generally I never have clothes hanging in my van. They are apt to fall in transit. I do hang one sweater and my coat.

Tip #3
Build a wardrobe around a concept and a few compatible colors. Definitely look at comfort and ease of care when selecting items.

Tip #3
Footwear.

Less is more. In Michigan winter I had one pair of boots, one pair of tennis shoes. I recommend pull on boots and tennis shoes with Velcro fastening. Zippers either break or become hard to close when they get wet or dirty.  Shoelaces in a wet snowy winter become a tangled nightmare.

In the warm southwest I wear either sandals or Crocs. Sandals should have a hard bottom. You learn that as soon as you step on thorny seeds or a rock.

I keep a pair of dark slingback heels in a drawer with a black cocktail dress but I've really never had an occasion to wear it.

I have about 5 skirts, 4 long jean sleeveless dresses i wear over a t-shirt, a couple long sleeve t shirts, several short sleeve t shirts, a few tank tops. I add leggings under the dresses or skirts in cooler weather.  Almost every piece can be worn with each other.

I currently have a wide plastic three drawer unit for my clothes. I'm really thinking of downsizing yet again.

See you on the road somewhere.