Ditching your crappy apartments and moving into vans full-time is a thing, again. This isn’t exactly a new phenomenon as Americans have always had a fascination with vans. However, the recent resurgence in van culture is pretty interesting. People are fed up with the hustle and bustle of the daily grind and are turning in their resignations at Starbucks to hit the road indefinitely. The #VanLife movement also piggybacks off the downsizing shift in our society. Doing less with less is cool again – so long that you can post about it on social media.
What makes this possible today is that a lot of people who are attempting this haven’t quit working, they just do it mobile which even a few years ago wasn’t really an option. There are plenty of jobs out there than can be done solely from a laptop and as long as you can find some good Wifi, you’re set. It’s certainly a reasonable lifestyle for a freelance photographer, blogger or YouTuber. What’s even better is that a lot of #VanLifers create income from cataloging their travels.
So why ditch your daily duties for a life on the road? Well, the list of positives can be pretty attractive. The freedom and flexibility of life on the road where no one is telling you when and where you’re to be somewhere is pretty sweet. There are so many amazing adventures to be had in North America that you could travel for years and not do everything. The results of these expeditions can be life-changing and are certainly more appealing than being locked in a cubicle.
Outside of the sheer freedom and simplicity #VanLife affords you, the cons also carry some weight. In addition to only having about 50 square feet of living space, vehicle repairs and maintenance can definitely strain a budget and your patience. Locating a proper place to sleep also requires some careful planning. Sleeping in your vehicle is frowned upon in certain parts of the country and in others is illegal. This can be worked out by locating rest stops and Walmart parking lots along your route but that could get tiresome.
And of course, the amenities we’ve all grown so accustomed to can be missed at times. #VanLifers certainly have creative solutions for things like bathrooms, showers and laundry but it’s still a major inconvenience.
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Do the positives outweigh the negatives for you? Maybe it’s worth giving #VanLife a shot.