When it comes to van living, your house is a house on wheels and it goes with you everywhere you go. With this style of living, some rules have to be put in place. In my last blog, I went over the pros and cons of van living and now it is time for the do’s and the don’ts of van living.
If I lived in a van, personally, my number one priority would be my safety.
If you have ever been in a moving vehicle and tried to write while someone is driving, then you understand how difficult it is to do things while in the back of a car. This also goes along with keeping things in your van in place while driving. If you’re going down a highway at 60 mph, you do not want your stuff in the back of the van to be flying all over the place.
DO figure out a way to keep things in place while the van is moving. For example: If you have cabinets or drawers in your van, then I suggest investing in some magnetic holders, or maybe installing some latches to keep the cabinets and drawers closed. This also could prevent anything from falling out of the cabinets and drawers.
DO keep your van clean and organized. You will have much less space living in a van than you would have when living in a building, so keeping things organized might be helpful. It would also make it easier to know where certain things are in the van.
DO invest in another lock to make your van door more secure. If you have an extra lock on it, it would make it more challenging for anyone from outside of the van to break in.
DON’T advertise to the public everything that you have in your van. This includes any valuables or electronics because it might make someone want to break in while you’re away from your van to steal your belongings.
DON’T leave your van unlocked- whether you are leaving it somewhere or if you are inside. If it is unlocked, then anyone could just open the doors or they could easily steal from you.
This is just a short list of Do’s and Don’ts for Van living- of course, you will learn more after you experience van life on your own. For now, do your research and stay safe.
Here is a link to a blog by a woman who decided to start van living after getting a divorce. The post is called “Loving the Road, Loving Yourself” Check it out to read about her experiences with traveling. https://cheaprvliving.com/loving-the-road-loving-yourself/
Best, 🙂
-Abigail Chabala
A Golden Studio 
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