Things We Can't Van Without

The ever-changing list of things that make living in a small/ mobile space so much better:

• Alarm System: Number absolute ONE is this alarm system. What we had before was pathetic. We took the van to a Car Audio store and installed the Compustar Security System. Nothing compares to the security of having this system and the ability to check in on the van from our phones. It shows if it is armed or disarmed, which we can control from the app, notifies our phones if something happens, shows the GPS location for when we find random parking 6 blocks away we know where to head back to, and allows us to push-to-start and heat or cool it before we get in! It's incredible and HIGHLY recommended!

• Snack bin: With just two captain seats in the front, what is better than an easy and convenient snack bin? While driving sometimes 6+ hours, the only thing that gets us through in a good mood is podcasts and snacking! Since we aren't always stopping for nutritious meals on long drives, we make sure the bin is packed with actually good nutritious foods. We currently just have just a plastic stackable drawer but are considering something with a hard top surface that allows us to apply weight as we step through to the back.

What we keep stocked 90% of the time:

Nuts- Coconut cashews, salt+pepper pistachios from TJ's, and wasabi almonds.

David's pumpkin seeds, regular or ranch-- Bekah is absolutely addicted.

Dried Fruits- Mango, apples, strawberries and bananas

Beef or Turkey jerky

Hi-chew or Starburst

Dark chocolate peanut butter cups from TJ's

Bevita breakfast bars or Nature Valley wafer bars

• SunShades: For both the windshield and front windows. These have been an absolute game changer! We put these up almost every time we stop somewhere. They not only reflect so much of the sun's heat, but they allow complete privacy which is really important for when we are in cities, parking lots, and other populated areas.

• Sheer + Blackout curtains: The windows in the living space are tinted, so during the day you are unable to see into them, but at night they don't block much of anything. We bought cafe curtains and hemmed them to be just the right length to fit the custom windows, and hung them with the tinniest tension rods. This allows diffused light as well as a barrier for people to be able to see straight into the windows at night! As for the hot sunny days when the van is cooking in the heat, we took blackout curtains, measured and cut them to cover the whole window, and attached magnets with a grommet maker, so that we can quickly attach them to the van metal and block out all light. This is extra important when trying to be extremely stealthy!

• Lagun Table: There are many different ways that you can have a table in the van. We played with the idea of having a pedestal table that screws into the floor, a pullout, and even a hinged tabletop/ cutting board combo. Obviously, the layout of your van will determine what makes the most sense, but we have LOVED having the Adjustable Lagun Table ever since we made the jump to it. We have two of the table mount plates on different walls. We can lift, lower, and swivel it to almost any area of the van depending on what we need it for. It's great for extra counter space, a dining table, a stand for the iPad when watching movies, or a customizable desk surface for when you want to lounge back or have a standing desk.

• Dehumidifier: Since we don't have an air conditioner or heater in the living space, we rely on air movement. Sometimes the environment is humid, or it's raining, or we are hanging laundry to dry and need to suck out some of the moisture in the van. This little VAVSEA dehumidifier doesn't use much energy, which allows us to keep it on for long periods of time. It is always satisfying to see how much water it has pulled out of the air, and then we feed it to the plants.

• Fan: Another important element of keeping the illusion of colder air is to just keep it moving. This little O2COOL fan works on batteries or plugs into the DC charger. We like that it can sit on the counter or hang from the handle. When it's a really hot day, we hang it in the barn door to push the air conditioning straight into the living space.

• Bluetooth Speakers: We really like this Kove Bluetooth Speaker because it can separate into two speakers. This is not only super great for surround sound, but we can be sitting in different spots of the van and each has a speaker while watching TV/movies without having a super loudspeaker. Again, when being as stealthy as possible, sound and light are the biggest giveaways that you are living inside the van. When we are in this situation, we will often just resort to putting in our Rowkin Bluetooth Headphones.

• Jet Boil: We used to use a Jet Boil while camping and backpacking but didn't think about it when we had a working propane stove in the van, but honestly, it's so much quicker. The ability to have boiling water in moments is incredible. I have started to make hot sleepytime tea before bed, used this to boil water for pasta in a pinch, and even used it to make hot water to deep clean stubborn dishes.

• Simmer Plate: We have a propane stovetop. (If we built the van again from scratch, we probably wouldn't choose again-- another blog to come describing why... ) The biggest downfall with it is that the burners don't have a true LOW setting. Food burns super quickly and this became apparent when we realized we couldn't simmer rice or cook french toast... HELL, I KNOW! So we were jazzed to find the Cooks Innovation Simmer Mat/ Heat Diffuser! It made low heat cooking possible and so easy!

• Tiny little crockpot: This Mini Slow Cooker really only comes in handy when we are on long drives because it still pulls more energy than we are comfortable with. BUT, it is so nice to put some chicken or beef in to slow cook over 4-6 hours, and by the time you get to your destination, you've got a warm meal and plenty of leftovers through the week! One of the biggest things about using any slow cooker is the liners that eliminate any need to scrub/ clean up.

• Spray Dawn Dish Soap: Another game-changer in the cleanup realm of living using a small amount of water is Dawn's Powerwash Spray!! No joke, this stuff is so incredibly handy. A little goes a long way-- Just spray, add a splash of water, and a rag or paper towel to rub every dirty dish, then rinse it all away. It relieves the frustration of so much soap needed to lather and water wasted rinsing it off. I absolutely love love love this stuff.

• Vacuum: Man O Man. This Portable Car Vacuum has come in handy more times than we can count. Not only is it great for tight hard to reach spots, but it's so nice to be able to clean up a mess with more than wet wipes. We did realize that it's too powerful for our electrical system (We have blown many fuses) so we turn on the van and plug it into the 12V socket. It has a super long cord so it reaches mostly everywhere in the living space.

• Bags: Farms absolutely raves about his Topo Designs Quick Pack. He says it's the best bag Topo has ever made, and that's a pretty big statement coming from the man who owns 5 different styles of their bags. He can carry the iPad into the gym or coffee shops to download shows to watch offline later-- it's small but mighty. I love my REI Waistpack because it is not too small or big. I like to carry a lot of "handy" stuff so I love that this holds it all and stays out of the way. It was also great for airports or busy cities to have everything just strapped to my waist (flipped facing forward of course!) We both use our Kelty Duffel Bag as our gym bags. They are super easy to throw everything into, have multiple handle/ strap options, and it's nice to keep our shoes in a separate compartment.

• Toiletry Bag: This LLBean Hanging Toiletry Bag is wonderful, because it not only has multiple pockets to organize everything, it has a small mirror and a removable shower caddy. This means you can bring only what you need with you into the shower each time rather than the entire bag getting wet. We promise that it is absolutely worth it! It comes in different sizes, perfect for everyone!

• Velcro Towel: I have seen these throughout life, but I've never felt like they were necessary until I had one. Since we use public gyms to shower, being able to wrap the Velcro Wrap Towel and not have to worry about a thing has been so nice! This is also nice for showering off by the beach-- It is probably the only kind of towel I will use traveling from now on.

• Velcro strips + Magnets: Game changer! Honestly, anytime there is something in the an that we need to fix or adjust-- Velcro or Magnets are our first plan of action. When your home and everything in it is constantly moving especially on dirt roads, tight corners, or steep mountain roads, you will do anything to fix it quickly. We have some *funny now* stories about things like plant pots and water jugs falling and busting from the top shelf just from breaking quickly.