Why Everyone’s Obsessed With Van Life - And the Truth Behind it All

#VanLife has been trending for several years now so you might be asking yourself, why’s everyone so obsessed with van life? Is it realistic to live in a van? Influencers always appear to be living their best life, surrounded by stunning views, without a care in the world. But what’s it really like to live your entire life out of a van?

While this lifestyle certainly isn’t for everyone, we’ve got to admit it can look pretty enticing. Whether it’s the travel aspect or the minimalist living that draws you in, there’s a lot to explore about living a van life. 

 

What is Van Life?

Just like it sounds, van life simply means living your life out of a van and traveling the world. Van life has been glamorized by dozens of influencers across social media and while it does come with plenty of challenges and disadvantages, it undoubtedly has its fair share of amazing views and unbelievable adventures.

More than just owning a certain type of vehicle, van life is a minimalist movement of nomadic individuals who live simply and make their own rules. The lifestyle itself isn’t about how upgraded your camper is or the fact that you’ve got a souped up Airstream, van life is ultimately about personal freedom. The freedom to spend your time the way you want instead of following the expectations of others.

Rejecting corporate office life and “normal” adult responsibilities in favor of spontaneous adventures can sound too good to be true - but is it? Let’s break down some of the pros and cons to get a bigger picture of what #VanLife is all about.

The Pros of Van Life

Enjoy Your Hobbies

Whether that includes fishing, hiking, kayaking, offroading, base jumping, or just keeping your pup by your side at all times while exploring, living out of a van allows your passions to take a front seat in your life. Most people only get the chance to go out exploring on the weekends but van life allows you to flip the script and spend life’s majority in the great outdoors.

Self Discovery

Don’t let the Photoshopped Instagram shots fool you, van life can be tough. But facing challenges can also make you a stronger person. Dealing with the uncertainty (AKA spontaneity) of life on the road helps a lot of individuals who choose this lifestyle get to know themselves better and become more adaptive humans.

Ultimate Freedom

Vanlifers are often free spirits. Not being tied down by a house or mortgage payment, you get a chance to truly live in the moment and make your time your own. You’ll never be late to check-in for an Airbnb or hotel, and you never have to stay longer than you want in any one place.

And another perk is having all of your belongings at your disposal at all times! Every moment is simply an opportunity when every creature comfort you own comes along with you.

The Disadvantages of Van Life

Gas Prices and Expenses

Some people will talk about saving money when they embrace the van lifestyle, however, there are PLENTY of expenses that need to be taken into account. Most notably right now, excessively high gas prices. Your monthly bills would probably decrease if you downsized and hit the road with only life’s true necessities, but you still need money to pay for your gas, propane, water, food, and other essentials.

It’s not always easy to pick up odd jobs to pay for gas, but at the end of the day it’s a personal decision to put in that effort and live the life you truly desire.

Space - Or Lack Thereof

It’s obvious, but it’s a BIG adjustment. Not only will you be battling limited storage, you also can’t do things like cook with your significant other any more. There will only be room for one person at a time at the sink, putting away laundry, etc.

Also, remember that you simply won’t have the space to be casually lazy about any of your daily chores. After you hit the laundromat you need to put all of your clothes away ASAP because there will be no place to leave piles of freshly laundered shirts. Dishes have to be done immediately and put away before you can drive anywhere or else they’ll be flying hazards! There’s simply no room for avoiding all of life’s chores - big or small.

Maintenance and Repairs

When you live your entire life out of your van, you will be racking up the miles and need to service your car more often than ever before. But more importantly you need to have a backup plan if your van breaks down and requires some serious repairs!

Do you have another place to live until your van is back up and running? Do you have the funds to pay for towing from a remote location and any new parts? If you don’t have savings put away in case of an emergency, breaking down can be a devastating blow to your van lifestyle.

At the end of the day, #VanLife isn’t for everybody but there’s no denying it’s becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice. The stigma of living in a van down by the river has been replaced with the dream of freedom on the open road and the magic of wanderlust.

 

Love the great outdoors, but not quite ready for #vanlife? Check out all cabin homes for sale right now to find your perfect cabin getaway.