Van Life Stuff We Can't Live Without
A brave tale about minimalism or insanity as a traveling couple. You decide.
Everyone who travels full-time has a vehicle filled with items they can’t seem to live without. We’re no different!
Over the last six years, we’ve learned a lot about how to travel, as well as how to adapt our “must-have list” for the kind of adventures we’ve planned. Additionally, we’ve figured out that what we carry largely depends on factors such as weight, size, usage, and vehicle requirements and limitations. Transitioning from a pickup truck with a rooftop tent to a camper van is a challenge that has proven that!
And if I’m being totally honest, most of our disagreements as a couple have centered on what to bring and what to leave behind. More on that later. 🤷♂️
That said, I believe sharing what we’ve learned is beneficial not only to those of you who might be planning your own road life adventure in the future, but also to those of you who are already traveling and might need other ideas or solutions today.
So let’s roll!
1. MacBook Pro
We can live without many things, but we can’t live without our computers since we aren’t retired and must keep running our online businesses. We’d be kaput without this very important tool for making money.
Additionally, to make work life easier, we now have a Starlink Mini and a monthly plan because other WiFi options or our T-Mobile hotspot are not always reliable in certain locations.
2. First Aid Kit
As a military veteran and survivalist, I prioritize being ready for any disaster or emergency, and having a proper FAK is critical. It can make the difference between life and death. This is what I carry everywhere.
Yes, it’s expensive, but what is your safety worth to you? It has almost everything needed to treat injuries, ranging from minor to major, that you could encounter.
3. Self-Protection Devices
This is a very sensitive subject, but for those who live and travel within the USA, it’s important to consider self-protection.1
If you don’t want to carry a firearm or deal with the legalities of traveling with one, I highly recommend the non-lethal Byrna SD Launcher, which is legal to carry and used in all 50 states and Canada. We purchased one, and it’s a great backup to a handgun.
We also carry a variety of knives, axes, and bear spray.
4. Survival Kit and Supplies
Along the lines of first aid and self-protection, every traveler should carry essential items in case their vehicle breaks down, they intend to hike or go off-road in the wilderness, or a natural disaster strikes.
Our minimal kit includes items to keep us hydrated and fed for 72 hours, as well as to keep us warm and dry in adverse weather conditions. Additionally, we have a roadside emergency kit and a basic set of tools, duct tape, zip ties, and an air compressor.
If you’d like my professional advice on preparing for disasters, dangers, and emergencies, please message me or comment below.
5. Tabletop Induction Plate
We didn’t want to use propane for cooking, so we have a tabletop induction plate that plugs into our 110-volt outlet to cook our meals. We also carry a MightyMo JetBoil system for a backup, a Ninja air fryer, and a small variety of cooking utensils. These items provide us with a nice range of meal options.
6. BougeRV CR45 Dual Fridge
Our camper van came equipped with a great Bodega fridge, but it doesn’t have enough space for everything we want to carry. Since we had previously purchased a BougeRV dual fridge, we decided to put this in our garage space for freezer items and extra food.
7. Cheap Portable Toilet
At first, I refused to use this included feature because it seemed unsanitary and gross in an enclosed space right next to our kitchen area, but I’m definitely glad we have it now, though we only use it at night and for liquids. It’s nothing fancy, but it serves the purpose, and it’s easy to dump.
8. 400 Watts Solar Panel + Bluetti AC180 w/solar panel
One of the best things our van builder installed was a 400-watt solar panel and battery system that charges as we drive, especially since our offshore battery charger almost caught fire by being plugged in all the time! Now we primarily use solar power, giving us the opportunity to boondock and save money.
We purchased the Bluetti AC180 power system when we had our truck and decided to keep it in our garage space in case we need extra power. It’s been an amazing product.
9. 20 Gallon Water Tank + 5 Gallon Scepter Can
Again, our van builder included the 20-gallon tank and sink system as part of the build and it’s been a huge asset! It makes life easier than hauling and using the two 5-gallon Scepter cans I used to have in the truck. However, I still carry one in our van garage for emergencies.
10. Rooftop HVAC + Portable Fan
It might seem like a luxury, but having air conditioning and heat has been critical, because even when we chase the best weather, there’s no guarantee there won’t be extremes — like the heat wave of south Texas in January and the arctic blast in south Flordia in February!
But we try to use the HVAC sparingly and now have a small 110V portable heater and fan that works for us as needed.
I know there are many van lifers and nomads who get by on much less, and if we were younger, I know we could, too. In fact, the first camper van we tried to purchase didn’t have many of these built-in luxuries, but since that fell through and our current van was equipped with some of these features (and was cheaper), we’re glad for them now.
Of course, we also have items like clothing and toiletries that are required, but everything else we carry is non-essential; we could live without it. Though Donetta would probably disagree.
Which brings me to that discussion. 🤦♂️
I’m a hardcore and overly obsessed minimalist. In my perfect world, I’d probably have only a single 27-gallon bucket filled with my essentials, along with my hiking backpack and a load-bearing survival vest with attachments, and maybe my guitar. All of my clothes (10-14 days' worth) fit in one small cabinet. I always think we could do with less, and my belief is just because we can haul it, it doesn’t mean we should.
You don’t need much to live in a van. However, there are two of us, and we are on different ends of the spectrum.
Donetta prefers a variety of clothing and shoe options, more cooking supplies, Scentsy warmers and fragrances, and personal entertainment items, and despite my idiotic lack of understanding for this, she’s not wrong for wanting to bring what she wants to make road life happier for herself. Obviously, we’re just wired differently, but I am grateful for her contributions to our world of ongoing madness. 😝
That said.
Deciding what you can’t live without is always a compromise, especially as a traveling couple. Both people should have an equal opportunity to bring what they want, and even though it’s not an easy process, it can be done with patience and understanding, which this guy is always striving to learn.
So how about you?
I’m really curious about what you can’t live without or what you’ve found useful for your full-time travel adventures. Please share your opinions below.
I will write an in-depth article about safety and protection soon, as it warrants its own post and discussion that cannot be covered here.
I think I'm going to screen shot this quote "she’s not wrong for wanting to bring what she wants to make road life happier for herself" so I can show it to you when you get onto me for something I want. 🤣😜
Good list of stuff though! These are all definitely important things for us! Some more than others for me. ;)
Nice list. My wife and I just chatted about this and we’d add: Starlink Mini, bug netting, an Air Fryer, a silicone dish mat for drying dishes, solar lights that stick to our van magnetically, a hanging rod that hooks onto the ceiling handles in the cab and acts a rod for hangers, Turkish towels which are small to save space but are highly absorbent, DC-DC charge to charge batteries while driving and cheap thermometers for living space and garage.
Honorable mention for light bar for night time roll in and a chamois cloth for wiping condensation.