11 Reasons Van Life Should be in Your Future

Living in a Van Down By The River is Actually Awesome

If you're a fan of SNL you probably remember Chris Farley's hilarious skit as Matt Foley the motivational speaker, where he tries to scare kids straight by telling them they will end up living in a van down by the river. Although we love this skit, Matt Foley was totally wrong, living in a van is actually awesome and we have 11 reasons to prove it!

Home prices are skyrocketing and people pay a premium for a good view. When you live in a van you get premium views without the premium price. Plus your view can change as often as you'd like. Feeling in the mood for a mountain sunrise, just head up to the mountains, in a few days when you feel like watching a sunset over the ocean just head to the coast. 

 

2. Van Life is Inexpensive

The fact that living in a van will drastically reduce your expenses is pretty obvious, but saving on rent and utilities is only part of the savings. The reduced space of a van tends to limit unnecessary spending. When everything you own needs to fit in your van, you purchase less of everything. 

 

3. Van Life Lets You #GetOutside More

When you live in a van the backcountry is your backyard. When you feel like hiking you can park at a trailhead or visit a national park. If you feel like snowboarding you can park at a resort. Wherever you are, Van life offers the freedom to enjoy the outdoor activities you love without the commute. 

 

4. Van Life Lets You Work to Live not Live to Work

Living in a van means you will never have a long commute. You can take a job anywhere and simply park near work during the week and then park in the mountains on weekends. The reduced cost of van life also means you can consider a more flexible, part-time work schedule, or work on the road.

 

5. Van Life Makes Living Minimally Easy

Living in a van encourages minimalism and organization. Making the move to van living will quickly simplify your life and belongings down to the essentials. You'll keep items with multiple uses, value quality over quantity and get rid of junk you never used and don't need. 

 

6. Van Life is Better for the Planet

Unless you are constantly driving back and forth across the country (let's face it, vans don't get great gas mileage), living in your van will reduce your ecological footprint. You'll use less energy, less water, and buy fewer things you don't need. You can also outfit your van with a solar system for running lighting and charging electronics off the grid. 

 

7. Van Life Means Your Gear is Always with You and Ready for Adventure

When everything you own is in your van you're always ready for adventure. Gone are the days of getting to the trailhead and finding you're missing one hiking sock because every pair of socks you own is in the van you drove to the trail. 

 

8. Van Life Means You Can Walk Home From Any Bar

When your van is parked around the corner you never have to worry about having one too many drinks at the bar. When the bar closes for the night you can safely walk home. Just be sure to keep the van safely parked until morning, when you drive to Denny's for a hangover Grand Slam.

 

9. Van Life Means Meeting Tons of New People

When you live in a van you become part of a van family. Wherever you park your van you will always find like-minded dirtbags who have chosen van life in order to follow their passions. Whether you are a climber, hiker, or artist you'll have an instant connection with other van dwellers. 

 

10. Van Life Means Fewer Chores

Aside from the occasional trip to the car wash, oil changes, and scheduled maintenance a van requires minimal upkeep compared to a home or apartment, leaving you with more time to do the things you love. 

 

11. Van Life Offers More Freedom

Choosing to live in a van combines the comfort of home with the freedom of the open road. It's a setup that's hard to beat once you've experienced it. Van dwellers have the chance to see more of the world, have more adventures, and enjoy the important things in life and we can't think of a better reason to choose van life. 

Looking for a roomier home on the road? Checkout this couples awesome school bus conversion!