-What We Brought-

Moving from a 1400 sq. ft. house into an 80 sq. ft. van is a really fun challenge. It helps you clear out all the crap you’ve collected. Even if you didn’t think you were a collector of crap. It reminds you of what you had but had forgotten and also of what you thought you had but is no longer around.

We threw out a lot, donated a lot more, and filled the van with what we thought we’d need. This is a list of the most important stuff we brought. The stuff I highly suggest you equip your own setup with.

The Berkey

(Photo from Berkey website)

Rob and I both agree that this might just be the best purchase we’ve ever made (at least off Amazon). If you don’t know what a Berkey is, it’s a water filter. The best water filter you can get. We used it over our entire trip filling up all of our water from streams, lakes, non-potable taps, and wells deemed to be contaminated with arsenic! I know. I know. What the hell were we thinking?!

But we never got sick once. Check out the list of contaminates this thing filters out here and it’s so simple to use too. I mean really simple. Fill up a jug with water from whatever source you can and pour it in the top and the filters drip clean water into the lower tank. The water tastes amazing and stays relatively cool in the stainless steel tank. We found it best to fill up every night to have a good amount for tea, coffee, and water bottles the next morning and enough for the rest of the day after that. Check them out here. You won’t be disappointed. We could not have done without our Berkey.

Solar Panel & Auxiliary Battery

(Our panel is not that big obviously ... but sometimes getting your own pictures and putting them to your post is such a pain in the ass ... so i sourced this from google images labeled for reuse category)

If you’re going to be living out of your van you’re going to want some power besides your engine battery. Because that would suck to turn the key one day when you’re out camping and find your battery dead and no one around to help. Our solar panel is only 100 watts and our battery is 100Ahs, a deep cycle AGM.

But we were able to charge our phones, run LED lights, a fan, a MacBook Pro, and sometimes an electric kettle (sometimes). There is a catch though. The battery was also connected to the alternator so that it could get a really full charge on our drives. The panel was not enough to top off the battery after a few days in one spot with a MacBook Pro gobbling up the power.

If you want to put in your own battery bank and solar into any rig you've got, my husband made this really informative post to help you out. Check it out here. He put a lot of time in and it's really good information. In fact even I could follow the instructions and that's not exactly my specialty.

An Unlimited Data Plan

(image from google search of shareable images)

It doesn’t take up any space but is so worth it. When you’re on the road it provides you with a connection with people, work, money, supplies, and entertainment. It’s nice to go into a coffee shop and work but sometimes you don’t have the option or the coffee shop’s internet is downright lousy. Having an unlimited data plan so that we could hot spot our devices was super worth it. How else are you supposed to communicate with your Steemit community on a regular basis?

Bikes

Being able to bike around small towns, take things a bit slower and get some exercise was a huge necessity. It’s so damn nice not to have to pack everything up to go head somewhere and it added some good variety to our days. We often spent some long days on our asses getting to new places so being able to get good exercise in is crucial. And along with that it’s nice to check out new towns and side streets and even trails on a bike.

A Stove

Our Van comes with a built in stove and having access to one is crucial in my mind. There are tons of ways to go about adding one to your van. I think propane is the most efficient way to go. A year on 3 gallons … I’m still not sure how that happened.
It’s nice to eat out sometimes but you save a lot by cooking yourself and it’s usually healthier too.

A Heater

I’ve seen some pretty cool set ups of wood stoves in vans. We aren’t that cool. We have a little Mr. Heater propane unit that is a lifesaver. Most of the time we didn’t need it and can deal with some pretty cold nights but wow, you need to have one just in case. I’ve been stuck in 19 degree weather in my van before and I hate to think what would have happened if I didn’t have it.

Sound

I’m trying to make this all-encompassing here. But having good music, podcasts, and books on tape is really nice when you’re on the road. And even if you have that unlimited data plan there will be times when you have no service. Having access to some music or a good podcast to zone out to is so nice, especially if you’re driving into the night and need some help staying wide eyed.

Road Side Assistance

You’ll never believe it but we never actually used ours. A 1988 VW Van with a Frankenstein engine and we never had to call for a tow. It never left us stranded! But it did break down a few times. We’re pretty handy with the thing by now but even so, anybody who plans on traveling and living in their van should seriously consider paying for AAA or whatever service works best for you. It really does give you some reassurance. And with that tools! Bring the right tools!

The Normal Shit

I mean I have to say that there was a lot of stuff that was good to have. Headlamps, raincoats, jackets, clothes, boots, sandals, hats, meds, toiletries, sleeping bags and pillows, cooking utensils, pots and pans, silverware … but I mean seriously if you don’t know to bring that kind of stuff … who are you? Bring stuff you need for normal life and camping. A small axe, a knife, socks? The list could get long. But I told you the essentials.

Bonus – Your Very Own Trill Dog

Some people don’t like dogs or would rather not share their small space with one or deal with the hassle but Trill is our bestie so she came and took up way too much space but she had a few pretty good functions that just about any dog can provide you. First, security … Having a dog in your car can alert you to issues like robbers or cops trying to knock on your door or even bears. Although I was the one who screamed first about the bear standing up on its hind legs looking into the window of our van! Secondly they are pretty good entertainment. At least Trill is. Never a dull moment with her silly antics. Companionship is obvious too. If you’re alone, a dog is such a nice friend to have who’s not going to complain about your food or your stinky socks. And finally dishes. It’s a lot easier to clean your dishes with a dog helping. I know that sounds so gross but she’d lick up the leftovers and then they were much easier to clean up with a little soap and water.

That’s the list! I highly recommend these items in your van. You’ll be happy you have them. But that is only Part 2 of this series. Part 3 is next with a list of What We Wish We Had. I think it’s some pretty invaluable information so keep an eye out tomorrow for that!

Love you guys!