Have you been dreaming of pulling up next to Lake Annecy in a cute little van half-way through your six week tour of Europe? Despite it feeling hugely overwhelming to get there, it is so doable! Hopefully I can give you some tips that will lead you one step closer to creating your dream van lifestyle. Two years ago I decided to embark on the journey of renovating and traveling in a van due to always wanting to travel but in a sustainable and budget friendly way. If you have been dreaming about joining me on this journey, continue reading for some tips of what to do and what not to do when creating your van life.
If you are following Kickstarting Your Van Life then welcome back! If you’re new here, firstly hello! And secondly, make sure you check out the previous articles. Previously we spoke about the all important kitchen area of your van and how to achieve this with the space you have, whilst being safe and budget friendly. In this article, I am going to bring your mind to focus on your sleeping arrangements. If you’re like me, who hasn’t fully yet moved into their van but plans to and spends periods of long time staying in the van (yes, I travelled 6 weeks around Europe in my van, have I hinted that yet?), then sleeping arrangements need to be divine. If you head to my van insta account, Mink1_99, you will see photos of the van before its paint job and tidy up. You will also see photos of how my van came with a unique elevated bed that pulled out across the width of the van. About as wide as the sliding doors so lets say it’s a small double for those who are super precise on things.
SPACE, SPACE, SPACE!!! The all important five letter word. I did not change my design layout for my bed because it is so perfect (not at all biased) for space. Due to the bed being mantled and dismantled up high in the van, it gave me the opportunity to get a small pull out sofa bed which turned my van into a per 2 person habitat to a grand 4 person hotel! The way that the elevated bed is structured is actually quite simple. Below is a holding for a support beam that fits the width of the van, with a smaller beam to fit between the gap of the driver cab. Next up we have 3 solid bits of wood which fold nicely away behind the leather cushion you can see in the picture. Lastly, to complete this Stella of a design, we have the most comfy leather cushions known to women. That sounded sarcastic when in actual fact the leather cushions that complete the bed really comfy. Also, adding to the value, the leather cushions are super easy to clean which is important in a small van.
Now you may be thinking, that the bed looks very close to the ceiling. Yes that is true, however for me who is 5ft4, that isn’t really an issue especially if it is just me travelling solo in the van. Also in colder months staying in the higher bed makes it ever so slightly warmer as heat rises. Above where my head rests I have a small light that is attached to the car battery in the front so I am not climbing up and down in the darkness. Another ideal design feature which I thanked the heavens for in Europe is my sky light. Above the elevated bed I have a skylight window that opens ever so slightly but is ideal when the window on the van door is open as it creates a lovely circulation of air.
Although my sofa pull out bed does not do much for space, it was super budget friendly (thanks mum for finding it on Facebook market place!). I wanted my van to have that homely feel, alongside being a great way to go on trips with friends and family, so the sofa bed provided me an additional space to sleep and somewhere to chill on if the weather is bad or we are waiting for our food to cook. As I previously mentioned, Facebook market place is the place to look for things especially if you’re on a budget. Although it was something I didn’t need, when searching for ‘camper equipment’ these hand made collapsible beds for campers kept coming up. If my van required me to make a bed this is something that I would look for. It allows you to fold away your bed, giving you space and comfort at the times you need. Also, many can be designed and made to provide storage for you as well. What a bonus! Just like most things in van life, you can most definitely find someone who can make it on a budget or learn how to do it yourself, and there you have a basic bed base.
My sofa bed is made out of simple bits of foam with fabric round it, which again is something you can find and make or purchase thick cushions for your mattress. In terms of bedding, hey that is really up to you on that one. Depending on whether it is just me or not will depend on whether I bring a thick sleeping bag with me or duvets, as well as if it is a summer trip or a winter trip. If it is a summer trip by myself, then a very thin duvet will be fine. It really is a question of how hot or cold you want to be when you’re sleeping but it is always worth bringing a warmer option because sometimes the weather can surprise you. But don’t worry, I will soon be going into van essentials for all types of trips so you can be even more prepared than I was!
So far you should have you van-hopefully, with a completed interior that consists of your bed and kitchen, what an accomplishment! Just like you would treat your home or bedroom, adding personal touches to each of these areas such as lights, pillows, blankets is essential to give you that comfort on the road. Something you may experience is that after each trip you will see other vans and spot things you want or need for your own and you will continuously add to your sweet home on wheels!
In the next article, we will be discussing the issue of hygiene in a van especially when you are a women. Have any questions about van life? Send me a question HERE and have it featured in the next article. All responses are 100% anonymous.
