Vanlife: The Ultimate Guide To Living A Minimalist Lifestyle On Wheels

Minimalism doesn't mean you have to give up on your dreams

People equate minimalism with having a minimalist lifestyle and being a hermit living in a van, which isn’t at all what it means. In fact, this is the most common misunderstanding about minimalism. While living a minimalistic lifestyle is certainly a possibility, it isn’t for everyone, and it doesn't have to mean giving up your dreams and desires. So, what does a minimalist lifestyle really mean? The ideal minimalist lifestyle means you're looking to simplify your life. You're looking to reduce the amount of stuff you own and live simply while still living an enjoyable and fulfilling life. It also means you're looking to live with less money, while still having a relatively high quality of life. What does this look like in practical terms? Start by deciding what your priorities are.

 

How to go minimal even if you don't want to live nomadically

Everything in your life can be broken down into three key parts: possessions, time, and work. Your possessions include everything from your car to your clothes. Your time includes everything from your television to your computer. And your work consists of everything else in between. Everything that doesn’t fall into one of those categories can be simplified. If you only have possessions, you could give away or donate the items you don’t use regularly. If you have a specific schedule of when you work, it can be put into an app to let you know when to do things like cleaning or laundry. If you have specific work tasks, it can be assigned to you and then it will automatically be completed for you, giving you more free time. 

 

The benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle

Minimalism can be all about simplicity and conservation of resources. What you choose to live with and how you pack will save you money, space, and time. As you move through the process of becoming a minimalists, you’ll also begin to become more aware of the waste and uselessness of your possessions. You’ll wonder how you ever got by without so many things and may begin to question the things you waste your time on every day. You may also begin to realize the tremendous value you get from living with less. Saving money Minimalism can be an excellent money saver if you’re willing to give up a few things.

 

Tips for simplifying your life

1. Reduce the number of belongings you bring Buying fewer things means you'll have less to worry about. You won’t have to check in a dozen pieces of luggage to take home at the end of the day. Many RVers have gone as far as getting rid of items that are unnecessary in their daily lives. “My basic rule for minimizing is to keep only three, comfortable outfits, the basics for every day and a third for special occasions,” says San Francisco RVer Patricia Bellecourt. "Do not carry a lot of outerwear because you need it just once a year." The number of personal items you bring will depend on how long you plan to stay in one place. For example, if you live in one place for only two months, then you can travel light.

 

Conclusion

People have been vanlifeing since the 1970s, but in the past decade it has gained serious momentum. Since I had no real prior experience in van life, I was nervous I’d have to purchase a new vehicle, convert it, or otherwise take a lot of major steps to be able to make the transition. It took a couple of months, a lot of research, and a lot of help from members of the vanlife community before I finally decided to buy a van and go live in it. I started living out of my van for a month and got a great response from my friends and family and got a lot of support on the vanlife subreddit, but I knew I had to do something more and make the transition permanent.