After living in our van for awhile now, we have had the chance to become accustomed to all the different features we included in our build. Although a few of them may be ditched on the next go- around, there are some things we have realized we couldn’t do without. Other folks may disagree or have other opinions, and that’s fine! I am only here to tell you what has worked for us and the things that I couldn’t live in the van without. So here are the features that I would include again, and again for any future builds we may endure.
Don’t want to hit your head on the upper cabinets when you sit on up on your bed? Better measure correctly! Save yourself the headache literally and figuratively with my complete van dimension guide.
Getting an induction stove instead of propane has been one of my favorite decisions since moving into the van. I’ve never been a huge fan of propane and didn’t want to have to buy it constantly for various appliances. Most people we meet tend to be intimidated to use induction because of the power that it uses. While it does use more power than other options, we have never had an issue with running too low. I do suggest making sure you have adequate power before purchasing but the best part of this stove is that it tells you exactly how any watts it’s using at all times. When cooking at 300 degrees, it pulls 1000 watts and at 250 degrees (the temp we cook at 99% of the time), it pulls 700 watts. We purchased a 1500 watt inverter and have 400 watts of solar that work perfectly for the induction. This is also a great option
Originally, I purchased a manual pump that you push down each time you want a little water. As soon as I handed it to the builders, they looked at me like I was crazy! Apparently, it’s pretty easy to install a 12 Volt water pump that allows you to turn the handle and water flow like a standard faucet. You want your life in the van to be as comfortable as possible so that you can really enjoy it and make it fee like home! I would definitely not change this in any future builds.
I really value how I sleep and wanted to make sure the bed was going to allow me a great night’s sleep! A lot of my van friends have gone with 3-4 inch memory foam to avoid looking bulky. But I’m super happy that I chose the 6 inch because it’s worked out so well! I don’t think it looks bulky at all when set up as the benches/table and at night, the bed couldn’t be more comfortable! I cut it to fit the shape of the van but it’s a queen size and 72 inches long when put together as the bed. I promise the comfort of your bed is more important than you may think and you won’t regret going with a thicker memory foam!
Solar Panel Kit
It’s honestly just impossible to go off- grid for longer than a couple days without solar panels. I promise you will not want to connect electrical hookups every time they run low on power. At the same time, RVs can a slightly different story so I can’t speak on them directly. But if you can do solar, DO SOLAR. Even when it’s cloudy, our Renogy panels fully charge the batteries. We can stay at campsites as long as we want and not have any worries about cooking or charging electronics. The best part is that paying $10-$15 each time to hookup can be expensive if you are traveling long- term. Save the money down the road by allowing yourself this convenience of waking up and having electricity!
Child Locks
If you plan on having drawers in your build, you are going to need a way to keep them closed! Gate hooks work well but they are visible. Push buttons are also nice but they can be kind of expensive. These child locks are so cheap and not visible at all when the drawers or cabinets are closed. You just place a piece up against the drawer and the magnetic pull unlocks the hidden part inside. The images show a pretty detailed version of how it goes. Super simple and very necessary! They also only take about 3 minutes to install which is nice because the other options are a little more tedious and can’t be as easily removed as these.
Final Notes
These are some of the practical things that I wouldn’t give up for anything in our van. It’s so important to be comfortable in the van and not feel like you are always camping. As much as we all love camping, this will be your every day life so think of it that way. These features allow us to sleep well and live a little more conveniently in the van no matter where we are.
If you want to learn what I think you should avoid during your build, read all about mistakes that we wish we hadn’t made!
If you are not using propane for your stove because you do not want propane appliances, how are you heating your water? Do you have a 120v water heater? If so, where did you get it, and how fast can it flow? You must be heating your water, right? Someone with an induction stove and especially a water pump must be showering as well. Please let me know, as I cannot figure out how to do it electrically, and have already determined that propane is an absolute necessity, especially since I will be using most of my available solar power for another absolute necessity- an air conditioner.
I see you have a magnetic knife holder, do your knives ever fall off while driving?
Do you have a Facebook page to discuss van life on? It would be easier i think. At least for me. I make do with my 2000 Ford E350 16 passenger van. I took out all but the front bench seat and built a bed pedestal behind it. The bed is nice but hard to get into and out of. But i don’t love in it either… just weekend trips… I’m afraid to put holes in my roof, but I’d love to have a permanent dollar installation up there!
Do you guys have an AC in your van? If so are the batteries & solar panels enough to power it?