About two years ago, Canadian couple Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives were stuck in the proverbial rat race, working long hours to make ends meet and be able to support their traditional lifestyle. At one point they asked themselves why they’re doing it though, and their answer involved selling their house, converting a van into a home, and using it to explore the US and Canada in their new house.
The first step was buying a cargo van, which is about 19 feet long. Their van features a bed a kitchen and enough storage space for their essential belongings. Since they like to eat well, yet were on a pretty tight budget, they built the kitchen which basically consists of a fold-out table screwed into the van’s door. The cooking utensils, rags and other necessities hang from the other side of the door where they are within easy reach. They use a simple propane powered stove for cooking. They don’t have a fridge, only a cooler, so they mostly buy and eat food that does not require refrigeration.
The bathroom facilities are limited to a jar that they use for peeing in, while they have a curtain to separate off the “toilet” from the rest of the van while it’s in use. For showering they use a solar shower, which is very basic yet gets the job done.
Most of the interior is taken up by the bed, which can be folded up during the day and turned back into seats to create a cozy living area. They installed curtains on all the windows, so the sleeping compartment can be closed off, creating a completely private and cozy room. The main reason they decided to install a bed is to have a spot to call home on their travels.
They also installed a mobile hotspot and solar panels to power it, which allows them to have the Internet wherever they go. So a laptop is all they need now to earn money, and continue living the nomadic lifestyle.
Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:
Student Couple Build Tiny Home to Climb Out of Debt
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Couple Build a Mortgage Free Home From an Old School Bus
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