1. Make Your Home As Warm & Comfortable As Possible

Living in a van when it’s cold can get pretty brutal, if you’re not properly prepared.

Mike and I spent a considerable amount of effort and time insulating our self-converted campervan, in the hope we’d stay warm during the harshest of winter nights.

We tested our van on the west coast of Scotland during some raging December gales.

If you can, install silver reflective bubble wrap and your preferred choice of environmentally (and human) friendly insulation. It’ll help with the heat, too.

You’ll lose a lot of your heat through the windows, so hang up thermal curtains while you’re at it.

3. Eat Well And Exercise On The Road

Generally, we cook inside the van. We’ve found that it’s really important to eat wholesome, nutritious meals while on the road – to adjust to the ever-changing environments.

We always have a selection of fruits and vegetables with us. Our store-cupboard is full of pastas, couscous, and other dried goods.

It’s fun to shop at local supermarkets while you travel and to play around with ingredients that you might not have used before.

Exercise is also hugely beneficial while living and travelling in a van. Go hiking, or if you can, take bicycles with you.

4. It’s Not As Hard To Stay Clean As You Might Think

Dry shampoo, natural deodorants, baby wipes – these are the basic components of keeping clean on the road.

If you are a girl, you’re probably going to have to get used to using a pee-funnel!

Gyms, swimming pools, and Airbnbs can be utilised for great showers, but there are hot and cold showers you can buy for your van too.

6. You’re Perfectly Safe, But Take Precautionary Measures

You can’t thrive if you don’t feel secure in your home. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher that is the right size for your van. A carbon monoxide alarm is super crucial.

Ensure you have a first aid kit and some basic first aid knowledge. Have clever (lockable) hiding places inside your van for your most treasured possessions.

Try to always carry your ID/passport with you. Perhaps invest in a battery kill switch or an in-van security camera, if these things will help you feel more comfortable.

7. Making Money On The Road Is A Challenge, So Get Creative

It isn’t easy to finance nomadic living, but we’re living in an age where the internet allows us to connect with anybody, anywhere.

We are also networking like never before, offering up immense knowledge on any topic. Make the most of this.

Appreciate the resources you have, and realise that if you have a passion, there is more opportunity now than ever before to pursue it.

We’ve met photographers, bloggers, developers and writers on the road, all making enough money to sustain their lifestyles.

8. You Need More Storage Than You Think, Even If You’ve Packed Light!

We packed light before hitting the road, or so we thought. Just a couple of plates, a couple of cups, you get the idea. The very minimum. We wanted our van to be an exercise in minimalism in motion.

Even so, we’ve found ourselves scouring French supermarkets for yet more storage boxes.

You will accumulate more while travelling than you might expect, so plan for it!

10. You Will Find Home On The Road

When travelling full time, you’re likely to meet scores of others living similar lives.

They are all adventurers and travellers redefining the bare essentials, looking for alternatives to life’s prescribed path.

We’ve made lifelong friends on the road. We might only see them once a year, or less – but this just increases our appreciation of these meet ups.

We believe that full time van-travel – waking up every morning to the open road, to sunlight pouring through the windscreen or rain pounding on our roof – is an extremely rewarding, challenging and creatively inspiring way of life.

It’s not for everyone, but for us, right now, our home is the road, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

You can follow Sophie and Mike’s adventures on their blog, Relaxed Pace.