33 Van Life Essentials You Need To Live Van Life

To be quite honest, a solid stove is the most essential item to have in your van.

A propane stove can give you the freedom to cook all your meals inside your van.

However, propane can be dangerous, so make sure that your space is well ventilated.

During those winter months, it can get especially cold inside a van.

These small portable buddy heaters can keep you very warm and toasty during the coldest weather.

Similar to the stove, they do use propane so make sure to use them with caution!

Proper ventilation is quite important inside a van while you're cooking.

These maxx air ventilation fans allow you to vent out air while you cook and circulate air when it's hot outside. Many people opt to open a window in combination with the fan.

They also feature a special rain guard to protect water from getting inside during bad weather.

Investing in a nice refrigerator is a must to keep your food and drinks nice and cool.

With a 12-volt portable refrigerator, you also won't have to constantly search for ice.

This kind of refrigerator runs the same as one would at home, and keeps things very cold even it's quite hot outside.

Many people that live in a van full-time will opt to put Reflectix insulation on their windows as blinds.

This is a great way to stay warm and maintain your privacy inside the van.

This is an absolute must-have if you plan on traveling in colder climates.

Similar to the insulation, a front window sunshade will help to keep you cool during hot weather.

While living in a van, many times you'll have to be stealthy so that people don't invade on your privacy to find you sleeping.

A sunshade will keep you hidden in the vehicle, yet also prevent heat during sunny days.

Maintaining your power is crucial on the road.

A handy DC to AC power inverter can plug right into your cigarette lighter to charge things like laptops and tablets.

This one even comes with a couple USB plugs to charge your phone. This can be a life saver if you work on your computer or want to watch a movie.

With limited cooking room in a van, you'll want to be efficient with what appliances you use.

The Instant Pot combines so many different cookers into one and is quite versatile.

With it, you only have to carry around one pot that can handle so many types of recipes and foods.

I must say after trying out one of these weighted blankets they are fantastic.

On those cold winter days having a warm blanket will help you stay nice and toasty.

With the additional weight they provide, they'll also help you fall asleep and feel more relaxed.

One of the main concerns many people have with van life is: How do you go to the bathroom?

A simple solution is to use a portable toilet.

These are easy to tuck away and store for those times when you can't make it to a restroom in the middle of the night.

When stopping at a campground, having some camp chairs are great to setup around a fire.

These allow you to enjoy more time outdoors in an easy way.

They're quite light, and fold right up for storage inside your van or for backpacking.

Finding showers while on the road can be a bit challenging. Unless you go into a city or stay at a camp site, you may not have easy access.

Installing a solar shower can be a simple way to have a warm shower anywhere you travel.

These can hold up to 5 gallons of water and power up to heat the water via solar technology.

After the sun goes down, your windows no longer bring in any light.

An easy solution if you don't have lighting already installed is to use some camp lights.

They come in packs so you can setup multiple around your van. You can also opt to set them up outside for more light at a campsite after dark.

When going off-grid, solar power can be an essential for keeping your tech powered up.

These solar portable chargers with two USB ports can keep everything charged up and ready to go.

With this you'll never have to worry about a dead battery again!

When living in a van, you won't have much space to store loads of extra food. Due to this you may find yourself cooking with a whole lot more produce.

It's key to have a good cutting board to make use of your tiny kitchen.

With it you can prepare loads of fresh meals!

Now this one is a van life staple. You'll find this all over Instagram with a number of other van-lifers.

This small fruit hammock is quite inexpensive and helps to hold a variety of produce.

Anytime you want to get stuff out of the cupboard, it's a great spot to put it.

Keeping your spices organized helps out a whole lot when cooking.

Due to the limited cupboard space in a van, using these magnetic spice jars free up some room.

Not to mention, they come in a stylish design that attaches right to your fridge or walls similar to a magnetic knife holder.

With all the produce, making smoothies and juicing can be another good food source.

My favorite blender to use for all shakes and smoothies is the NutriBullet Blender.

Everyone has their personal favorite blender, yet this one is very small and easy to store.

When listening to music, watching a movie or TV show, you're going to want some good audio.

Your best bet for sound on the go in a van is to use a Bluetooth portable speaker.

These provide loud volume, and you can even take them with you outside for around the campsite.

Storing your bathroom gear can be somewhat difficult with multiple drawers and places for it.

With a toothbrush holder, you can have a dedicated location for your brushes to go.

This helps to keep them clean and not get lost in the mix of your other gear.

Keeping a handy water supply is crucial on the road. To save on plastic water bottle usage, you can opt to use a Hydro Flask for your beverages.

These keep your drinks insulated and cool or hot for long periods of time.

This works perfect for those in a van since it also cuts down on needing to wash a bunch of cups.

For those avid readers, it's tough to store a lot of books inside a van.

Instead, you can use a Kindle for your book reading to save on space.

They're quite light, and you can carry along as many books as you want!

Getting active while living the van life isn't too difficult to do.

With the outdoors at your finger tips, a yoga mat can make a nice addition to your arsenal.

They fold right up, and tuck away when you're not using them.

Staying clean in your van is something many people often forget to mention in their "van life essentials".

However, having a nice hand vacuum can really help to keep your living space neat and tidy.

It will suck up all those crumbs and dirt you track in from outside all in a small and form factor design.

No matter where you travel, at some point it may get a little hot inside your van.

To stay cool, you can use a 12-volt oscillating fan.

Whichever kind of electrical setup you have, this should be easy to hookup to your vehicle.

Many people who live in their van need to have a strong cell signal to get work done.

With a cell phone signal booster, you can ensure that you'll have service when you need it.

This one is designed for RVs, so it works when you're driving or stationary.

Everyone needs water, the question is: how do you plan to store it?

One simple way is to use a portable water jug.

This one holds 7 gallons, which makes it a bit easier to carry and fill up than other larger options.

Saving your water supply can be helpful so you don't have to go fill up every two seconds.

Instead of washing your hands all the time, you can also use some hand sanitizer.

It keeps your hands clean and doesn't use water, enough said.

If you're cooking over a fire or a propane stove, a cast iron skillet is best for cooking camp meals.

You may also want to use a large pot for cooking pasta or soups.

With this skillet and a few ingredients you'll be ready to go to get cooking.

Staying dry is important to keep excess water from getting tracked inside your van.

Use a microfiber towel, as it will dry much faster than a traditional cotton towel.

This helps a whole lot for showering since they can dry in under 30 minutes.

Yes, another toilet for the list...

A composting toilet in comparison to a regular portable toilet offers a much better experience.

With it, you no longer have to handle sewage and there's little to no smell!

While camping with a van, having an outdoor table can help out a lot.

They work well for cooking, eating, board games, and even folding laundry.

Then once you're done, they fold right up for easy storage inside.

Last but not least, you should always carry along an automotive safety kit.

Even if you have roadside assistance with your auto insurance, this kit can be quite useful.

You never know when something bad can happen, and it's always better to be prepared.