14 Mistakes New Van Lifers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

I absolutely love van life, but the past decade on the road has not been all smooth sailing (or should I say “smooth driving”).

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Please excuse the bad joke, but the point is that I’ve made quite a few mistakes, and if I were to start over, I would do some things very differently!

That’s why I find it so hard to see others make the same mistakes I remember making during my first years at van life. It’s especially difficult knowing I could save them so much time and money. 

It’s a big reason I find so much joy in writing about my experiences and engaging with the community. I genuinely love helping others avoid the most common mistakes new van lifers make! 

So, from relying on the wrong energy sources to bad packing habits and learning how to engage with the community in a healthy way, here’s what I wish someone had told me before I started Van Life! 

1. Not Having an Emergency Fund

One of the biggest mistakes new van lifers make is hitting the road without an adequate emergency fund. 

It’s so easy to fantasize about the idea of spontaneous travel, but there are actually a ton of hidden costs associated with van life that could put an end to your new lifestyle before you’ve even crossed a state line. 

I’m always shocked at how much everything adds up at the end of the month.

It’s not uncommon for us to have a random $1,000 maintenance expense or go over budget because campgrounds in a particular area are $50/night, and there’s nowhere nearby to boondock.

That’s why it’s critical to set aside money BEFORE you’re on the road. The peace of mind alone will allow you to enjoy the experience to the fullest. 

2. Heating Your Van With Propane

There are quite a few different solutions for heating your van. Most van lifers I know use either a gas/diesel heater or a propane heater like Mr Buddy. However, I also know people who have opted for a wood-burning stove or a more luxurious hydronic heater.

One issue is that propane heaters cause moisture and condensation inside your van, which can lead to mold and other problems.

A gas or diesel heater creates dry heat which is better for a van’s interior environment.

A couple of the top-rated heaters are the Webmaster Air Top Evo 2000 and Espar Airtronic AM3 – B4L.

You can read our entire post about the best gas and diesel heaters for van life here.

3. Relying 100% on Solar

Many van lifers like to use solar power in the name of sustainable living. 

This is awesome, and I am a proponent of solar energy. Once you buy the solar panels, batteries, and inverters, your expenses should fall pretty close to zero. 

But solar energy is far from perfect. 

They’re highly dependent on weather conditions and sunlight exposure, so if you find yourself in a particularly rainy region or winter destination with really short days, you can quickly run low on energy—no lights, no fridge, and no way to charge your devices. 

It’s good to have a way to charge your batteries by using your van’s engine when you’re driving or by plugging in at a campground or at someone’s house.

4. Overpacking

Another common mistake new van lifers make is overpacking. I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but converted vans are tiny. 

So, you must be very selective when deciding what to bring (especially if you have a partner). 

It doesn’t take much for your van to feel cluttered, not to mention the unnecessary weight it adds to the vehicle. Items you thought were essential may gather dust in a corner and make van life more stressful. 

I still see many first-timers bringing every kitchen utensil they *might* need. Then they bring all their outdoor gear because, “Who knows if I’ll be in the mood for mountain biking, surfing, or kayaking?”

It’s a good idea to find multi-purpose items, or to get rid of an older item if you decide to buy something new.

Want to see everything we keep in our van? Download our Van Life Essentials Checklist 👇

5. Neglecting Maintainance

I’m sure you’re already aware of regular maintenance, but many people wildly underestimate the cost of maintaining their vehicle and how often they need to do it.

Living in your van means; 

1. Driving a lot more miles (potentially) than if it were simply a work vehicle.
2. Operating the vehicle close to (or slightly over) its maximum payload.

This means that you’ll need to schedule regular maintenance sooner than you think. If you have an older van, parts will start giving out quicker than usual. 

Whether you take your vehicle to a shop or DIY your vehicle maintenance, I highly encourage you to do things BEFORE they’re required to ensure everything stays in good working order. 

6. Not Investing in the Community

Once you start living in your van, you’ll be shocked at how many people are living on the road. 

Not everyone’s a van life blogger or an Instagram Influencer. Loads of people live out of converted vans just because they genuinely prefer the lifestyle. 

You can meet other people by attending a van life gathering, joining Facebook Groups, and engaging with people on Instagram who might later become a friend.

I understand that there are times when you’ll need your privacy (which – just FYI – becomes very rare during van life), but van life becomes extremely lonely without other people. Plus, these interactions can lead to valuable information/tips, like the best boondocking spots nearby or advice on handling the challenging parts of van life.

Read our entire article about how to beat van life loneliness here.

7. Not Renting a Campervan Before You Buy

The final mistake I see, and honestly one of the most unfortunate, is people investing tens of thousands of dollars and months of work into a converted van, only to find out they don’t like it.

Van life is not for everybody and it’s not as dreamy as it looks on Instagram. 

So, I always tell people to rent a van for a week or two and see how they like it before diving in headfirst. 

Renting lets you get a feel for the space, determine what amenities are essential to you, and identify potential deal-breakers. You can try a couple of different setups to decide which works best for your lifestyle and determine whether you need more (or less) space than you originally thought.

Outdoorsy is our favorite campervan rental company and offers a huge selection of vans across the U.S., including many locations near national parks. It’s basically AirBnB for campervans, and prices typically run from $100 to $400/day.

Plus, if you rent a campervan through Outdoorsy, use our coupon code “waywardhome” to get $50 off your conversion van rental!

Escape Campervans offer a more budget-friendly option and the flexibility to rent in one location and return in another. Built on the Ford E-150 chassis, these campervans range from $30 to $100 per night and are available in many U.S. and Canadian cities. Each van includes a convertible bed, kitchen setup, and solar-powered dual battery system.

8. Not Researching Local Parking Laws

There are many places where parking and sleeping in your van is illegal. It can be really stressful to get “the knock” in the middle of the night. This has happened to us one time and it wasn’t pleasant!

Many cities don’t allow overnight parking, and you’ll either have to be super stealthy, or camp somewhere legal. Pay close attention to street signs to see if overnight camping is banned.

You may also have heard that WalMarts allow free overnight camping, but more and more of them are no longer allowing this. Our advice is to call the WalMart and ask before you shut off your engine and head to bed.

9. Underestimating Your Water Supply

When you’re out boondocking in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you want to do is not bring enough water. How much water you bring depends on how often you need to shower, what you’re cooking (soups and dried beans require lots of water), and how you wash your dishes.

There are plenty of ways to conserve water, such as doing a sponge bath and using a spray bottle and paper towel for washing dishes. We carry a LOT of water because we like to shower frequently. We have 10-gallons of drinking water and then a 25-gallon underbelly water tank on our Sprinter!

10. Not Following the Weather

One thing we do regularly when planning our van life adventures is check the weather. Van life is miserable if it’s too hot or too cold when you don’t have heating or cooling (like us!).. If you do have an air conditioner or diesel heater, you can go more places.

We also don’t like spending a lot of time in rainy weather, so if tons of rain is in the forecast, we move to a better climate. Many van lifers are like migratory birds, constantly chasing perfect weather. That’s why we have moveable homes, right?

We typically spend summers in northern states like Oregon or Minnesota, and winters in Arizona or Baja.

11. Not Securing Your Van Before Driving

There have been MANY times when we’ve driven away from a campsite and within moments, a cup, spoon, or other item is falling off the countertop and onto the floor. This is very jarring, and we both jump when this happens. We try to remember to “secure the cabin” before we drive, but even after many years of van life, stuff still flies around.

In this same vein, you should also make sure your cabinets are closed, and any storage bins are secure enough that they won’t fly forward when you brake.

12. Not Putting in a Roof Vent

Our roof vent is one of the most important parts of a van build, and we have NEVER gone without one of these. We installed a Fantastic Fan in our Chevy Astro and a Maxxair fan in our Sprinter. These roof vents have two different directions: one mode sucks outside air in, and another mode pushes air out. On hot days, we love sucking cool air into the van at night when we’re going to sleep. We also use the roof vent when cooking; it sends those smells (and steam!) right outside.

13. Not Getting an Unlimited Data Plan

You might be surprised just how much you use your cell phone when living the van life. From looking up campsites, to navigating using Google Maps, to creating a hotspot while working or streaming Netflix, you will use A LOT of data. We started out using Google Fi and regularly paid way more we should because we used so many gigs.

Now, we both have the Visible wireless plan, which is $25 per month for unlimited talk, text and data. You can upgrade to $45 per month for even faster data, and for use in Mexico and Canada.

14. Waiting Too Long

The last mistake people make is not doing it sooner. 

It’s not really a “mistake” (which is why it’s not officially on our list), but it’s a huge regret for many people who do full-time van life. People spend years waiting due to fear of change, discomfort, or life circumstances, and then once they get out on the road, they often find themselves wishing they had made the leap years earlier.

Obviously, you should obviously be smart about the decision to become a van lifer, build up an emergency fund, and avoid the other mistakes I mentioned in this article. But just know that there will never be a “perfect” time and that you can always make adjustments after you’ve gotten started. 
So, I hope this helps you feel more prepared and excited about Van Life. For more tips like this, check out my best tips for first-time solo Van Life.