A van blog wouldn’t be a van blog without a van life essentials guide! Whether you are already a vanlifer, are contemplating van life, or are simply looking for some products to help simplify your outdoor journeys, we hope this van life essentials guide gives you some inspiration!
MINIMALIST LIFESTYLE
Before we jump in to the full list of van life essential items, the first thing you should probably know, is that living in a tiny home, means very limited space for items. So being strategic with what items you fill those spaces with is crucial! Most items need to be dual-purpose and functional, more practical, as opposed to being pretty or aesthetically pleasing. Not that you can’t find aesthetically pleasing and functional items. It just might take more time finding them. This applies to kitchenware, clothing, and everything between. The other thing we’d mention, is that having any form of glass in the van, is not wise. Unless you intentionally build a storage space for the glassware so that it won’t break when driving.
LIST OF VAN LIFE ESSENTIALS
Now that we have that disclaimer out of the way, let’s get in to this full list of van life essential items that will make your tiny home living much easier, fun and enjoyable!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click section to jump ahead:
- KITCHEN & DINING
- HOUSEHOLD
- HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE
- CLOTHING & SHOES
- OUTDOORS & FITNESS
- ELECTRONICS
- PETS
- WORK
KITCHEN & DINING
Unless you have loads of money and plan on eating out all of the time, you’ll likely be spending a fair amount of time cooking meals inside the van. So having quality kitchen and dining products, will be super important. And things that don’t require a lot of washing, because your water will NOT be unlimited. This may be THE most important portion of van life essentials.
INSULATED REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES
Plastic waste is both terrible for the environment, and unnecessarily expensive. So investing in a reusable water bottle will not only save you money, and the environment, but it’ll also keep your beverages cold or hot for many many hours. Nowadays, pretty much everyone owns some type of reusable water bottle, but in case you do not, here are a few options you might consider.
INSULATED MUGS/CUPS
As nice as it is to have separate cups and glasses in a home for coffee, water, tea, wine, beer or any other beverage you may drink at home, having space for all of these different cups and glasses is all but impossible. Not to mention, many of these are typically glass, which is highly breakable in a moving vehicle. So the best thing you can do would be to get some insulated mugs that can be used for any and all beverages. This will help you save space and money. We have two Yeti mugs that we customized at Yeti and use for EVERYTHING! They keep coffee hot and tea hot, and they keep all the others cold.
ENAMEL OR CERAMIC CUPS
If you’re looking for that quintessential vanlife outdoors camping vibe for your cups, then going with some enamel cups or mugs might be the route to go! They’re incredibly durable, and come in a ton of different colors and options. The one thing we will say about these though, is that they do not keep your beverages cold or warm for very long. Especially coffee. So if you like to guzzle your drinks, or you’re not worried about the drinks getting cold or warm too fast, then these are perfect. If you’re looking to sip and enjoy your beverage, then you might want to go with the insulated options.
METAL PLATEWARE
To go along with your insulated bottles and mugs, Hydroflask has metal plates and bowls that are extremely durable and will match perfectly with your other items. So whether you’re using them inside the van, or outside at a campsite, these make a perfect dining solution.
BAMBOO PLATEWARE
One downfall to having a bunch of metal kitchenware, is the weight. While they’re extremely durable, and match, all of that weight adds up. Especially when you think about the weight of the drawer or cabinet that they’ll be stored in. So something that is lighter in weight, but still durable is in some cases, a better option. We personally fell in love with some recycled bamboo plates and bowls from Made Trade. They’re durable, sustainable and ethical! That being said, there are a number of other options you can find on Amazon.
FRENCH PRESS
When we first moved in to our van, we had a Nespresso. And we LOVED it. We were so excited the first time we made coffee inside our van. Mostly because it didn’t short out our electrical system haha. After a while though, we found that having to store the pods for the Nespresso took up a LOT of space. And then having to store and recycle the used pods only at a Nespresso store, or having to ship them, was too much of a hassle. So we transitioned to a French Press and have never looked back! They aren’t the most ideal for cleaning, but they’re perfect for quick and easy brewing. Not to mention, it meant we could pick up local coffees while on the road and try different types of coffee. Win!
KUJU COFFEE
Speaking of coffee, while the french press is great for brewing larger amounts of coffee, sometimes you just want one cup of coffee. Or maybe you are headed out on a hike and want to have coffee with you, but don’t want to brew an entire batch. This is where Kuju comes in. They make single-serve pour over coffee in tiny eco-friendly and sustainable pouches. So all you need to do is boil some water, pour over, and you’re good to go!
POST MERIDIEM CANNED COCKTAILS
Do you like craft cocktails? Old Fashioneds, margaritas, mai tais, cosmos? Then Post Meridiem cocktails are for you. They come in incredibly small and compact cans, and use nothing but natural ingredients and real fruit juices. Oh, and they are DELICIOUS! So living in a van where you can’t store glass items, means having all the liquors and ingredients on-hand to make cocktails, may not be possible. So these make it easy, and they don’t take up a ton of space in the fridge.
Click here to find at Post Meridiem
POTS & PANS
Unless you built your van like a tank and have unlimited power, odds are having a microwave on-hand is not in the cards. They’re incredibly large, and use a TON of energy. So cooking and reheating food will likely take place on the stovetop. And depending on the type of stovetop you use (gas or electric), will largely dictate what type of pots and pans you get. We have an electric induction stovetop in our van, so we opted for a Magma non-stick induction pot and pan set. They’re incredibly space efficient, (they fit inside one another like a matryoshka doll), and are handleless with a separate handle that attaches to whichever pot or pan you’re using. They cook INCREDIBLY even, and clean so so easily! But you can find a ton of space efficient options on both Amazon and at REI.
REUSABLE BAGS
You’re gonna begin to see a theme. Odds are, if you’re living in a van, or considering to live in a van, you probably have some passion living a more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. And one of the WORST places for plastic waste, is the grocery store. SO. MUCH. PLASTIC. One of the best ways you can combat this, is by bringing your own bags. We found a company out of Australia called Seed & Sprout that we ABSOLUTELY LOVE. They have eco-friendly alternatives for ziplock bags, plastic grocery bags, food containers, baking/parchment paper, saran wrap, and much much more. They also have reusable grocery bags (or produce bags) that make your grocery shopping much easier.
Click here to find at Seed & Sprout
FOOD STORAGE
Storing food in a small space can be challenging. The easiest and most convenient option would be ziplock bags and plastic containers. But as we mentioned above, SO MUCH PLASTIC AND WASTE! So we opted for Seed & Sprouts storage containers. However, you can find a number of alternative options at Amazon, Target and other marketplaces.
Click here to find at Seed & Sprout
AIRFRYER & STOVETOP
You may be surprised, but you can put a full oven and stove, microwave, and more in camper vans! But there is a cost. And that cost is usually energy, power and space. Things that are very limited resources in a tiny home on wheels. So like everything inside a camper van, the things you use to cook need to space and energy efficient. We opted for a Ninja Air Fry Toaster Oven and an electric induction stovetop. The induction stovetop is used just like any other stovetop, while the Ninja Air Fryer can be used for all sorts of stuff: toasting bread or bagels, reheating pizza, baking spring rolls or samosas and a slew of other stuff. And it bakes just like a traditional oven! Only faster!
Click here to find at Air Fryer at Amazon
Click here to find Stovetop at Amazon
FRIDGE & FREEZER
Ok, so we’ve covered how to shop for things, cook things, now how do you store things that need to be refrigerated or frozen? Our recommendation: The Dometic CFX3 75 Dual Zone Powered Cooler. It is a dual-zone cooler style fridge and freezer that is both wifi and bluetooth compatible. So you can control the temperatures for both the fridge side and the freezer side. We have found that we can store condiments, beverages, produce, leftovers and more. It’s also incredibly energy efficient. It can run off of 110v household outlets, as well as 12v.
LAGUN SWIVEL
We wanted to keep this list to things that we’re necessarily part of the build process, the electrical system or plumbing system, but this swivel is so essential to us, we couldn’t leave it out of a list of van life essentials. The Lagun Swivel system allows you to set up a swivel table that takes up very little space and is movable based on where you’re sitting in the van. It’s also incredibly easy to install and set up. So we had to put it in the list.
HOUSEHOLD
Many of the above items seem almost obvious in their use and need. Not only van life essentials, but everyday life essentials. Some of the items listed below, you may not have thought about. I know we didn’t, until after we moved in to our van and found ourselves with random piles of stuff that we hadn’t accounted for needing to organize. So we hope some of these help you from making the same mistakes we made.
LAUNDRY HAMPER
We spent so much time worrying about where we would store our clothes inside the van, and how much space would be needed. One thing we DIDN’T think about, was what we would do with our dirty laundry… Oops! And since we hadn’t planned for this during the build process, we didn’t have a designated space for dirty laundry. So we opted for this laundry hamper bag as an alternative. If you haven’t built your van yet, we’d recommend planning for a designated place to store your dirty laundry so that it’s not out there for the world to see.
TOWELS
This was another one of those learnings that took place AFTER moving in to the van. We had a bunch of bathroom towels from our apartment living, that we felt like it was a win that we didn’t need to buy anything new. What we DIDN’T anticipate, is just how big those bathroom towels are, how much space they take up, and how long they take to dry! Ugh, it’s the worst. So after 3-4 months of having to have the wet towels draped inside the van for hours to dry, we donated all of them to animal hospitals and purchased a number of Nomadix towels which are quick-dry, recycled, MicroTerry and MicroSuede towels. They take up little to no space, and dry in no time. And they have a number of different shapes and sizes making them perfect for shower towels, hand towels, workout towels and everything in-between.
STORAGE BASKETS
There are a TON of options when it comes to organizing your things inside your van. But one thing that we learned, was that items needed to be put inside of SOMETHING that would sit inside the cabinets. Otherwise, after driving, you’d open a cabinet door and and slew of stuff would come falling out. So we opted for these cute and versatile little baskets from Target.
WINDOW COVERS
OH. MY. GOODNESS. Worth, every penny. Being able to cover up our windows at night, not only provides ultimate privacy, but it also helps with insulating. Whether its keeping temps in, or out, they help so so much. We would recommend these to anyone who has a van, camper, RV or even if you have a normal car that you use for weekend getaways. There are a ton of companies that make window covers, but we’d recommend XPLR Outfitters. They have covers that fit standard window sizes on a number of vehicles, but can also custom make in any shape and size. So no matter what type of vehicle you have, they can make covers for you. And they’re magnetic, so attaching and detaching is seamless. And if you vehicle doesn’t have exposed metal to attach to, they’ll ship you magnetic strips that can be attached with double-sided tape. Win!
Click here to find at XPLR Outfitters
KAMMOK BLANKETS
This is one of those items we didn’t know we needed, until we saw it, and then we needed it. Kammok (pronounced like hammock, but with a K), make a bunch of items, including hammocks. But the item we would recommend, is the Mountain or Field Blanket. Not only this this a fleece-lined blanket, perfect for keeping you warm inside the van, but it doubles as a fleece-lined poncho making it perfect for outdoors as well! There are buttons in the center that unsnap allowing you to place the blanket over your head, and now both your front and back are covered! And if you have two of them, you can snap blankets together to create a giant blanket, or a giant sleeping bag! SO COOL! Or in this case, WARM!
This item would be #1 on Katy’s van life essentials list if she had her way, haha.
MR. HEATER
Speaking of heat, sometimes you need a little extra warmth. And that is where Mr. Heater comes in. We intentionally avoided the use of any propane in our van simply because we didn’t want to worry about having gas in or around the vehicle. But this item is small enough and portable enough that we didn’t mind. And when you find yourself in sub-freezing temperatures, having a little extra heat can go a long way. They come in a variety of sizes, but we opted for the Little Buddy due to its compact size.
USB AIR COOLER
Ok, so we’ve covered staying warm, but what about cooling off?! This one gets a little trickier than creating heat. Creating cool air requires having a cooling source: ice, water, a giant compressor. You know, stuff that you probably have none of or a limited supply of in the van. And we’re in the business of keeping things compact and efficient. So what would we recommend? This cool little USB powered air cooler! Now, we must say, this will not drastically drop temps. But the difference between 80ºF and 72ºF can make a big difference. You need to have ice and water. So as long as you have freezer in your van, you should be good. And if you don’t want to use van energy, it does have a built in battery that will last a handful of hours.
TOILET
Going to the bathroom is not exactly a topic people like to talk about publicly. Kind of a private thing, am I right? That being said, everybody has to go to the bathroom. Whether you live in a home, an RV or a camper van. So having a toilet is not only a van life essential, it’s just a life essential.
There are different types of compact toilets to choose from, compost toilets, cassette toilets, and fixed toilets with black water tanks. Our recommendation is a Thetford Portal Potti cassette toilet. This option doesn’t require storing compost in your van, or having to build a independent black water tank in or under the van either. The only catch, is that once the bottom portion of the toilet is full, you have to take the toilet out of the van, and dump at an approved dumpsite. In our minds, it’s completely worth that effort to not have to constantly be worrying about where to find a public bathroom.
BOSCH WATER HEATER
This is very much a luxury, largely due to the amount of energy it consumes the second it turns on. But having hot water, whether it be for washing dishes, or showering, is really nice! But it is a luxury. We have 300Ah of lithium battery power in our van, and 525w of solar panel energy, but turning on this water heater, eats up roughly 25% of our total power in a matter of 15 minutes. This is the cost of heating up 4 gallons of water. The good news… That water stays pretty warm for at least a few days. Providing the outdoor temperatures aren’t around freezing.
HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE
I hate to say this, but the days of enjoying daily and hour-long shower, are gone. They’ve been replaced with quick 10 minute showers every few days. If you’re lucky! But that doesn’t remove the need to stay clean and take care of your personal care. So here are a few things we think will help with that. These truly are van life essentials!
SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER
Whether you have grey water tanks for your sink and shower, or you drain in to the ground, using products that are good for the environment is a MUST. Please please please, do not dump products or waste in to the ground with chemicals that can harm said ground. This can have everlasting affects on the surrounding nature and eco-system. That’s why we love Love Beauty And Planet products so much. They’re biodegradable, vegan and Peta approved. So whether you’re just washing your hands or face, or are taking a full shower, you can feel confident that you won’t be harming the environment when that water hits the ground.
DRY SHAMPOO
Got dirty hair? Don’t feel like spending the time to wash your hair, but need to look your best for a date night? Here’s some vegan dry shampoo that’s non-aerosol, paraben free, cruelty free and free of a bunch of other stuff!
DISPOSABLE WIPES
Whether you have need in the bathroom, or just for a quick wipe down when you can’t shower, having biodegradable and plant-based wipes that are sewer and septic safe is absolutely a van life essential. We won’t get in to the specifics on scenarios where these are helpful, but when you have limited water, leading to showering less, finding ways to cleanse are important. And these are definitely helpful!
Click here to find Dude Wipes at Amazon
Click here to find at Good Wipes Amazon
EYE MASK
The window covers that we recommended above are incredible for blacking out the inside of the van. But what happens when you want or need to have a window or fan open for airflow? And if you’re anything like us, and find yourself parking in places with bright street lights, or parking lot lights, that last thing you want is a bright light shining in to the van when you’re trying to sleep. So sometimes you need a little help blocking out the light. Hence, we’re recommending a nighttime eye mask. Thank us later.
CLOTHING & SHOES
We need clothes right? I mean we’re not nudists… Not that there’s anything wrong with that! But clothes are an important thing. Whether you’re in this for rest, relaxation and simply roadtripping around, or you’re in it to explore, hike, and spend as much time in the outdoors as much as possible. But like everything else, functionality is key! So let’s get in to some real van life essentials.
BASE LAYERS
Ok, so this might be geared more towards those spending time in the colder climates. But that doesn’t mean they’re not useful or necessary. Base layers are what you wear underneath everything else. They tend to be made of materials like wool and polyester which help wick away moisture and keep you dry and warm. We’ve tried a number of different kinds, and while most do a good job of helping keep you warm, we have found that Patagonia has the best. They are definitely more expensive, but we can wear the same top or bottom for days, and they SIMPLY NEVER SMELL BAD! It is literally mind-blowing. And they really do keep you warm. Trust us.
WOOL SOCKS
Where. Have. These. Been. All. My. Life?! As someone with poor circulation, my feet are cold ALL OF THE TIME. Katy actually gets mad at me when my feet are cold. So needless to say, when we found out about wool socks, our lives literally changed. We originally bought some of the Merino Wool hiking socks for a trip to Iceland. We were so impressed with them, that we purchased some lightweight Merino Wool socks for everyday use, and they are just like the base layers above. They keep your feet super warm and dry, and the socks can be worn for many days before getting a stink.
OUTER SHELLS & JACKETS
One thing we’ve learned when it comes to clothing, is that it’s best to layer. So as temps change and fluctuate, you can layer up, or layer down. So in colder temps, we typically will wear a base layer, a mid layer hoodie or sweatshirt, and then an outer layer or shell. The outer shell typically doesn’t have a lot of warmth to it, as the layers below it take care of the warmth. So the outer shell is more for rain and wind protection. This helps with space (large and thick jackets take up a lot of space), and it helps with versatility also. We have both fallen in love with both Patagonia and North Face. Their products do a REALLY good job of doing what they are meant to do. And they hold up well over time!
EVERYDAY SHOES
Shoes take up A LOT of space. Whether you’re a man, woman, child, or otherwise, shoes are bulky. And most people have at least a few pairs for different types of occasions. Living in a van, you have to be really picky and strategic with your footwear. We also understand that everyone’s feet are different, so finding shoes that have the right width, arch support etc, is not a one size and shape fits all. That being said, if you have the flexibility of either being able to wear any kind of shoe and being fine, or are able to simply put your specialized insoles in to a shoe, we would recommend SUAVS.
SUAVS are incredibly comfortable, with a knit-like material, almost feels like wearing socks, are very compact, they flatten out, and are machine washable. The insoles are replaceable, so whether you wear them out, or need to use your own insoles, this helps a ton.
HIKING SHOES
If you are an outdoorsy type like us, and like hiking, then hiking shoes are a MUST. We were always the type of people who would just wear tennis shoes on hikes, thinking the support and cushion would be enough. WRONG! You also need traction, and sometimes waterproofing. So when we finally upgraded to some hiking shoes, it changed our lives, and we will never go back. We have fallen in love with Adidas Terrex hiking shoes. Terrex is part of the Adidas Outdoors brand and specializes in outdoor and hiking footwear. Many of the shoes are waterproof, or semi-waterproof making them perfect for any outdoor adventure.
OUTDOORS & FITNESS
Living in a tiny home on wheels, means likely spending a lot of time outside. Unless you really just like spending a lot of time inside a tiny home on wheels. Which is totally ok. I think. Haha. For us, we try to spend AS MUCH time as possible outside. Hiking, walking, running, exploring, relaxing, sipping wine or beer, you name it! So this section will focus on items that you might want to have to expand your home’s footprint and making living a little more comfortable! And we’d say comfortability in itself is a van life essential.
FIRST AID KIT
This is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT item on the list of van life essentials. Whether you have this simply for keeping on-hand in the van, or it’s something you bring with you on walks and hikes, it is incredibly important to have a first aid kit. It’s also one of The 10 Essentials of Hiking. So do yourself a favor, and make sure you have one of these.
AWNING
Like some of the other items, this is something you would want to incorporate in your build process. If don’t have an awning, but you have a rack on your roof, then you are still in luck! Either way, having an awning to provide some extra shade is crucial! Whether it be to keep the sun from beaming right in to your van when you’re trying to work, make food or eat food, or if you’re trying to enjoy some outdoor relaxation. There are a number of different options available, like MoonShade or Roam Adventure Co. But our recommendation, Roam Adventure Co. They have a ton of shapes and sizes, attaches easily, and is easily to open and close!
CHAIRS
Ok, now that you have a beautiful awning, you’re gonna need something to sit in under said awning. Right? We went to REI and other outdoors stores and sat in a bunch of different types of outdoors chairs. We wanted something comfy, versatile, and COMPACT. The winner? Helinox Sunset Chair. It’s raised a bit which is helpful on the knees, it has a high back which provides much better comfort, and they collapse in to the tiniest of little bags. WORTH IT!
TABLE
So now you have chairs, where are you going to put your drinks, food, snacks, etc. Answer? A table. Seems so simple right?! Well, if you don’t want it to take up a ton of space in your van, not so simple. That’s ok though, we have a solution for you. There are a TON of collapsable tables that take up little to no space, and are super quick and easy to assemble or disassemble. We have an REI table that is taller and we use for more dinner/meal situations, or if we’re sharing a space with friends and all want to sit around together. And then we have an Amazon table that is smaller and ideal for drinks and snacks. Either way, they both are small and take up little room in our “garage”.
COOLER
It’s not often that a cooler is needed, given that we have all of our food and drinks with us inside our van, but when going on a hike, or going to a beach, or just spending time outside, it’s helpful to have a cooler to pack away snacks and drinks that will keep cold. And for that, we use an RTIC soft pack cooler which has a waterproof zipper and keep the food cold for HOURS. No joke. We use the 20-can size, but they come both smaller and larger depending on your need.
KAMMOK BLANKETS
We covered this one in the HOUSEHOLD section as well, but it bears repeating. This is one of those items we didn’t know we needed, until we saw it, and then we needed it. Kammok (pronounced like hammock, but with a K), make a bunch of items, including hammocks. But the item we would recommend, is the Mountain or Field Blanket. Not only this this a fleece-lined blanket, perfect for keeping you warm inside the van, but it doubles as a fleece-lined poncho making it perfect for outdoors as well! There are buttons in the center that unsnap allowing you to place the blanket over your head, and now both your front and back are covered! And if you have two of them, you can snap blankets together to create a giant blanket, or a giant sleeping bag! SO COOL! Or in this case, WARM!
We said this above, but we’ll say it again… This item would be #1 on Katy’s van life essentials list if she had her way, haha.
YOGA MATS
We understand that yoga may not be for everyone. And that is ok. But one thing we will tell you, is that spending a lot of time inside of a camper van, means that your body will likely get tight muscles more often than you would like. So whether you do it for overall wellbeing, stretching, exercise or something in between, having a space to relax and stretch is important. And they don’t take up a lot of space! There are a ton of brands to choose from nowadays, but we opted for Gaiam. They have a huge selection of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, colors, prints etc. And they hold up well.
WEIGHTS
Staying active is incredibly important whether you live in a van, apartment or home. But living in a camper van definitely has limitations to the types of workouts you can do. And if you are the type who likes to do more weight lifting, or workouts that incorporate weights in to them, then some hand weights are going to be your best bet. This or resistance bands, but we opted for hand weights due to the versatility of workouts that they offer. You can find them in standard weights or if you want to splurge a little, you can get the adjustable dumbbells.
ELECTRONICS
When building a camper van, it’s hard to understand just how much power you will need. Part of that is understanding the difference between watts, volts, amps, amp hours etc. Part of that is knowing how much power your devices use. And what types of power! And without getting in to the nitty gritty details and specifics of electricity, what we will say, is that the more ways you can charge using 12 volts as opposed to 110 or 220 volts like a standard home, the better off you will be. So below are some really important van life essentials that revolve around your devices like phones, tablets, computers and more as well enhancing your everyday living!
USB 12V OUTLET PLUGS
There are two things we would have done differently with our build: one is building a rack on our roof prior to installing our solar panels. The other is installing as many 12v outlets as possible, as opposed to 110v outlets. In order to use household items that use standard household plugs, you need to have an inverter in your system, and that uses A LOT of power. Using 12v outlets, means charging without the need of an inverter. Like plugging in to the cigarette lighter in a car, but without the car being on. But you don’t want to get stuck with an outlet that only uses one type of USB.
So we’d recommend an outlet with a 12v plug charging port and purchasing a USB plug that fits the cables and devices that you own. This means as technology changes, you won’t have to swap out the entire outlet every time, and can simply replace the 12v plug.
BATTERY PACKS
While the above works for in-home charging, you would be remiss not to have something for on-the-go charging as well. That’s where GoalZero and Jackery come in handy. These brands make battery packs and chargers ranging from small portable almost pocketable packs, to larger generator-sized packs that can charge all sorts of devices. We’d recommend a combination of both. It’s good to have a couple of small packs that you can take with you on the go, so your phone, watch or other devices don’t die. As well as a larger one for charging tablets, laptops or more.
USB HUB
While having the above two things covers most of your bases when it comes to charging your devices in your tiny home, there are times where you may stay in a hotel, Airbnb, or friends or family members home. And in those situations, you don’t want to have to rely on those places to have something to charge your devices, and you probably don’t want to lug a GoalZero Yeti 400 around all over the place. So having something that you can plug in to a standard household outlet, and can charge the necessities… Well that sounds like a van life essential to me. Even if it isn’t being used in the van. So we’d recommend something like the Anker USB Hub. They make a bunch of electronic accessories and have made a reputation for making quality stuff.
FLASHLIGHT & HEADLAMP
Whether you are a hiker or not, having a flashlight or some sort of source of external light, is an absolute van life essential. Especially if you have pets with you. The last thing you want is to be caught in the dark of night without the ability to see your way around. So our recommendation would be the combination of a handheld flashlight and a headlamp. If there are two of you, then one of each is ideal.
Click here to find flashlight at Amazon
Click here to find headlamp at Amazon
And click here to find flashlight at REI
And click here to find headlamp at REI
USB STRING LIGHTS
Speaking of light, if you really want to step up the homey feeling of your camper van, then a set of USB string lights is an absolutely van life essential. Whether you use them inside or outside, they can really step up the mood. Make some popcorn, put on a movie, and enjoy the vibe! And they basically use zero power. WIN!
USB SPEAKER
Speaking of watching a movie… If you enjoy listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts, or you want to add some oomph to your movie experience, a bluetooth speaker is a must. And if you’re going to use it outdoors, you want one that will tolerate the elements. So we’d recommend the JBL Flip as it’s waterproof, has GREAT audio given its size, and it not terribly expensive.
SOLIS WIRELESS INTERNET
One question EVERYONE asks those who live in a van, is how do you get internet? There are a number of different options for this: wireless hotspots from your cellphone provider, Starlink from SpaceX, amongst other things. The option we have found to work best for us is something called Solis Lite which is from a company called Solis. This little hotspot device works with multiple cellphone providers, and will automatically switch between them based on which one has the best service for where you are. And it works in 130+ countries as well! So it’s perfect for travel goers!
PETS
Are you a pet owner? Maybe even a dog owner specifically like us? Then there are definitely some van life essentials (or maybe dog life essentials) that you will want to consider. And just like us humans, space, functionality, efficiency, eco-friendliness and sustainability are just as important to our furry friends as they are for us.
BOWLS
Whether you own a cat or a dog, or something else entirely, having some bowls for our furry family friends to eat and drink out of are important. Originally we opted for some of the silicone collapsable bowls for our pup, but over time we found them to get really dirty and eventually got kind of gross. We’ve since them switched to some metal bowls from RTIC as they’re much more durable and much easier to clean.
Click here to find RTIC at Amazon
Click here to find Yeti at Amazon
BED
A dog or cats comfort is just as important as it is ours. Especially when it comes to sleep. And if you go to any pet store, you will find a plethora of dog begs in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Most of them are huge though! Or if you’re like us and have a larger dog, the small ones are simply too small. Then we went to REI one day and found this Pendleton bed that folds in half… Junior LOVES it. It’s great for space efficiency, and is just comfy enough that he can sleep on it and not be on a hard floor.
COLLAR
Pet collars are not universal. And they are not all the same when it comes to quality. Has your pets collar ever gotten wet, and smelled TERRIBLE afterwards? Yeah… That’s not something we want to experience ever again. So we decided to get our pup a more fitting collar that holds up better with the elements. That’s when we found Wolfgang Man & Beast. They make a bunch of collars and accessories for pups that are perfect for handling the outdoor elements.
LEASH
One would think that leashes are leashes and you don’t need anything fancy. We thought that too. But the elements did a number on both the leash and collar that we had for Junior. So we decided to upgrade, and we are so thankful we did! There are so many different types of leashes to choose from, and to be honest, we like a few different brands, so we’ll let you choose. Wolfgang Man & Beast, Kurgo and Ruffwear all make great options. We’ve opted for a Kurgo adjustable leash for everyday use, and a Ruffwear hitching system for when we’re at a campsite and don’t want Junior roaming off too far, but still have some room to walk around.
Click here to find at Kurgo Amazon
Click here to find Ruffwear at REI
HARNESS
Speaking of Kurgo, to go along with our Kurgo leash, we opted for the Kurgo Journey Air Dog Harness for Junior due to it’s comfy and adjustable design and handle for when we need to keep Junior close to us.
Click here to find at Kurgo Amazon
POOP BAGS
Every animal goes to the bathroom. And while we have toilets to use, our pets do night. And despite what you may think, allowing them to poop wherever they want, and not picking up after them, is not appropriate. Always pick up your pets waste! That’s where Earth Rated comes in. We’ve been using these bags for a LONG time. Long before we moved in to our van. Largely due to their eco-friendliness and durability. Not to mention, if you look at them on Amazon, they have over 170,000 ratings… Trust us, get these.
WORK
Hopefully you’re not spending too much time working, and are instead out there living your best life! But when the times come that you do need to be working, there are a few things that will help your work life. Some of these items were mentioned above in other areas as well, but bear repeating.
PLANNER
Before you can get any work done, having a plan is key. Having a plan is sort of key to life in general, which is why this is such an important van life essential. Planner can help you plan out your day, week, month and beyond. And in doing so, will help you be more efficient with your time, and hopefully allow you to spend more time outdoors and living your best life. We have found that the Panda Planner Pro is PERFECT for this. It has day, week and month views. When we commit to using this regularly and consistently, we find that we are so much better and productive with our lives.
SOLIS WIRELESS INTERNET
One question EVERYONE asks those who live in a van, is how do you get internet? There are a number of different options for this: wireless hotspots from your cellphone provider, Starlink from SpaceX, amongst other things. The option we have found to work best for us is something called Solis Lite which is from a company called Solis. This little hotspot device works with multiple cellphone providers, and will automatically switch between them based on which one has the best service for where you are. And it works in 130+ countries as well! So it’s perfect for travel goers!
BATTERY PACKS
While the above works for in-home charging, you would be remiss not to have something for on-the-go charging as well. That’s where GoalZero and Jackery come in handy. These brands make battery packs and chargers ranging from small portable almost pocketable packs, to larger generator-sized packs that can charge all sorts of devices. We’d recommend a combination of both. It’s good to have a couple of small packs that you can take with you on the go, so your phone, watch or other devices don’t die. As well as a larger one for charging tablets, laptops or more.
LAGUN SWIVEL
We wanted to keep this list to things that we’re necessarily part of the build process, the electrical system or plumbing system, but this swivel is so essential to us, we couldn’t leave it out of a list of van life essentials. The Lagun Swivel system allows you to set up a swivel table that takes up very little space and is movable based on where you’re sitting in the van. It’s also incredibly easy to install and set up making it perfect for working! So we had to put it in the list.
CHAIRS
Having something to sit in is sort of crucial to working. Right? We went to REI and other outdoors stores and sat in a bunch of different types of outdoors chairs. We wanted something comfy, versatile, and COMPACT. The winner? Helinox Sunset Chair. It’s raised a bit which is helpful on the knees, it has a high back which provides much better comfort, and they collapse in to the tiniest of little bags. WORTH IT!
TABLE
So now you have chairs, where are you going to put your drinks, food, snacks, etc. Answer? A table. Seems so simple right?! Well, if you don’t want it to take up a ton of space in your van, not so simple. That’s ok though, we have a solution for you. There are a TON of collapsable tables that take up little to no space, and are super quick and easy to assemble or disassemble. We have an REI table that is taller and we use for more dinner/meal situations, or if we’re sharing a space with friends and all want to sit around together. And then we have an Amazon table that is smaller and ideal for drinks and snacks. Either way, they both are small and take up little room in our “garage”.
KUJU COFFEE
Need to get those juices flowing? This is where Kuju comes in. They make single-serve pour over coffee in tiny eco-friendly and sustainable pouches. So all you need to do is boil some water, pour over, and you’re good to go!
ULTIMATE LIST OF VAN LIFE ESSENTIALS
If you have read or scrolled through this entire list, kudos to you! Cuz it is LONG! But know this, everything that we listed here in this list, we own. In our van. It seems like a lot doesn’t it?! This doesn’t even cover every article of clothing we own, all our utensils and cookware. There is SO MUCH MORE. And that is why finding things that are small, compact, space efficient, and functional is so important!
We hope you found something helpful or useful out of this list of van life essentials. And if you somehow found yourself at the bottom of the page first, and don’t want to scroll up, below is a table of content to help you find your way.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click section to jump back up:
- KITCHEN & DINING
- HOUSEHOLD
- HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE
- CLOTHING & SHOES
- OUTDOORS & FITNESS
- ELECTRONICS
- PETS
- WORK
If you think we missed something, left something out, or have better alternatives to what we listed, let us know down below in the comments!
And if you’re interested in more van life content, check out our other vanlife articles for more!
Thanks for stopping by! – Ryan & Katy
