Living in a van can be amazing, but it comes with its own set of challenges. You’re dealing with limited space, trying to stay organized, and figuring out how to make everything work in a tiny home on wheels.
The good news? Van lifers have been solving these problems for years, and they’ve come up with some pretty clever tricks along the way. These 21 hacks will help you live more comfortably, stay safer, and make the most of your van life adventure.
1. Food Storage Without a Fridge
You don’t need a fridge to keep food safe if you know the right tricks. When you open milk, sauce, or any liquid, squeeze all the air out of the container before sealing it back up. Bacteria need air to grow, so this simple step helps your food last longer.
Aim to eat opened food within 24 hours. If you want to use leftovers the next day, boil them for at least 5 minutes to kill any bacteria that might have grown. Your nose is also your best friend here. If something smells off, don’t risk it.
2. Hide a Spare Key Under the Van
Getting locked out of your van is bad enough at home, but it’s dangerous when you’re in the middle of nowhere. Take a thick metal wire and loop it through your spare key. Use pliers to secure it tightly.
Crawl under your van and find a good hiding spot where you can wrap the other end of the wire. Make sure it’s really secure so it won’t fall off on bumpy roads. Cover it with duct tape to keep it hidden. Just don’t post about this on social media where everyone can see it!
3. Magnetic Spice Rack
A magnetic spice rack keeps your favorite seasonings organized and easy to reach. You can buy one that comes with its own magnetic backing, or make your own with small magnetic containers.
Mount it on any metal surface in your kitchen area. Not only does this save drawer space, but it also adds some nice color to your van’s interior. No more digging through bags and boxes looking for that one spice you need.
4. Use a Leveler for Sleeping
Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep like sleeping on a slope. A small round leveler helps you find the flattest parking spot possible. Without one, you might move your van three or four times and still not be happy with the angle.
Place the leveler on a flat surface in your van to see which way you’re tilted. Then you can adjust by moving to a different spot or using leveling blocks under your tires.
5. Get 12-Volt Chargers for Electronics
Skip the big, noisy inverter and get 12-volt chargers that plug directly into your car outlets. Inverters are expensive, waste a lot of power, and make annoying sounds when they’re running.
You can find 12-volt chargers for laptops, cameras, phones, and most other electronics. They’re way more efficient and will save you money in the long run. Plus, your van will be much quieter without that inverter buzzing all the time.
6. Install Hooks for Wet Clothing
Small hooks are lifesavers when you need to dry wet clothes, towels, or bathing suits. Install a few hooks above your door or in other spots around your van.
This way, you don’t have to hang wet stuff outside where it might get stolen or forgotten. It’s especially handy for swimwear, rain-soaked clothes, and towels after outdoor showers.
7. Use Clear Storage Bins for Clothing
Clear plastic bins make finding your clothes so much easier. You can see exactly what’s inside without having to open every container.
Keep frequently worn items like t-shirts, socks, and underwear in bins toward the front of your storage area. Put seasonal clothes and fancy outfits (that you probably won’t wear much anyway) toward the back.
8. Keep Multiple Credit Cards
Always have a backup plan for money. Keep your main card in your wallet, but hide a second card somewhere clever in your van. Good hiding spots include a box of tampons, a biscuit tin, or inside an old book.
If you lose your wallet or your main card stops working, you’ll still have access to money. This simple step can save you from being stuck without cash in an unfamiliar place.
9. Dashboard Cooking for Rising Bread Dough
Your dashboard gets surprisingly hot on sunny days, making it perfect for helping bread dough rise. Mix up your dough, cover it with a damp towel, and place it on the dashboard.
The gentle heat will help your bread rise much faster than waiting at room temperature. You can also use this trick to heat up your solar shower bag quickly.
10. Always Carry Chargers Everywhere
You never know where you’ll find an outlet. Public restrooms, churches, restaurants, museums, and coffee shops often have plugs you can use if you ask nicely.
Keep your phone and laptop chargers with you when you go out. Many places will even let you leave your device charging behind the counter while you eat or browse around.
11. Leave Glove Compartments Open and Empty
When you park and leave your van, open your glove compartments and leave them empty. This shows any potential thieves that there’s nothing valuable in your cab worth breaking in for.
It’s a simple visual deterrent that takes two seconds but might save you from dealing with a break-in and broken windows.
12. Hinged Solar Panels
If you rely on solar power, hinged panels can be a game changer, especially in winter. Regular flat panels can’t catch the sun when it’s low in the sky.
With hinges, you can tilt your panels up to 90 degrees to catch those low winter rays. This helps you charge your batteries even on cloudy days when every bit of sunlight counts.
13. Army Roll Your Clothes
This military packing technique fits way more clothes in your bins and keeps everything neat. Roll each item tightly instead of folding it.
When you need something, you can pull it out without messing up the rest of your clothes. It’s especially great for t-shirts, socks, and underwear.
14. Use Collapsible Food Containers
Regular Tupperware containers are rigid and waste space in your fridge. Collapsible containers are flexible, so they fit into weird spaces and around other items better.
When you’re done with them, they collapse down to almost nothing for storage. This is a huge space saver in a van where every inch matters.
15. Install a Hidden Kill Switch
A kill switch stops your engine from starting, even if someone has your keys or is trying to hotwire your van. You can install one yourself pretty easily, or have a mechanic do it.
Hide the switch somewhere only you know about. Most thieves won’t stick around to figure out why the engine won’t start, and they’ll move on to an easier target.
16. Set Up Mosquito Nets
Bugs can make van life miserable once they get inside your space. A magnetic mosquito net on your main door lets you keep it open for airflow while keeping bugs out.
Use Velcro strips around your door frame to hold the net in place. It works great for mosquitos, flies, and other bigger bugs, though tiny no-see-ums can still get through.
17. Choose Multi-Purpose Items
Every item in your van should earn its space by doing multiple jobs. A Hydroflask works for water, coffee, tea, and even wine. Dr. Bronner’s soap cleans your body, dishes, floors, and clothes.
A cast iron skillet cooks everything from eggs to stir-fry. A cutting board chops veggies and then becomes a drying rack for dishes. Think about double duty for everything you buy.
18. Shoe Hangers for Toiletries
Those over-the-door shoe organizers are perfect for storing toiletries. Cut them up to fit behind your cabinet doors and screw them in place.
Fill the pockets with toothpaste, deodorant, baby wipes, and other daily essentials. Everything stays organized and easy to grab when you need it.
19. Get a Steering Wheel Lock
A visible steering wheel lock stops most opportunistic thieves before they even try. Sure, someone really determined could cut it off, but most car thieves will just look for an easier target.
It’s a simple, cheap way to protect your home on wheels. The bright yellow color makes it obvious that your van has security measures in place.
20. Hang Fruit and Vegetables in a Hammock
Storing produce is tricky in a van. Put it in a drawer and it gets bruised. Put it in the fridge and it loses flavor and gets too cold.
A hanging fruit and veggie hammock saves space, prevents bruising, and lets your produce ripen naturally. It also adds a nice touch to your van’s interior.
21. Use Mesh Packing Cubes
These are like magic for van storage. Mesh packing cubes can double the amount of clothes you can fit in your cupboards. You can keep shirts, pants, and underwear separated and easy to find.
They were made for suitcase packing, but they work even better in vans where you need to maximize every bit of storage space.
Ready to Hit the Road?
Van life doesn’t have to be complicated or uncomfortable. These simple hacks solve the most common problems van lifers face, from staying organized to keeping safe to making the most of limited space.
Try out a few of these ideas and see which ones work best for your setup and travel style. The best part about van life is that you can always adapt and improve as you go. Happy travels!