Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.
Today, Maureen shares with us a very interesting story of how she came to live in her van. I’ve always been fascinated with such alternative (and minimalist) living arrangements; if you are too, I encourage you to visit her blog to read more.
Maureen writes:
My name is Maureen and over three years ago I decided to sell almost everything I owned and sleep in my van.
My youngest child had left home for college and I decided that since it was just me now to take care of, I didn’t have to work 2-3 jobs anymore to keep a very expensive roof over our heads. I also felt I didn’t need to maintain (dust, vacuum, wipe, scrub etc.) a two bedroom condo any longer. It helped that for many years I had admired people I’d read about who lived in vans, caves, shacks, etc.
Free-sleeping in a van isn’t the path for everyone, but I had long ago grown tired of dusting knickknacks and organizing clutter (as so many people have mentioned) by moving it from place to place to place in my condo over the years, and I felt van living was a way out for me.
Once I made the decision to sleep in my van, I got a 5 X 5 storage unit to keep most of my earthly possessions in. Naturally I keep a few things in my van too. I haven’t missed any of the things I threw away.
It has been an interesting journey. As an entrepreneur-in-training, not having rent or utilities to pay and not having a medium sized home to clean all the time has allowed me to pursue different business ideas without being exhausted all the time and without having to worry about well..ending up homeless!
It has been hard at times. Sometimes I earn barely enough to keep my van running, and I have had to take a good hard look at myself and decide whether I should work harder and more so I can keep my van, or if I should let it go and move back into a home. I also could go live with my folks again if I got really desperate, but I would only consider that as a last resort.
I have also learned that there’s no free lunch. I thought I would be a little lazy, sleeping in by van but even a van needs upkeep and cleaning once in a while. I still need to obtain food and clothing. As long as I’m alive I’m probably going to have to make some kind of effort.
I have also learned that unless I go live somewhere alone in the woods (which I can’t do because I need to work to get money) I still have to learn to deal with people, even the difficult ones. This means de-cluttering my life of habits and judgments that have held me back from good relationships.
One of the most important things that is happening is that I am learning to de-clutter my mind from what everyone thinks of me. Whether it is free-sleeping in my van, my clothes, my age or whatever, people are always going to have their opinions, but it is up to me how I feel about myself.
Believe it or not, I am still in the process of de-cluttering my possessions, because even though I have much less in terms of material goods than many people, I find the “stuff” I still own a burden, mentally and financially. I pay around $70 a month for my storage unit, for heaven’s sake!
The joy is in the journey and I’m still a-traveling. If anyone wants to learn about the simplicity of van living, please check out my blog where I chronicle my three and a half years of growth: www.livinginmyvan.com.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Wow, a woman after my own heart. After my life partner passed away, I decluttered down to the most cherished possessions and gave the rest to a charity after letting my children and grandchildren get what they wanted. My friends and family thought I had lost my mind, but you are so right ~ learning to declutter your mind from what people think is difficult sometimes, but so FREEING! After all, life is short, you only have one chance to live it ~ make it yours!
I had a similar plan a few years ago, I was hoping to go travelling around Europe in my van with my dog. Things got a little complicated for various reasons, and my decision to stay put in the UK was right for me, but I really admire you for taking the plunge and moving into your van! I will definitely check out your blog. Thank you for sharing your story! :-)
I guess homelessness is the logical extreme of minimalism.
Maureen –
Maybe you could get a PayPal account and put a donation link on your blog? that way people could donate a little money for your food – it would be totally voluntary.
I find everyone’s different takes on minimalism so interesting. I haven’t ever lived in a van, but I did live in a tent (with my family) for a time as a child. I’m guessing it’s fairly similar. I love that you jumped in and decided to do it. Enjoy the journey!
I guess my questions are practical. Where do you shower and wash your hair.? Can you prepare food or do you eat fast food? There are homeless people living in a parking deck near here who go to a shelter once a week or so. They spend their days at the public library in the winter. I told them how to apply for SNAP(food stamps).
I really resonate with what you said: “I am learning to de-clutter my mind from what everyone thinks of me.”
Would love to see some pictures of your van
Good.For.You, Maureen! I’ve been there / done that, but of necessity instead of choice.
Husband became disabled – we sold the house with the big mortgage payment, put a few things in storage and sold the rest. We lived in our old 19′ Roadtrek Camper Van with 2 our cats and traveled for several years. Free camping is available at all National Parks and some State Parks in exchange for part time work at the park’s campground or other park facility. If physically able… I’d do it again in a heartbeat! Enjoy the freedom!
It is up to me how I feel about myself. Wow… that was something I needed to read at this moment. Thank you
I can agree with much of your ideas (downsizing to what’s necessary or important to oneself, letting go of what others think, etc), but when basically you just want to make the least possible effort to live without obvious goals, pursuits, care for yourself or surroundings, you really lost me. The nail in the coffin was where you state ” As long as I’m alive I’m probably going to have to make some kind of effort.” Duh, is the only response that comes to mind! Personal responsibility is what we all share as humans. I for one sure wouldn’t donate, as one person suggested, money for your food when it seems like you barely make an effort to wake up in the morning and get your arse busy doing something! And food stamps?? Why the hell would you collect food stamps when your lifestyle is your choice??!!
Ellen – I don’t think she is lazy, she works hard.
My guess is that the pay is not very good, which
makes it harder. I think it’s admirable to make
the best of one’s situation – God bless her.
Thank you, Maureen, for your story. It really hit home for me when you wrote that you’ll still need to learn to deal with other people, even though you’ve simplified and gotten your life into a more manageable place. And the other thing is about learning to keep other people’s opinions out of your consideration; that’s especially difficult for me. It seems to me that you’ve learned a lot living in your van, and even if you decide to do something else in the future, you’ve gotten there by trying out something new. That seems most important to me.
I went through a period in college when I wanted to have very little and sleep somewhere different each night. Luckily, my school was in Michigan where the winters are much too cold to sleep outside. I’m still looking for less and trying to need less.
Some people can only find part time work and don’t want to live on a friend’s couch. I am sure I would be getting rid of most of the stuff in the storage unit. Once when we moved, we left 3 boxes of stuff in a friend’s basement.
We live in a 1600 sq ft condo. It is big for 2 of us. Most of our friends and relatives have much bigger spaces. We have one small Tv. A friend who is living on disability has more space and 3 TV’s. People all make different choices. We have one car. We have never turned on the heat in the 16 years we’ve been here.
When we go on a cruise, we live in about 200 sq ft (we always get the smallest cabin available) and have everything we need except for a way to heat food because food is readily available. I miss my cats and my plants. There are people who buy a cabin and live aboard the cruise ships. My concern is health care and how to get all the prescription medicines I need. It certainly makes more sense than buying a yacht to cross the Atlantic and is ecologically sounder.