Together with Pia and her book “Vanily” we give you great tips for a relaxed everyday camping life and road trip with your kids in 5 blog posts
Part 5: Five must-have vanlife hacks
With a few very simple steps and small utensils, life on the road becomes a lot more relaxed and easier. Vanlife can be optimized in many situations even without expensive gadgets. Often you probably already have useful helpers in your luggage anyway. Globetrotter Pia reveals which lifesavers are a must-have in her rolling home.
1 — The doormat
What sounds banal at first has turned out to be a real must-have on board the camper: the doormat. Whether you spend the night on dusty ground, the meadow is soaking wet or there is forest floor under your wheels, the doormat in front of the entrance to the van helps keep the interior clean.
2 — Toothpaste for all occasions
A toothpaste in your luggage not only ensures clean teeth and fresh breath - it is also a reliable stain devil: simply rub it onto the stain, let it dry, brush it off and wash it with the rest of your dirty laundry. Toothpaste is also suitable as hand soap in an emergency: it tackles stubborn dirt from soil etc. and unpleasant smells, for example from cutting garlic. You can also use toothpaste to clean headlights or thermos flasks on the go. Toothpaste also works wonders on the skin thanks to its drying effect, for example on a pimple or mosquito bite.
3 — Crawling Roomies
Most of everyday life in van life takes place outside and life always takes place in interaction with nature. This also includes crawling roommates! To keep unwanted insects etc. out of your rolling home, perhaps the most important step is to seal food tightly. One Screw-top jars can help, for example. Flour, sugar, etc. can be filled there before departure. To keep mice away, take a few empty containers with you into which you can pour cereal, for example, on the go. If you discover ants in vans, motorhomes, etc., you should wipe everything out with vinegar water. If wasps annoy you while you eat, try the coffee grounds trick. To do this, pile used coffee powder on a plate and light it. The smoke is supposed to keep the stinging flies away. Mint or basil pots in the vehicle not only look beautiful, but are also supposed to keep flies away. Small lavender bags on the shelves help against moths.
4 — Zip zip: The all-rounder
The zip bag is a real multifunctional talent in camping luggage: The plastic companion makes it easy to keep things tidy - just include the charging cable, the spare battery and the power bank. Utensils that are otherwise rolling around somewhere in the camper are also protected from moisture. For hobby photographers, the zip bag is a valuable aid in the rain, protecting your smartphone or compact camera and giving you the opportunity to take photos even in bad weather. A zip bag filled with rice can also serve as a temporary tripod. On the beach, the practical bag can keep your little things together and protect them from annoying sand. Mounted around the dripping head of the camping shower or as a place to store sponges and dishwashing liquid, you can avoid getting wet in the van. If you cut off one of the bottom corners, it serves as a quick funnel when transferring food. You see ─ a real all-rounder that definitely deserves its place in the van!
5 — Looking at the weather
As simple as it is useful - experience has shown that integrating a look at the weather report into everyday life on the road can be a real support. For example, you can decide where to go next based on the weather conditions, Which program is planned, choose a parking space in the shade or wind protection and make everything around the van particularly weatherproof before you go to bed. This way you can be on the safe side that you won't suddenly be surprised by a storm during a hike or that extreme heat will make the sightseeing trip unbearable.
Text and idea:
Pia Maack aka dieflashpackerin / Excerpt from her book “Vanily - Vanlife + Family”
You can find Pia’s book “Vanliy” with great tips for vanlife and family, parental leave and road trips here in our shop!
