We ditched rented house & sold everything to live in a van with 2 kids… it takes seconds to clean but there’s a drawback
A COUPLE who ditched renting and sold everything to live in a van with their two kids have revealed a drawback to their nomad life.
Jon and Samantha decided to make the change to their lives in 2020 and haven’t looked back since.
The couple live with their two young daughters, Halle and Frances, in the converted van.
Originally, the couple wanted to try van life for two or three months and tried to not go back to the home they were renting.
Eventually, they thought to themselves that why not try it long term and they have lived in the van ever since.
Speaking on why they moved, Samantha said: “I’ve always wanted to travel more, and about 5 years ago we had the idea, we sold everything we had, and we were gonna travel.
“I don’t want to have stuff, I just want to be moving around with whatever we’ve got.”
Jon added how living in the smaller space with less belongings is far nicer than the duties that come with a larger home.
He said: “[When you’re in a larger home] you’re spending most of your time just fixing stuff.
“Instead of having a good time, you’re just going around mopping stuff up.”
In a video on YouTube channel Liveration, the couple showcased their Mercedes Sprinter van, which came with a long wheel base and high top.
Inside, the van has a cosy feel and almost every empty space has been filled up with unique ways to store their belongings.
But the one drawback of their house on wheels has been the fact that they have no running water.
The pair initially had a water tank in the rear of the vehicle, but they later removed it after it constantly leaked.
The couple even admitted that they never really used the running water that much, and make do with just bottled water now.
For keeping themselves clean, Jon said the family just heat water up in the kettle and use the sink in the kitchen to wash their heads.
That way, the family could have even more space in the van.
Alongside the kitchen, the van features a permanent shortened double bed, for the couple’s two children.
For the parents, there lies a pull out from underneath the double bed, which matches up with a sofa to make an extended sleeping space.
While the van has no hob, the family make do with a small camping stove and say they do “a lot of cooking.”
In terms of work, the pair do branding and website design work, as well as a lot of commercial photo and video work for businesses.
Samantha said: “We can now work because we enjoy it, and not because we have bills to pay.
“We can pick and choose […] and do stuff we actually want to.”
Jon added how moving into the van “liberated” him from having to worry about paying bills and rent.
He added: “That stress that was whirring away in my mind constantly, it fizzled out.
“I had space in my mind to do things I enjoyed doing. I felt brand new.
“It makes a huge difference to your quality of life and your mindset.”
He also said it gives a lot of time to be with their kids, who they home school.
Samantha added how it allows them to teach their kids “things we really want them to learn”, rather than them being forced to be taught things they’re “not interested” in.
The family stayed in the same spot for the first couple of years but are now moving around a lot more.
While the couple and their eldest daughter love travelling around and seeing new places, they also highlighted issues that come with noise levels and parking in new environments.
Is it legal to live in a van?
IF you are looking to live in a van to save money or travel, you'll be pleased to know that there are no UK laws stopping you.
However, you must ensure your vehicle has passed its MOT and is fully road legal.
There could also be restrictions on where you can park up to sleep in your van.
For example, local authorities place restrictions on certain streets or lay-bys, and you could be fined if you spend the night there.
It could also be unsafe to stop in certain locations, particularly at night-time.
Check the The Highway Code guide for guidance.