Your ‘Tiny Houses’ guide – Could You Live Where You Park?

If you like reading this blog, you’ll probably already know how much I like the idea of living in a tiny house, both for environmental and economic considerations.

Living tiny involves downsizing and getting rid of all the clutter that burdens our life. And it is a great solution if you don’t have enough money to buy a traditional brick and mortar house.

Among different types of tiny houses, converted vans have grown in popularity thanks in particular to social media, peppered with photos of cozy converted vans parked in pristine nature, fueling wanderlust and curiosity.

From digital nomads to retirees and minimalists, people from all walks of life are embracing van living. The draw? Lower expenses, flexibility, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

Van life promises freedom, flexibility, and minimalism. But can a vehicle truly become a home?

Let’s look together at the pros and cons of choosing to live in a van.

The PROs of Van Life

• Adventure. Do you get easily bored if you stay in one place for more than a week? Then van life is for you: you can wake up to new surroundings every morning, if you want to. And with some smart planning, you can build “stealthy”, in a way that the van looks ‘just like a van’ from the outside. This will give you more privacy and help avoiding other people’s unwanted attention.
• Flexibility. Living in a van can work very well if your job involves a lot of travelling. You can take your home (and office) with you anywhere you go.
• Lower expenses. Living in a van will force you to downsize, making you save money; you won’t have a big wardrobe or fridge to fill up!
• Community. Thanks to the increasing popularity of this lifestyle, it’s easy to meet likeminded people on the road, and become part of an interesting community.
• Sustainability. A frugal lifestyle and some conscious choices can help you live more environmentally friendly. For instance, you can decide to power the appliances in your van with solar panels installed on the roof.

The CONs of Van Life

• Different laws and regulations. While living in a van isn’t illegal, parking overnight isn’t always welcome. Urban regulations, private property laws, and zoning ordinances vary widely and must be researched diligently.
• Noise and lack of privacy and security. Finding a quiet and safe parking spot can be a challenge, especially during the night; and if you are moving often you’ll have to search for a new one everytime. Also vans can be stolen, and in that case you won’t lose only the van but all your possessions and your house. Locks, alarms, window covers, and emergency plans are vital. Trust your instincts and research new areas before parking overnight.
• Hidden costs. Many say that van life can make you save money, but is it really that cheap? You won’t have to pay house taxes, but you’ll have maintenance, insurance and petrol costs; and remember that a converted van will weight more than a normal one, so that will add up petrol costs.
• Space constraints. Does a van offer enough room to live a confortable life? Although internet is full of ideas on how to customise your conversion and make the van look and feel bigger, there’s no other way to put it: you would be living in a car.
• Societal stigma. Unfortunately there are still a lot of prejudice against people choosing to live in vans, and that can wear on even the most enthusiastic vanlifers.

Life on Four Wheels and a Dream

Van life isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s liberating, challenging, and deeply personal. For those seeking simplicity, mobility, and autonomy, the open road awaits.

And you, have you ever tried van life? You can share your thoughts in the comment section below.