10 things I REGRET about my van conversion & 10 things I LOVE (after 1 year of solo female van life)

I’m a 41 year old woman and I’ve been watching your videos for only a few weeks and even though you talk about having a lot of anxiety and fear, I think you are so freaking cool and brave. I let fear hold me back way too often in my 20’s and 30’s and you feel the fear and do what you want to anyways, and that is awesome! I just really admire you.

Great tips. Just remember that converting your bed to a table and back to a bed will take considerably longer than 40 seconds each time. You may like it better at first, but you will grow to hate it. Just put your passenger seat on a swivel, install a Lugun table that can be tucked away and put back together in under 10 seconds, and use that as your office space. Bonus: You get a window view from your desk now. Good luck!

I could feel the anxiety in your voice. I am 26 from India. Got divorced recently. Had been facing mental health problems for about 2 years straight although improving slowly and gradually. You are doing better and better with decision making skills, expressing your problems to the open world, sharing your lows and high. Regrets and Proud moments. Seeing you makes me feel better. I love your voice.

I've been watching a ton of build videos in preparation for my own build, and you're the first person who's mentioned mental health as a factor, and how design can affect that. I really appreciate that. And it's nice to see some honest emotions.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned, but a good solution for the lack of window in your kitchen would be to put mirrors (either one piece plexiglas or 12" square mirror tiles) on that wall. Easy to do - just put it right over the tile you have there now. This is a trick used to make small apartments look bigger. Might work for you. Cheap and easy enough to do! Hope this helps. 🙂

Finn just living his best life in the background always makes me smile

After a couple of years of non-stop watching videos on campervans, conversions, lifestyle, pros and cons, etc. I can honestly say that this is the best and most truthfull video i've encountered. You have just won my subscription.

I appreciate your authenticity and the genuine frustration you are expressing. I’ve been binging videos and so many people smile while talking about stressful things.

Back in the 80s, when I was 21, I traveled in a 1965 VW bus with my girl friend. We hit 45 states and most national parks! Things sure have changed. But glad to see young people out there in vans!

This young woman is terrific. Her self awareness is awesome for a 22 year old, or maybe even for a 79 year old. Wish her luck which she probably won't need.

As a 46 year old woman I've been building my house in the woods by my self --now I kind of wish I'd done the RVing thing first, cuz it's taken YEARS longer than I ever thought (thanks pandemic). I just want to say how inspiring it is to see a woman so young exploring your passions confidently and sharing your fears makes it all more real and helpful for me to anticipate my own upcoming RVing... It took me until about 37 to fully, freely explore... Alongside building my little cabin, I've been dream planning my vehicle for years, and now finally getting to looking for a vehicle. You're really helping me think of some major decisions that are going to make my first vehicle way more satisfying. I SUPER appreciate what you're saying about being REAL and RVing versus 'vanlife glamping' basically. That's exactly the stuff I need to know. TY! This is 2 years old so maybe not an issue anymore, but I wish I had a solution for you to most easily feel more safe. I know it wouldn't help if your rig was stolen, but I know having just a wifi cam trained on the inside or front door of my cabin so I can see my place is okay no matter where I'm at, is a big calming thing for me. And it would involve an additional cell plan but there are simple cell/gps tracking devices you can get online. You're super inspiring! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing!!

How on earth is this the first time you’ve popped into my YouTube feed?!?!? You’re awesome! Seriously, one of the most authentic van lifers I’ve watched. I’m old enough to be your Mom and I think you’re such a wonderful woman!! I hope that you get the van that will make you happier and your life better!

Loved the honesty and perspective. Hide your cards in a box of tampons or some other unexpected place until you get the security system you need

SECURITY AFTER THE FACT: I also converted a van without realizing the security aspect and have retrofitted security that is effective and inexpensive. I have a 2006 sprinter and have secured all doors so I can exit the driver door which is the only door I had to modify with an exterior lock. 1) Back doors - I use a cargo strap from Harbor Freight and hook it to the top latching post of the locking back door. Close your first back door then close your locking door. Then above your sliding side door there are punch out holes, take the other end of cargo strap and hook it into the punch out hole then ratchet it tight. That will secure your back doors. 2) Side slide door- Two problems a) Sliding it open - I have one lashing strap (again Harbor Freight) with hooks on both ends. For this I had to drill a 1/4 hole in the bottom rib of my slide door to fit the hook into. Some vans already have punch out holes so you may not need to drill. On the base of my passenger seat is where my diesel heater is I use the access hole's frame to hook the other end of my strap. Once the strap is tightened the slide isn't opening. If you don't have a opening in the seat base or don't want to drill you can use another strap to warp around the base and once tightened will make a tether point that is barely noticeable. b) Pealing the side door off from the top - Thieves have started using crowbars to stick into the top of the side slide and peal down the door until it pops the hinges. Again using small cargo stapes, I drilled two holes, one far left and one far right, into the doors top rib and use the punch out holes in the door frame to use two more small lashing straps. 3) Passenger door - Small lashing strap tethered to the passenger seat base and then fastened to the passenger door using a 1/4 drilled hole. 4) Van exterior security lock - I went with a manual lock that latches down to the frame. It cost $350 including installation. There are other options that are less expensive. 5) SimpliSafe security ($25 per month )system works great. They will not be able to dispatch the police but will call you when the alarm goes off. Also the system runs off of 12 volts. 6) Engine kill switch 7) Securing your valuables. If they can't find it they can take it. I have a false bottom to my sofa. If you manage to snap the decorative panel off there is a old safety deposit box where I keep my cash and important papers. It pulls out like a drawer. However, if you can manage to take the drawer out one of the sides to the drawer frame comes out and that is where computers and cameras go. It may not be fool proof but if you are going to take my stuff you are going to work for it. Not including SimpliSafe & the exterior lock the total cost is about $50 buck and some time. I will tell you even if you have a key to the van and it is strapped down when you pull on any of the doors you get zero movement. They don't budge at all. I don't always go into total lockdown but when I get that feeling I know I can get it secure enough to make whoever wants my stuff have to call a tow truck to get it.

Brilliant. Most spot on video I’ve watched. I’m a 68yr old just retired handyman and can’t wait to finish my transit bus build. Videos like inspire me and confirm my thoughts. Functionality, simplicity and a view (bus has windows everywhere). It’s a very different approach and I can’t wait to show it off.

thank you for the honest, transparent video. I'm in Italy. . . in the military. have no. . . . absolute no desire to do van life. . . . but you definitely convey a lot of emotion through your videos and to put It frankly ( it's real ). I wish more people in the world communicated like you <3

I really appreciate the full disclosure!!! Everyone else tries to paint van life as perfect with no negatives.....thanks for presenting the real life logistic situations that will prepare any newbie when doing their build!!!😁😁😁😁

First video of yours I've ever seen. You seem both incredibly on edge and completely comfortable at the same time and it's slightly unnerving yet oddly comforting.

This video is SO good!!! oh my!!! I'm speechless and so thankful that you were so generous to share all of your learnings. I'm in the early planning stage and I'm a single woman, with two small dogs, who works for my employer remotely (so separating the bedroom from work space, having enough windows and what am I looking at while working were super helpful points you made) so EVERYTHING you shared in your video felt like you were answering all of my questions that I had (e.g. worrying about my two 7 lbs. dogs left alone in my van, worrying about their safety and not being stolen). Wow! I'm so grateful that I came across your channel. I love your authenticity and openness and I love seeing your happy, cute pup in the backgroung. I subscribed to your channel and turned on getting all the notifications. Thank you so much, Mariah! ~Roksana

I really appreciate that you did talk about things that I don’t normally hear, van life is something I’m working towards and this is all SUPER helpful!