Van Living: 5 Things I Can’t Hit the Road Without.
Van life is all about minimal living and I love this element of it. Also with some serious Virgo tendencies I really enjoying the problem solving elements of living minimal, loving finding ways I can do it just that extra bit more efficiently.
After 18 months of enjoying the van things have been reorganised a few times and products have been tried and tested. But when I took a good look round my van I wondered what I really couldn’t be without and it boiled down to a small number of things that personally I find essential for life on the road.
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Omnia Oven.
Like many, I opted not to have an oven in my van because of space and power. But being a keen cook I knew I was going to need a solution to cooking - there are so many dishes you can do in one pan but if I was going to be in the wild for days on the end I would need a way to make some of the staples I make at home that keep me nourished throughout the week. When you’re adventuring the last thing you want to be doing is living off sub standard food that creates lots of packaging waste. So when I found the Omnia I was delighted and while I was dubious if it could really live up to the functionality of an oven I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only can you cook oven recipes like mac’n’cheese and stews, you can also bake with the same recipes you use at home. It’s a gem! Get yours here and if you would like some recipes check out my Recipes for the Road.
The Thetford PortaPotti.
I bought this toilet when I bought my van but for some reason didn't touch it, my reasoning being I can usually find a public toilet and I was using my she-wee for pees. But admitted it wasn’t the best set up, it takes some mastery to keep that process watertight and in the middle of the night (I always need to pee more when staying in the van!) it was quite hard negotiating that.
Then, away in a remote place with another van friend, she encouraged me to use it in the absence of a public loo and….. gamechanger! I use this eco toilet fluid which means I can empty the loo in any public toilet or at home when I get back to Brighton. It also acts as both the flush fluid and the fluid that sits in the base so you save space and money faffing around with two different fluids.
I bring the toilet out in the small space I have left once my bed is pulled out at night and can pee to my hearts content. And as for the post coffee morning vibes - well, all I can say is you can’t beat a poo with a view! 🤣
Spruce.
When you’re on the road you essentially have a whole house to clean - a kitchen, a bedroom, an entryway and a bathroom. But there’s definitely not space for dedicated cleaning products so a multi purpose cleaner is an essential.
The thing about Spruce is that it’s eco friendly and it’s non toxic so you can use it as a quick rinse for plates and pans too. It also won’t harm any nature around you and will keep your grey water easy to dispose of because of the absence of chemicals. The scent complements your surroundings. Add to that the refill sachets are really small so don’t take any storage space or add weight to your van. It’s also pretty low cost - it’s a no brainer.
Phox Water Filter.
On your travels you’ll come across varying degrees of water quality. Being used to Brighton water (it’s gross and chlorine heavy) I generally find most places offer better water but there might still be some unsavoury things coming through in your water. I personally feel that it’s good practice to filter your water, especially using a Phox.
Phox is eco friendly, refillable and you won’t be throwing way plastic using it. Water filters through the coconut shell activated carbon and ion exchange resin to give you a clean tasting water that is a lot less full of nasties such as chlorine and oestrogen matter.
Monty also enjoys his water filtered! He refuses to drink to otherwise which I think is a telling sign!
My Hand Food Processor.
This little contraption is a game changer for food prepping! Whizz up sauces, dressing and condiments as well as chopping onions, herbs and tomatoes for sauce bases. Give it a vigorous 20 or so pulls and I will really blend things down. Sure, it’s not going to be as good as a Ninja but it’s a solution - nothing about van life is perfect and that’s why it’s so wonderful. I bought mine from a camping shop in the South West but this one looks the ticket.
What do you think? Will you be rushing to purchase any of these or do you think something else should be on the list?! Comment below if so!