Both Van Dwelling and Tiny House Living are relatively new lifestyle choices less commonly known to the “average” person. Most people associate these cool ideas with artistic types, hippies, or strangers on the Internet. These two lifestyles have in common is one idea: self-reliance; they both emphasize minimalism as a way of life.
How do you choose between Van Life and Tiny House Living?
Van Life or Tiny Home will change what you do every day. If you have a house, you’re used to doing things around the house: cleaning, cooking, and so forth. In Van Life or a Tiny House, everything is compacted, and living space is minimal. There won’t be room for clutter – that’s where self-reliance comes in. You have to pick up after yourself because there is no one else around to do it for you.
What does it mean to each of them?
Tiny House Living – This lifestyle is not about “roughing it” or finding cheap places to stay. It’s about simplifying one’s life and enjoying the present moment without having to pay unnecessary bills (e.g., rent). Living in a Tiny House has the potential to save you money, release you from debt, and reduce stress in your life. Also, numerous benefits go beyond finances.
Van Life – Van living is having an adventure with all the freedom you can imagine. It gives a person more options for living arrangements than any other type of living situation. A house on wheels and exploring while you work has been part of the human experience since there was even a monetary system.
How does living like this affect you mentally and physically?
Tiny House Living – This lifestyle challenges people to think more deeply about the purpose of their lives, and it can help you find meaning in your work or leisure. This level of awareness also helps you deal with stress and anxiety. You become healthier when financial worries and daily obligations do not clutter your mind.
Van Life: This lifestyle requires patience, mindfulness, and a sense of adventure. It is also risky and dangerous without proper education and training. Living like this as a young adult can be especially hazardous if you don’t have the mental maturity yet, so ask yourself if this lifestyle would be good for you now instead of later in life.
The Advantages Of Van Living Versus Tiny Housing
Tiny House Living – When you’re living in a small space, the living room and kitchen are usually a lot smaller and more cramped than expected. In addition, you will still have plenty of room to move around, as well as natural light, lots of storage space, and all the privacy you could want.
Van Life: This lifestyle allows you to live like your favorite celebrities and world travelers. You can live as they do, on the road, in RV’s… by hopping trains… even on a yacht! So, van life has many options for living quarters besides those found on wheels.
How does living like this affect you financially?
Tiny House Living: Being able to live in a small space and still have all the facilities of a modern dwelling is helpful when trying to save money. You don’t need as much space, so it’s easier for you to prioritize how you spend your money (e.g., buy what is necessary).
Van Life: This lifestyle offers people the ability to travel the world while still working. It also ensures that they leave something behind when they decide to relax and enjoy their travels: memories, stories, pictures, anything that can help them remember their adventures. So, it is a way to save money during your travels.
The most significant benefit of living in a tiny house has an ideal living space without spending too much money. As a result, the best part of van life is going anywhere you want without deciding on certain places. For example, if you live in a van, you don’t have to worry about renting an apartment or buying a house. You can also go where there are no funds for paying rent or buying a house.
Differences Between Van Dwelling & Tiny House Living
Tiny House Living: – When you live in a tiny house, you will have a compact kitchen, bathroom, and living area. While this isn’t a problem in some areas of the country (especially if you have access to many plots of land), this can be an issue in some areas of the country where it is difficult to find an affordable piece of land.
Van Dwelling: – This is when you live in an RV or similar vehicle while traveling the world. These vehicles can come with anything from fold-out beds to jet skis. Since there isn’t much room so small for everything, the occupants have to make do with what they have instead of planning out their lives like they would if they lived in a tiny house.
How Can You Decide Which Lifestyle Is Best For You?
Tiny House Living: – This is an excellent option if you’re looking to save money. It’s cheaper to build and to live in a tiny house. However, this isn’t the most practical option if you are going to move around a lot.
Van Dwelling: – This lifestyle can be worst if you’re not ready for it. It requires more patience and time than most other options because the world is enormous, and no road will take you exactly where you need to go. However, it gives people an opportunity to go where they want without having restrictions or regrets about their living situation.
Conversion Pros & Cons
A Tiny House:
If you wish to live in a small space without giving up much in return, a tiny house is the way to go. You may have to give up having your bathroom and kitchen at first, but they can be added later on as your finances allow. The house is usually no bigger than 400 square feet.
A Vans Conversion:
Most van conversions are only a fraction of the cost of buying a standard home, but you will have to change your habits to make it work. For example, living in a van means you’ll have to travel light since there isn’t room for all your unnecessary stuff. Also, you’ll need to haul water from places that sell drinking water and fill up your tanks when pumping from wells.
The RV Conversion:
RVs are a little harder to convert than a standard house because you’re just replacing one thing with something else. You’re not making an entirely new house, so you don’t have all of the same limitations that come with traditional houses.
The Camper Caravan Conversion:
The camper van conversion has many of the same benefits as the RV conversion, except that you can open up a wall and get in and out of the van easier. You also have a lot more storage space in the van.
The Cabover Van Conversion:
It is the same as above, except the roof area now comes down over the front seat area, like a tilt-down cab. To save your small items, you can store them in the space underneath the van’s bed. It is my favorite configuration because you have more storage, so there is more room to work, and you can make a small bed area at the rear of the van. You can also use this area to play cards or read books.
The Pop-up Camper Van Conversion:
Here, the pop-top camper van conversion consists of two rooms: one above and one below. You can either use the two beds built into the pop-top camper or add beds to it if you need more. You should include a kitchen, bath, and two bedrooms as an average home on wheels. You probably won’t have much space to work in the pop-up camper van conversion since there is nowhere for you to maneuver and no way of storing things.
The School Bus Conversion:
The school bus conversion is an excellent idea for those who need more room. If you’re looking for a bigger house on wheels, this would be an excellent option because many school buses are very spacious. There is a lot of room for you to work and live with your family. Plus, it’s easy to drive one since they usually run on regular gasoline.
Van Life Setup
No matter how you choose to live in a Van, you will want to know the essential components that make up the structure.
- One-room Housing
In one-room housing, you don’t have to share a bathroom with anyone. In this case, it’s best to be able to isolate yourself from the crowd. You can also build a tiny house that has more than one room so that you can alter your living space as necessary.
- Car-sized Housing
If you decide not to include any private rooms, you will have to find something called car-sized housing. It means that you will have to purchase a small vehicle to fit in the house. It’s important not to have too small a vehicle because you wouldn’t accommodate all your belongings.
- Compact Housing
Whether you decide to use one-room housing or car-sized housing, it will be best if you can find a place that is around 500 square feet. It will give you room to work on your house movement and fit your belongings into the vehicle.
Summary
Van life expectation and the reality will depend on how you accept and live it. The main difference between Van life and tiny house living is that people who live are more open to their environment. While they are on the road, they can take advantage of being in different places at different times. They have the freedom to stay and go as they please, without feeling tied down or short on space. It may be their most significant advantage over those who live in the 270-square-foot tiny house. If you live in a van or live in a tiny home, the grey water recycling method will prove to be a valuable skill.