van-dwelling

{{Short description|Lifestyle of living in a vehicle as a permanent housing}}

{{Globalize|1=article|2=United States of America|date=April 2024}}

File:Table by the camper - geograph.org.uk - 2005656.jpg, a vehicle commonly used for van-dwelling]]

File:1970 VW Camper.jpg

Van-dwelling, van life, or vanlife is an unconventional lifestyle of living in a car, van, or other motor vehicle. A person who lives in such a manner, either on a full or part-time basis, is known as a vanlifer, van dweller, car dweller, or vehicle dweller. People who live this way by choice are typically seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle characterized by freedom and mobility. They may perceive it as being a less regulated form of housing, or one that offers a lower cost advantage over standard housing, especially in regions susceptible to housing shortages.{{Cite web |last=Blevins |first=Jason |date=2021-05-17 |title=Vanlife is booming in Colorado as housing costs climb and work-anywhere appeal grows |url=http://coloradosun.com/2021/05/17/colorado-vanlife-campervan-conversion-industry-booming-pandemic/ |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}} Other vehicle dwellers may be on the verge of homelessness or living in a homeless shelter, with their vehicle serving as their only source of shelter and permanent residence.

In the late 2010s, an idealized version was popularized through social media with the hashtag #vanlife,{{Cite news|last=Bowles|first=Nellie|date=2020-07-03|title=The #Vanlife Business Is Booming|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/03/technology/the-vanlife-business-is-booming.html|access-date=2021-09-22|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|last=Pietsch|first=Bryan|date=2021-04-02|title=How Veterans of #Vanlife Feel About All the Newbies|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/living-in-a-van-coronavirus-pandemic.html|access-date=2021-09-22|issn=0362-4331}} which gained significant momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|last=Bomey|first=Nathan|title=#VanLife takes off during COVID-19 as Americans convert vans for a life on the road|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2021/02/17/van-life-coronavirus-pandemic-remote-work-mercedes-sprinter-van-life/4371726001/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}

Etymology

Van-dwelling is a compound word that denotes the fact that motor vehicle living takes place typically, but not exclusively, in a van. Many different types of motor vehicles have been used for vandwelling, either permanently or only on a temporary basis.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

A person who engages in van dwelling is known as a van dweller,Kotecki, Peter and Bendix, Aria (October 27, 2018) [https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-converted-van-life-disappointing-2018-10?op=1 "50 Disappointing Photos Show What Converted Van Living is Really Like"], Business Insider. Retrieved November 23, 2023. car dwellerCar Dwellers Could Get The 'Boot' Under Proposed Parking Law, Joshua McNichols, KUOW News, [http://kuow.org/post/car-dwellers-could-get-boot-under-proposed-parking-law] or vehicle dweller.Palo Alto Deals With Vehicle Dwellers, Wall Street Journal, Deborah Gage, 7-12-2012, [https://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/07/12/here-in-my-car-palo-alto-deals-with-vehicle-dwellers/][http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2011/08/05/who-are-the-vehicle-dwellers Who are the vehicle dwellers?, Vickie Boone, Palo Alto Weekly]City of Palo Alto on a collision course with homeless vehicle dwellers, Chad Brunswick, Palo Alto Free Press, 8-5-2013, [http://paloaltofreepress.com/city-of-palo-alto-on-a-collision-course-with-homeless-vehicle-dwellers/] Sometimes, a car dweller is known as a car sleeper. If the residence is temporary, it may be referred to as car camping.{{Cite web |title=What is Car Camping? |url=https://www.mtnscoop.com/features/car-camping-guide |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=www.mtnscoop.com |language=en}} Cars (including SUVs and cargo vans but typically not pickup trucks) with the seats folded flat/down and a mattress placed inside are referred to as "床车" in China, which literally translates to "bed car".{{Cite web |title=什么是床车-太平洋汽车百科 |url=https://baike.pcauto.com.cn/348784/671022.html |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=baike.pcauto.com.cn}}

History

The history of vandwelling goes back to horse-drawn vehicles, such as Roma vardo wagons in Europe and covered Conestoga wagons in the United States. One of the first uses of the term "vandwellers" was in the United Kingdom Showman and Van Dwellers' Protection Association,{{cite web|url=http://hri.shef.ac.uk/fairground/guilds.html|title=Introduction to the History of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and the Regional Divisions |website=University of Sheffield |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717021100/http://hri.shef.ac.uk/fairground/guilds.html|archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead|access-date=3 October 2018}} a guild for travelling show performers formed in 1889. Shortly afterwards in 1901, Albert Bigalow Paine wrote The Van Dwellers,{{Cite book|url=http://manybooks.net/titles/painealb2810128101-8.html|title=The Van Dwellers|last=Paine|first=Albert Bigelow|publisher=J. F. Taylor & Company|year=1901|location=New York|type=Ebook|access-date=3 October 2018|via=ManyBooks}} about people living on the verge of poverty having to live a nomadic life in horse-drawn moving vans. After the introduction of motorised vehicles, the modern form of vandwelling began.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Dan |title=A brief history of #vanlife and RVing |url=https://projects.sfchronicle.com/2018/vanlife-history/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=The San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}

Mobile wheeled homes became popular in the US following the Great Depression in the mid-1930s as house trailers first entered mass production. This expanded availability beyond the domain of hobbyists and small-batch builders. A New York Times article in 1936 described "hundreds of thousands of families [who] have packed their possessions into traveling houses, said goodbye to their friends, and taken to the open road."{{cite book |last1=Bruder |first1=Jessica |author-link1=Jessica Bruder |title=Nomadland : surviving America in the twenty-first century |title-link=Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century |year=2017 |location=New York, N.Y. |isbn=9780393249316 |edition=First}}{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Clyde R. |title=Trailer Life Seen Good for Nation, Aiding Instead of Displacing Homes Creating Social Problem. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/12/20/archives/trailer-life-seen-good-for-nation-aiding-instead-of-displacing.html |work=The New York Times |date=20 December 1936}} Through 1960, approximately 1.5–2 million Americans acquired house trailers. In the 1960s this trend ended with the development of mobile homes, less expensive but less mobile alternatives to the earlier traveling houses.File:Be Your Own Goddess art bus (1967 VW Kombi) IMG 0136.JPG bus decorated with hand-painting of the hippie style]]

The hippie trail was an overland journey popular among hippies and adventurers from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s, spanning from Western Europe to West and South Asia, with travelers seeking to explore these regions cheaply while interacting with locals. It largely ended due to the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s.{{Cite web |title=The Hippie Trail: See how Lonely Planet was born |url=https://www.cnn.com/interactive/travel/hippie-trail-history-lonely-planet/ |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=www.cnn.com}}{{Cite web |last=Maclean |first=Rory |date=2007-08-13 |title=Legacy of the hippie trail |url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/aug/13/legacyofthehippietrail |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}

Legality

=United States=

In the US, individuals who lack a permanent address and stable living situation, including vandwellers, are technically considered "homeless".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhchc.org/faq/official-definition-homelessness/|title=What Is the Official Definition of Homelessness|website=National Health Care for the Homeless Council|access-date=1 November 2018}} In 2022, of the 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles, approximately 25% were living in a vehicle.Simon, Dan (December 23, 2019) [https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/23/us/homeless-living-in-vehicles-los-angeles/index.html "Living In Her Car, She Was Afraid and Harassed. Then She Found an Unexpected Refuge"], CNN. Retrieved February 7, 2022.

Many municipalities have laws prohibiting overnight parking and/or sleeping in vehicles. In Los Angeles, living in a vehicle is prohibited on most streets. The city has municipal codes regarding times and places where someone is authorized to live in a vehicle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lacity.org/for-residents/popular-services/los-angeles-municipal-code-lamc-8502-vehicle-dwelling|title=Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) 85.02 – Vehicle Dwelling |publisher=City of Los Angeles|access-date=3 October 2018}} Non-profit organizations in a number of California cities sponsor "safe parking" intitiatives, which offer limited facilities and some security in designated Safe Parking lots. Some vandwellers have parked in Walmart and Cracker Barrel parking lots. In the Western United States, the Bureau of Land Management allows vandwellers and other campers to remain in many areas of their vast administration for up to 14 days at a time.{{cite web |url=https://archive.curbed.com/2019/4/3/18264579/van-life-millennials-campers-sprinter-air-stream-thor |title=The business of van life |last1=Andrews |first1=Jeff |date=2019-04-03 |publisher=Curbed |language=en |access-date=2024-11-27 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420043749/https://archive.curbed.com/2019/4/3/18264579/van-life-millennials-campers-sprinter-air-stream-thor |archive-date=2024-04-20 |quote=How the RV industry is falling short, and how van lifers are filling the gap}}

Lifestyle

The vandwelling lifestyle can allow for significant autonomy and a lower cost of living than having a mortgage or lease as in a more traditional living arrangement. Assuming they have the means, vandwellers are free to travel as much or little as they would like. Some vandwellers choose to remain in one general area, and work full-time or attend school while living in their vehicles. Others travel full-time while working remotely via the Internet or finding seasonal or short-term employment opportunities in various locations.Trujillo, Stevie (September 13, 2021) [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/13/what-i-learned-from-living-five-years-in-a-van "What I Learned From Living Five Years In a Van"], The Guardian. Retrieved February 7, 2022.

Since vandwelling consists of living in a vehicle with a footprint no larger than a parking space, there is usually little to no space for bathing or doing laundry. Some vandwellers in the US use gym memberships to access showers.

= #vanlife on social media =

File:-vanlife.jpg

Various depictions of the van dwelling lifestyle are presented on YouTube and Instagram, using the hashtag #vanlife — ranging from starkly realistic appraisals to heavily idealistic depictions.

The hashtag #vanlife was first used and popularized by a photoblogger named Foster Huntington in 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theinertia.com/surf/foster-huntingtons-new-book-is-a-collection-of-van-lifers-stories-that-continue-to-inspire-him./|title=Foster Huntington's New Book Is a Collection of Van Lifers' Stories that Continue to Inspire Him|last=Heyden|first=Dylan|work=The Inertia|access-date=1 November 2018}} Many depictions illustrate idyllic natural scenery, sometimes framed by the open back doors of the van, or with the van prominently visible in the landscape. Others depictions feature spotless, stylized interior views of the living space. The people pictured in the images might be young, attractive and outdoorsy millennials. The depictions are often set in natural areas, particularly in the Western US{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/24/vanlife-the-bohemian-social-media-movement|title=#Vanlife, the Bohemian Social-Media Movement|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=1 November 2018}} as well as coastal or mountainous regions of Europe, New Zealand, or Australia.

Other notable contributors to the #vanlife movement include the Vanlife Diaries. In 2019, the founders of Vanlife Diaries published a book called vanlife diaries: finding freedom on the open road which pulled content from its blog and Instagram.{{Cite book |last=Morton, Dustow and Melrose |first=Kathleen, Jonny and Jared |title=Vanlife Diaries: Finding Freedom on the Open Road |publisher=Ten Speed Press |year=2018 |isbn=9780399581144 |language=English}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some social media users promoted the #vanlife lifestyle as a way to stay safe and avoid illness.{{Cite web |last=Houlis |first=AnnaMarie |date=2020-04-17 |title=How to Survive a Pandemic from a 30-Year-Old Van in the Australian Bush |url=http://gearpatrol.com/outdoors/a712447/australia-vanlife-dream-coronavirus-nightmare-lessons-equipment/ |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=Gear Patrol |language=en-US}} The movement attracted many newcomers to the lifestyle including younger and more diverse people than the initial promoters of the lifestyle.{{Cite news |last=Pietsch |first=Bryan |date=2021-04-02 |title=How Veterans of #Vanlife Feel About All the Newbies |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/living-in-a-van-coronavirus-pandemic.html |access-date=2022-08-11 |issn=0362-4331}}

A less idealized, more stark depiction was presented in the 2021 film Nomadland.James, Caryn (September 14, 2020) [https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200914-nomadland-review-overflowing-with-humanity-and-tenderness "Nomadland Review: 'Overflowing With Humanity and Tenderness'"], bbc.com. Retrieved February 8, 2021.

Vehicle modifications

Van conversions consist of a wide range of possibilities. A conversion can be as simple as a few personal items thrown in the back, such as a sleeping bag or folding bed along with a few pieces of clothing, while using only the engine battery for power. It escalates all the way up to vans that function like micro-apartments on wheels with complex power setups, a kitchenette, and even simple plumbing. Vehicles like the Volkswagen Westfalia, a regular passenger van, or a cargo van, can be modified for day-to-day living by a professional conversion company. Upscale van conversion can provide most of the amenities of a conventional home including heating, air conditioning, a house battery system, a two-burner stove, a permanent bed, and other conveniences that make the vehicle fit for full-time living. School bus modifications ("skoolies") are also common among vandwellers.Liles, Maryn (October 2, 2019) [https://parade.com/931095/marynliles/skoolies-for-sale-renovated-school-bus/ "You'd Never Believe This Beautiful Home Is a Renovated School Bus (And Their Skoolie Just Hit the Market for $80K!)"], Parade. Retrieved February 8, 2022.

Communication

Since many vandwellers lack a permanent address, they sometimes use mail forwarding services, instead of a simple post office box, in order to receive packages and other mail. This is beneficial because the forwarder can then send packages to an address which the vandweller can access. Vandwellers often pay their bills and conduct business online through the use of public Wi-Fi,Rodriguez, Salvador (June 20, 2021) [https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/20/van-life-tech-workers-worked-from-road-during-covid-may-not-return.html "As Offices Shut Down for Covid, Workers Bought Vans and Hit The Road — And Some Don't Want to Return"], cnbc.com. Retrieved October 17, 2021. which they can access at libraries or in eateries such as Starbucks.

Employment

Vandwellers will usually work seasonal jobs, ranging from national parks to warehouse jobs. Some vandwellers work only part of the year then use the money earned to travel.

Vandwellers have been known to be digital nomads who work remotely from workplace or have a job that does not require working at location.Withrow, Brandon (February 18, 2022) [https://news.yahoo.com/vanlife-really-043128628.html "What Vanlife Is Really Like"], news.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 20, 2022. Alternatively, some vandwellers have permanent employment at Silicon Valley tech companies and choose to live in a van to both save on high rents and take advantage of generous company perks that include free food, on-site showers, and laundry service.

In popular culture

Actor Chris Farley's character Matt Foley would often describe himself "living in a van down by the river" in Saturday Night Live sketches.

Notable vandwellers

Jessica Bruder, American journalist{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/17/books/review/nomadland-jessica-bruder.html|title=In 'Nomadland,' the Golden Years Are the Wander Years|last=Hochschild|first=Arlie Russell|date=November 17, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 17, 2021|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
Alex Honnold, American rock climber{{cite magazine|last=Lowther|first=Alex|date=Summer 2011|title=Less and Less Alone: Alex Honnold|url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web17s/wfeature-alp35-alex-honnold-profile-less-and-less-alone|magazine=Alpinist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005210946/http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web17s/wfeature-alp35-alex-honnold-profile-less-and-less-alone|access-date=October 13, 2021|archive-date=October 5, 2020}}
Gabby Petito, American crime victimWhitcomb, Dan (September 22, 2021) [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/van-life-road-trip-ends-death-gabby-petito-2021-09-22/ "Timeline - 'Van life' Road Trip Ends in Death of Gabby Petito"], reuters. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
Steve Wallis, Canadian YouTuberSemley, John (January 27, 2020) [https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3mpaj/this-albertan-youtuber-is-the-bob-ross-of-stealth-camping "This Albertan YouTuber Is the Bob Ross of Stealth Camping"], Vice. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
Bob Wells, American vandwellerBergstein, Rachelle (September 23, 2017) [https://nypost.com/2017/09/23/these-people-are-rejecting-the-american-dream-by-living-in-rvs/ "America's Forgotten Men and Women Are Becoming 'Vandwellers'"], New York Post. Retrieved September 24, 2021.