The Van Life Essentials List: 61+ Ideas for Your Complete Van Life Packing List
So, you’ve made the decision to hit the road and take up van life. That’s great! But now you need to know what to take (and perhaps more importantly) what to leave behind.
We have put together the complete van life essentials list to make packing for your van life adventure a breeze.
Initially, deciding which things make the cut and which things will be left behind might seem daunting. After a life of striving to accumulate more, divesting ourselves of anything that doesn’t fit in a van seems counterintuitive, but the truth is the less you have, the freer you will be. In fact, leaving behind the garbage we had accumulated was one of the most liberating parts of van life.
That being said, there are a number of items that will be worth their weight in gold on the road. Depending on your travel style you may need to pick and choose from this van life packing list, but we are sure you’ll find some great ideas for things you might have forgotten.
This van life essentials list is not about what you need to BUILD your van, but rather all of the things you need to fill it once it is complete. We skipped some of the obvious things like a bed and bedding and concentrated on things you may or may not forget.
Your Complete Van Life Packing List
Van Life Essentials List – Safety
Making sure you are prepared for anything that could go down on the road is van life 101. You don’t want to be caught with your pants down when an emergency situation arises, as in van life, there is very rarely anyone around to bail you out when the shit hits the van.
Here is our van life essentials list for safety.
In our opinion, a fire extinguisher is the most important safety item on any van life essentials list. It is literally a lifesaver! While ideally, you will never have to use a fire extinguisher, over the last three years we have been doing “van life”, we have had to use ours twice. Once to save ourselves and once to save a nearby van lifer.
You never know when you may stub your toe… or worse!
A first aid kit is another kit you hope you won’t need, but shouldn’t really leave the driveway without. This is doubly true if you plan on heading off the main roads and away from civilization.
An EPIRB is an emergency positioning indicating a radio beacon and a PLB is a personal locating beacon. Both essentially do the same and are handy to pack in the van if you plan to travel to distant, remote locations. Just remember to make sure yours is not expired!
Two-way radio (UHF radio)
A two-way radio is another useful gadget to have on any road trip. It allows you to communicate with other nearby drivers and can be helpful in the case of visibility issues.
The two-way is especially useful in remote areas where there is no telephone coverage.
Many countries require you to carry emergency triangles in your safety kit. Even if it’s not a legal requirement, they can be an important safety measure if you breakdown. Emergency triangles are used to give a warning to other vehicles that a car is stopped ahead in case of a roadside breakdown.
Another required safety van life essential in many countries is a safety vest. A safety vest allows other drivers to see you at night if you happen to find yourself on the side of the road from a breakdown.
Another great addition to the van life essential packing list is a lockable safe. A lockable safe hidden from sight and preferably affixed to the car will allow you to store valuables while you are away from your van (or even when you are inside the van). We had our car broken into in Palenque, Mexico and since then a lockable safe has been a staple in our van life essential list!
Van Life Essentials List – Cooking
If you are anything like us and spend the majority of your time planning and cooking your meals, then your van life kitchen essentials list could be endless. We have included the absolute must-haves below, but there is a range of other van life kitchen essentials that we would not leave home without.
Make sure to check out our 25 Van Life Kitchen Essentials for the Ultimate Van Chef for our complete cooking essentials guide!
Cooking is the highlight of our day while living on the road. If you don’t have an inbuilt kitchen stove in your van, making sure you have a good gas cooker that is large enough for two pots is imperative.
If there is one item to invest in as part of your van life essentials it is a 12-v compression fridge. Modern car fridges are efficient and have a low power draw and are vastly superior to alternatives like a cooler with ice or thermoelectric coolers.
No van life kitchen is complete without a cast-iron pan. We prefer a quality cast iron dutch oven it doubles as two cast iron pans and provides a versatile way to cook using your stove.
Enamelware plates, bowls, and cups
Can’t take fine china in the van but don’t want to eat off plastic plates either? Enamelware is the solution. Enamel tends to hold up better while camping and can withstand the bumps of the road without becoming damaged. Plus, enamel plates just class up the joint a little.
We do not go anywhere without our Bialetti Moka Pot. Perfectly prepared espresso (like) coffee without power and with little to no hassle.
Having the ability to carry water is essential. Depending on where you are, your water tank set-up could be different. In Mexico, we had one “dirty” water tank and one “clean” water tank. The dirty water tank carried water that was unfiltered and the clean water tank carried water that we had already filtered and ready to drink.
This handy piece of kit is great for checking the level of your gas canister so that you do not run out of gas while preparing a meal!
Van Life Essentials List – Outdoor Gear
Vanlife is essentially camping, so you need to make sure you pack accordingly and plan for enough space to house the basics.
You will likely be spending a lot of time in these, so if you have the space and money invest in some good quality camping chairs!
Depending on the space you have you can purchase a camping table or be creative and make one save space in your van! Find out how we made our own outdoor table in our DIY van conversion guide!
A mat to throw outside where you enter and exit the vehicle is a lifesaver for keeping the place clean.
Investing in quality outdoor lighting is a great idea if you will be spending a good amount of time outdoors. Consider sprucing the place up a bit with festoon lighting!
A must-have item to expand your tiny home into almost double the space! No roof rack? Find out how to attach an awning without a roof rack in our handy guide!
Van Life Essentials List – Tools
You don’t realize how badly you need a few tools on board until you need them. After more than four years on the road, we can honestly say that 99% of the time we can get by with the tools listed below which is why we have included them on our van life essentials list.
Versatile, cheap, and handy, when something is moving that shouldn’t, duct tape can be a temporary solution.
Much like duct tape can stop things moving when they should, WD-40 can get them going when they should.
Silicone Sealant and Caulking Gun
When it leaks and it shouldn’t reach for the sealant and caulking gun to plug up any holes.
It’s sometimes amazing to think about how much of our world is held together by screws. From mechanical repairs to van furniture, without a couple of screwdrivers on board your ability to repair things will be limited.
It’s probably better to have a set of socket wrenches for the various nuts onboard but at the very least make sure you have an adjustable wrench or, better yet, two.
Save your kitchen knives and grab your box cutter when you need to open, cut or create a hole.
Percussive maintenance is the ancient art of repairing something by banging it into working order.
The humble bungee cord has solved more problems than we care to admit. Don’t leave home without some.
A rudimentary hacking tool the hatchet comes into its own in the evening when it’s time to collect wood for the fire.
If you aren’t convinced, you can read more about why we think you need this list of van life essential tools in our article 9 Simple Van Life Tools You Need to Have on the Road!
Van Life Essentials List – Mechanical
Van life offers the unique opportunity to travel far and wide and often a long way from civilization. But that also presents some risks. One risk of van life is breaking down far away from assistance. Having some basic tools onboard to help get you going or fixing some broken equipment can give you the confidence to leave the highway and get off the beaten path.
Your vehicle probably already has one, but you better check before you hit the road! If you plan on doing a lot of off-roading then you may need a specialty off-road jack to handle uneven terrain.
Could come in handy to patch you up until you can get to a tire repair shop. We did not have one when our van tires were punctured in Peru during a protest and it would have been a lot easier if we had!
Repairing the tires is one thing, but the ability to pump a deflated tire is another. Particularly helpful if you get a puncture, or if you have a 4wd van and need to let some air out of your tires from time to time to traverse sand.
Being able to jump-start your battery is essential when you plan to travel far from cities and mechanical services. We have needed to jump our own car a few times, but have also helped others get out of a jam and in one case were even gifted two massive lobsters from the fishermen we helped start their car.
Recommended Spare Parts
Speaking with your mechanic and asking about some parts that frequently give out or are difficult to find for your specific vehicle is a great idea as is grabbing some basics such as;
- Spare air filter
- Spare oil filter
- Spare belts
- Engine oil
Van Life Essentials List – Cleaning
Makes cleaning a breeze. Get into the hard-to-reach spots and rid your van of dust, crumbs, and (if applicable) pet hair.
In addition to a 12-v vacuum, you sometimes just need a trusty broom and dustpan if even just to get all of the sand out of the bed after a day soaking up the sun at the beach!
Van Life Essentials List – Hygiene
Let’s be honest you won’t always find a proper shower, so making sure you have a good, quick, and easy fix is important. We have carried both a 12-v shower and a bag shower on our travels, and each has its perks. With the 12-v shower, you get a bit of pressure but no warmth, and with a bag shower, the trickle is warm.
Say no to plastic and to your stench with shampoo and conditioner bars!
You may not get to shower every day, but when you do, you will want to dry off! We just carry beach towels, which can be used for the beach and the bath to save on space.
Eco-friendly toilet paper is best for when you bury your waste!
Washable cleaning clothes reduce unnecessary waste and keep the world a better place.
Eco-friendly laundry detergent
It is important to be environmental on the road and to save space. Laundry strips take up a fraction of the space as regular detergent and are also environmentally friendly!
/center>A remarkable and handy addition to our van life essentials, the Scrubba wash bag has come in handy so many times it is hard to keep track. Easy to use, requiring only detergent, water, and a bit of manpower, the Scrubba wash bag helps keep extra stinky clothes fresh when you are far away from a laundry mat.
Collapsible laundry bags are a great way to keep your clothes clean and fresh on the go when you find yourself far away from a real laundry.
Van Life Essentials List – Entertainment
Just because you are on the road doesn’t mean you don’t need to be entertained. In fact, being out on the road away from friends and family means you probably need to think of more ways to entertain yourself than you normally would!
These are some of our favorite ways to have fun on the road.
There is not a day that goes by when we do not use our wireless speakers. Perhaps this is because our car speakers do not work, but regardless it is a van life essential to add for your entertainment!
A great addition to your van life essentials list if you love watching movies. You can project movies onto the side of your vehicle or onto a white sheet for the perfect movie night!
We all love paper books, but on the road, a kindle is the best way to store books (especially if you read a lot). Plus, it is easy to read with the built-in lighting options while your partner is sleeping!
Whatever your chosen game is, we recommend grabbing if not one or two of the travel versions to pack along with you. We have carried both Scrabble and Chess with us on our van life travels and highly recommend them. You spend a lot of time with each other!
If board games aren’t for you, then pick up a pack of waterproof playing cards.
You never know where your next meal will come from! A fishing rod is a great way while away the day and perhaps even catch some dinner. Pack some soft plastics or lures so you don’t have to worry about buying and storing bait.
If you are like us and spend lots of time at the beach, this is a great addition to keep yourselves entertained!
Recommended
Ok, it doesn’t have to be Netflix, but having the ability to download movies and TV shows to your device when you simply just want to relax and chill.
It’s not really a road trip without tunes and Spotify is one of the easiest and most affordable and convenient ways to take music and podcasts with you.
Van Life Essentials List – Miscellaneous
Velcro straps are handy for hanging lights, wrapping cords, holding back curtains, you name it. They are easy to use and versatile.
Just like velcro straps, bendable hooks come in handy for a range of things. It is good to keep a pair or two hanging around for those odd jobs!
Can be used for many things including freeing your car if it gets stuck and is especially useful for when you find yourself far from a porcelain toilet when nature calls…
Fly swat and/or mosquito coils
The outdoors becomes an extension of your home as vanlifers, so it is a great idea to keep around an electric fly swat and/or mosquito coils. Trust us, these have made our lives more comfortable more times than once.
A must for any van lifer! We made our flyscreen using a french door mosquito net for your home and tailored the mosquito net to our vehicle dimensions.
A headlamp is incredibly useful for van life. When your power fails at night, when you need to get under the car to investigate that rattling noise, or for going to the toilet in the dark, a headlamp will be invaluable. We recommend getting a headlamp you can recharge and ideally one that is water-resistant and tough.
Sunscreen is a must in the van. A predominantly outdoor lifestyle means protecting yourself from the elements, and part of that is wearing sunscreen.
Hopefully, you found some inspiration for your van life packing list!
Have you got any questions or ideas for other van life essentials we should add to our van life packing list? Let us know in the comments below.
Thinking of buying any of the above? Use the links included above, you won’t pay anymore and you’ll help support this blog!
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Just Beginning your Own Van Life Adventure?
If you are just starting out on your own vanlife adventure, we know how you feel. It can be overwhelming, frightening, and exciting all at the same time. But, if you are interested in more van life hacks, tips, tricks, and everything else in between, check out one of our other great van life articles!
- 51 Simple Van Life Hacks You Need to Know Before You Hit the Road
- 10 Simple Van Life Cooking Hacks and Ideas
- Van Life Apps: 25+ Easy Ways To Simplify Life On The Road
- Van Life Office: 21+ Proven Hacks for Happy Mobile Workspaces
- Van Life or Boat Life? Which Is the Best
- Is Van Life Dangerous? 6 Major Pitfalls, Risks and Dangers Of Van Life (and How to Avoid Them)
- The Best Gym Membership for Van Life (and Travelers) in the US
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