A few tips from a year of car living - Avoid #vanstrife and the keys to rubber tramping.
By: Adam Nawrot
Follow : @Radam_Gnawrot
Just because you’re living out of a car doesn’t mean you have to smell and look like you're living out of a car. Here are some quick tips for keeping you and your vehicle fresh on the road.
1. Always stock your cupboard with a Chapul Sampler 24-pack of cricket flour energy bars and at least one pound of cricket flour high protein powder.
2. Baby Wipes are your best friend. A quick “Dirt-bag Shower” every night will help keep the funk under control. My vote goes toward unscented products.
3. Keep the car smelling good. Neutralize odors before they have a chance to set in. Consider an exterior storage solution to keep stinky sneakers and wet swimsuits outside of your living space when you don't have enough time to dry/air them out.
4. Go swimming! There’s almost nothing better than plopping into a crisp watering hole during the summer months, and hotel pools are prime for poaching in the winter.
5. Think about waste disposal. Make sure you have an elegant solution for trash and a place to store dirty clothes between laundry cycles.
6. Be content with locations that are good enough. Finding a spot to crash for the night is much easier than it seems. Don’t psych yourself out and drive around for hours wasting gas to find ‘the perfect spot.’ That first little pull-off you saw was probably fine.
7. Living in your car is about living out of your car. One of the most exciting parts about living in a car is that it encourages you to always be out there doing something. Join a club, make new friends... you know, anything to be around bathrooms longer.
8. Spread the cost. Travel can get expensive, especially if you’re driving an old clunker around. Always bring some friends aboard to share in the adventure as well as the gas bill.
9. Stock up on low-tech blankets. Come Winter, heating solutions can be expensive and complicated while layers of blankets will go a long way in keeping you warm all night. Getting out of bed in the morning, now that’s a different story...
10. Take shifts and drive through the night, if you are traveling on a tight schedule and with a partner. You can sleep when you are dead.
11. Pay to use a gym. A gym membership will grant you access to a shower, bathroom and WiFi. If you’re not on the road, take advantage of your workplace/university resources.
12. Let your dates know what they're in for. Dating and living in a car can be... interesting. Definitely don’t surprise your date by bringing them back to your place without explaining what ‘your place’ means; sprinkle in that information early on. If they’re not down, you’re wasting your time anyway.
13. Take a break when necessary. Being sick in a car is terrible, especially if ‘being sick’ means having the shits. Stay with a friend or get a motel room.
