Top Hacks That Every Van Owner Must Know About

Few things in life are more pleasurable than taking a road trip. Whether you’re going to visit family or friends, or just driving out into the wilderness for a bit of R&R, there’s something to be said about hopping behind the wheel and hitting the open road. That is, unless your van breaks down on you, leaving you stranded at the side of I-5 with no cell service and a busted radiator hose. We’re sure you know how to drive your van. And we’re sure you can figure out how to make it go and stop, but a lot of people don’t realize some cool tricks will truly take your van experience to the next level. Some of these hacks are just for convenience, while others are for sheer fun.

Charging While Driving

While hooking up to a campground power source is tempting, it can be expensive. It is also not always possible with some of the smaller campgrounds out there. Charging your van while driving takes a little extra effort, but it’s worth the payoff.

You will need an inverter, an extension cord long enough to reach from the back of your vehicle to the front, and a cigarette lighter outlet on the side. Remember that you cannot connect both your car and your RV to a single outlet – you will blow the fuse.

If you wish to use this setup for an extended period, you will need to get a generator as well. If you are not sure how to install an inverter, there are plenty of tutorials online that can help. There are advantages, of course, of learning to charge your van’s batteries while driving, so you should look up the right chargers and be sure you’re setting it all up the right way. You may also want to have your vehicle checked by a specialist to make sure it is in good working order.

Keeping Your Clothes Smelling Fresh

When you travel in a van, you will have to deal with the smell. It’s inevitable. At some point, your clothes will start to smell like body odor and dirty shoes. You can’t shower every day, and after a while, it wears on you. The good news is there are ways to keep your clothes smelling fresh when you travel in a van.

A lot of people know that dryer sheets are good for removing odors and adding a scent to your laundry, but did you know that essential oils are also effective at keeping things smelling fresh?

Use a combination of essential oils to keep your clothes smelling fresh. You can use peppermint oil for the clothes that are in the van, and lavender oil for the clothes that are in the house.

Curtain for Shade and Privacy

Curtains in the back of your van are a great way to keep your living space private from onlookers and to create a cool, dark environment for sleeping. It’s pretty easy to make curtains for your van, and this is how you do it. 

First, go to the fabric store and find some fabric that you like. You are free to use any color or design you desire. Get enough fabric to cover the windows you want to cover on each side of the van.

You can either cut the curtains down to size yourself or have the store do it for you. It’s probably easier to have them cut it down for you, but if you want to do it yourself, make sure that you measure the windows and get enough fabric to cover each window. After you have the fabric, you need to make sure that it’s not too heavy. You don’t want your curtains to be so heavy that they weigh down the curtain rod and cause it to fall off of the wall.

Garbage Bag as a Poncho

Have you ever traveled and found yourself getting soaked when it started raining? Have you ever had to pull over to the side of the road to put on your rain jacket because it popped out of your bag at high speed?

What if we told you there was a way to avoid getting wet in a downpour without having to rely on your overpriced rain jacket?

A garbage bag is an amazing item that will keep you dry in a downpour. It’s waterproof and windproof so you can wrap up warm in it. It has reflective strips so cars will see you in the dark. It’s light and small so it won’t take up much space in your bag.

Wear it like a poncho. Fold the bag in half and put your head through the hole. Put your arms through the sleeves and you’re good to go!

Traveling in your van may be an incredible experience, and perhaps these recommendations will assist you in making it one of the greatest of your life.