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09.06.2020

10 family hacks to explore more space

A family of 5, another baby on the way, and a dog – this sounds like living in a van could get very tricky. So, it’s important to make use of space, but not only focus on function, also adapt some things to personal needs and turn it into yours.

 

Budget is an issue, especially when you rent a van, so we thought of things that could be used in the mobile home but also when back. The interior design of the new Sun Living and IKEA go very well together and we found some useful accessories there to „pimp our ride“

 

1. Small trays (Variera series) to organise toys, pens etc. on the table, that didn’t move thanks to rubber parts underneath, were very helpful. Another useful rubber accessory were magnetic Gunstig pot stands. Not only to cook and put pots on the table, also to have other things on it without moving!

 

2. We also found different small boxes like the Skubb series to store smaller parts perfectly in the overhead bins and they worked perfect in the bathroom to organise things!

 

3. Different accessories to hang were useful, like the Rimforsa tablet holder (perfect colour match to the interior) and most recommend: the small Sunnersta container slots perfect into the side of the car. We put in some plants right at the table to make it look more vivid, and also had additional containers for the kids to put stuff in right next to the bunk bed in the bed!

 

4. Samla boxes with lid helped us to organise not only the food in the garage. It was also a great solution for wetsuits to keep the water off all other things.

 

5. We also got two door mats and two small anti-slip bathroom rugs, that helped to keep sand out of the car! Again, the colours worked well with the car, in the end it made us feel more in a cabin/tiny house than a van. And the bathroom rugs were used to create a „cage“ and play in under the table. The kids loved that hideaway place in the morning and at night when we turned on the Truma heater!

 

6. Another important addition for us where flexible laundry bags, we found some with nice designs, and could perfectly store them away on top of the toilet when the bathroom door was closed during driving.

 

7. Organising things for different use in functional bags was a must, so we had various cases for our stuff. From a GoPro case stacked perfectly behind the driver’s seat to the boardbag in the garage we made sure to have everything to be moved fast.

 

8. Being boardsport addicts we found a lot of useful things at the Blue Tomato online store, from pencil cases, backpacks to wheelie suitcases and surfboard/skateboard bags. A lot of boardsport brands like Quiksilver even create camera bags and other equipment. But this was of course a personal choice being part of that subculture.

 

9. Adding DIY things also changed the overall look, we had two custom made pillows/cushions that Kathi made for the kids.

 

10. Books for the trip were a must, we had some to inspire (like „good night stories for rebel girls“) and to explore (outdoor/adventure tips to build tipis, etc.).

 

We are sure everyone has different needs, and sometimes it makes more sense to get camping accessories made for vans. Or find other ways how to organise things. Most of the things we found are now used at home as well, so we can recommend it when renting a car!