If you’re thinking about hitting the road in a campervan or caravan but you’re not quite ready to give up the comforts of more luxurious accommodation, you’re in the right place.

In this article you’ll find a list of tips and tricks to make your van experience more comfortable and enjoy the adventure to the full. Travelling in this way has a lot of benefits and is exciting and fun. It also gives you total freedom of where to go and where to stop along the way. Speaking of stopping, to get a deal on parking you can pick up a Looking4Parking discount code 30%and claim a fantastic discount so parking in convenient and safe locations won’t send you over your budget!

• Sleeping gear

One of the essential areas to kit out your van includes sleeping products and accessories. Camping style bedding and sleeping bags are a popular choice, but if you want something more homely you can opt for regular bedding items to make you feel at home. Air mattresses are a great idea and you can pack the right kind of duvets, blankets and pillows to suit your needs. Regardless of the weather, it’s also a wise idea to pack some extra layers for any unexpected drops in temperature during the night. 

• Organisation

This is key when it comes to arranging your van and will make everyday life much easier. Even if you have a fully equipped van with everything you need for your trip, space is always going to be relatively limited. Organise your equipment and belongings and separate them into labelled compartments or storage boxes to keep everything in order and this way, you’ll be able to find what you need exactly when you need it. Since you won’t have the luxury of a large space to store everything, focus on the essentials first of all and if you have any space left, you can add any extras that you want to take with you. 

• Cooking and Meals

If you’re lucky enough to have a well furnished kitchen area, this will take the hassle out of preparing your meals. In other cases, some extra organisation and meal planning may be required. You can keep hunger at bay with just a few simple items and luckily there are lots of different options available on the market nowadays. You can choose a burner stove, portable cooker or mini microwave oven depending on your preference and if you don’t have a mini fridge, you can usually make do with a cooler box to keep fresh produce or drinks chilled. 

• Be prepared for surprises

Even if you have prepared a detailed itinerary for your trip, don’t worry if things don’t always go according to plan. It’s obviously good to have a basic idea of your planned journey, stop points, and specific places that you want to stop and visit but one of the most important things to remember is that with the freedom of van life, also comes an element of surprise and unpredictability. There are a number of factors that could alter your plans, including bad weather conditions, traffic, lots of unexpected encounters, and even getting lost along the way! It’s always smart to keep an eye on the petrol tank so you don’t get caught out if one of these things interrupts your journey. 

1.  Don’t skimp on essential supplies

There are several items that you shouldn’t skimp on to get the most out of your adventure and be prepared for emergency situations. It’s well worth investing in a decent GPS or navigation device, extra batteries and chargers for all your gear, a first aid kit for any medical incidents and of course, that all important spare tyre!

These van life tips should help you get on the road properly prepared for your trip so all that’s left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy what could turn out to be the adventure of a lifetime. One last tip that you should consider is regularly checking the weather forecast for each destination during your journey so that you can be prepared. Listen to the radio for local forecasts or check a reliable website such as BBC Weather that covers the entire UK and beyond.