Van Living Essentials

We love finding new products to make our van feel like a cosy nest that we come back to in between house sitting gigs. Here you’ll find the products we recommend for making your van feel like home!

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. By using these links, you’ll help support us and the running of this website. At no extra cost to you, we’ll earn a small commission that will allow us to write new posts, maintain our website and continue to live nomadically! For more information see our Disclaimer page. All our recommendations are based on our honest opinions. If you have any questions about anything in the list below, please email us and cite the name of the product in the subject line.

DiskLok steering wheel lock

DiskLok’s award-winning design is recommended by the police and comes in a variety of sizes. Wherever we park our van, we know it’s safe and secure from vehicle thieves with this steering wheel lock in place.

Ring security camera

To keep our little home on wheels safe and secure, we use this sleek and subtle Ring camera system to remotely monitor our van when we’re out.

Ring security system

We spent a while trying to find a security set up that would work for our nomadic lifestyle. We feel such peace of mind since installing a Ring security system in our van, knowing our belongings are being kept safe inside!

Insulated window covers

These blackout blinds from Fuel Lagoon were an essential purchase for our T6 VW Transporter. Featuring a double layer of fleece lining inside and out, the thermal insulating material blocks out summer heat and retains warmth during the winter. They’re so easy to stick onto our windows with the suction cups, they fit the space perfectly and give us complete privacy.

NETGEAR WiFi router

This portable WiFi router gives us a dedicated internet connection that we can leave in the van. We use it to access entertainment, upload content to social media & our blog and also act as a hub for our security cameras & Victron equipment. The router gives us quick speeds and allows multiple devices to connect to it.

Poynting outdoor antenna

When inside our van, the WiFi signal can sometimes get blocked by all our insulation and metalwork. To help strengthen the signal, we use this aerial to boost its reach.

Carpuride W103 Pro

Carpuride create touchscreen, wireless devices that support CarPlay (and Android Auto). Investing in this device was far cheaper than replacing our outdated cab head unit and it’s removable too, meaning we can use it in any vehicle we drive. The device connects to your existing head unit, either via Bluetooth or an Aux cable, you then connect your phone to the Carpuride to have full wireless Apple CarPlay in your campervan on a large, clear display. It has so many added benefits – a choice of navigation apps, receiving hands-free calls or messages, and playing music from a variety of streaming platforms.

Auto-Vox V5 mirror dash cam

When driving a bigger vehicle it can be hard to see behind you. The wing mirrors on the van are great, but this rear view mirror and camera really helps to see what’s behind us, which is especially useful when reversing! This kit also comes with built-in dash cam functionality.

Hi vis jacket

When driving in Europe, most countries require you to carry reflective jackets for each passenger in the vehicle, and in some countries, you can be heavily fined if you don’t wear one if you break down or have an accident. It’s always a good idea to carry a hi vis jacket in your cab in case of a breakdown – we keep ours under the driver’s seat. As it’s such a cheap and easy-to-store item, it’s a no brainer!

Tyre inflator

We bought this digital tyre inflator to make sure our van tyres were at the levels they should be at all times. This little device is so simple to use and small enough to store under your seat.

TyrePal - Tyre Pressure Monitor

Chris is paranoid that every noise he hears is something to do with the tyre pressures being low. This has stopped any worry by constantly measuring the tyre pressures and displaying them on a screen.

Portable jump starter

Occasionally our van doesn’t start due to low battery or cold weather, but thankfully this jump starter is incredibly easy to use! We keep this battery pack charged up, and if our van starter battery ever gets too low that the van won’t start, the powerful battery is enough to jump start us. It’s great for peace of mind when you’re travelling – pack this under your seat and you won’t have to worry about getting stuck in remote places waiting for a recovery truck!

Our review View

NOCO GENIUS5

We are not always out adventuring in our van, sometimes it can sit for a week or longer and the battery can begin to drain. Ultimately the battery might drain enough and the van fails to start start. To prevent this, and to maintain a healthy battery we use the NOCO Genius 5 to keep our battery charged and in tip-top condition.

ULTRICS Digital Multimeter

One of the only tools we have in our little van! We use it to quickly check our electrical connections and to accurately measure the voltage of our batteries.

Carista OBD Reader

This nifty little device plugs into the OBD port of the van (only certain makes/models) and scans the on-board computer of the van to help you diagnose issues. It also can perform a few useful setting modifications.

RuuviTag Temperature, Humidity, Air Pressure and Motion Sensor

Keeping tabs on the temperature and humidity of our van is essential. We need to be careful that it’s not getting too cold and the pipes might freeze whilst also making sure that it’s not too humid and mould could grow. This little sensor just sits in the van and connects via Bluetooth to the Cerbo GX allowing us to monitor both from anywhere in the world.

Fireangel CO and Smoke Alarm

To protect our little home on wheels, we use this combination pack of CO Detector and Smoke alarm to alert us if there is a fire or a gas leak.

Fire extinguisher

This is the only product on our recommend page that we’ve never used, and we hope we’ll never have to!! We keep this fire extinguisher in our van for peace of mind, and we love that its small size means it doesn’t take up too much valuable space. It’s compatible for all fire types, and we like knowing we’re prepared for any situation.

First aid kit

No matter where you’re travelling, owning a well-equipped first aid kit means you’re prepared for minor injuries, sudden illnesses or emergencies. It’s especially essential if you’re on a road trip in an unfamiliar place, or remote areas where you may find yourself far away from the nearest pharmacy, doctor or hospital.

Wurkkos TS22 Torch

It’s always handy having a small but powerful torch that you can use for anything, from finding your way across a campsite at night to investigating issues with your van. This little torch aways surprises us with how much it packs a punch – it can shine 4500 lumens! It’s also USB-C rechargeable, so it’s easy to keep the battery topped up.

Head torch

Whenever we’re parked up at a wild camping spot or a campsite with low lighting, we make sure we keep this head torch to hand for when it gets dark. As the torch is small it doesn’t take up much space in our van drawers, and we don’t have to rely on our phones being charged to use a torch when we’re walking to use the facilities!

WerkFix Spanner Set

This 15 piece spanner set comes in handy for any unexpected repairs or adjustments while we’re on the road! We store ours in the garage space of our van for easy access.

Ryobi Cordless Drill Kit

This drill was a game changer when we needed to make some adjustments to the build in our van, and it’s a great starter kit for anyone building their toolkit.

Screwdriver set

You never know when a simple screwdriver will come in handy! All the driving you do in your camper can mean the living space needs a tweak or two from time to time (especially if, like us, you spend a lot of time navigating potholes in the UK!) This 7 piece set means we always have the right size for the job.

Thule levelling ramps

We spent hours researching levelling ramps for our van that wouldn’t crack under pressure, and Thule came up time and time again. For those wild camping spots on sloping ground, they’re perfect and we trust them to do the job every time!

Electric hook up cable

We love having an extra long electric hook up cable – sometimes the electric hook up is a little far away on campsites! Ours is durable and does the job well.

Cable Reel 25m

We don’t want our EHU cable to tangle or get in the way when we store it in the van, some bought this cable reel to keep it nice and tidy. It has a useful handle in the middle to quickly reel in the cable.

Food Grade Freshwater hose

We love this extra long hose for those times when the freshwater tap is a little far away from our pitch or park up spot. It’s food safe and rolls up neatly for easy storage.

Water Tank Adapter

Before we bought this adapter we would both need to be involved in the task of filling up our fresh water tank, holding the hose or controlling the tap. Now it only takes one of us as the adapter connects the hose and securely fixes it in the fill-up point on the side of our van. It makes a world of difference!

Colapz water bucket

For those times when we just need a little more water in the van or where the hose won’t reach the tap, this 8 litre bucket is the perfect size for a quick top up and folds down flat for easy storage.

LPG Adapter Set for Europe

If, like us, you have a refillable LPG tank in your camper and are travelling around Europe, packing a set of adapters will make this task a lot easier as different countries in Europe require a different adapter to fill up. We invested in this set so we always have the right one to hand!

Samsung FreeStyle Projector

This Samsung projector is portable and powerful, easy to use and the image quality is stunning! We use it at house sits when the TV is small or old, as well as using it in our van.

Duronic Projector Screen

We love having movie nights and turning our van into a cosy cinema! This projector screen is small but mighty and gives us a flat, clean surface in the van to watch tv shows on our projector. We chose the BPS40/43 size which is the perfect size for our van or a house.

iPad

We love having an iPad for on-the-go Netflix bingeing, games, and syncing our photos, email and messages to a bigger screen.

iPad stand

This little stand is strong enough to hold an iPad upright, is adjustable so you can tilt the iPad to the right angle, and folds in on itself

USB C to USB C cable

This 3 metre cable is always coming in useful – whether Chris needs to charge his laptop while working outside, or we need to plug in our projector at the back of the van.

iPhone cable 6 metres

Our USB outlets are towards the back of our van as we didn’t want any sockets in the kitchen. When we need to charge devices but want to watch them at the same time, this longer cable comes in handy as it reaches from the back to the front of our van.

Rechargeable USB Fan

This small but mighty fan is super handy for travelling! It comes with a cable to recharge the batteries so you don’t have to keep buying new ones, it has a sturdy base to stand on tables as well as a clamp to attach the fan at any angle, and the speed is fully adjustable!

Heavy duty Velcro

We love decorating our van and making it homely, and we like the option to switch out picture frames and decorations. We use heavy duty Velcro to keep everything in place when we’re driving the van – it even holds up our mirror!

Heavy duty magnet with hook

The first time Chris put one of these on metal, he spent five minutes trying to get it off again… We’re a little more aware of their strength now! We use them to hang washing lines, hold up our cab curtain, and hold objects in place in our van.

Small extra strong magnets

When making covers for our windows, we inserted these magnets every few inches to keep the covers in place on the metal inside of our van. These little magnets really do the job and keep our window covers in place!

Rechargeable electric lighter

A handy tool for lighting candles or igniting a hob whilst keeping your fingers well away from the flames. Charges up via USB so no need to worry about running out of lighter fluid!

Ridge Monkey pan

We cook EVERYTHING on our Ridge Monkey pan! From frying eggs or sausages to making toasties for a perfect camping lunch.

Bodum gooseneck kettle

If you don’t have a gooseneck kettle are you even a van lifer? We call ours Lucy Goosey and she’s a valued member of the team, boiling water in just a few minutes and has a slow pour spout to avoid spills.

IKEA 10 litre bin

This IKEA bin is the perfect size for a small van kitchen cupboard, but big enough to hold a decent amount of rubbish. It’s lightweight and easy to clean too! They’re so perfect that we have one for rubbish and one for recycling too.

Emma mattress topper

Our Emma mattress topper has been a game changer for our sleep quality! Firm enough to be comfortable but soft enough to fold in half when we convert our bed to day time mode. You won’t regret investing in one.

OTTY pillow

We discovered OTTY pillows at a house sit in 2021 and immediately invested in some for ourselves. They have foam pieces inside so you can remove or add more to adjust the firmness of your pillow, so you’ll always have a good night’s sleep.

Peak Design packing cubes

We love using packing cubes to keep all our clothes organised, especially when we’re moving from our van into a house sit. These Peak Design cubes have an extender zip, and a smaller area on the bottom to separate dirty clothes from clean ones!

Suri Toothbrush

We made the switch from manual to electric toothbrushes and haven’t looked back. These brushes from SURI charge with a USB cable, and the slim and lightweight design means they’re super travel-friendly. They fit neatly into a drawer in our van!

Microfibre towel

We love these huge towels from Mountain Warehouse. The light microfibre material is super soft and absorbent – we use them after showering or swimming when we’re spending days in the van, then hang them up in our cab and they’re dry in no time! They pack down small too, making them great for travelling.

Books + Games

When we’re not moving from place to place we love to carve out some down time to play games, physical or virtual, or relax with a book – even if it’s a guidebook helping us plan our next adventure!

View our Books + Games page

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