We have been living full time in our van for six months now and as newbies to Van Life we understand that there are so many products out there that are tempting to buy (even before you have a van or motorhome). We did and we definitely didn’t use some of them. Therefore, these are your must have Van Life and motorhome essentials – tried and tested by us!
Below we breakdown the top 40 Van Life products that we have been loving in our van. It so important to find the right products as there’s not too much space in a motorhome but we think we’ve found some great things to make Van Life and Motorhome Life more comfortable, convenient and fun! Here are our best Van life products:
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Essential Motorhome Products
Our top essentials that everyone who owns a van or motorhome. For us these are non-negotiable things you need if you’re going to live in your van.
Buying for someone else? Explore our Van Life Gift Guide
Karcher Window Vac
A must have for condensation which will build up quickly in your van. We used this daily in Norway and was a real life-saver in colder weather. We also used it for cleaning up spills. It charges using 240v so this is something to consider but it doesn’t take long to charge
Omnia Oven
Perfect for those vans that don’t have an oven. This one is on our Christmas List, so we haven’t used it yet but we have heard lots of good things. You can make pasta bakes, bread and pies… sounds perfect to us!
Leatherman Multi-Tool
We use the Leatherman wave and love how handy it is. We use it camping, in the van and Mike even uses it fishing. A great gift for someone who loves being outdoors or who camps often. For us this is an essential.
Fire Extinguisher
Something that you never want to use but you just in case. We found this small lightweight extinguisher on Amazon and bought three to spread out roughout the van. Luckily we have never had to use them.
Extendible Rail
To add extra space to your van you can add an extendible rail. We put ours in the shower room but you could add one in your garage or anywhere else really.
Rubber Matting
This stuff is magic! This product will stop things moving in your draws while you drive. We used it in our cutlery draw and everything stayed in place even on rocky drives. We used it for pots and pans and plates as well.
Solar Trickle Charger
If you don’t drive your van or motorhome enough then this can save the battery. Plug it in and solar energy will top up the battery to make sure it doesn’t die. If you’re building out a van this is a must!
Planning a Van Build?
Our custom long wheelbase design, the Workspace Adventurer, has all the measurements and details of our van, with two office spaces & flexible layout
Van Life Comfort and Convenience
Some of these things may not be 100% necessary but we love having them in our van. We can not imagine doing Van Life without a toilet! Some of these products just make our everyday lives easier!
Simploo Toilets
We love our Simploo toilet. We have written a blog explaining the pros and cons and compared it to our newly purchased Simploo Mini.
Water Filter
It doesn’t take up too much space and means you can have piece of mind when drinking from your tap.
Extendable Hose
This is great for filling up at park ups where you can’t get close to the water source. Also great for filling up water at petrol stations. We didn’t take the hose head but this could perhaps double up as an outdoor shower.
Mattress Topper
If you have a proper mattress in your motorhome then you won’t need this. However, we have a modular bed and use the foam cushions from our sofa as our mattress. This isn’t that comfortable therefore we use a panda mattress topper and it’s so comfortable.
To explore more products we love for Van Life, check out our Van Life Product Showcase
Starlink
In our Van Life journey, Starlink has been a game-changer, offering us the freedom to work from picturesque remote locations with confidence. While it has its downsides, the reliability and speed have made it worth the investment for us. However, as with all Van Life decisions, consider your unique situation and needs to determine if Starlink is the right choice for you. Find out more here!
Thermal Window Covers
Blackout window covers are crucial for privacy, insulation, and overall comfort during your journey. Skip the pricey pre-made options and follow our detailed DIY guide to create custom window covers that match your style.
Van Life Adventure Gear
For us Van Life was all about adventure. Therefore we prioritised things that would take us outside. These items will depend on your hobbies but here are a few things we loved.
Lifestraw
This is one of my favourite things we have in the van. Not only is this great for camping and hiking, but in case you run out of water in the van. The water bottle filters water making it clean to drink.
Osprey 70l Bag (Male and Female)
If you’re planning on going camping from your van these are great as they have attachable day packs meaning you have two bags in one. Perfect for Van Life. It can also double up as a suitcase (although it doesn’t have wheels.)
Good Battery Pack
You can never have enough of these in case you unexpectedly run out of power in the van. We love this one as it holds 4 full charges.
Walking Poles
Depending on where you plan to take your van you may want some trekking poles for those harder hikes. We ended up using ours on Ben Nevis, they really help your knees when descending the mountain.
Dry Bags
If you’re into water sports and getting outside then a dry bag is a must. You can get them small for just your phone or bigger for full days out.
Kayak
This is a great way to make the most of living in a van. Park up near a lake or a river inflate your kayak and off you go. We took on Intex Excursion Pro which is a fishing Kayak and used it lots across Scotland and Norway.
Wet Shoes
For swimming, kayaking, beaches and more these are great. We actually drove off and left ours under the van so we will be re-purchasing soon.
Microfibre Towels
These are small and lightweight making them perfect for Van life. They are perfect for hiking, wild swimming and more!
Camping Pots and Pans
We love these pots they are so lightweight, and we sometimes even use them inside the van their that good. They stack and their small – they also cool down really quickly!
Camera Equipment and Technology
To capture all those memories it’s nice to take some camera equipment. There is also nothing better than snuggling down in your van with the projector playing.
Instax mini printer
Everyone needs a way to displaying their memories. For printing all the amazing Van Life adventures this is great as you can choose the photos you want. Bonus is you have a photo to print them to get them started.
Go Pro
We bought our Hero 8 off Gumtree to save money and it works great. We would recommend having at least one camera on the road to capture your memories and this is a great adventure camera.
Drone | DJI Mini
Again we got our drone off Gumtree to save money. We went with a DJI Mini which is a great beginners drone and takes some amazing shots. If you’re just getting into drone photography I would suggest buying second hand and opting for a DJI Mini.
Portable Projector
For cosy nights in the van. This is the perfect cosy Christmas Van Life gift. This projector is small, lightweight but has a great picture quality. We love this and use it all the time.
Planning a Van Build?
Our custom long wheelbase design, the Workspace Adventurer, has all the measurements and details of our van, with two office spaces & flexible layout
Van Life Kitchen Must Haves
Again the kitchen items are very van specific. They depend on what you have in your van. For example, if you have an oven you won’t need an Omnia. Here our the top picks for a Van Life Kitchen.
Nesting Pots and Pans
A great space saver. These are expensive but have been great for us. We didn’t take all the pots and pans just the ones we needed and they fit perfectly in our cupboard.
Thermal mug with Lid
Everyone raves about yeti Mugs and we started off with them. They are great but expensive and heavy so we have just bought some lightweight camping mugs with lids to try out.
Collapsible Dish Drying Rack
Again this is great for saving space in your van. This one is super spacious and has a place for cutlery keeping your van tidy.
To explore more products we love for Van Life, check out our Van Life Essentials Page
Our six-month journey into full-time van life has been amazing and after trying out all the things we bought months in advance we are now ready to share our favourites. We hope you found this article helpful and have found some new goodies to try out for your motorhome or campervan!
