Surviving Van Life in Ottawa, Ontario
Surviving Van Life in Ottawa, Ontario
This video was made in September 2019. I lived in my van from May until August 2019 and loved it! Super cool experience, learned a lot about living on my own, what it takes to actually survive, minimalism, and having adventures while still living a normal life. I answered a bunch of questions in the video but if you have more feel free to comment them down below and I would be happy to answer them! I no longer have the van but am interested in what it would look like to live tiny again in the future.
Lots of love, stay healthy!
-V
Awesome setup!!
Nice music, but hearing you is extremely difficult. Disappointed!
Where do u shower? Lol
Music too loud
Vanessa is a bit of a cutie, stay safe.
Hi from California
Just use a spray bottle. You really never need a sink ever. 1 spray bottle of vinegar water and one of alcohol water. Use the same bottles for your daily bathing needs as well. Food prep, cooking and coffee/tea are more important real estate concerns.
This is our next goal and travel the states
That was a really great video. If you have any questions about van lifestyle you should get in touch with Chrome, he has a YouTube channel called Van City Vanlife. He had Truly Great videos and could probably tell you a lot about van life. Good luck and stay healthy happy and strong.
I would suggest buying a product called "Reliance Luggable Loo"…trust me, it comes in handy when you aren’t near a restroom or gas station. I also keep a carbon monoxide detector cause I didn’t have any venting fan and had a portable heater this past winter. I’m in the process of installing a fan or two in my Honda van. As for privacy, I got my windows tinted really really dark but I did the same things you did by making window shades out of reflective, thinsulate and clothe material. I take showers at the gym but during quarantine, I go to my sisters house (thanks sis) or parents house (thanks mom and dad). As for sleeping, I have a sleeping bag rated for -20 degree celsius and one rated for 5 degree celsius. I lay it over a wooden plank bed i made, similar to yours. I add memory foam underneath for cushion. I keep a pack of 24 water bottles and a cooler (which on hot day I fill with ice and drinks). I want to install a solar panel but trying to find a video on how to do it. It’s been a lot of charging my devices at Walmart or anywhere I can find an outlet. This pandemic really sucks. I park at Walmart (make sure to check to see if the area is safe…no gangs or homelessness or busy area), if not, I usually park in subdivisions, alongside a curb. Trick is to arrive just after people sleep and leave before they are awake…so generally, I park at 11pm and out by 6am….a good 7 hours of sleep. I usually brush and ‘relieve myself’ using the Luggable Loo in places where businesses not have opened and I make it quick. I throw the ‘package’ in trash cans nearby. I’m thinking of ordering one of those portable shower systems…just reading the reviews now. Saving a lot of money. Aside from car insurance, gas and oil change and groceries and my phone plan, 70% of my monthly salary is not used. Oh, the van is 4 years old and cost almost $18000 to buy. I know it’s not cheap but I don’t know any car mechanic and I wanted a van with no problems…so newish I went. It took almost 3 years to save to buy it but worth every penny…and I am now familiar with a couple trustworth car mechanics. My goal is to save about $100000 to put a down payment towards a condo. I budgeted everything and it would take me almost 3 years to do…so I guess vanlife for another 3 years. Friends and extended family have ‘looked at me funny’ when I told them of my new lifestyle but I’m doing this for me. I work at a ok job but the cost of renting is so high in my area, that more than half my pay monthly goes just to rent. This is my solution. I could get a better job but I would need to go back to school etc…that is not an option now. Maybe when I have my own place, where my monthly mortgage payments don’t leave me broke. Hope everyone is safe and doing what they need to do to survive. Take care.
You rock. I hope you’re happy every single day. I’m turning 60 tomorrow and going out for my first time. For now In my VW Jetta. I’m scared shite less then you said you feel 💯 safe so now my nerves have calmed down. Thank u😍
Nice legs lol
A lot less exciting if your propane was not upside down. Can’t find it again, but I found a few very fun stories from people using upside-down tanks.
Why "surviving"?
I have a Grand Caravan too, not arranged as thoughtfully as yours — I like that bed-seat design and I sure could use running water. I use a little 1-burner butane stove, which would free up 2/3 of your counter space compared to that 2-burner propane stove. Ottawa is a lovely city but isn’t it cold for van life in the winter? Oh wow just saw Daniel Miller’s comment below, he makes the same points.
People – everyone is wasting a lot of space putting in sinks. You don’t need anything more than a big bowl to put water in. That’s it!
Nice build, but skip the music next time. 😜
Nice van – your bed was Way Over-built. Could have used some 2×3 and half a sheet of plywood.
But hey, it’s your van. Have fun.
Love the van! Your curtain with Velcro is brilliant! We have a 2018 Promaster we are renovating from previous build and can use that idea. Thanks for sharing ~Paul
Seems like a very nice van, but I could not listen to it because of the music all the time…
Very nice, cool to know there are awesome ppl out there in vans..I’m south east of you in NH
Intéressant
Love your mini van!!! The simple life.
Winter is not too livable unless you have a diesel heater and a gym membership for showering…and a butane cooker…and a cassette toilet is awesome
That’s great music and you did a really great job. I’d suggest turning the music way down to background music or off when speaking. I hope you’re proud of your accomplishments. You rock!
You saving on rent/ mortgage and maybe utilities? Planning to try this soon. Thanks dor sharing.
Hi there! I live in Ontario and am planning to buy a small van (ProMaster City) next month and do my own little homemade camping setup. I’m wondering if you have CAA? It seens on their website to say all vans are excluded from their membership, but I’m sure I’ve heard other vanlife people using them. Do you? And if not, do you have some other kind of roadside assistance? Thanks for your help!
Love it. Much more roomie than my suv. What do you do for a/c?
I think your on to something! Keep updating us on your Van Life!
Great video! Have a question… what do you do for heat in winter?? Also just a thought… if you use a butane stove you would save space , cost on fuel , and less dangerous than propane. Your call . Just saying. Keep the vids coming!
This looks like the van that was snoring out front of my house the other week. Van living in Ottawa, huh…must’ve been pretty COOL the last few months.
No fridge or porta potty is a NoNo 4me….no power either?
Very nice video and van enjoy
Awesome video! Really got a glimpse into the quaint lifestyle of living in a van. My favorite part is when you said you opened the doors and windows because you didn’t want to die, I can totally relate to that….sometimes.
Great video!
You are an amazing young Lady. You are so cute and very creative
#van4lyfe
Hi do you watch on YouTube. Van city van life.
Wow so cool, if only i could leave everything and live in my suv! How did you do winter?
👍👍👍👍
Great setup, thanks for sharing
You own the van which you can sell so that’s a savings. Even sharing an apartment with a roommate would be at least $600 per month and you would not have a car to drive. I think van living is a great idea especially during spring summer and early fall.
I wish you all the blessings on your new chapter in life 💜✝️ suggestion: it is really hard to hear you through the music.
Can’t hear you over the music!
I saw in one of your answers to s comment thatYou sold the van already…..
I was going to say that you could have build on a cook station (to the outside) of the van with a (pull down table to cook on) that you could have attached to the back of the sink 😁😉
Music is loud & distracting…bye.
I think you’ve seen too many other van tours. Authenticity should be the focal point. IMHO
Hey that’s awesome, I just got a 2018 dodge grand caravan and finished converting it, infact, I’m in ottawa as well! Thought I was the only one lol how did you make you’re window coverings? That’s what I need to make lol
nice van same as what I’m planning on doing to start living in but Ottawa is cold in the winter. yes Ottawa is my home town would like to check out the van and give me ideas??
@UC2tpK_AkZVe8KJSAZ1-j6Hg keep posting amazing job