Some people have wanted to see how the inside of my van is set up, so last night I attempted to take some pictures. It’s hard to get a picture of the whole van at once, ya know? Also it was dark, so I couldn’t really see in the view finder until after the picture was taken (yay for flashes). And my van’s messy. Sorry, but that’s part of life.
Anyways… here goes.
This is the view looking in the back door. Those are two seperate side-by-side rubbermaid two-drawer-high units (one drawer for shirts, one for pants, one for food, and one for jars of canned food and photo albums). The head of my bed rests on those, and my workbag there is kinda like a headboard. Next to them are three crates, which make a bookshelf. At the back of those three crates are three more facing the inside of the van, and they’re all zip-tied together. And, yeah, I have a yarn problem.
This is the view looking back from between the front seats, bed on one side, bookshelves on the other side, garment bag hanging from the wall for herbs and yarn, dulcimer leaning there, and crate for sitting on. Also, skirts stuffed up on top of the bookshelf.
This is underneath my bed, and you can also see how the bed rests on the dog crate in the front and the drawers in the back. See the little metal braket thing securing it to the dog crate? It’s small and it ain’t perfect, but it does a great job. Then there’s the bucket of dog food, drawers, dirty laundry, camp stove, baskets, tools, seat-crate, and the empty dog food bag is for trash.
This is my bed. See the cargo net? That’s this genius idea I got from someone on the VanDweller list. I’m gonna put all that errant yarn in it…
I took this picture of my feet while I was laying in bed so you can see how small the space between the bed and the ceiling is. It’s not for everyone, but it’s good enough for me.
Let’s talk about attatching things to the ceiling. I took some one by two’s along the sides. I unscrewed the hook thingies, and made little metal brackets go under them to attatch the wood to (another genius idea that wasn’t mine). I hope this picture explains it better….
Same thing down the center, with the lights, tho when we I got to the front I just stuck it under the velcro rather than doing the front light too. In the back there’s a bracket between the two AC vents. And, of course, velcro. In the winter, I hang an insulated curtain from that velcro so that my bed space is a warm little cacoon.
Privacy? Astro’s have this cool velcro lip thingy right behind the front seats. I just tuck my nifty skirt/dress/wrap thingy up in there and then I can hide out in the back without being seen.
And, insulation. Reflectix is da bomb. On your windows that’ll vent open, or that you might want to see out of, use velcro, but on the back windows, use copious amounts of the tape that came with it.
And… that’s all.
If you have questions, leave them in the comments section and I’ll update this post to answer them.
Also, check out the van set-up’s at http://www.cheaprvliving.com and http://www.LarenCorie.com
you kick ass! i am known around town as a hobo of sorts, but your lifestyle currently resides in my deepest dreams. not so much the stripping (which, as a person very happy and comfortable with her body, yet pretty shy around strangers, i admire in you) you are a true goddess. many blessings and safe travels to you.
be well sister,
lucretia (richmond va if you’re ever here)
ps: as an apprentice of susun’s i love seeing the childbearing year on your shelf 🙂
Me and my (English) boyfriend are arguing … is it a caravan? Or a van like a VW van that you’ve remodelled in order to live in it?
It’s a Chevy Astro… just a regular minivan.
hey, tara! kate from vandwellers here. i have an ’02 astro, configured very differently than yours, but i am thinking about adopting some of your ideas…….how wide is your bed? and can you get from the front to the back without getting out of the van? thanks!
Kate, my bed is standard cot size, about 30″ wide. I can get to the front from the bed by climbing down to the seats, or from the floor in the back. It takes some weird contortions sometimes, tho (like, from the bed I have to put some of my weight on my hand on the steering wheel.)
Thanks for the tour. You can never see to many set-ups, as in, are you ever really finished with the layout of your living quarters? Even if you think you are, you need to “rearrange the furniture” every once in a while. 😉
Do you crochet, knit, or both?
david h
Have you ever considered getting an RV or camper or anything? What do you do when you have company?
Your site came up on a message board I’m part of AstroSafari.com
Figured I would check out your van. Nice van. If your looking for how-tos or tips head on over to Astro safari that is if you haven’t already.
BTW It’s not a mini van it’s a truck 😛
Alex, I know it’s on a truck chassis, but it’s mini-van sized on the inside. Which is, ya know, where I live. 🙂
Hey,
so I come to your site quite often. You instil inspiration in me. One thing I wonder is if you make a good buck from stripping why don’t you live in an apartment?
There was a point just a while ago that i wanted to become a stripper but then decided against it, and it was at that time that I stumbled across your site, and I learned a lot.
I always thought that strippers get a base pay and then all the money they make from lap dances and stuff is extra.
well, take care
hi tara~ i am a fellow blogmasterminder. i think the students who visit my site would get a lot from yours. it would be great if you guest wrote sometime, and vice versa.
i have a mate starting her blog on dance and the sacred prostitute is part of her journey. methinks she will want to add you to her blogroll too.
metta
🙂
Thanks for sharing. I am 30 miles from Tucson, AZ. I live in the desert I sometimes live in my van. Where are you?
Ciao!
Oh! Perfect job!
Very good and helpful post.
I add your interesting blog in my iGoogle page!
Thx!
After this helpful post, your blog in my RSS reader now
I would like to help people but find to much danger. How do I become helpful?
Featured on my blog today. Well met. I have taken a great deal from your posts. I hope others do too.
Cheers
Scott
http://mybohemia.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/vandwelling-strippers/
I am a 32 year old dude in Phoenix, az. Currently saving up for a van but a high top camper van fully self contained for now. I am a server at restaurants and I would like to do exactly what you are and go to differentvplaces tor a few weeks at a time and wait tables. Did you work for one company or a different job every location. This life interests and intrigues me. 2 months to my goal for the van….