The Least Romantic Part of Van Life 

This is one of your best vlogs! Even though your just running errands, it's refreshing and a nice change of pace from everyone trying to one up each other by doing all these fancy things. It's nice to know that your real and human too. It motivates me to do better in my life.

I always think van life people should get a CDL and learn how to drive a truck. I am a truck driver and I know very well of those challenges...getting groceries and taking showers or being told to leave a place. It's not a job it's a lifestyle but I get paid and I am delivering goods to people and make some money 😊 I picked up a stray kitten who is my best companion and life is decent ☺️

I love how you kept van life real. You didn't make it seem all glamorous. I appreciate that and will follow your adventures because of it keep up the great work

Totally great blog! I lived van life for about 15 years on and off. Drove it until it fell apart. (Was a 78 Ford Econoline 150 my parents converted from a cargo van) they drove and camped in it all over. Then I drove it for another 15 years. Ca to Kansas and back. And all over! It was on its 2nd engine. I miss that life but I'm living in 30 ft. Travel trailer wanting to downsize so I could travel but economy crash means I have to get strong and come out of retirement. I'm 67 and way too fat. I traveled with my cat who really adapted well to loving the road. She would sit by the back window and be sure to run up to the front to tell me about interesting things she would see in the side of the road. Cows and horses in fields etc. Lol

I live on a boat and the best thing I do is use a local “wash & fold” laundry mat. I drop off, provision, etc and it is done when all my errands are done. The extra 5 bucks they charge is worth the freedom….The not showering thing……lmao

I really enjoyed how you took us on a typical day of errands. And that sandwich looked sooo good! Lots of hugs to Eliza (:

i wish other van lifers showed this side of things, it is so much better for your soul to be authentic than ‘insta-perfect’ bs, really enjoying all your videos especially the arty side - you frame shots really well, and love the feminine slant to living vanlife ( i am also a woman in the middle if a van build), also dogs are the best 🐶, wishing you well from here in the cold and wet uk, wish we had such a huge amount of land to go and park at, not to mention the different range of climates you have to choose from in the US.

I like the day-in-the-life. For those of us in planning stage, this perspective adds a natural nuance we don't usually see, it rounds out our education.

I've found that if I do the hard stuff at the beginning of my day, it makes for a very easy rest of the day. Also keeps me from being so tired when I actually have to do "Work".

I’ve watched hundreds of van life videos. This is the best! Well done, the artistry, pace, everything!!!

I feel so comfortable inside your blogs Maddie. There are several characteristics about your blogs I can relate with. I'm really a calm easy going, no-rush, organized and task accomplishing person, and I see your calmness ... your abilities to be calmly organized, and you have a gentle soft comfort about your style, and I love this🌻 Maddie...I think you are my favorite blogger!🌹 I feel like I can truly relax with your voice, your perfect easy visual beauty, and it's simply comfortable. Thank you Maddie for being my favorite! I've van lifed for about 20.6 years except 3 months after covid hit... I got an oceanfront small condo for about 20 months with a 5 month trip westward during that 20 months (as I needed a road trip)! And I'm once again, now, I'm full time van life again...on the Florida Atlantic Ocean beaches until its too hot n humid...like late March or April, then to head back up elevation...yes ... the Colorado Rockies. This year though, I'm thinking of "wondering" along the Pacific Ocean, and maybe the Cascades a little ... maybe. It'll just have to be determined by what flows. Kind of a "wondering freedom... almost aimless." Not putting any pressure on anything about this year's directions, other than westward. Maddie... thank you for your intelligent easy going ways...as, when I feel a need for a "connection" ... I have found comfort in tuning your vibrations into my consciousnrss. And when I tune in your blogs, I feel a big sigh of relief ..... of comfort. I am so humbly grateful for you Maddie. I'm Forest Sky... sending you calmness back to you... like a recharge ... a refresh. You are appreciated by many! Humbly onward🌻🎶 .....🌎 🛸

dude, so glad you showed us the unromantic parts. I'm def hitting the road full time in the future and really appreciate learning everything that goes along with it. Seriously, much appreciated sista.

Thanks for sharing, that is some of the real content we need to see. Having camped and RV’d for years I have done most of that. Hope to start building our van this summer or as soon as Ford builds it.

Eliza is just precious with her high fives!! 🥰🐾

I subscribe to several van lifers and you are one of my absolute faves! You keep it real and sweet. I like your nature content intermittently. You and Eliza are a breath of fresh air. Happy happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Maddie! Can't believe I've been watching your vlogs for almost a year. Also, the least romantic part of van life can be gross, but now that it's done you and Eliza can have a Happy Valentine's Day being all caught up on your errands and a clean compost toilet.

Thanks for taking us along on your chore day. Why is it so satisfying to see others do chores that we don’t enjoy ourselves?? Maybe it’s a we are all in this together notion? Regardless throughly enjoyed your chore day!

This is one of my favorite RU-vid videos, best content, putting up your reflectixs and shutting it all down for the night. It makes it more realistic for me (if that makes any sense).

What a productive day, Mads! I love that you show the real aspects of van life. And seriously, I love the way you make food in your videos! It's like food ASMR for real. And just looks so delicious. Love you boo!

I look forward to each next video and as always I appreciate the bloops. Thanks as always for sharing it all (most of it) with us. Happy you and Eliza are well. Be well 🤙🙏💪🌄

Happy Birthday and many, many more… Mine is the 15th of February, but I will be 63. You are living my dream, I have been married almost 40 years, raised 4 sons, and worked and worked to pay a mortgage. Live for me, enjoy your one life to the fullest. Do what you want to do, not what others demand of you. Thank you for sharing your glorious life…

I love everything about this video. I’m about to start van life full time and seeing a real day is so nice. Please keep doing these.

Thanks for telling us how much all the provisions cost. Traveling and seeing the US at a low cost and doing this with my 2 dogs is something I want to do.

I am falling more in love with the idea of Vanlife, thanks to you. I never want your videos to end but I think they are the perfect length. Everything you do has this art, love, and harmony to it. I wonder if these qualities will come to me as well in time. Those attributes are worth more than gold and you are so young. I am old (58 this Spring when I hope to start Vanlife) but hope to find even a fraction of what you portray.

I think it’s really refreshing to see the mundane side of van life. I don’t live in one myself, but obviously also have to do chores and errands. Happy birthday for next week 🥳🎂🎂🎉🎉. Cuddles to Eliza!😊😊😊😊

This is the first video of yours that I have watched. I do expediting in a van so I'm in it about 3 weeks at a time. One thing I found was to use horse bedding in my home depot bucket for my porta potty!! The horse bedding is made from sawdust and shaped in to pellets that look like rabbit food. I first install a plastic bag in my bucket then pour some pellets in. After using the porta potty I just add fresh pellets. There is no smell at all except maybe pine from the pellets. After a few days you just tie up the plastic bag and throw it in a garbage can at a gas station. You can buy a 40 lb bag of pellets for about 8 bucks at Tractor Supply and they last a long time!! Good video, will subscribe! Stay safe!!

Loved this video, you’re super cute, and even a chore day for van-living looks like the perfect day to me, thank you for showing people out there the real life of van life. Not for everyone , but loved by those who choose it ❤️

Thanks for keeping it real and showing us how it’s done! XO

Great tip off on the "Golf Club Center/lockers & showers" spot for those van lifers that like to hit a "bucket of balls" and other things. And jerk chips for breakfast is cool too. You are doing great Maddie. Keep it up, it only gets better. 😷 And Happy Birthday to you too!! Pizza - Get Some!!

Okay you have helped me make a huge decision regarding my van build. The loo is going next to the sliding door. So I don’t have to deal with it in the middle of the van. I am disaster prone have to plan for the inevitable

loving that marble queen pothos.. just picked one up and it’s definitely my favorite of my collection. you are my favorite van lifer, you do an incredible job of creating and editing your videos. always so tranquil and enjoyable to watch. keep it up & stay sane out there. 😋

It's such a cool camping car.😃

Hands down the best video, and the bar is really high. Thank you, Maddie and Eliza!

Great video! I enjoyed watching it. Your van looks lovely and you’re inspiring me to give it a try myself. I’m 78, still working full time, and trying to figure out where to live and how when I retire.

I loved every aspect of your errand day! Oh ya your bloopers are so great they add a smile on my face at the end of your vlogs. Thank you 😁

Just an idea. Get a 5 gal bucket(Lowes or HomeDepot or some restaurants and contractors might give you one for free. ) with the lid. Line your toilet with a plastic bag and put small amount peat moss or rodent cage bedding in. Close seat and lid. Use toilet a time or two and remove liner( no need to remove toilet from brackets). Put a knot in the liner expressing air. Place the liner and contents in the bucket. Secure lid. Empty bags when convenient. I used this method 2 years although I had a flush toilet. Enjoyed your video.

I agree - one of your best videos! I love that you show both sides of vanlife! Hope you have a good nights sleep after all those chores… and hope both of you will have some wonderful carefree days with good food, good books, good views and good times together! 😘🦮🥰🍀🌼🌸

Errand days are this weird tension between procrastinating over all the things you don’t want to do and feeling super accomplished when you actually complete your to do list. I enjoyed seeing an ordinary day like this :)

Your video's are getting so much better and enjoyable.It was nice to see the daily grind. and of course the Bloops made me laugh. Best wishes

Thank you for this. My two partners and I are veteran van lifer/RV lifers and I remember the one year We had an apartment all of my friends tried van life and were surprised at how challenging it turned out to be because a lot of RU-vidrs make it seem all glam. Luckily we could give them showers, laundry and shelter when needed. This lifestyle isn’t for the faint of heart and it’s even harder to do it alone.

I’ve never seen your channel but enjoyed how you just showed a normal day. I grew up in Tucson and explored everywhere around the Catalina’s and the entire state. I loved watching the driving.

I was a driver for many years. the truck stop showers are pretty good and clean if you haven't been in one and usually cheap. I'd recommend Loves, Flying J, and Pilot showers. especially Loves.

Nicely done. Those days are always fulfilling. Always look forward to your videos. Wow your dog is sweet .

Maddie, thank you for sharing your errand day. Any of the tasks you checked off your list would have taken me most of a day. If I get any slower,....* My grandmother said that as you get older time goes faster, which at 78, I have to agree, but she left out the personal bit about slowing down. *... I'll be going backward. Eliza is a super good van companion. I always enjoy your videos. I feel like I'm right there with you two. Be well. Hugs from SC, USA.

Omg the shot of you in the grocery store!! I'd be sooo nervous to record myself anywhere in public-huge props to you lol! Also I loved seeing your grocery haul💛💛

I think I've camped in that exact spot in the beginning! I love how we all swap homes and get to enjoy so many places :)

First time your video came across my search. Very cool video. Enjoyed a normal van life day of chores. Like your dog.

Thank you for sharing this, I loved watching ☺️

Thanks for being original! You got me hooked watching this vlog.

THIS is vanlife to me, not all the fancy stuff that’s only bonus :-) Thanks!!

Your process with a composting toilet is exactly why I use a bucket toilet. Convienent to dump, easy to clean, fast to setup.

Wow. That’s living!Hope to be doing the same next spring.

Thank you for a full and honest insight. Take care with your faithful companion. Sally UK

Thank you for a realistic video. This was great!

I thought it was a great vlog. Showing just how van life is, is what I like most. Displaying your groceries and your reaction to how much you bought🙂. I suppose toilets will always be a thing in vans. At least you have one and a composting toilet seems to be the best choice seeing you don’t have to empty it as often and you can empty it in the van and throw it in a rubbish bin contrary to a chemical toilet where as you have to walk with the toiletcassette and go and empty it somewhere which isn’t always possible. Just came to mind, I thought that you were able to dispose by digging a hole, empty it and covering it up. After all it is compost. This you can do when you are camped somewhere remote. Most of all, I love your van. So beautiful and cosy inside. Then there is adorable Eliza 🥰 who is always there for you. She makes a home complete. Can’t wat till your next vlog 🙋‍♀️

Thanks for sharing your busy day. A bit of real life on the road is refreshing.

Great reality check on van life . Thank you. I’m super psyched to get started!!!! Dinner looked yummy. -James

I actually really enjoy watching the errand days in van life. Super satisfying :)

Love this video - Happy Birthday- lots of love and blessings - thanks for showing real life stuff that has to b done - great attitude- all the best 💕💕🙏🙏❤️❤️

I've been watching so many van videos because of Covid, and I find nearly everyone mentions how hard it is to get rid of trash and being embarrassed by it. Happy birthday in advance and make sure to spoil yourself :)

I love what you do. I've been wanting to live / travel in a van for a while and your videos are encouraging.

Fabulous video! Well done! Thanks for keeping it real and sharing your wonderful personality. It's a real treat in a world full of overly glamorized videos.

Your furbaby is adorable. I hope he's getting enough exercise. Be well, stay safe.

thank you for taking us with,big hugs from MN

KUDOS for showing the realities of life and Van life! Well done and all the BEST to you! Cheers :) Safe travels and stay warm!

Awwwww accomplished the tasks and now you relax! My haul looked very similar to your's! Mindblowing 🤯 Happy birthday to you 🎶 I got one in a few day's and surely it is double your year's lol. My mind say's DO IT! My body say's YOU ARE OLD! Nice neat tidy clean and the hot tub looked amazing! Much love from Texas 💜

Simply put Maddie, I like you-I like your videos. You're just so real. Thanks for that.

I really love this you showed all the things that you had to do I'm very interested in how you like your van how much it cost if it's had any problems etc. Also where you got the sauna and shower might have been nice to know. The fact that you thought you should have had it later in the day is a nice note. I would like to know if you're somewhere in February what town you're around what park you're in what the temperature is is it windy is it cold temperature in the night and day things like that. I'm very interested in Teralinga, TX. I like it when people show going down the roads into the parks to show what the traffic is like and what the roads are like but I think you do a good job of showing a little bit of that. There's a guy who reserves his site with the cheap tent from Walmart that will cost $20 I guess that's a good idea. My main thing is the weather because I see so many people who go up North and get stuck in the snow but in the desert how hot is it and are you comfortable when you're walking are you hot when you're walking I like the way you're honest and forthright and explaining your situation.

Love this. Also love your generous use of pickles!

Belated Happiest of birthdays, Maddie! Eliza is such a sweetheart. I absolutely love her name. It was my maternal grandmother’s name too 🥰. That sliding door on our Promaster is hard to close too 🥴. Toast made in a cast iron skillet always is so much yummier, I think. That sandwich looked delicious!!! Maddie, you’re living my dream 🥰💜

Thank you for sharing your personal experience with us. Loved the video..

Thanks for the real side of life video! The pizza battle was humorous …because we all do that, travel or not. 😂 Eliza is such a good dog‼️

Thank you for sharing your day. I do have to say that I think I would have gotten all of the chores done and then taken a shower🙂

like such kind of normal van life vlog,, not boring, but feel productive

When you are completely out of clean clothes, I recommend that you do laundry before taking a shower. That way you have clean clothes waiting for you when you get out of the shower.

Thanks for the smiles; I needed that

First time seeing how your full day went and how to care for a compost toilet. I’m 78 and am so envious. We helped my ddinlaw get a small ford transit and buil it out. I sure wish it was me 😛 lol But I enjoy you and one other gal with a white dog. Happy Trails

I hope you enjoyed my home state!! Its been almost a year now since I've been back. I've been in pt school out of state and it was fun to see your little Arizona adventure. Def miss az! When I finish school, I really want to van life!

Love the four legged car alarm... 💞

Thank you for sharing what the day-to-day life is.

You both looked tired but contented by the end. Happy days (and Happy Birthday!)

In town you can look for retail shops with dumpsters or you can scope out apartment complexes. Most apartments have dumpsters situated around the property or one central compactor where all residents dump their trash. Some retail places will post signs that dumping is unlawful so I would avoid those and just find an apartment complex and do my trash run there.

Today was the first time I noticed your van is a diesel! I didn't know the Promaster had that as an option. I heard you pull away in the desert and thought, hey that sounded like a diesel.....when you opened the fuel door it was confirmed! 😁

I love that you travel with a pitty. I worry about places discriminating against my girl when I hit the road but she is my best baby and I would never leave her behind!!

A lot of work! Thank you for sharing!

Hi Maddie, learning a lot from you, my van is now ready, my van is very similar to yours, same colour but mine has a extra long wheel base . Hard to find parking spaces when in town. will be taking baby steps to start off with....a weekend here a weekend there etc. Don't think i could bite the bullet and do it full time....love my house and comforts too much i'm afraid. Thank you for the blogs.. Please take care of yourself and beautiful Eliza. Best wishes from David. England. UK

This is so awesome! I just subscribed today. I love following your adventure and seeing the van set up, as if it were mine and imagining how or what I would do! Good luck with your travels.

Bravo! You accomplished all your errands! Hope you slept well that night.

Amazon store has portable showers. They also have privacy tents. You’re welcome

Thank You for posting this video . I’ve seen so many people that talk about putting in a water tank but never say a word about getting it filled on the road . I need to watch more of your cooking . I’m sure when I live in a van I’ll eat a lot because that’s what I do when I’m bored . I don’t want to weigh 350 pounds . So I subscribed and I’ll be watching .

Thanks for sharing the not-so-glamorous side of life. That sandwich looks mmmm tasty! Safe travels. See you next week.

Heh Maddie, I’ve only just discovered your channel here in the UK but am already loving your version of van life! As someone who is contemplating starting their van journey next year while remote working, I feel that your films are not only extremely informative, but also very honest, beautifully-produced and inspiring. I don’t mean to sound frivolous but, if that’s the LEAST romantic part of van life, I’m pretty sure it is something I can deal with. So, thank you for the reassurance, please keep producing your wonderful films and I hope you are living and loving your best life! 🏔😀

Some of the hashtag vanlife channels, especially solo female weekend warriors, do not present an authentic picture of vanlife. Thanks for keeping it real, Maddie.

Nice job! You just accomplish all of your housework even that your very tired. Take care always and stay safe ❤️

This is the first video I've seen of you and your pup. I'm impressed! I am going to have to go back and watch previous vids. Eliza is such a sweetheart, and is so calm. How is she so calm and well behaved?

It's so sad to see you traveling all alone with the exception of the amazing Eliza to keep you company. She is and always will be your co pilot lol 😆. But as always take good care of yourself and the amazing Eliza stay safe and happy travels always...JP

New to the channel but I have to say I have been looking into van life/suv camping myself recently and I think it’d be awesome to try. Just a very daunting thing to take on.

Have you ever tried using a trash bag as a liner at the bottom of your composting toilet? It might be easier to put the compost directly into the bag and then all you have to do is cinch the bag up instead of tipping over the toilet.

I am the same in doing errands but I have to force myself and force it to the end because I know if I do not get all done I will wish I did. At first, I was happy with myself getting all done but now I say thank God I got it all done this time. lol, Fun show, and thanks for sharing.

Thank you for doing a video like this. I’m going to be a van lifer soon so I need to understand the realities.