≡ Menu

Couple Survives Two Winters Living in a Small Van


This post contains affiliate links.

Derrick & Paula moved into a Dodge Pleasure Way camper van just 2 weeks before their wedding, and then road tripped across Canada in their van for 2 months.

What started off as a honeymoon slowly turned into a semi-permanent living situation for the couple when they continued living in their van, even after they both went back to work full-time.

To-date, they’ve lived in the van for 19 months – including 2 Winters – which is impressive when you consider that they live in Ontario, Canada, where temperatures fall well below freezing for months at a time.

Couple Survives Two Winters Living in a Small Van

The van interior is tiny, but it has everything they need: a comfy bed, a toilet & sink, a propane fridge and stove, as well as a propane furnace to keep them warm in winter.

The captains chairs in the front of the van rotate to create a cozy sitting area, and their DIY curtains are made using blackout material for extra privacy.

The couple has a membership at a nationwide gym which is where they shower, and they park in Walmart parking lots, which is one of the only urban areas where van dwellers can legally sleep in their vans for free.

By living in a van, the couple was able to reduce their living expenses, especially by eliminating the cost of rent.  This allowed them to aggressively pay down their debt and get themselves into a financial situation that is allowing them to consider purchasing a home in the near future.

Video: Van Life – Couple Survives 2 Winters Living in a Van!

Please learn more using the resources below. Thanks!

Resources

What do you think about this living arrangement? Do you think you could handle living in a van, even through two winters?

You can share this van dwelling story with your friends and family for free using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Thanks.

If you enjoyed this RV living story you’ll absolutely LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more! Thank you!

More Like This: Explore our Van Dwelling Section

See The Latest: Go Back Home to See Our Latest Tiny Houses

This post contains affiliate links.

The following two tabs change content below.
Danielle is a digital nomad who is passionate about tiny spaces, living with less, reducing waste and eating plant-based food. Danielle is half of the Exploring Alternatives blog & video project. You can find more of her at www.ExploringAlternatives.ca and her Exploring Alternatives YouTube Channel.
{ 7 comments… add one }
  • Marcy
    March 24, 2016, 2:29 pm

    I have a 1973 Chevy camping van that I often joke I can never part with ’cause I might need to live in it one day. I don’t know how I’d feel about 19 months, but I can certainly see myself doing the same to allow me privacy and the ability to save money for my next phase.

    Awesome job, guys.

  • Sondra
    March 24, 2016, 3:09 pm

    Wow what a brilliant set up, almost everything you would need, kudos to you two for doing this and looking like you’re having a good time doing it !

  • Gabrielle Charest
    March 24, 2016, 5:54 pm

    More power to you guys! I admire your innovative spirit.

  • jake
    March 24, 2016, 9:39 pm

    What a wonderful experiment in joy. After all, tiny isn’t really about smaller, cuter, or more in less. It seems to be, among other things, about joy. Things that don’t spark joy tend to obscure, dilute, detract from things that do. This story brings me joy.

    Oh, and Danielle, I have to say, major kudos on the concept behind the name “exploring alternatives”. Priceless.

    • Marcy
      March 25, 2016, 3:57 am

      Beautifully put, Jake.

  • November 4, 2016, 7:51 am

    Derrick & Paula, Hats off to you! I give you a lot of credit to be able to live in your van. What great way to be able to save for future plans without having the overhead expenseives of paying for rent, electricity, etc. Your home is very cozy, and you have great ideas! Best of Luck in the future! Carol???

    • Natalie
      November 4, 2016, 8:48 am

      It’s so amazing 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.