Photos: How a family of 5 lives in a van full-time
By Kristin HanesUpdated
The parents love homeschooling their kids, saying this way, they get to spend their lives with their boys rather than just a couple hours at the end of the day.
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This family of five has been traveling full-time with kids for the past eight years.
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They've lived in a VW, then an Airstream, and are back in a van again. The eldest sleeps outside in a tent for privacy.
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"The biggest joy has been watching all of my kids learn to walk, teaching them all how to read, ride a bike, seeing them swim for the first time. I don't miss many, if any, moments because I'm not off at the office or they're not off at a daycare. For us, that's very important, and it's been a pleasure even as the reality of being constantly on parents rarely in the vicinity of a babysitter has been difficult as well." -Nathan Swartz
instagram.com/wandrly
"It's really less about 'living' in the van and more about sleeping there, and making the commitment to otherwise live outside." - Nathan Swartz
instagram.com/wandrly
"America boasts a lot about freedom, and nothing is more freeing than living in a vehicle you can pack up and take to the next beautiful spot at any moment's notice." - Nathan Swartz
instagram.com/wandrly
"The biggest thing I hope they get out of this all is seeing a bunch of different types of living situations, from people living incredibly simply in Mexico to various mixes of cultures in the United States, it just gives them the chance to see that no one particular way of life, skin color or personality dominates the entire world." - Nathan Swartz
instagram.com/wandrly
>>Click to see the most impressive tiny homes designed.
Seriously, these abodes will make any suburb-dweller want to cut out the clutter and downsize.
Enviresponsible Shelter
Designed by Broadhurst Architects, this prefab corn crib-inspired structure takes its basic form from traditional American corn cribs, which were common farm buildings that served to store and dry corn. The chic, modern 250-square-foot structure is delivered and assembled on-site, and includes a sleeping loft, an expandable kitchen wall, a bathroom, and living room. An insulated glass garage door opens to a small deck, connecting the interior space to the landscape beyond. Made of sustainable and recyclable materials, the structure can be dismantled and relocated to another site. —ESN
Diedricksen of RelaxShacks.com and built by Joe Everson of Tennessee Tiny Homes, this transforming micro A-frame cost only $1,200 to construct. One roof/wall is made of Tuftex polycarbonate roofing: Not only is it translucent to allow in natural light, the lightweight material is attached to the structure with hinges so it easily can be raised and propped on legs to expand the space from 80 square feet to 110. On the other side of the A, the purlins supporting the roof sheathing are placed horizontally to serve double duty as shelves. Two daybeds offer additional storage, a kitchen wall features a sink and space for a mini fridge, and a micro loft has a hinged "sunroof" for ventilation. Architect duo David and Jeanie Stiles drafted the build-it-yourself plans for this A-frame, which are on sale for $30. —ESN Designed by Derek "Deek"
The 204-square-foot "Wind River Bungalow" is the Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of tiny house enthusiasts Travis and Brittany Pyke, who started Wind River Custom Homes to help others fulfill their dreams of living simply in mini dream homes. Constructed of rain-screen cedar and hardy siding for extreme durability, the bungalow is full of custom features, including a pine and cedar interior, polymer concrete counters, and a loft ladder integrated into the shelving system. —ESN
This is the Olympia, Washington home of tiny house pioneer Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny, a memoir that details her decision to downsize to an 84-square-foot house that she built from the ground up after a near-death experience. Constructed atop a metal truck trailer, the super-small pine-and-cedar bungalow houses a kitchen counter with a propane one-burner, a sleeping loft, solar-powered lights, a composting toilet, and a sink (but no running water). To help others realize their tiny house dreams, Dee also founded Portland Alternative Dwellings, a tiny house education, resource, and consulting company.
This floating 240-square-foot cabin is an off-the-grid summer escape for Maine couple Foy and Louisa Brown. Assembled onshore, a foundation of plastic floatation tubs, Styrofoam, and pontoons was then towed to sea, and the cottage was built above it, using mostly pine shiplap. Louisa carries water out daily via canoe for a tank that fills the shower and kitchen; at night, candles, oil lamps, and solar lights illuminate the home.
This darling red-roofed cottage sits in a grove of leafy trees near the water's edge in Freeport, Maine. Designed by Mac Lloyd of Creative Cottages, the environmentally sensitive abode packs in a full kitchen, bathroom, living space, sleeping quarters, gas fireplace, laundry, and a loft space, while still managing to seem airy and spacious.
At first glance, the 400-square-foot Wedge, designed by Wheelhaus, appears to be a tiny luxury cabin but it's actually a mobile Park Model RV. Lofty 17-foot ceilings and a large sliding glass window at the front give an open feel to the rustic yet modern dwelling, which features a bedroom, bathroom, and combined kitchen/living room area. A 100-square-foot deck offers additional entertaining space. The Wedge is one of six turn-key models offered by Wheelhaus that start from $82,000. Not looking to buy? The Wedge is also available to rent at Fireside Resort at Jackson Hole Campground.
It's hard to believe this cute-as-a-button 780-square-foot historic cottage sits in the middle of a bustling metropolis. The house, owned by David Hawkanson, the executive director of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater Company, was built a few years after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when the Chicago Relief and Aid Society began offering so-called fire-relief cottage kits that included pre-cut wood, a door, a chimney, and a room partition. While historians believe more of these tiny cottages exist in Chicago, all but a couple of examples (like Hawkanson's) have become unrecognizable thanks to extensive renovations over the years.
Talk about a picture perfect country getaway: This custom built 336-square-foot cabin sits on 24 sprawling acres in West Point, Texas—just steps from its own four-acre constant flow lake, tiny lakehouse, and wooden pier. The rustic wood-paneled interior features a living space, full kitchen, bathroom, and two lofted bedrooms, all housed under a corrugated metal roof. The property, including the cabin and open-plan lakehouse (pictured), are on the market for $434,900.
Set in a wooded area, this 300-square-foot studio retreat in Chappaqua, New York, is nestled between two rock outcroppings—one is used as a backdrop and the other as a bookend to the deck. The design team at Workshop/apd chose Dark Ipe siding and decking and walnut interiors for a natural mid-century modern look that connects the structure to its wooded surroundings. Windows wrapping the western facade frame the scenery and visually enlarge the intimate space. —ESN
One of 14 tiny cabins at the Blue Moon Rising ecotourism retreat in McHenry, Maryland, the 250-square foot Kaya has a rustic reclaimed metal and wood exterior. Built by the folks at Hobbitat, the quaint interior features a living space, queen-bed nook, bathroom, and kitchen with a view of nature, all under a curved, corrugated metal ceiling. Rental rates per night range from $249 to $349. —ESN
This 112-square-foot mobile cabin belongs to extreme skier Zac Giffin, the host of FYI's Tiny House Nation, a show that features people from across the country who are living the tiny house lifestyle. The tiny abode is home to Giffin and his girlfriend, skier Molly Baker. Built on a trailer, the house features a little wood stove, living space, and a lofted guest bedroom and storage area accessed by a floating staircase. Built by Giffin for almost $25,000, the structure took seven weeks to complete.
Located near Watergate Bay in Cornwall, England of all places, the Sundance, a Wild West-themed wagon-style dwelling, is available to rent through Unique Homestays. Decorated with a "saloon chic" aesthetic (think wagon wheel art and sheepskin throws), the quaint interior features a wood-clad master bedroom, a bathroom with a walk-in rain shower, and a full kitchen. After a day riding horses on the nearby beach, relax with a glass of wine while sitting in a rocking chair on the lantern-lit front porch. Rental rates are about $800 for a three-night stay.
One of six tiny houses—each built on wheels and outfitted with a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping loft—at Caravan—The Tiny House Hotel in Portland, Oregon, the Skyline cabin is one of the newest additions to the hotel. The 160-square-foot structure is constructed of mostly salvaged materials and houses two queen beds. Rental rates are $125 per night.
Designed by Broadhurst Architects as a weekend retreat for a family from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., The Shack at Hinkle Farm sits on the southern slope of South Fork Mountain in West Virginia. With no electricity, the family relies on oil lamps for light and a small wood stove for heat; rain water is collected from the roof for the outdoor shower. An aluminum and glass garage door opens to a cantilevered wooden deck, where a removable canvas awning offers shade and shelter.
Inspired by and built by the team responsible for the gorgeous cottages at the Canoe Bay resort in the woods of Wisconsin, the 392-square-foot Escape looks like a high-end cabin but is actually a 28- by 14-foot Park Model RV on wheels. Vaulted ceilings and a large window wall give an airy feel to the cottage, which includes a living room with fireplace and kitchen wall and a separate bedroom and bath. Large French doors open to a screened porch that can be used as an extended living room, sleeping porch, or a dining area. The red-striped chaise lounge doubles as a bed with heated coils, perfect for naps on chilly days. Escape is available to rent at Canoe Bay, or can be custom-built for buyers and delivered ready to live-in. Prices start at $79,900. —ESN
With its 1920s cabins and vintage Boy Scout tents, Camp Wandawega, located in Elkhorn Wisconsin, evokes the set of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. But the camp's most charming feature is its three-level treehouse, built around a massive elm tree and outfitted with Pendleton blankets, tree swings, and Mason jar light fixtures. Used as a common space, guests can read a book in the treehouse's library on a rainy day or spend a lazy afternoon on the bottom-level hammock.
Carrie and Shane Caverly built their 200-square-foot house in the spring of 2012 after growing tired of paying mortgages and rent. Built on a trailer, the house features a low-maintenance steel roof, an on-demand hot water heater, an incinerating toilet, and a passive solar design. Carrie, an architectural designer, and Shane, a custom builder, now run Clothesline Tiny Homes, offering downloadable tiny house plans, design consulting, and custom building. After living in their tiny house for 20 months in New Mexico, the couple has now moved to Colorado, where they're building a 1,000-square-foot home. (Their tiny house will serve as a guest cottage.)
With authentic country character and hand-crafted, farmhouse-inspired details, Tiny Heirloom Homes makes it easy to downsize and upgrade at the same time. This 192-square-foot luxury farmhouse is outfitted with a sleeping loft, kitchen, bathroom, living space, and even a laundry machine. The base model, similar to the one shown here, starts at $65,000 and includes delivery plus a one-time trip out to the company's Oregon City headquarters to see its construction.
This serene tiny house in rural California is home to web designer Alek Lisefski, his girlfriend, Anjali, and their dog, Anya. Built on an 8- by 20-foot trailer, with three feet added for the back porch, the house features 10 windows and an all-glass door to opening up the small interior space to the outdoors to feel less claustrophobic and more connected to the surroundings. Designed and built by Alek himself for about $30,000, he is now selling construction plans so others can can build a house of their own to the same specs. —ESN
Surrounded by peaceful, bucolic farmland in Somerset, England, the Shepherds Hut Retreat is comprised of four tiny "huts" available for rent. Each structure overlooks a nearby pond, and includes its own private deck and fire pit. Inside the 20- by eight-foot huts, you'll find a fully functioning kitchen, a bathroom, a dining area, and a built-in bed. Rental rates start from around $243 per weekend.
This fully restored 1920s sheep wagon sits on the 30,000-acre Heward family ranch in Shirley Basin, Wyoming. The tiny wagon is outfitted with a full-size bed, two built-in cold boxes, a folding table, and a wood burning stove. Accommodating up to four people, the wagon can be moved around the property depending on the renters' recreational interests (fly fishing, stargazing, and hiking are just some of the many options). Rental rates are $100 per night.
The "Writer's Block" cabin designed by Cheng + Snyder features storage for a canoe under its bed and workbench space. Located in Westport, Maine on the banks of the Sheepscott River, the 190-square-foot hideaway features windows arranged to maximize views and allow for passive heating and cooling.
Though it clocks in at just 260-square-feet, this cottage's bright and colorful design exudes a cheery atmosphere from all corners. Designed by Richardson Architects, the tiny structure is situated on a dairy farm near the Northern California coastline and was constructed using non-corrosive and wear-resistant materials. The exterior features a large wraparound porch, a chalkboard, and ample seating, while the interior is filled with bright red and yellow hues.
The Matchbox (pictured, right), designed by Jay Austin, lives at Boneyard Studios, a tiny house community founded in 2012 in Washington D.C. with a mission to promote the benefits of small house living and support the tiny house community. Clocking in at 140 square feet, the carbon-neutral, self-sustaining house features skylights and wide windows for passiving cooling and earthen plaster for humidity control.
The Yolo County Cabin, designed by Butler Armsden Architects, sits on a 400-acre farm in the rural Northern California town of Winters. With a structure inspired by the local water towers and lean-to sheds that dot the area's surrounding agricultural landscape, the home's elevated viewing terrace offers a 360-degree view of the land.
Set in a lush tropical paradise, the 250-square-foot Sunset Beach Treehouse Bungalow in Haleiwa, Hawaii overlooks one of the North Shore's most famous surf spots. Renters climb a 100-step stone path to reach the structure, nestled among black lava rocks and a leafy canopy of Banyan, avocado, and mango trees. Featuring a full-size bed as well as a lofted sleeping area, the treehouse sleeps as many as three people, and includes a kitchenette and bathroom. Rental rates start from $1,200 per week.
This 400-square-foot cabin with a refined decor sits nestled among fir, cedar, and madrone trees on the East Sound of Washington state's Orcas Island. Designed by architect David Vandervort, the cross-shaped floorplan creates distinct alcoves for the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom, while a ladder provides access to the loft bedroom above the central living room. French doors lead out to a patio of flagstone, which is also used at the cabin's entrance. (Building plans of a prototype of this cabin are available for purchase from Vandervort.) —ESN
Painted with six colors, The Painted Lady is an intricately designed micro farmhouse in Round Top, Texas, from Tiny Texas Houses. With a Victorian style exterior, the interior measures 12- by 26-feet and features a built-in couch, full kitchen, Murphy bed, sleeping loft, and bathroom with a glassed-in shower with a river rock floor. The home is 99 percent pure salvage, including the beams, floor joists, studs, windows, doors, and interior and exterior skins. —ESN
Built from salvaged materials, no two of the homes from Luling, Texas-based Tiny Texas Houses, which start at 120 square feet, are alike.
CountryLiving.com
Charming Florida Cottage
Nearly every surface in Fifi O'Neill's Sarasota, Florida, home displays some sort of collection: weathered accessories, antique linens, white pottery, vintage enamelware, more pottery—you get the picture. And yet, at only 1,375 square feet, the two-bedroom, two-bath cottage feels cheerful and open, not cluttered or over-crowded. Her secret? Putting her favorite finds to work, not just up on a shelf to be admired.
This 336-square-foot original WeeHouse from Alchemy Architects was built in 2003 to house a family off the grid on the Minnesota prairie near Lake Pepin. With floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, the modern micro home is flooded with light. The interior is completely wrapped in douglas fir and features Ikea built-in cabinetry and kitchen elements. —ESN
The historic community of Wesleyan Grove in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard is well known for its hundreds of adorable, colorful gingerbread cottages. The community began as a Methodist Church campground in the 1860s, where open air revival meetings were held during the warmer months. Church members eventually began building summer cottages, many of which feature ornate Victorian details and colorful trim. Wesleyan Grove is now designated as a National Historic Landmark District. While the cottages are privately owned, several are available to rent.
Armed with plenty of curb appeal, the Loring is a prefab small bungalow from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. With a ceiling measuring almost 17 feet tall, the model comes in 261-square-foot and 356-square-foot versions. The plans cost $759.
Brittany Yunker built her 160-square-foot home, located on the shores of the Puget Sound in Olympia, Washington, using Tumbleweed Tiny House Company's Cypress 18 Equator building plans, one of the company's most popular designs. The house-on-wheels, which is available to rent, sits on an 18-foot flatbed and is equipped with electricity and a small RV-style hot water heater for the sink and shower.
One of the first tiny house manufacturers, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company now offers travel trailers and prefab cottages starting at 117 square feet. Pictured here is the company's Harbinger model, which features a bump-out in the front that can be used as a sitting or sleeping area.
Made from 95 percent salvaged materials, the Arched Zebu is a tiny prairie house from Texas Tiny Houses. Measuring 12- by 18-feet, the house is built from materials that are close to 200 years old. Featuring beautiful arched windows, the cottage includes a lofted sleep area, kitchen, and shabby chic details.
Designed by Katrina Cottages, this compact two-bedroom cottage has a 544-square-foot living area and a charming little porch big enough for several rocking chairs. The plan set and and building license are available for $850, while the company estimates that the cost to construct this model will range between $65,280 to $76,000.
Designed as an affordable solution to the housing crisis after Hurricane Katrina, Katrina Cottages start at 308 square feet.
CountryLiving.com
Charismatic Dwelling
One of the largest homes from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, the two-story Sebastarosa model can be built as a two-bedroom (750 square feet) or three-bedroom (847 square feet) home.
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company's Bodega model features a fireplace, a full bath, and a kitchen, with the optional addition of a bedroom that would take the space to 356 square feet. Designed to keep construction costs low, the plans cost $759.
Designed by Katrina Cottages, this charming little one-bedroom house measures 14-feet wide and 30-feet long, including a miniature front porch. The house plans and building license can be purchased for $575, and the company estimates it will cost between $38,000 and $46,000 to complete..
Nathan Swartz and his family of five have been traveling full-time for eight years now. They started by living in a van, then moved to an airstream, and are now back in a van again.
He hopes to inspire others to cut the chains and go travel, and has a wonderful website full of resources called Wanderly. I caught up with Nathan to ask him more questions about van life, and what it's like living in a van full-time with three kids!
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1. First off, how does a family of five fit inside a van?
Well, first of all, we cheat! We used to all be in an Airstream travel trailer, and our oldest son, Tristan, was burgeoning into a young man doing the teenage thing ...and since we were almost always somewhere warm, he decided that he'd rather sleep in a tent than be woken up at 6am by his younger brothers every morning. After that happened, we realized we could fit the four of us that weren't him into our VW Bus. We'd had it since 2009 and it was our first home on the road as a family, where our 6-year-old Winter was conceived and grew up, too, but after we had Wylder, our youngest (he's currently 5), my wife Renée's mom came on board and was traveling with us too. Anyway, long story short, when she decided to move back to Michigan, Tristan was in a tent and we didn't want to lug around a big, always breaking Airstream around, it just made sense to get back into the Volkswagen.
2. What are the benefits of raising kids on the road?
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Personally, I enjoy moving around a lot and so does my wife. Our youngest two were born into this life, so it's more or less all they know and they enjoy it. The benefits are getting to see the world, dodging bad weather, and being able to visit friends scattered all over the country. As their teachers, we also get to spend our entire lives with our boys instead of sending them off to school and only getting a couple of hours at the end of the day. Sometimes it's a lot to handle, though, I certainly will admit. The biggest thing I hope they get out of this all is seeing a bunch of different types of living situations, from people living incredibly simply in Mexico to various mixes of cultures in the United States, it just gives them the chance to see that no one particular way of life, skin color or personality dominates the entire world. On the other hand, as our oldest has moved out of his little kid days he has shown us that it's important for kids to have a location they can call home, where they can make friends, get a job, go to things like dances...it's been tough for us all to figure out how we can make it work for everyone, but essentially we have decided to more or less stay in one place for the warmer months, a place he can call home, and then travel for the winter. We're still figuring it all out though.
3) What advice would you give parents considering living in a van full-time with kids?
Well, if you haven't sent your kids to school yet, don't do it! That is the biggest challenge, in our experience, once kids get a feel for having loads of friends around, they tend to want that experience to continue. Maybe that's a good thing and maybe it's a bad thing. We've got a lot of opinions on it, but aren't here to judge anyone else's lifestyle and hope others respect that same way of looking at our life, as well. Other than that, you've got to be willing to be crawled all over when you're all stuck inside in the rain, and your kids should be the types who want to spend most of their time outdoors, as it gets quite claustrophobic otherwise. It's really less about "living" in the van and more about sleeping there, and making the commitment to otherwise live outside.
4) How should someone choose a van or an RV to live in?
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It's totally going to be up to the family in question. If you like watching TV and only going to the grocery store once a week or so and having your own bathroom and shower, then you're probably going to be happier in an RV. Pushing through living in a van can be tough, even once in awhile you want to just kick back on a couch and take it easy, or when the whole family gets sick and projectile vomits all over, those aren't exactly the best times to be living out of a van. On the other hand, if you are the type of family who loves hiking, riding bikes, climbing trees, and sitting in camping chairs, then it's a lot easier to maintain a single van and it's way easier to drive, find the best places to camp, and never worry about being too big, clearance, or issues that come along with an RV. I don't think the van or RV makes the adventure, they're just tools that allow people like us to get out and explore, in a more meaningful way than most people can afford when it's a vacation or you're already paying a mortgage or rent and then want to travel, too. In our scenario, we often pay nothing for rent (national forests) or around $600 / month when we're paying for state parks or the occasional RV park. So our money can go much further as far as eating at restaurants, going to museums and parks and other things that cost money.
5) What are the biggest challenges and joys of living in a van with your family?
In our VW, the biggest challenge was just keeping the thing running. Since we all enjoy this lifestyle, it's not really a thing where we're like, "Man, I wish we had a house" or whatever. The biggest challenge all around, no matter what vehicle or setup we've had, has been watching our oldest get older and want something different than the rest of us. It's important for us to make this a life that everyone can enjoy, and that was a hard thing to picture over the years. The biggest joy has been watching all of my kids learn to walk, teaching them all how to read, ride a bike, seeing them swim for the first time. I don't miss many, if any, moments because I'm not off at the office or they're not off at a daycare. For us, that's very important, and it's been a pleasure even as the reality of being constantly on parents rarely in the vicinity of a babysitter has been difficult as well.
6) Do you think living in a van has become more socially acceptable?
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I suppose. It seems like thousands and thousands of people are doing it. Tristan and I first hit the road in 2008, and we didn't meet many other full-time RVers back then, at least not anyone who wasn't a retiree. Instagram shows how much that's changed. America boasts a lot about freedom, and nothing is more freeing than living in a vehicle you can pack up and take to the next beautiful spot at any moment's notice. There will always be people who look down on it, but no matter what your life choice, someone is going to be looking down their nose at you, so why not do what you want and drown out the noise?
Kristin Hanes is a journalist and writer who lives on a sailboat in the San Francisco Bay. You can follow her on Twitter @KristinHanes. This story first appeared on The Wayward Home.
