It is starting to get pretty cold at night. My down comforter has kept me pretty toasty though. I struggle to hang out in my van in the evenings after work. I don't want to just sit curled up in a blanket before it is time to sleep. So I have to find heated places to eat, read, or hang out for a while.
My major problem in my vandwelling experience has been going to the bathroom in the morning. It is something I have to do as soon as I wake up. For the first month or so I was throwing on glasses, speeding to the gas station (almost next door) and using their bathroom to brush my teeth, and I would buy a morning coffee. Buying a coffee every morning was not very friendly to my budget.
To fix this I would try not to drink anything after 9pm, with my last bathroom stop being around 11pm. It worked pretty well. I've started having time in the morning to change my clothes and put in my contacts and make it 5 minutes to work before using the bathroom.
Tuesday evening I managed not to drink anything after 6pm, and didn't have to go to the bathroom at all yesterday morning. This turned into a new problem. I over slept and was late to work, because for the first time my bladder did not awake me and rush me out of my covers. I think I need motivation like that when it is down to 30 degrees in the morning.
So now I think the $.99 for coffee may be worth it, especially on these cold mornings, to coax me out of my toasty sleeping heaven and get me to work.
The past two days it has done nothing but rain. Cold rain. Which brought to me my second problem. How do I dry my huge umbrella at night? I decided to keep it closed up tonight. There is not really room for both of us in here. Hopefully it is raining in the morning so it doesn't seem strange when I bring it into work to dry it out.
The libraries here close at 9, and Barnes and Noble (an extra 3 mile drive) closes at 10 or 11. I'll be located in one of these places most evenings for at least the next few weeks.
10/20/11
10/6/11
One Month Down
I just downloaded the blogger app for my iPod. I thought I would have a lot more free time then I have been having. Using my laptop is. Lot less convenient than my iPod, so this app might help.
I'm moving to Colorado next month. One month of van done, one to go. I decided on employee housing for a Colorado Mountain winter. I'm super excited to go. I have never even been west of the Mississippi before. I decided to take Amtrak over driving. Bought my $140 ticket yesterday. My last day of work here is November 4th, then I hop on a train November 14th. Time to get out and see the world.
I'm moving to Colorado next month. One month of van done, one to go. I decided on employee housing for a Colorado Mountain winter. I'm super excited to go. I have never even been west of the Mississippi before. I decided to take Amtrak over driving. Bought my $140 ticket yesterday. My last day of work here is November 4th, then I hop on a train November 14th. Time to get out and see the world.
9/20/11
Eating and Driving
I need to figure out a budget. I should be saving practically every cent, but I don't seem to be. Food and gas are my main expenses. Plus $300 a month for loans. I'm trying to keep food down to between $7 and $10 averaged a day. I know this is a lot, but until I get settled in and feel more comfortable cooking in here, it is hard to do any better. If I figure out refrigeration some day, that would help a lot too. I'm currently shopping daily, which doesn't mess with my gas at all because there are 3 grocery stores across the street from my parking place.
As for driving, I've been trying to limit myself to 10 miles a day. Work is 2.6 round trip, and the gym is 2.6 round trip. If I visited them both together, that would cut out 2.6 (they're next door to each other). The gym is open until 11pm though, and I don't like to waste my after work daylight hours there. I drive a lot more on weekends.
I get restless, and find it hard just being in my van in the same spot everyday. Most vandwellers move around the country at their leisure. That is what I look forward to doing. It is lots of gas between towns, but it would be a lot easier to entertain yourself in a new town for a while. Plus, it would be worth the gas costs if you're traveling the country. For now though, I have a nice full-time job, a place to sleep, and a place to shower, I'm going to stick with it.
I applied to a job in Aspen, CO starting in November. I had an interview with them, but have not heard back. This location won't be very good for vandwelling, but if this is what gets me out of Ohio and starting to travel, I'm okay with that. Once I'm out of Ohio for a while, it'll be easier to stay out. If I get the Aspen job, I'll return to my van and a warmer location in the spring.
As for driving, I've been trying to limit myself to 10 miles a day. Work is 2.6 round trip, and the gym is 2.6 round trip. If I visited them both together, that would cut out 2.6 (they're next door to each other). The gym is open until 11pm though, and I don't like to waste my after work daylight hours there. I drive a lot more on weekends.
I get restless, and find it hard just being in my van in the same spot everyday. Most vandwellers move around the country at their leisure. That is what I look forward to doing. It is lots of gas between towns, but it would be a lot easier to entertain yourself in a new town for a while. Plus, it would be worth the gas costs if you're traveling the country. For now though, I have a nice full-time job, a place to sleep, and a place to shower, I'm going to stick with it.
I applied to a job in Aspen, CO starting in November. I had an interview with them, but have not heard back. This location won't be very good for vandwelling, but if this is what gets me out of Ohio and starting to travel, I'm okay with that. Once I'm out of Ohio for a while, it'll be easier to stay out. If I get the Aspen job, I'll return to my van and a warmer location in the spring.
9/6/11
Going Great
Vandwelling has been going pretty good. I've spent three nights in the van now. Labor Day weekend I drove to visit my parents and spent 3 nights at their house.
First two nights (last Wednesday and Thursday) my van was a mess. I just threw all the left overs out of my apartment into it. Over the weekend I was able to organize, and now it is a lot cleaner. I also got rid of three seats, so only one back seat remains.
I'm pretty sure my parents have no idea. I can't believe they wouldn't though, after telling them all about it, and them freaking out about it back in February.
All I did for stealth is velcro a green fleece throw in front of the back window, and using safety pins, pinned two other throws along the drivers side windows, using safety pins on the seat belts. I have two large buckets on top of each other behind the back passenger side seat, and it blocks the view of me through the windows on that side. All my back windows are tinted pretty well already, unless light is coming through the other side, you have to put your nose up to the window to see. So it is mostly all for my comfort. It actually might attract attention, because if the blankets are touching the window and have a pattern in them, you can see it easily from the outside.
I bought some type of black fabric that doesn't seem to let light through. I need to find the time and location to cut that to size and velcro it. I can't decide exactly how I want it though. I want to make sure it does not let any light through, because I want to be able to turn on my book light or laptop while inside the van at night.
First two nights (last Wednesday and Thursday) my van was a mess. I just threw all the left overs out of my apartment into it. Over the weekend I was able to organize, and now it is a lot cleaner. I also got rid of three seats, so only one back seat remains.
I'm pretty sure my parents have no idea. I can't believe they wouldn't though, after telling them all about it, and them freaking out about it back in February.
All I did for stealth is velcro a green fleece throw in front of the back window, and using safety pins, pinned two other throws along the drivers side windows, using safety pins on the seat belts. I have two large buckets on top of each other behind the back passenger side seat, and it blocks the view of me through the windows on that side. All my back windows are tinted pretty well already, unless light is coming through the other side, you have to put your nose up to the window to see. So it is mostly all for my comfort. It actually might attract attention, because if the blankets are touching the window and have a pattern in them, you can see it easily from the outside.
I bought some type of black fabric that doesn't seem to let light through. I need to find the time and location to cut that to size and velcro it. I can't decide exactly how I want it though. I want to make sure it does not let any light through, because I want to be able to turn on my book light or laptop while inside the van at night.
8/30/11
Last Night in Sticks and Bricks
It has been a crazy past few days. It is almost 1:30 in the morning, but I wanted to post quick.
Tonight is my last night sleeping in my apartment. I am turning in my keys on my lunch break tomorrow, and it is all VAN from here out! I'm very excited. Wish my last night of sleep in here was going to be longer than 5.5 hours though...
Tonight is my last night sleeping in my apartment. I am turning in my keys on my lunch break tomorrow, and it is all VAN from here out! I'm very excited. Wish my last night of sleep in here was going to be longer than 5.5 hours though...
8/28/11
3 More Days
Even after offering co-workers and neighbors $10 an hour, $15 an hour, lots of beer, etc, no one was interested in helping me move. This shows me that I really am ready to leave this town. If these are the 'friends' I have, there is no reason to be here.
I called my mom Friday night in a panic, I have so much stuff, and so little time left. Plus, it is really hard to get some furniture down a flight of stairs and across a parking lot alone. She agreed to drive the two hours to come help me today. Yay! So, I originally budgeted paying people $100-$200 to help, I ended up paying nothing, and making $40 on a mattress and box spring that I was sending to the dumpster! This left me without a bed my last three nights in my apartment...
I have a couch that I acquired a few months ago and was trying to sell. A neighbor left it behind when he moved out, and though there was lots and lots of interest, no one ever even came to look at it. I realized that the cushion on it will make a perfect van mattress. It is one long cushion, and inside it is just a thick piece of foam, which I have seen vandwellers spend lots of money buying! The material is scratchy, but covered with sheets and such, it should be just fine. I eventually want to sew a new cover for it, so I can just take it off, toss it in the laundry and zip it back on again, instead of trying to keep a queen size sheet to stay put while I toss and turn in my sleep.
I brought it upstairs. I get to adjust to the tiny mattress early. Totally worth the unexpected $40
I'm really glad, in the long run, that no one ever bought the couch.
Here is my new bed! On my living room floor for three nights, then into my van. I'm pretty short, and without the pillow it is about the same length as me. With the pillow, my feet hang off. I'll have to find somethings to prop up under half of the pillow, so I can move it up a little.
I called my mom Friday night in a panic, I have so much stuff, and so little time left. Plus, it is really hard to get some furniture down a flight of stairs and across a parking lot alone. She agreed to drive the two hours to come help me today. Yay! So, I originally budgeted paying people $100-$200 to help, I ended up paying nothing, and making $40 on a mattress and box spring that I was sending to the dumpster! This left me without a bed my last three nights in my apartment...
I have a couch that I acquired a few months ago and was trying to sell. A neighbor left it behind when he moved out, and though there was lots and lots of interest, no one ever even came to look at it. I realized that the cushion on it will make a perfect van mattress. It is one long cushion, and inside it is just a thick piece of foam, which I have seen vandwellers spend lots of money buying! The material is scratchy, but covered with sheets and such, it should be just fine. I eventually want to sew a new cover for it, so I can just take it off, toss it in the laundry and zip it back on again, instead of trying to keep a queen size sheet to stay put while I toss and turn in my sleep.
I brought it upstairs. I get to adjust to the tiny mattress early. Totally worth the unexpected $40
8/27/11
Four More Days
My packing is coming along slowly. I have SO MUCH CRAP!!
I can't wait to be out of here. I'm putting everything in my garage for now. I will be in town until mid-November to get rid of and sell more stuff. Even though, the few things I do want to keep, I have no cheaper option for storage. Unless I convince my parents to let me build/buy a small shed at their house to hide back in the trees. I think that will be my plan for next summer. I'll be in Colorado until mid-April. Then I can either come home for a little while, or get a summer job and come home in the fall. We will see. But I don't want to have storage in this town. There is no reason to be connected to it ever again. Even if it is more expensive, I'd rather eventually move it all to my parents town, two hours away. Then, if I need them to find something and send it to me, they would have access to it.
I'm proud of the amount of boxes I have marked 'Good Will.' As the move-out date get closer, It becomes easier and easier to shove things in bags heading for Good Will, rather than group them and box them and label the boxes. Plus, I'm running out of boxes. I can only use them for the things I love :)
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