Vanlife essentials

Moving into a campervan and leaving home and hearth behind means quite a bit of decluttering. An attic and shed full of things I had to part with. Only the bare essentials could be taken on board. Clothing, kitchenware, bedding—that goes without saying, but what items don't you need at home that are essential for us in Globus 2 ?

Rendieren in Fins Lapland

I still vividly remember having to part with almost all my belongings. After all, I wanted to live in an eight-square-meter van. Most things went effortlessly to the kids, the thrift store, Marktplaats, or simply the garbage bin. There were also things I had much more trouble with. Souvenirs, or how about the collection of stones I'd amassed? In every country I visited, I took a small stone home, and by then I had built up quite a collection.

Parting

I performed a ritual with those "difficult" items. I sat quietly with the item in my hand. I recalled the memory: where did I get this thing, who was there, what was the weather like, what did I smell, etc., etc. Then the next step: what feeling comes up? Can I really feel it, and where do I feel it? Finally, I let this feeling enter my heart. With that, the essence was transferred from the material to my heart, and I could easily say goodbye to the object. This might all sound a bit vague, but it really helped me let go of all my possessions.

New stuff

And then you're completely decluttered and you buy all sorts of new things you never needed in a house, but which are indispensable for us in Globus 2. Below are the ten items, in random order, that have proven to be truly essential for us.

1. Omnia oven

   We don't have an oven in Globus 2. No pizzas, no cakes, no casseroles... Wrong! We have an Omnia oven . It's a kind of bundt pan that you simply place on the gas hob and functions like an oven. Kelly makes the most delicious casseroles, pies, rolls, and more. We use the Omnia every week!

   

   
   

2. Thermacell Mosquito Repellent: If you go to Scandinavia, you're going to mosquito country. Finland and Sweden, in particular, can be quite grim. Forests and lakes (stagnant water) are the ideal habitat for our little biting friends. And I can never seem to keep my hands off those mosquito bites! We've tried everything from sprays and oils to spirals, but Thermacell is the only thing that really works for us. When we place this device in the opening of our sliding door, not a single mosquito (or even a bun) gets in. The Thermacell comes in different versions and works with small poison capsules that you slide in at the bottom. It also has a scented sponge that releases a scent we can't detect. It protects up to 20m². We also tried it while walking, but unfortunately, that didn't work as well. Even the locals swear by it!

   

   
   

3. Jump starter. Especially when I was still working and staying at the same campsite for extended periods, I sometimes found the battery dead and couldn't start my Globus 2. The jump starter has saved me several times, getting me back on the road within 5 minutes. Make sure you buy one that's heavy enough for your car.

   

   
   

4. Skotti BBQ Everyone knows that space and weight are key in a campervan. Taking a BBQ with us simply wasn't possible. That is, until we discovered the Skotti BBQ . This simple kit is so flat it fits in a small bag. Once assembled, it's a decent gas grill. We use the Skotti regularly; we love barbecuing outside in nice weather and enjoying the beautiful weather.

   

   
   

5. Handheld Vacuum Cleaner: The amount of cleaning in an 8 m² van is very manageable and doesn't take much time. On the other hand, it does need to be swept every day. Of course, we don't have a hallway to enter, so all the street dirt under your shoes ends up in the house. Kelly faithfully cleans this every day with our dustpan and brush. However, we're missing a good handheld vacuum cleaner that can also get into the nooks and crannies. So if you have a good tip for the ideal camper vacuum cleaner/handheld vacuum cleaner, please let us know!

   
   

   Kijk onze video Dwars door Finland

6. We never needed these either when I lived in a single-family home to ensure we could sleep comfortably level :-) Since we camp off-grid as much as possible, it also means the ground is almost never perfectly level. Now, we don't mind that as long as we sleep with our heads up. Still, we regularly bring out the ramps so we can still find that perfect spot and sleep soundly.

   

   
   

7. Spirit level . Following on from the previous point, a spirit level is of course also indispensable. I've already mentioned that we've now installed an E-Trailer system in Globus 2 , which allows us to see exactly how level we are with a single click. This is truly incredibly convenient.

   

   
   

8. Starlink. I find it almost embarrassing to admit, but internet connection is practically a basic necessity for us nomads, especially for writing our blogs and uploading our YouTube videos . Before we started making videos, we were still able to get by with the Odido subscriptions we had in the Netherlands. We had a total of 150 GB available per month. Now, however, that's definitely not enough, and our Starlink is truly a godsend. Unlimited internet anytime, anywhere. Well, everywhere... we obviously shouldn't park Globus 2 under too many trees. In a country like Finland, that can be quite a challenge sometimes.

   

   
   
   

9. E-reader. Something we don't currently have, but might need to get, is a good e-reader. We both love reading and prefer to do so with an actual physical book. It's hard to break us of that. You need to be able to hold a book, to smell it. But honestly, in a camper with limited space, a pile of books is just incredibly inconvenient. So, which e-reader would you recommend?

10. OBD2 diagnostic scanner. We also have an OBD2 diagnostic scanner with us. If a dashboard warning light comes on with Globus2, we can use this inexpensive device to read all the data and reset it if necessary. It's incredibly handy. This scanner works on all cars manufactured after 2004.

"Essentials aren't just things you carry; they're what carry you to new horizons"

Standard camper equipment

Of course, we could make an endless list of things we use. The solar panels, the leisure battery, and the diesel heater allow us to stay off-grid for days. But these are pretty much standard camper equipment. We could also create a whole list of smartphone apps we use regularly. That might be something for a future blog post. We're really curious to see what other items we could add to this list. So let us hear from you!

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