This beautiful, functional, fully off-grid van conversion was completed by The Travelling Makers in December 2018, you can see photos of the build process on their instagram. It really is a tiny home on wheels and has everything you need to live comfortably. The fixed double loft bed makes the most of the space in the van. There are two LED reading lights up there and two USB ports for charging your devices. The mattress is a comfy standard double mattress. It really is lovely to be able to climb straight into bed without having to worry about making the bed up after a couple of glasses of wine. The ladder for the bed stores neatly on the wall when not in use. Underneath the bed is an L-shaped sofa bench, with loads of storage room underneath, as well as a wardrobe with shelves for all your clothes. A third person can sleep pretty comfortably on the sofa – I’ve often slept there while a guest has gone in the bed. I’ve also had friends round for drinks and 5 people can sit around comfortably. At a push, taking up every surface and not so comfortably we’ve had 11 of us in there!

In the kitchen you have a good amount of counter space, a two-burner gas hob and oven, and a fridge with a freezer compartment capable of making ice. There are plenty of storage cupboards above and below, and a cutlery/general bits and bobs drawer. One of the cupboards holds the dining table, with legs that fold away. I’ve enjoyed loads of cooking in the van, including making pasta from scratch!

Opposite the kitchen area is the bathroom and sink area. There is instant hot water and it’s been invaluable having a hot shower on tap while gyms have been closed. There is no built-in toilet in the van, I bought a Strumpet and Trollop composting loo – https://strumpetandtrollop.com/shop/ols/products/the-two-stained-little-floozy-compost-composting-toilet – which I kept in the shower cubicle, and just lifted out when I was going to use the shower. I’ve given the toilet a good clean and am happy to include it, or you could buy a cassette toilet or whichever type you think is best. The sink has a mixer tap so you can wash up with hot water. There is a wine rack with space for 3 bottles and 2 glasses, and another rack which looks a lot like a spice rack but is perfect for keeping all your toiletries. Underneath the sink is the gas tank and again a good amount of storage space. The gas tank is a 13kg Calor propane tank, and with daily use I only had to replace the tank 2 or 3 times in over a year. It powers the boiler as well as the oven/hobs.

There are LED lights in the ceiling, under the bed to light the sofa area, and in the shower cubicle. These, as well as the LED reading lights in bed and the USB charging ports, are powered by a 100aH leisure battery that lives under the bench seat. There is also a fuse box. There’s a solar panel on the roof to charge the battery, and it has a split charge relay so charges when you drive. I’ve never had an issue with the battery running out of charge including if I haven’t driven anywhere for a few days.

There is a 70l underslung water tank, which is enough for washing, showering, drinking and cooking for a couple of weeks. The tank and pipes seem to be quite well insulated as I’ve spent two winters in the van without it ever freezing. There is no grey water tank – the water drains out to the ground which is really handy as you don’t need to worry about emptying it, but you do need to use biodegradable soap like Dr Bronners.

The log burner has got me through two cold winters in the van, it gets the van really nice and toasty and makes it feel super homey at the same time. The dry heat is perfect for drying clothes. There is space for log storage underneath.

I’ve been travelling in the van on my own, as a woman who gets scared easily, with just a little fluffy dog for protection. While you can’t jump straight into the front to drive off if you’re feeling worried like you can in some vans, the metal roller door at the back can be padlocked from the inside, which makes you very safe and secure in there.

In the cab, there is more useful storage space. I kept an inflatable boat underneath the two passenger seats, I kept a skateboard behind the headrests, and things like camping chairs fit nicely behind the seats. Extra storage again is found outside the back walls, this is perfect for shoes/wet things and I also used it as a pantry and kept tins and non-perishable food out there.