In the world of Vehicle Dwelling, whether it’s a car, a van, or a thirty foot RV, two things are primary – Heat and Storage. In the past few months, I’ve experimented with several solutions for both. Until now, none have worked very well, but I think I’ve finally found some workable answers.

As fall moves to winter, up here on the mountain, low temperatures are dropping. A few nights have dipped into the twenties, which makes for cold jeans in the morning.

With that in mind, I took this past weekend to install a secondary battery, 1500 watt power inverter, electric heater, and mattress warmer. Combined with the car heater and all my blankets, there really is no reason that I wont be warm through the winter.

With regard to storage, I’ve come full circle. After trying several ideas, I finally came back to the thing I wanted to avoid – milk crates. Yep. After all the failed attempts, I found that, no matter how collegiate it may seem, they represent the most durable and practical system for my storage needs. In a later post, I’ll share photos and some video.

Also, I picked up a roof rack from Craigslist, which will soon support a Thule cargo carrier. That will open up some inside space. There are a few things that I really dont have room for. Among them are my field easel, extra blankets, folding camp chairs. By moving them up above, I’ll be able to reorganize the interior space, and set up a pantry, including a few dishes.

In all of this, I’ve learned a lot about myself. In many way, I’m becoming the person I was meant to be. In other ways, I’m shedding the guy that I never wanted to be. Dont get me wrong. Vehicle dwelling hasnt changed me; it is refining me. By getting rid of all the superfluous “stuff” in my life, I have to focus on the things that are actually necessary, both in the place where I live, and in the way that I live.

So, that’s enough for now. Thanks for following, Liking, and sharing. Until next time…

~Enjoy the Life you’re living.