In 2019, I purchased this beautiful 2001 Dodge Ram Van. I found it through a Facebook group, and bought it in Utah completely built out already, For two years I enjoyed this beautiful cabin like space with real wooden walls, tile backsplash, and white cabinets. It was so cozy and incredible for my first van!
Here's what my home has looked like for the last two years:
SO cute right?! While I absolutely loved this buildout, after two years I was needing the space to feel refreshed. Aside from décor, I never changed anything about the space. I've changed a lot over the past year, and I wanted my place to reflect that. So, it was time for a big renovation!
I rented an Airbnb for two nights in California, and had 36 hours to finish the renovations. Here's the steps in order:
Take everything out of the van (including removing the cabinets)
Deep clean the van
Tape everything off that paint shouldn't touch.
Sand EVERYTHING (walls, ceiling, cabinets)
Paint everything!
Install new hardware
Reinstall cabinets
Go shopping for new decor
Put it all together, and enjoy your new space!
I've never hustled on a project so quick. I asked the Airbnb hosts if I could extend the stay to have an extra day, but unfortunately they had someone else coming in. I listed what was most important to least important, but I really wanted to get the whole thing done. Somehow, it got finished! Here is the completed renovation:
Kitchen:
Bedroom:
I wanted to paint the walls white to open up the space and make it feel bigger. I painted the cabinets dark blue so they would be easier to keep clean, the orange bedspread to warm up the space, and the gold accents to tie it all together! My vision came together perfectly, I cried during the renovation because it was so beautiful seeing something that is fully mine form and become real from a vision I had.
My goal with renovating the van was to finish it in time to attend my first Nomad meetup, Skooliepalooza! A week after finishing the renovation, I hit the road and made my way to Arizona. Skooliepalooza was incredible, although I had one of the smaller spaces, everyone was very impressed with the build and recent renovation. I got to meet so many incredbile people, build on new and old friendships, and do my first burn with my hula hoop!
I'm excited for this new season in my nomad journey, and am already begining to think about what the next step for me would be. Maybe a bigger rig in the next year or two, and perhaps a house when I'm 25? Maybe I'll always be a nomad? I'm not sure exactly what the future holds, but I'm excited for the journey. Keep connected with me through my links below!
