Our Best Van Tips – Part One

Who are we?

We are Louise and Yvon, newly retired, outdoor enthusiasts, passionate and active, always looking to create unforgettable memories on the road.

Kitchen tips

Please, no noise!

Our Nohr van is quiet. When driving, we don’t want to hear dishes rattling or jars knocking around. Those squeaky sounds quickly become unbearable. We only want to hear noises that might signal a mechanical issue, so we pay close attention to these details.

For our dry food cabinet, we use glass jars. To prevent them from clinking together, we wrap elastic bands around them. No noise, no breakage, and it’s a great way to recycle. Simple and effective!

In that same space, we also store our cookbooks and other dry ingredients.

Everything in its place

To stay organized in such a small space, one essential trick is to compartmentalize everything. Our second cabinet is dedicated to coffee and wine.

We keep all our coffee gear in a fabric basket. Wine bottles are placed inside wool socks to prevent them from clinking—double use for the win!

Beer and other alcohol are stored elsewhere.

The secret to spices

Eating well on the road is important! Louise cooks simple meals, but they’re always full of flavor. About ten essential spices are enough. We adapt our recipes based on what we have and keep everything in a small basket stored above the stove for easy access.

Food is a big topic, and we’ll definitely come back to it in future posts!

Cookware and useful accessories

With induction cooktops, you need the right cookware. We wanted something compact, high-quality, and quiet. We chose a nesting set that fits perfectly into one drawer: a pan, two pots, two lids, and one handle.

To fill empty space and reduce noise, we use silicone Stasher bags. We love them because they can also be heated in hot water. Bonus: the same hot water can be reused to wash dishes—saving water is always a priority.

Yvon’s favorite item

One of Yvon’s favorite items (besides Louise!) is a collapsible plastic and silicone bin. It’s used for carrying dishes, washing vegetables, and even as a cutting board when flattened. A true all-in-one tool—we call it the “busboy”!

The gourmet space: the fridge

Optimizing the fridge is a real challenge.

The freezer space is very limited, but we’re always surprised by how much we can fit. We freeze meals like spaghetti sauce or chili in flat Ziploc bags to maximize space.

Cold water is essential for us. We use a flexible water container that holds up to 8 liters and fits nicely on the top shelf.

One thing to keep in mind: the shelf under the freezer can freeze some foods—perfect for keeping a beer extra cold!

Also, not every container fits in the fridge door, so you need to get creative. Small yogurt containers work perfectly for storing condiments.

No bad smells allowed!

In a van, bad odors have no place!

VanLife Campers designed spacious pull-out trash bins, which is a real luxury. One for garbage, one for recycling—and we added compost using reused freezer bags. No more smells or fruit flies!

Whenever we find a place to dispose of waste, we take advantage of it—just like for gas, water, or dumping tanks. It’s always better to do it when you can.

Fruits yes, insects no!

We use nets to store fruits and vegetables. To avoid fruit flies, we place corks among them. Insects don’t like cork, and it works perfectly!

Favorite personal care items

We dedicate an entire drawer to toiletries: kits, shampoo, soap, towels, and more.

Microfiber towels are a must—they take up little space and dry quickly.

Louise uses a loofah sponge made from dried squash. It gently exfoliates, dries quickly, lasts over a year, and can be composted.

We also use biodegradable soaps like The Unscented Company and Oneka.

Most important: clothing

We always bring enough clothes for more than two weeks. Technical clothing is essential for our activities, and merino wool is our favorite material year-round—it’s compact, stays dry, and resists odors.

We store our clothes in bins, folded and organized Marie Kondo–style. Vacuum bags are also a great option for saving space. We each have a drawer and a storage compartment.

Final thoughts

Before moving on to the “garage” space, it’s important to mention that anything that doesn’t fit in cabinets goes into a single storage bin at the back—we keep it minimal.

We hope these tips help you better optimize your van space! Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll cover storage tips for the garage area.