Unconventional Abode: Why I Opted for Camper Living

Discover the allure of camper living as I share my personal journey and reasons behind choosing this unconventional lifestyle. Explore the freedom, cost-effectiveness, and unique experiences that come with embracing life on the road.

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If you haven’t already heard, I bought a camper. Was this planned? Not in the slightest. Am I glad I did it? Hell yes.

I have officially made it in the hippie hut for more than nine months. This is the most prolonged and consistent home base I have had in the past seven years.

For six years, I've roamed far and wide, seeking out remote corners of the world, absorbing diverse cultures, and forging connections with people and places that have left an indelible mark on my soul. However, as I continued to explore, I realized that there was a missing piece in my nomadic puzzle—a place to call my own.

After a quarter-life crisis, financial changes, my spur-of-the-moment decision-making, and a Black Friday sale, I put a down payment on my new home last November. For the time being, we are stationary, but it is the perfect living option for me and my lifestyle.

Why should I buy a home when I’m not even there to live in it? And why are houses so damned expensive anyway? Thus, the hippie hut was established, and here’s my reasoning behind it.

Cost-Effective

Opting for camper living became a conscious choice, mostly driven by its cost-effectiveness. After realizing my loft idea was going to be more expensive than anticipated and after finding a terrific Black Friday sale deal on a Vintage Cruiser, the decision made itself. By embracing camper living, I not only reduce mortgage/rent and utility costs but also curtail the financial strain that comes with maintaining a stationary home. This decision allows me to allocate resources towards experiences, travel, and personal growth while enjoying the freedom of a minimalist lifestyle that aligns with my values. 

Freedom

Freedom has been my main priority for nearly a decade now. It’s not about the money or the status; my freedom is what’s most important. Having a camper as a home base only intensifies this concept even more. In my cozy camper (the hippie hut), I have the liberty to roam wherever the open road takes me and to chase the horizon on a whim. Well, sort of. Right now, I am stationary, but new moves are on the horizon. Camer living is a lifestyle that encourages spontaneity, allowing me to chart my own course, explore new places, and savor the world's beauty at my own pace. It's a lifestyle that embodies the essence of freedom, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Minimalistic Lifestyle

After traveling with a backpack for more than six years, I have been able to become a minimalist without even trying. Which, if you knew me before I started traveling, is the complete opposite of what I used to be like. Living in a camper has only intensified the minimalistic lifestyle and has helped me realize what items I own actually bring me joy or some use. It has helped me identify what is truly necessary to survive and how little it takes to make you authentically happy. Plus, it’s super easy to clean. 

Customization

Would you believe that this is the first place I have been able to call ‘mine’ in the past 29 years? While I am very grateful for friends and family allowing me to crash at their homes and provide me with a homebase while I am away, there's nothing like having your own space to call home. I have had so much fun decorating and customizing my home to fit my personality and lifestyle traits. Your home and workspace are vital for your happiness and success and can give you a cozy and comforting feeling.

The hippie hut is as colorful as my personality, organized to my liking, and thanks to my best friend and great grandma, I have a lava lamp and 70s decor that blend perfectly with everything else. Get ready, Erica; the cabinets are our winter project, so start brainstorming now.   

Unconventional Living

Due to being on the road at least nine months out of the year, buying a house or renting an apartment full-time is not ideal for my lifestyle and would be a huge loss financially in the long run. Why put all that money into a house when I am not even there to live it in and enjoy it? I decided to embrace the camper lifestyle due to my profound attraction to unconventional living. It's a choice that fosters a unique sense of freedom and adventure. Living in a compact, mobile space forces me to simplify my life and prioritize experiences over possessions even more than I have been doing while on the road. 

Self-Discovery

Above all, your life choices should befit your self-discovery. While traveling alone as a solo woman for the past six years has pushed me into a new lifestyle, camper living only intensifies that. Conventional life often buries us in a routine that can obscure our true selves. By embracing the camper lifestyle, I've stripped away the excess and embraced simplicity, allowing me to connect more intimately with my inner thoughts and desires. I know how I like to spend my morning, what thoughts and actions are essential, and how to be happy with as little as possible. 

Ultimately, choosing camper living as an unconventional abode has brought me a sense of freedom, adventure, and a unique way of experiencing the world. While it may not be the conventional path, camper living has provided me with unparalleled opportunities and has a lot more in store once she gets started. As I continue this journey, I am reminded that sometimes, it's the unconventional choices that lead to the most extraordinary experiences.