Our Favorite Things
You might know by now that we try pretty much everything and with that we now only recommend products that we actually own and use. That's just how we roll as a vanlife couple living a balanced lifestyle. Most links on this page that you click on are Amazon “affiliate links” or other affiliate links. So if you do buy something, we will probably earn a few bucks. Thank you!
Peel & Stick Triangle Metal Backsplash Tile
Our backsplash is the part of our van that gets the most comments. It’s also helped us win 2 - Tiny Home Festival - Best Van awards! It was easy to put up with the peel and stick backing but it is a little on the heavy side so it may not be a great choice if you are building light. Every little bit adds to your weight. Even though it is gorgeous we were a little disappointed it was not magnetic. We ended up adding a magnetic bar for storage instead.
7 Gallon Water Can
We have 2 of these 7-gallon tanks under our sink – 1 for fresh water and 1 for grey water. They fit perfectly in our 18” wide Ikea base cabinet with our deep kitchen sink. We also carry 2 more filled with fresh water in the back of our van under the bed for a total of 21 gallons of fresh water on board. That usually lasts us about 7-10 days depending how much we drink and how many dishes we do.
MaxxAir Fan with Remote
This is the fan we have over our bed. We thought the remote would be easier to use than crawling up on the bed every time. It also has a temperature control as well as intake & exhaust directions. It was worth the extra few bucks compared to our front fan by the kitchen. That fan is a manual one with only exhaust/out direction. Two fans has given us many more options of air flow. The best part is they stay open in the rain, if you want them to.
Emergency Portable Toilet
We upgraded to this toilet since our demonstration in our Van Tour video. Our original emergency toilet had 3 legs (tripod style) that folded out. It was a little difficult to set up and felt unstable especially when the mood for #2 struck. This one has been better so far because it keeps the bag contained and is much easier to set up for those quick moments. So far, we have never wanted to get any different kind of toilet since the bags are easy to use and clean up. (We do have a bottle for the more frequent #1 bathroom stops.)
Eno Lounging Chairs
These collapsible outdoor chairs are like a hammock without the trees. Super comfy with a pocket on each side and a cup holder. They pack up to a medium size which works for us since we store them in the back of the van. Great loungers but they are low so be prepared to use those leg muscles to get up!
Storage Stool
We recently upgraded to this storage stool from Amazon. We haven’t really tested it for it’s flameproof and “safe” locked usages but it’s nice to have that option. The grey one you have seen in some of our videos was from Aldi grocery store. You never know what’s gonna be an Aldi find! This stool stores our shoes and sits right behind our swivel seat for a footrest. It also gets pulled up to our dinette area for dinner. We love multiple uses!
Quick Drying Microfiber Travel Towels
These lightweight, microfiber travel towels are fast drying and very compact. We got the set of 3 different sizes because we needed different towels for different purposes. This set basically has a washcloth, hand towel (that we also use for drying dishes), and a bath towel. The texture took a little getting use to instead of the big traditional terry cloth towels but they are 100 times faster drying and compact which is important for tiny living.
Foldable Travel Hairdryer
This hairdryer is compact and effective while using less power than most. It uses up to 1200 watts. We have a 2000 watt inverter and 600 watts of solar panels so for the couple of minutes Amy uses it to dry and style her short hair, it does not draw much power or take our batteries much time to recharge afterwards. You do have to be conscious of anything else running while using but it has never been a problem in our tiny space with the few items that draw that much power.
DIY Detail Car Care Products
Ok, yes, Amy works as the Customer Service Manager for them so we might be a little biased but these are excellent products to keep our van clean and protected. The DIY Detail YouTube channel is very informative to learn all you need to know to detail your own vehicle, from a small Fiat to our Promaster Van to a 45 ft Motorcoach Bus and more! Caring for the outside is just as important as keeping the inside clean.
Be sure to use Coupon Code: ROLLINGROGANS for 10% off your order.
Detailing Bottle Holders - Spring Clips
So many people have been asking us how we mounted the DIY Detail bottles on our door. We used spring clips that are usually used for mops and brooms. Even though we are creative people, this idea was shared by a customer and how they mounted the bottles in their mobile detailing trailer.