Aww I’m glad to hear it’s appreciated! I just have such a hard time feeling good about clickbait. Not everything needs to be a huge drama, and I think I’d prefer viewers who feel that way too ♥️
If you paint it you should do like a sage color. Might have been your shirt that made me think that, but I think it could look really pretty if it was the right shade.
Excellent analysis. Too many people think doing this is negative. I think it is a strength to improve, and help others to improve or change things for the better. Thank you so much I am in the beginning process of finding my van.
As far as the color you mentioned on the outside, I like the idea of something that blends in with nature or is subdued to not draw so much attention to it.
I have an e-150. I bought my swivel base thru a forum group buy on the sportsmobile website for a little over $200 and has it installed in a shop so that it is safe. Search the forum for e-150 swivel base. You must remove the old base first or it will be too tall. Forget about a drawer underneath. You can’t have both. Having a swivel opens up the space and created a larger living area. While driving you always have it locked facing forward.
Tape that’s used to slide heavy drawers on, attach surface drawers slide against. Woodcraft, Lowe’s. Suggest next time under van use cardboard to slide and smother for back less dirt!
Hannah you could wax your drawers with a paste wax and that might take care of your binding situation. You are correct on sealing your cabinet doors to protect them from moisture. If you ever decide to rebuild them 1/2 " Baltic birch would be a good alternative for a cabinet door. The product I use for sealing wood around wet areas is called Waterlox. Kind of spendy, but it seems to work well on my wood bathroom counter top. Good luck on your projects!
Walter is getting a makeover😊 Luv the swivel seat idea! Don’t Think there is anything you could put under the seat for storage and have a swivel seat too. Have you thought about getting a small three drawer storage at Walmart or target. Or Amazon. They are small enough to sit on the floor in front of the front seat and can easily be moved if you have a passenger. They are made out of the same material as storage bins. I’m a bit of an organizational nut and these are perfect for my art supplies when traveling in my van. I like using it because I can pick it up and put it next to my chair and table when I’m painting outside.
Funny that you began talking about a drawer beneath the passenger seat. I have a Chevrolet Express and have decided to build a shower drawer beneath my passenger seat. Weld together angle iron and make it to size to bolt into the existing seat bolts. Then bolt the seat to the top of the iron structure. My drawer will extend into the center area between the seats.
i don't really know how to mount a swivel thingy on your chair but my grandpa has a van and he made himself a table that you can pull out from under the van and it serves as a dinning table that you can eat on outside of your van and its pretty easy to make
I know this is one of your old post, so if you haven’t fixed your van seat yet. Keep makes numerous metal boxes for under seats, they lock also. Swivels can be found where they sell boat seat products. Adapt and overcome is what they say be sure to build that seat lock.
It would be tough to have the seat as storage and on a swivel. Many RV companies make swivel bases for captain's chairs to do just what you described. You might even be able to find one in a salvage yard. The drawback, is that the swivel base is a pedestal mount, which takes up all the space underneath the seat. Someone who is good with a welder, or a metal fabrication shop could probably make you a swivel mount on top of a shallow box or drawer, but it would be a completely one-off custom build, and likely pretty expensive. If you look at the website for Sportsmobile, they specialize in Ford E series RV parts and builds. That can give you a good idea what others are doing, and some possible thoughts to help you. Having a high top van is definitely a nice extra. I had a 91 Chevy G25 conversion with a high top, and it was awesome.
If you need tools and a place to work, you may have a 'makers space' near you. Our local community college has one, it's amazing, there's woodworking tools, metal-working, electronics etc.
1. Coat your doors and drawer fronts with a Spar Urethane varnish. It is available as either an oil base or water based. WB is faster with less smell. A matte finish is available so your wood doesn't end up looking "plasticky". Spar varnishes are more elastic and will allow the wood to move without breaking the varnish film. 2. There is a teflon tape available at woodworking stores that is intended for the glide surfaces of drawers. You will have slick teflon rather than wood on wood. Also, small rollers might be a solution too. 3. As to extending the cold weather camping season: I had a remote starter on my van so that I could start the van without getting out of bed. Makes getting out of bed a lot easier when every thing is already toasty warm. Remote starters usually also have a feature that turns of the van after 20 minutes. this might me nice if it really got cold in the middle of the night. BTW, I am a new male subscriber, 77 years old who had a camping van for 16 years. I enjoy your van experiences, but I really watch them because you're so damn cute! :) That Mav is a lucky guy!
They have swivel mounts to buy to make it dot approved (safe) but around 300 bucks really wouldn't change the height the drawer I would put some small rollers on it for moving if it touches the floor and maybe figure out a box that can go between the seats while driving then store on drivers seat when parked then while driving you have a another spot to put stuff. Not sure of bed size or how firm you like your mattress but the do make a 4 inch memory foam up to king size on Amazon
The swivel seat brackets can be found in junkyards. I do rememeber some older "conversion"vans had the swivel seat for the passenger. But ebay would be a good place to get one aswell. Love the vids.
Hannah I love your personality and industrious spirit... a thinker and a doer ,,,the inspiration you give reins supreme ..I love your wholesomely whimsical fragility . A pioneering soul embarking on a quest of simple appreciation for nature and all that is around us God bless you !
About the front seat and storage - I think these swivel seats have a bit of storage under them, so much so that people end up putting their heaters under it or make a shoe rack About the colour, I'm suggesting the colours - Gray, (a lighter shade of) Olive Green - to your list of considered colours
We have the same trifold mattresses and love them. For the swivel base I think they are rated for safety so if you DIY I don’t know about carrying passengers. FYI changing the colour from white has a huge effect on how hot the van gets in the sun.
For your drawer slides. Give a "Old Cabinet Builders" secret a try. Pull the drawers out and on the bottom wherever they make contact with the cabinets rub candle wax on the drawer and the cabinet. Try this on the sides as well. You willnha e to do this more than once as the wax will wear and be absorbed by the wood but they will ide much easier as well as be quieter.
The swivel base usually raises the height of the seat so you could buy something to use as a foot stool when sitting in the seat that can double as storage. They sell them at Walmart. It's a thought.
Saw this a few weeks ago, read your bio and have spent some time (that’s all I have with shelter in place) watching earlier episodes. With a snap shot of the last 3 years I’m fascinated. As my “baby” is 4 years your senior I have a perspective at least. The Hannah and her sisters(s) episodes are fun to watch. I had planned to move closer to my 2 daughters in June but now is not the time. Hope things get much better soon enough. If I can I’d get a camper van and try to spend time in parkland near Colorado. Your “what I can do without” style is helpful. It’s not easy to be sure of you eye color on TH-cam. I hope it’s green if you are as Irish as you surname. Best wishes for the new POOSSLQ lifestyle.
to tackle the too big of a bed and needing more storage under the passenger seat situations, i would get the trifold mattress u mentioned so it can be a couch for more of a dining seat hangout experience then a bed when u sleep. and for the passenger seat i would just build a big storage box, put a cushion on it and some kind of back rest (could also be a tall storage box with a cushion possibly attached w velcro) and find an old seatbelt to install on it for passengers🤷🏻♂️dunno if it’s exactly legal but i think it’s a good idea since u want to be able to still have a passenger instead of just making that whole spot a closet for the clothes u sell !
Idk if someone has mentioned it before, probably, but just in case. It's good to air out the mattress once in a while. Mold can easily grow on the mattress and in the wooden bottom if the wood doesn't have ventilation holes. Looking forward to see more van vids 😄✌️
Hannah, regarding under the passenger seat storage, on eBay there are aluminum plate boxes you can find sold as, “airline galley boxes”. If you do find a suitable swivel locking mechanism from another chair You could mount it to these boxes commonly found on eBay.
Loved watching your video! :) Just like you it's hard to really say you "hate" things about your van because in the end your van is your abode and it was a labor of love! After living in our van for 9 months we also found some things we'd change or wish we'd do differently, but given the time constraints we had we had to make do. We are currently tweaking some of those "hated features" and given our van a little remodel since we have more TIME at the moment haha :)
I'm pretty new to your channel but your videos are really comforting to put on in the background while I work on my own projects so thank you for that! I also never realized I wanted to have a van to travel in before so thank you for that as well.
Awww! I love that 😊 and having a van is so nice! It’s a traveling home! Never have to pay for hotels, can always go wherever you want at the drop of a hat, AND you can always have a more permanent home and just use it to do short travel!
I have a 2005 Ford Econoline E450 it has the bigger motor but the interior is exactly the same and they sell swivel kit specifically for this van mine happens to be in an RV but it's still the same front end and your interior is identical to mine and I am looking to get that swivel kit as well I don't know what that does for the space underneath but it certainly makes it another seat to sit in when you're in chill mode and you can still turn it around while you're driving if you have a passenger and it's a bolt on kit so you just have to have somebody that has a toolbox in about an hour to spend and you can hook it up anyway Hannah I love your Channel stay safe! :-)
Hi I’m a new subscriber love your videos I was looking for a plate to make my passenger seat swivel for a Chevy Express and they are less than 100$ so I’m sure you can find one as well. I’ll not change the bed to a sofa bed just because of the effort to make the bed open and close on daily basis. But you can get like a flat luggage rack for a trailer hitch get one that can be folded. Build a little deck to seat on it and than you can get a folding chair to seat on your balcony. And this balcony can serve you as a shower as well you just need to put a shower curtain to attached the back doors and you got a shower that you can stand in. Good Luck.
Hey Hannah, I am just about to wrap up my van build on my 2007 Econoline, I knew from the beginning that I was going to need somewhere to sit as soon as I got in the van and be able to sit up straight, so I bought a little ottoman from Ross, the seat lifts up and there is storage inside, it’s been a life saver for my sore back- crouching gets old real quick. Anyway, my kitchen is about the same height as yours and I’m the perfect height to use my kitchen counter as a desk or to chop veggies when I sit on it, might be a cheap fix + an idea for extra storage!
There's a TH-camr out of Vancouver BC who did a video where he replaced his passenger side seat base with a swivel base. It turned out awesome. He couldn't put a storage compartment under, but he loves the extra room. I think his channel is Vanlife? Hope you find it and get Walter some swivel action.
You're so adorable, love watching your journey. Subscribed just because your set up is so adorable, I'm a kinda big guy, so it's nice watching your accommodations. Warming. Fortunate who these arrangements can be for, stay safe out there.
Hi Hannah. Re: your draw issue. You can also buy a wax clay that you rub on the bottom of the drawer frame and whatever it is sliding on and it will slide much easier without having to purchase the hardware, unless you just really want the hardware.
For the drawer i would try using "Swivel Round Ball Caster Transfer Ball Bearing Roller Wheel". It a 1/2" ball bearing you can mount to the bottom of the drawer.
The draws under your bed that are tight ,pull them out and rub scandal wax all over the outside of the draw including the bottom,put them back in then pull them in and out a few times .Sorted
Love your van home ! I do truck camping during the summer. And seems like it's really roughing it and not comfortable at all. You look so at ease with your lifestyle. May have to incorporate some of your ideas to make this whole thing more fun ! Keep up with your informative vids.
Thank you for your vids,! Myself and my boyfriend converted a 2008 ford transit (british van) end of last year and boy what a turbulent journey that was! definitely things i would tweak but hey well get to that, maybe. You have a lovely way about you!
Just found your channel, these are the types of videos I look for. A van was actually my first choice but, the short us I found I could not pass up to it is almost a van. I am still in the build process so these type of videos give me ideas on what I might be able to change ahead of time as I build it out.
Watching from England. Your going to be a huge success love how your videos are so genuine showing the highs the lows and the advise and inspiration is exemplary. Where did you learn all your DIY skills? For a young lady your very self sufficient.
I wouldn't do contact paper against itself. It could get gummy (dust and humidity) or ripped and make it even harder to move. Contract paper and felt would work though.
Agree that contact paper would get ripped. I'm imaging rails of some sort--like metal or fiberglass that you can screw on the bottom of the drawer. Also, to divide up the drawer--you could just use packing cubes. Or, I thrifted some dividers that are meant to be used in kitchen drawers. They're bamboo and are spring loaded on the ends. The only issue is that they are only about 3 inches high, and my bedroom drawers are much deeper than that. So I stuck them in there about halfway down, if that makes sense. As long as the items can't slide under the divider, it works.
Maybe you could just buy a plastic swivel chair like they use on a fishing boat, then put a wood box under it. The van seat will be to tall with a box under it. You might could get a nice boat swivel chair as well then a cheap one if you choose.
I miss your plants. You too? :-) Don't put too many compartments in, Hannah. Right now, if you have three things that take up the space of two compartments, they fit, but they won't any longer once you put compartments in. Also, compartments may force you to pull out the drawers all the way much more often than now. Not sure about the contact paper (which I had to look up to find out what it is), whether that would help much. Is it sanded wood on the bottom of the drawer sliding on the smooth wooden floor right now? I'll have a think. (Does anyone have a good idea whether felt would slide well? Would it reduce the friction? Ideally, you'd need a layer of tiny and sturdy rolling balls under the drawer, but nothing comes to mind - yet - that would approach that.) Re storage for the clothes: I can't see what the top of the cab looks like, but lots of people have created storage room there. Above the seats. Might work. I am not gonna cry you a river, as I shut down all my Facebook-owned media some time ago. So no WhatsApp, Instagram and FB for me any longer. And nobody's on Telegram. Poor me. Now I am all alone. Anyway, I have a bunch of black caps, a grey one and I also have an outback/cowboy hat, recently adorned with a cool matching scarf (same tan color in the scarf, as if I had planned it that way when I ordered the scarf) so I am okay in the hats and caps department anyway.
I have one of those tri-flold bamboo mattresses. Mine is 8inches i think and I'm obsessed with it! I slept on a 6inch one in an AirBnB and fell in love they are also extremely affordable. My physical therapist and chiropractor have even asked what mattress I switched too and commented about how much better my back and hips and shoulders are since sleeping on it. (I was in 3 car crashes within 2 years and also have some genetic spinal issues. so I have 6 slipped disks, a low hip, stage 1 arthritis, early degenerative disk disease and I am borderline scoliosis)
@@hannahleeduggan you could always sell it super cheap I sold my whole mattress set including bedframe for $75 to a friend who I knew needed it. Or donate to goodwill! They will even unload it for you however, I dont know if they are open or how they are conducting business due to COVID-19.
Listen, google “ RB Components “ what you need is a 58” rear , dinette/ bed set up..makes into a bed, two couches, dinette, half couch, or wide open. Storage underneath..fits in your low roof van. I have a folding sofa in my low roof transit work van...it’s a perfect setup,for sleeping, working, eating, or get a sofa sleeper ..sofa for daytime , bed for sleeping. Mounts on one wall . Use the other wall for a entire wall of storage ...great system...love the channel 👍🇺🇸
You definitely built some heavy duty drawers and cabinets! Problem is the headspace is dependent on the floorspace. If you could find an identical van, you could add a second story!
Can't speak to anything about it, but a quick google search turned this up - shop4seats.com/van-seats/van-seat-bases/ford-van-bases/96-06-ford-swivel-base-oem-seat.html A little reading indicated they are required to be able to lock forward, and that the seat belt and air bag sensor wires may need to be extended.
hey Hannah! thank you so much for making videos. This year my plans to travel from Australia to the the US were cancelled and I'm thinking about buying and converting a van in the meantime. Your van and life is a literal dream and I am inspired by you so much. Hope you have a good week :)
buying a van and living in it fulltime was one of the best decisions we made! It has given us so much financial freedom and exciting trips to look forward to. I hope you make the leap :) ✨
Also when it comes to more storage what about outside storage? I don’t know any of the correct names but people have them on top of their vehicles or on the back doors.
I know this is a year ago the video was made but I'm going through this now. Not sure if you did a video yet on fixing your cabinets with the coating you were talking about. Any word on what that is because I'm hoping to finish my van soon I'm doing varnish at Clearwater Basin varnish so I'm thinking that's what it is.
So want to build a van.. just built a house though so I've got to rebuild my funds. Hopefully, I can use my home once it's paid off for passive income.
So far it seems like Hannah is good in all things she set in her mind to do. She's blessed in many areas even her singing voice. To be so young and gifted is truly a blessing. And Hannah is so brave in the things she does and take part in. I love watching her channel.😊
cry me a river - dianaleigh128: I have a 2001 E-350 that I'm living out of part time and still building out. I have a similar layout as yours, but chose to put a small storage bench directly behind the front seats spanning the whole width of the van and used the space in between the front seats for a storage box/food & drink tray for when I'm on the go. It also works well to hide things from my dog when I need to leave her in the van for a few minutes. I know that isn't exactly what you mentioned, but it was my solution to having a little extra storage and seating/work surfaces. Always look forward to your videos. Thanks for putting out such fun & interesting content! :)
If you're thinking of dyeing the van, I wouldn't dye it beige cause cars in beige just look dirty. I would dye it like a dark blue or black, so it wouldn't be noticed at night by other people.
Wow more room is always nice of I bought a 84 ford Econolime moter home 22 feet long it was perfect for me um you do a lot of driving wow it was hard on gas that was the only problem love it other then that Well ty for sharing sis cool video ya much peace love n light sis n family be safe 😊❤3
Tell me why I expected you to say "My name is Hannah... and this is my vannah..." at the beginning.
Carlyita that would have made my day 😂😂😂
@1:47: How refreshing: A content creator who opts to not use a clickbait title. Not two minutes in and you’ve got me clicking the Follow button.👏😉
Aww I’m glad to hear it’s appreciated! I just have such a hard time feeling good about clickbait. Not everything needs to be a huge drama, and I think I’d prefer viewers who feel that way too ♥️
If you paint it you should do like a sage color. Might have been your shirt that made me think that, but I think it could look really pretty if it was the right shade.
OoooOohh i like that idea 🤔🤔 def keeping that in mind
Excellent analysis. Too many people think doing this is negative. I think it is a strength to improve, and help others to improve or change things for the better. Thank you so much I am in the beginning process of finding my van.
As far as the color you mentioned on the outside, I like the idea of something that blends in with nature or is subdued to not draw so much attention to it.
I have an e-150. I bought my swivel base thru a forum group buy on the sportsmobile website for a little over $200 and has it installed in a shop so that it is safe. Search the forum for e-150 swivel base.
You must remove the old base first or it will be too tall.
Forget about a drawer underneath. You can’t have both. Having a swivel opens up the space and created a larger living area. While driving you always have it locked facing forward.
Tape that’s used to slide heavy drawers on, attach surface drawers slide against. Woodcraft, Lowe’s. Suggest next time under van use cardboard to slide and smother for back less dirt!
Hannah you could wax your drawers with a paste wax and that might take care of your binding situation. You are correct on sealing your cabinet doors to protect them from moisture. If you ever decide to rebuild them 1/2 " Baltic birch would be a good alternative for a cabinet door. The product I use for sealing wood around wet areas is called Waterlox. Kind of spendy, but it seems to work well on my wood bathroom counter top. Good luck on your projects!
Walter is getting a makeover😊 Luv the swivel seat idea! Don’t Think there is anything you could put under the seat for storage and have a swivel seat too. Have you thought about getting a small three drawer storage at Walmart or target. Or Amazon. They are small enough to sit on the floor in front of the front seat and can easily be moved if you have a passenger. They are
made out of the same material as storage bins. I’m a bit of an organizational nut and these are perfect for my art supplies when traveling in my van. I like using it because I can pick it up and put it next to my chair and table when I’m painting outside.
Funny that you began talking about a drawer beneath the passenger seat. I have a Chevrolet Express and have decided to build a shower drawer beneath my passenger seat. Weld together angle iron and make it to size to bolt into the existing seat bolts. Then bolt the seat to the top of the iron structure. My drawer will extend into the center area between the seats.
i don't really know how to mount a swivel thingy on your chair but my grandpa has a van and he made himself a table that you can pull out from under the van and it serves as a dinning table that you can eat on outside of your van and its pretty easy to make
It's probably been mentioned, rub a candle on your drawer runner contact surfaces. The wax will make a huge difference and it's so easy. Good luck.
Scott Turner, it’s a bit more time consuming, but paste wax* is amazingly effective and long lasting. (*the kind meant for finishing wood, not cars)
I know this is one of your old post, so if you haven’t fixed your van seat yet. Keep makes numerous metal boxes for under seats, they lock also. Swivels can be found where they sell boat seat products. Adapt and overcome is what they say be sure to build that seat lock.
It would be tough to have the seat as storage and on a swivel. Many RV companies make swivel bases for captain's chairs to do just what you described. You might even be able to find one in a salvage yard. The drawback, is that the swivel base is a pedestal mount, which takes up all the space underneath the seat. Someone who is good with a welder, or a metal fabrication shop could probably make you a swivel mount on top of a shallow box or drawer, but it would be a completely one-off custom build, and likely pretty expensive. If you look at the website for Sportsmobile, they specialize in Ford E series RV parts and builds. That can give you a good idea what others are doing, and some possible thoughts to help you. Having a high top van is definitely a nice extra. I had a 91 Chevy G25 conversion with a high top, and it was awesome.
If you need tools and a place to work, you may have a 'makers space' near you. Our local community college has one, it's amazing, there's woodworking tools, metal-working, electronics etc.
1. Coat your doors and drawer fronts with a Spar Urethane varnish. It is available as either an oil base or water based. WB is faster with less smell. A matte finish is available so your wood doesn't end up looking "plasticky". Spar varnishes are more elastic and will allow the wood to move without breaking the varnish film.
2. There is a teflon tape available at woodworking stores that is intended for the glide surfaces of drawers. You will have slick teflon rather than wood on wood. Also, small rollers might be a solution too.
3. As to extending the cold weather camping season: I had a remote starter on my van so that I could start the van without getting out of bed. Makes getting out of bed a lot easier when every thing is already toasty warm. Remote starters usually also have a feature that turns of the van after 20 minutes. this might me nice if it really got cold in the middle of the night.
BTW, I am a new male subscriber, 77 years old who had a camping van for 16 years. I enjoy your van experiences, but I really watch them because you're so damn cute! :) That Mav is a lucky guy!
They have swivel mounts to buy to make it dot approved (safe) but around 300 bucks really wouldn't change the height the drawer I would put some small rollers on it for moving if it touches the floor and maybe figure out a box that can go between the seats while driving then store on drivers seat when parked then while driving you have a another spot to put stuff. Not sure of bed size or how firm you like your mattress but the do make a 4 inch memory foam up to king size on Amazon
When you pulled out your AirPods I thought it was floss and I was thinking, “wow she really loves her floss” 😂😂
Ahahaha it’s a lot funnier when you watch it that way 😂😂
I thought it was floss too. Hannah's favorite past time,... flossing in her van... LMBO
The swivel seat brackets can be found in junkyards. I do rememeber some older "conversion"vans had the swivel seat for the passenger. But ebay would be a good place to get one aswell. Love the vids.
Hannah I love your personality and industrious spirit... a thinker and a doer ,,,the inspiration you give reins supreme ..I love your wholesomely whimsical fragility . A pioneering soul embarking on a quest of simple appreciation for nature and all that is around us God bless you !
About the front seat and storage - I think these swivel seats have a bit of storage under them, so much so that people end up putting their heaters under it or make a shoe rack
About the colour, I'm suggesting the colours - Gray, (a lighter shade of) Olive Green - to your list of considered colours
We have the same trifold mattresses and love them. For the swivel base I think they are rated for safety so if you DIY I don’t know about carrying passengers. FYI changing the colour from white has a huge effect on how hot the van gets in the sun.
For your drawer slides. Give a "Old Cabinet Builders" secret a try.
Pull the drawers out and on the bottom wherever they make contact with the cabinets rub candle wax on the drawer and the cabinet. Try this on the sides as well. You willnha e to do this more than once as the wax will wear and be absorbed by the wood but they will ide much easier as well as be quieter.
The swivel base usually raises the height of the seat so you could buy something to use as a foot stool when sitting in the seat that can double as storage. They sell them at Walmart. It's a thought.
Saw this a few weeks ago, read your bio and have spent some time (that’s all I have with shelter in place) watching earlier episodes. With a snap shot of the last 3 years I’m fascinated. As my “baby” is 4 years your senior I have a perspective at least. The Hannah and her sisters(s) episodes are fun to watch. I had planned to move closer to my 2 daughters in June but now is not the time. Hope things get much better soon enough. If I can I’d get a camper van and try to spend time in parkland near Colorado. Your “what I can do without” style is helpful. It’s not easy to be sure of you eye color on TH-cam. I hope it’s green if you are as Irish as you surname. Best wishes for the new POOSSLQ lifestyle.
The RV dealership will have the base for the swivel seat and also have a base for a table it'll be a small table just slide right in to the floor.
to tackle the too big of a bed and needing more storage under the passenger seat situations, i would get the trifold mattress u mentioned so it can be a couch for more of a dining seat hangout experience then a bed when u sleep. and for the passenger seat i would just build a big storage box, put a cushion on it and some kind of back rest (could also be a tall storage box with a cushion possibly attached w velcro) and find an old seatbelt to install on it for passengers🤷🏻♂️dunno if it’s exactly legal but i think it’s a good idea since u want to be able to still have a passenger instead of just making that whole spot a closet for the clothes u sell !
Idk if someone has mentioned it before, probably, but just in case. It's good to air out the mattress once in a while. Mold can easily grow on the mattress and in the wooden bottom if the wood doesn't have ventilation holes.
Looking forward to see more van vids 😄✌️
Hannah, regarding under the passenger seat storage, on eBay there are aluminum plate boxes you can find sold as, “airline galley boxes”. If you do find a suitable swivel locking mechanism from another chair You could mount it to these boxes commonly found on eBay.
Loved watching your video! :) Just like you it's hard to really say you "hate" things about your van because in the end your van is your abode and it was a labor of love! After living in our van for 9 months we also found some things we'd change or wish we'd do differently, but given the time constraints we had we had to make do. We are currently tweaking some of those "hated features" and given our van a little remodel since we have more TIME at the moment haha :)
I'm pretty new to your channel but your videos are really comforting to put on in the background while I work on my own projects so thank you for that! I also never realized I wanted to have a van to travel in before so thank you for that as well.
Awww! I love that 😊 and having a van is so nice! It’s a traveling home! Never have to pay for hotels, can always go wherever you want at the drop of a hat, AND you can always have a more permanent home and just use it to do short travel!
swivel base for your seat is supposedly super easy. I've seen people posting about it all the time on FB groups.
I have a 2005 Ford Econoline E450 it has the bigger motor but the interior is exactly the same and they sell swivel kit specifically for this van mine happens to be in an RV but it's still the same front end and your interior is identical to mine and I am looking to get that swivel kit as well I don't know what that does for the space underneath but it certainly makes it another seat to sit in when you're in chill mode and you can still turn it around while you're driving if you have a passenger and it's a bolt on kit so you just have to have somebody that has a toolbox in about an hour to spend and you can hook it up anyway Hannah I love your Channel stay safe! :-)
Hi
I’m a new subscriber love your videos
I was looking for a plate to make my passenger seat swivel for a Chevy Express and they are less than 100$ so I’m sure you can find one as well.
I’ll not change the bed to a sofa bed just because of the effort to make the bed open and close on daily basis.
But you can get like a flat luggage rack for a trailer hitch get one that can be folded. Build a little deck to seat on it and than you can get a folding chair to seat on your balcony. And this balcony can serve you as a shower as well you just need to put a shower curtain to attached the back doors and you got a shower that you can stand in. Good Luck.
Hey Hannah, I am just about to wrap up my van build on my 2007 Econoline, I knew from the beginning that I was going to need somewhere to sit as soon as I got in the van and be able to sit up straight, so I bought a little ottoman from Ross, the seat lifts up and there is storage inside, it’s been a life saver for my sore back- crouching gets old real quick. Anyway, my kitchen is about the same height as yours and I’m the perfect height to use my kitchen counter as a desk or to chop veggies when I sit on it, might be a cheap fix + an idea for extra storage!
Get a futon mattress that is meant to make into a couch or a sleeping mattress. It may give you 3-4” for head room.
Hi, you could try candle wax for the drawers. It will slide easier
For old cabinets that don't have runners least rub the bottom side of the drawers with a candle. It makes them slide easier.
There's a TH-camr out of Vancouver BC who did a video where he replaced his passenger side seat base with a swivel base. It turned out awesome. He couldn't put a storage compartment under, but he loves the extra room. I think his channel is Vanlife? Hope you find it and get Walter some swivel action.
You're so adorable, love watching your journey. Subscribed just because your set up is so adorable, I'm a kinda big guy, so it's nice watching your accommodations. Warming. Fortunate who these arrangements can be for, stay safe out there.
Hi Hannah. Re: your draw issue. You can also buy a wax clay that you rub on the bottom of the drawer frame and whatever it is sliding on and it will slide much easier without having to purchase the hardware, unless you just really want the hardware.
www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Furniture-Wax/999913689
For the drawer i would try using "Swivel Round Ball Caster Transfer Ball Bearing Roller Wheel". It a 1/2" ball bearing you can mount to the bottom of the drawer.
The draws under your bed that are tight ,pull them out and rub scandal wax all over the outside of the draw including the bottom,put them back in then pull them in and out a few times .Sorted
Love your van home ! I do truck camping during the summer. And seems like it's really roughing it and not comfortable at all. You look so at ease with your lifestyle. May have to incorporate some of your ideas to make this whole thing more fun ! Keep up with your informative vids.
Thank you for your vids,! Myself and my boyfriend converted a 2008 ford transit (british van) end of last year and boy what a turbulent journey that was! definitely things i would tweak but hey well get to that, maybe. You have a lovely way about you!
Thanks for another lovely episode.
I think you’re on to some great ideas here.
Best Of Luck
Just found your channel, these are the types of videos I look for. A van was actually my first choice but, the short us I found I could not pass up to it is almost a van. I am still in the build process so these type of videos give me ideas on what I might be able to change ahead of time as I build it out.
Absolutely loved this video! I just bought a 2011 Ford Econoline and I’m in love with your build!! Can’t wait to build my van, thanks for the tips!
Any time now you’ll reach 100k. Congrats! I’ve been along for most of that journey.
A chair and a pink van are my suggestions. Then you can use your counter space and your van will be different colored than the rest of them.
Hannah! Almost 100k
🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
Party time🎉🎉🎉
I think that for the wood danish oil will work well, but no experience here.
Watching from England. Your going to be a huge success love how your videos are so genuine showing the highs the lows and the advise and inspiration is exemplary. Where did you learn all your DIY skills? For a young lady your very self sufficient.
Looking forward to seeing the changes 💕
I wouldn't do contact paper against itself. It could get gummy (dust and humidity) or ripped and make it even harder to move. Contract paper and felt would work though.
Agree that contact paper would get ripped. I'm imaging rails of some sort--like metal or fiberglass that you can screw on the bottom of the drawer. Also, to divide up the drawer--you could just use packing cubes. Or, I thrifted some dividers that are meant to be used in kitchen drawers. They're bamboo and are spring loaded on the ends. The only issue is that they are only about 3 inches high, and my bedroom drawers are much deeper than that. So I stuck them in there about halfway down, if that makes sense. As long as the items can't slide under the divider, it works.
I like your touches to “Walter” looks cozy 🌸👍 My best
Your Van setup is Awesome !! It looks like a small cute bedroom!!
Maybe you could just buy a plastic swivel chair like they use on a fishing boat, then put a wood box under it. The van seat will be to tall with a box under it. You might could get a nice boat swivel chair as well then a cheap one if you choose.
The tri-fold sounds like a good idea.
I miss your plants. You too? :-) Don't put too many compartments in, Hannah. Right now, if you have three things that take up the space of two compartments, they fit, but they won't any longer once you put compartments in. Also, compartments may force you to pull out the drawers all the way much more often than now.
Not sure about the contact paper (which I had to look up to find out what it is), whether that would help much. Is it sanded wood on the bottom of the drawer sliding on the smooth wooden floor right now? I'll have a think.
(Does anyone have a good idea whether felt would slide well? Would it reduce the friction? Ideally, you'd need a layer of tiny and sturdy rolling balls under the drawer, but nothing comes to mind - yet - that would approach that.)
Re storage for the clothes: I can't see what the top of the cab looks like, but lots of people have created storage room there. Above the seats. Might work.
I am not gonna cry you a river, as I shut down all my Facebook-owned media some time ago. So no WhatsApp, Instagram and FB for me any longer. And nobody's on Telegram. Poor me. Now I am all alone. Anyway, I have a bunch of black caps, a grey one and I also have an outback/cowboy hat, recently adorned with a cool matching scarf (same tan color in the scarf, as if I had planned it that way when I ordered the scarf) so I am okay in the hats and caps department anyway.
With the front seat, you could also just mount it backwards and rebolt the seatbelt, put storage where passenger feet would go.
That’s a great idea!
Thin nylon strips will ,make the drawers slide easy.
Mannnn your videos are so aesthetic, even just the intro
You should put felt on the bottom of that drawer to get it to slide easier
So much fun seeing you figuring things out along the way 🤗 PS how do you style your bangs ?
I have one of those tri-flold bamboo mattresses. Mine is 8inches i think and I'm obsessed with it! I slept on a 6inch one in an AirBnB and fell in love they are also extremely affordable. My physical therapist and chiropractor have even asked what mattress I switched too and commented about how much better my back and hips and shoulders are since sleeping on it. (I was in 3 car crashes within 2 years and also have some genetic spinal issues. so I have 6 slipped disks, a low hip, stage 1 arthritis, early degenerative disk disease and I am borderline scoliosis)
Yes!!! I’m so excited, it just got here today! Have to figure out what to do with my old mattress and then I can finally test it out!
@@hannahleeduggan you could always sell it super cheap I sold my whole mattress set including bedframe for $75 to a friend who I knew needed it. Or donate to goodwill! They will even unload it for you however, I dont know if they are open or how they are conducting business due to COVID-19.
being able to stand up is nice!
Listen, google “ RB Components “ what you need is a 58” rear , dinette/ bed set up..makes into a bed, two couches, dinette, half couch, or wide open. Storage underneath..fits in your low roof van. I have a folding sofa in my low roof transit work van...it’s a perfect setup,for sleeping, working, eating, or get a sofa sleeper ..sofa for daytime , bed for sleeping. Mounts on one wall . Use the other wall for a entire wall of storage ...great system...love the channel 👍🇺🇸
You could build a box in between the seats and put a little rug on top
I love, LOVE, your inspiration! Your cabin is amazing and I absolutely love Walter van ideas!!!❤️♥️❤️
You definitely built some heavy duty drawers and cabinets! Problem is the headspace is dependent on the floorspace. If you could find an identical van, you could add a second story!
Love your presence Hannah! Keep being you :) We love you and your inspiring videos :) Sending good vibes from Australia :)
Not being able to stand up in the van would be a deal breaker for me.
Build a small box in between the seats with a drawer.
Thank you for sharing, Life is good, YET LOVE IS BETTER FOR WITHOUT LOVE LIFE HAS NO MEANING. ALL MY LOVE💙💜❤️
Hi Hanna and Walter hope your staying safe and healthy love yas!
I've implemented different habits that I plan on sticking to even after quarantine. They've allowed me so much peace in my life.
Northern tool has a swivel base for your passenger seat.
Can't speak to anything about it, but a quick google search turned this up -
shop4seats.com/van-seats/van-seat-bases/ford-van-bases/96-06-ford-swivel-base-oem-seat.html
A little reading indicated they are required to be able to lock forward, and that the seat belt and air bag sensor wires may need to be extended.
hey Hannah! thank you so much for making videos. This year my plans to travel from Australia to the the US were cancelled and I'm thinking about buying and converting a van in the meantime. Your van and life is a literal dream and I am inspired by you so much. Hope you have a good week :)
buying a van and living in it fulltime was one of the best decisions we made! It has given us so much financial freedom and exciting trips to look forward to. I hope you make the leap :) ✨
I think Walt would look cute in a nice sage green!
The abundant mindset
Also when it comes to more storage what about outside storage? I don’t know any of the correct names but people have them on top of their vehicles or on the back doors.
Dannee Giles roof rack! Mine has been a life saver- I got it on amazon for $100 and a ladder for the size of my van for $100 as well
They make corner plastic guides for your drawers
I really do like your bed cover. 👌🛏️👌
Love the hat , keep on keeping on . Love the video .
I know this is a year ago the video was made but I'm going through this now.
Not sure if you did a video yet on fixing your cabinets with the coating you were talking about. Any word on what that is because I'm hoping to finish my van soon I'm doing varnish at Clearwater Basin varnish so I'm thinking that's what it is.
I’m thinking my 2014 e-250 shinny black! Should be a flat mushroom color???or wheat!! But flat not shinny!!
So want to build a van.. just built a house though so I've got to rebuild my funds. Hopefully, I can use my home once it's paid off for passive income.
You seem so kind❤️ I recently found you because I love van videos
Girl your bangs are so cute you did so good! Haha
So far it seems like Hannah is good in all things she set in her mind to do. She's blessed in many areas even her singing voice. To be so young and gifted is truly a blessing. And Hannah is so brave in the things she does and take part in. I love watching her channel.😊
When people install van heaters they normally go under the passenger seat, so in terms of safety/legality, a similar-sized box/drawer should be fine.
Maybe if you change his color do a dark green! Very work like, but subdued. An idea!
I use a boat seat on a swivel
Take you a bar Of soap and rub it on the bottom and sides of the drawers and wear they slide it will make a big difference
could you provide a amazon link to the mattress you refer to?
Eamon and Bec on TH-cam Sept 13 shows their swivel seat. Maybe you could get in touch with them???
cry me a river - dianaleigh128: I have a 2001 E-350 that I'm living out of part time and still building out. I have a similar layout as yours, but chose to put a small storage bench directly behind the front seats spanning the whole width of the van and used the space in between the front seats for a storage box/food & drink tray for when I'm on the go. It also works well to hide things from my dog when I need to leave her in the van for a few minutes. I know that isn't exactly what you mentioned, but it was my solution to having a little extra storage and seating/work surfaces.
Always look forward to your videos. Thanks for putting out such fun & interesting content! :)
If you're thinking of dyeing the van, I wouldn't dye it beige cause cars in beige just look dirty. I would dye it like a dark blue or black, so it wouldn't be noticed at night by other people.
Wow more room is always nice of I bought a 84 ford Econolime moter home 22 feet long it was perfect for me um you do a lot of driving wow it was hard on gas that was the only problem love it other then that
Well ty for sharing sis cool video ya much peace love n light sis n family be safe 😊❤3
hey what's the link or name to that trip fold mattress!!!!!!!!!!! thanks!