A young couple craving adventure have revealed how they converted a van into their dream home on wheels — with no building experience whatsoever.
Former restaurant manager Ermir 'Mili' Saiti, 26, and registered dietician Mandy Pelletier, 27, made the decision to change their lifestyle in the summer of 2019 after becoming disenchanted with their hectic routines.
The pair began planning their new future — living life on the road — and in January 2020 took the plunge, buying a secondhand RAM ProMaster 2500 for $26,000 (£18,485) which they dubbed Seymour.
They then spent six months and $10,000 (£7,110) converting it into a tiny bohemian home and hit the road in June.
'We met in 2017 in Tallahassee Florida where I was going to school,' Mandy told Jam Press. 'Mili was a manager of an Italian restaurant and I was his most frequent customer.
'After working for a few years, it became clear that our lives revolved around our jobs. Mili was working six days a week at the restaurant, including late nights, and I found myself outgrowing my current job.
'We both craved adventure and being outdoors all of the time, hiking and traveling,' she said.
'We looked forward to our yearly hiking and camping trip each year but wanted more.'
The couple contemplated moving out west but became inspired by the van life community online.
But they insist they didn't make their lifestyle change without half-heartedly: Mili and Mandy sold every piece of furniture they owned, their car, and their motorcycle, getting rid of most of their possessions.
The few items they did have left were stored in a room at Mandy’s father’s home.
'The process of going minimal was extremely freeing,' she said. 'It's very eye-opening to see how easy it was for us to accumulate so much pointless stuff.'
The couple spent much of the pandemic working on the van, converting it into a tiny home. They enlisted Mandy's dad, as well as a few friends who are contractors, for help.
'I have to admit, Mili did a lot more of the actual labor on the van, he had a ball learning how to use all of the power tools,' Mandy said.
'My role was more planning the layout and design, researching the buying of all of the equipment, painting and decorating.
'We had no building experience whatsoever. We learned everything from YouTube and guides from other van lifers.
'My amazing friends from Ancora Construction in West Palm Beach dedicated a week to helping Mili start the build — insulating, framing everything out, and doing the electrical.
'It took us about four months to totally build it out,' she said.
The couple worked full-time while working on the van, spending evenings and weekends on it.
They did it all themselves, barring some hired help to build custom cabinets, while Mandy's dad installed the windows and figured out the plumbing.
The couple’s van is bohemian yet contemporary, with sleek pine countertops and brass finishings.
White licks of paint and new windows create a spacious environment, while the dining area with bench seating at the back of the van doubles as a bed and storage unit.
'The back has a U-shaped bench that converts to a bed,' Mandy said. 'The table comes down to make it flat and the bench cushions reconfigure to make a mattress.
'On the right side, we have a long countertop comprising our kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, propane stove and room for storage. The left side cabinets house our electrical compartment and camera gear.
'The top is lined with upper cabinets for storing our clothes, bedding, toiletries, and food.
'We keep all of our hiking gear and our inflatable kayak in our U-shaped bench storage.'
They pair also have a roof deck to take in the stunning views they encounter when they are on the road.
'We named the van Seymour because he allows us to 'see more of this beautiful world. Cheesy but perfect,' Mili said.
'We have been traveling full-time around the US since we left. Trying to visit as many national parks as possible. So far, we have visited 30 states and 38 national parks. Our favorites so far are Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.
'We will either sleep on BLM (bureau land management) land or national forest land that allows camping. It's free and typically has beautiful views out in nature. In a pinch, we will "stealth camp" at a truck stop or parking lot that allows overnight parking.
'We find bathrooms wherever we can whether it's a gas station, grocery store, pit toilet at a trailhead, or out in nature,' he went on.
'We have an outdoor shower in the van but we mostly shower at Planet Fitness, which are located all throughout the country.
'We will cook in the van wherever. I have made full meals in a Walmart parking lot but usually we're cooking wherever we're camping at night.'
The couple currently live off their savings, although Mandy is hoping to start a virtual dietician practice this year.
Living full-time in a tiny space has both its positives and negatives.
'Before our day-to-day lives were so routine and mundane,' Mandy said. 'Wake up, go to work, come home, watch TV, go to bed, repeat.
'Now we wake up somewhere new every day, and no two days look the same.
'With constantly moving we are having to constantly adapt to our surroundings and live out of our comfort zone,' she said.
'It's nice to have a companion to go on adventures with and to talk to during long drives but our biggest struggle is space.
'The van is pretty tiny and can feel cramped, and sometimes you just want to be alone. We've had to work on figuring out how and when to give each other the space that we need.'
The goal at the beginning of their journey was to travel for up to two years but they now have hopes of taking their van worldwide, once the pandemic is over.
Mandy said: 'If I get to a place financially we would love to drive the van to South America or ship it to Europe.
'I don't see us living in the van forever, but I do see us living tiny forever.'
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