Escaping Burnout: Why I Left Everything for Van Life

Her Social Media Links:
Her YouTube - @kaciesvanlife

VIDEO DESCRIPTION:

Join Kacie as she takes you on a tour of her self-built van, Maggie, and shares her unique journey from medical school to full-time van life. After years of schooling and the loss of her mother, Kacie made the bold decision to travel and embrace a simpler, more fulfilling lifestyle. In this video, she walks you through her van build, which she completed entirely on her own, despite having no prior building experience. Whether you’re interested in solo female van life or DIY van conversions, this tour is packed with inspiration, tips, and insights.

DIY Van Build: Kitchen, Storage, & Clever Solutions Kacie kicks off the tour by showcasing her spacious kitchen, complete with a large sink, custom countertops, and ample storage. With a 12V Dometic fridge, Purewell water filter, and a clever flip-up counter extension for her cat Olive, Kacie has designed a functional and beautiful kitchen perfect for van life. She shares how she optimized her storage space and the learning process behind organizing her appliances for life on the road.

Living & Sleeping Comfortably in a Van In the bedroom area, Kacie explains why she chose a stationary bed setup with a full-size mattress. She also highlights the benefits of having a skylight for stargazing and ventilation, plus the custom shelves she built to store personal items. This cozy space is where she spends most of her time, and her van’s design perfectly suits her need for comfort and relaxation.

Practical Van Life Amenities: Shower, Toilet, & Water System One of the must-have amenities for Kacie was a shower, which she cleverly designed to convert from a bench into a fully functional shower with a curtain. She also uses a composting urine-diverting toilet that tucks neatly under her bed. With 34 gallons of water storage and a low-flow shower setup, Kacie is able to stay clean and comfortable on the road without needing a gym membership.

Powering a Van Life Adventure: Solar & Electrical Setup Kacie’s van is powered by an impressive electrical system featuring 600 amp-hours of lithium batteries and 400 watts of solar on the roof. With multiple charging methods, including solar, shore power, and charging while driving, her system never drops below 80%—even when using her appliances regularly. This reliable setup provides peace of mind for Kacie and Olive as they travel full-time.

Empowering Women in Van Life For women considering van life or a DIY build, Kacie offers inspiring advice. She emphasizes that building a van can be a challenge, but facing those fears and discomforts is what leads to growth and independence. If she can do it without any prior experience, so can you!

Follow Kacie and Olive on their van life journey, as they continue to explore new places and embrace the freedom of life on the road. Connect with them on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at Kacie’s Vanli for more updates, adventures, and future projects.

#solofemalevanlife #vanconversion

TINY HOME TOURS LINKS:

LIFE ON THE ROAD IN A SKOOLIE LINKS

[meridethhendry]

What an incredible young woman. Such a beautiful home she has made for herself and her cat. A sweet way to honor her mom too.

[VirginiaBarber-nvhj]

As a physician who retired after 32 years of practice, I commend you on fulfilling your dreams while you could. What a beautiful tribute to your Mom! Your van is one of the most beautiful builds I have seen. And you did it yourself! Well-done!!!
Best of luck and success to you in your adventures. The rest of us will follow along vicariously. Thank you! 😊

[kallasusort]

Kacie - I really like you, you're well thought out and purposeful on your build. The colors are calming, everything feels gentle around you. May you find great joy on your journey. Your Mother would be proud.

[northwinterfilms]

And I must say this is one of the prettiest and most comfortable looking van builds I’ve ever seen. Congratulations!

[starseedkitty]

Awh this made me cry, what a heartfelt story. I love Maggie’s story 🚐 ✨

[karenglobaltravel]

Amazing build out van and even more amazing you broke the mold and opted to do this early in life. I am a 67 year old nurse who is looking at my next option and van life is 1 of the options or liquidating everything and start traveling globe with my dog.

[serenasams]

🙏 your mom is proud and with you. God bless.

[norliahnasir]

Very nice considering this is her first diy project. Love the arches in the bedroom

[maryfolks]

This is by far my absolute favorite van build. It's cute but the functionality to fit her personally is what I loved so much. She has 3 ways to charge her electrical system and she did it all herself. What impressed me the most was she wanted to build it by herself so she could fix it when things go wrong. Trust me things will go wrong but I would bet her freedom and peace of mind outweighs whatever might go wrong. Great video, I loved it.

[IExpectedBSJustNotThisMuchBS]

I love her attitude. Fear is what pushed me to learn new things. Van builds weren't a thing when I was young and even at nearly 70, if I was healthy enough to do it, I'd be busy building one myself. As it is, it's difficult for me to find people to garden or work on the house in the country where I live, and it's all I can do when I'm a bit better to keep up with exterior painting and garden work. If you're young, and this appeals, go for it! Go for it no matter your age if you have the health to do so!

[TeriWillrick]

I’ve been watching you do hard things for years. I admire your bravery and stubbornness. So so happy you followed your heart on this adventure.
Love you Kacie. ❤

[mrdel]

I love your RV, personality and take on reality.

[RottenlyMoodyChild]

What a wonderful tribute to your mother, Maggie. And also a lovely way to honour yourself and your life. I truly hope you find all the happiness and fulfilment in your life.

Your self belief and determination really shows in the final result. You did an excellent job and should feel incredibly proud of yourself. I absolutely love the way the blue pops off the natural wood (the tone of stain your chose was spot on).

Ps. I went to check out your insta and saw that you visited Laurel 😊 I'm a huuuuge Ben and Erin fan, love them so much! Love what they do, but also love a good HGTV show. Your interior design aesthetic, finish and colour palette is really beautiful, so either the HGTV shows rubbed off on you, or you should have your own show 😊 it really looks so cosy, comfortable, clean and bright without being too modern or rustic. It's the perfect balance.

Wishing you all the best on your new journey and travels 😊

[macauvoice]

Truly an amazing van life experience! A lot of virtues to learn from KACIE. God bless you always and keep you safe, healthy, and happy. God bless us all!

[AVPVP]

I lived in a camper van when i traveled throughout NZ. It was the most fun thing i ever did.

[renlybaratheon]

Your van is as pretty as you. Way to go young lady, do what makes you genuinely happy and you're surely one step closer to what your heart desires. Bless you always and wishing you happiness ❤❤️❤️

[lucianafigliola]

Hi Kaci! I totally agree with you! Your van turned out beautiful, everything to my taste! :) Love from Argentina 🇦🇷

[heidibarrett]

You are an Awesome woman! Kudos to you for all that you have created & enjoy your journey forward in your beautiful tiny home. Cheers to the happy life!

[amiralions]

I have no doubt that Mama is along for the ride. You've made it beautiful, warm and inviting.

[mildredlackey]

A very beautiful van build, and so perfectly organized, Olive is precious, be proud, stay safe and happy.