This is how you build your own habit - Sandra shares her best tips

In the middle of chirping birds and a sparkling lake, Sandra sits and works. Or yes, sometimes she also stands, depending on what she feels like. Part of the best thing about her mobile office is how flexible it is. But the mobile office wasn't actually meant to be an office at all - it just became that way.

The summer of 2020 came to look different. Not least, it was a summer that stood out for those who, of all things, travel abroad during the holidays. Interest in traveling in Sweden immediately grew, more and more people were hungry to discover what was around the corner. And a new word quickly grew in popularity, now we were all going on vacation.

Sandra's dream began with a used transporter

For Sandra and her partner, who love to travel abroad, a feeling of restlessness came at home in the apartment. They yearned to discover new places and to do so in a smooth way. They wanted to see more of Sweden and to get close to nature, but when camping did not always feel optimal for them, they began to think about other solutions.

"How can we easily get away, without needing a summer house, or having to rent every time?" says Sandra, referring back to a question she and her partner asked themselves that summer. The idea of a van was born, and soon the search for both a car and inspiration for the build began.

The road trip van unexpectedly became an office

In the autumn they bought a car, spent all their free time building and on the weekends Sandra, her partner and their two cats went off to discover new places. And they came to enjoy themselves well in their van. In fact, they enjoyed themselves so much that they found themselves trying to find solutions to maximize their time in the car. They started by sometimes leaving half a day earlier to extend the weekend and then sat and worked the last part of the work week with each laptop on their lap inside the van.

This was the starting point for them to increasingly use their van as a mobile office during the weeks. It became a way for Sandra to create some variety in her work at home and the environmental change in the habit became a refreshing alternative to the kitchen table.

“It was a way to get out of eight to five, Monday to Friday. Even though I have a job like that, it didn't feel the same way. Being able to just stand and look out at the sea or take a swim at lunch and then go straight back up to the office makes a difference," she says.

The secret behind compact living

After we chat for a while, Sandra starts to show around the van. While we are in the middle of taking photos inside the car, a guy appears. He pokes his head out from behind the wide-open rear doors and happily exclaims in broken English: "Oh, your van is so clean!". The Frenchman and his friend had parked their van some distance away and he explained that their van was both dirty and messy inside. But he quickly added, somewhat apologetically, that it was indeed quite clean when they first set out.

And yes, he is right that Sandra's van is clean and that things have their place. Something that is one of the big keys to van life, she believes. She shows off the built-in drawers, the spacious storage under the bed and a fold-out table that allows you to stand outside the car and prepare food or work on a laptop. That particular fold-out table, it's one of Sandra's favorite places in the van. There she likes to stand and work, at the same time as she looks out over the day's well-chosen view.

The visit to the van begins to round off, but before we leave Sandra to continue working with her wonderful lake view, we get her five best tips for those of you who want to build your own van. Because, well, who doesn't want to do just that?

Sandra's 5 best tips for you who are building a van

1.  Start by gathering inspiration and knowledge

Sandra recommends finding inspiration on Instagram and looking for groups on Facebook – where she specifically suggests the Vanlife group.

2. Don't skimp on the basic jobs

That is to say: don't skimp on things, just because it's not visible - such as insulation and ventilation.

3. Install a sunroof

For extra light, a cozy factor and the opportunity to cool off on a hot summer night.

4. Keep track of standing height

Choose a van you can stand straight in. If you want to build a kitchen inside the car, it's nice not to have to bend over when you cook.

5. Take it easy!

Do not realize all your ideas at once. Take the opportunity to settle in and build slowly to see what you lack and need.

Craving for van? Start the dream with us!