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Darian

@darian.explores

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🩷 Girl power.
🚐 Traveling in my second DIY campervan.
🍁 Exploring fall in New England
📧 [email protected]

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solo female van life morning routine 🚐✨

one thing about me… i’m sleeping in a big old t-shirt. there’s nothing more comfy.

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #vanbuild by @darian.explores

Step-by-step how I built a murphy bed in my van 🚐🛠️

Well… a hybrid murphy bed. 💃

I came up with this design for a few reasons:
❀ I didn’t want to give up cabinet and counter space for a full length murphy bed
❀ A dinette bed conversion felt like too much work for full-time van life
❀ It was important to me to keep the van as open as possible during the day

I haven’t really seen anyone create this design so I had very little to reference. Between the complexity of figuring out how I was going to execute this & having a deadline I had to get it done by, filming some of the more technical parts of this bed took a backseat.

That said, I have linked my murphy hinges on my website (in bio) and I’ll add the other small components I used there as well. I will also be sharing a long-form video in December going into as many specs and as much detail as I can about this bed design.

The murphy hinges themselves were not difficult to install. They were just a bit confusing at first because they come with very vague instructions.

Features of my bed:
✓ 6 inch medium-firm mattress
✓ Extends the full width of my Transit van (72 inches)
✓ Can open, lower, and raise with one hand
✓ Mattress is fully hidden when stowed

What do you think?

#vanbuildseries #vanbuild #solofemalevanlife #fordtransitcamper #vanconversion #vanbuildideas by @darian.explores

I really had the ultimate van life summer. Even after 5+ years of van life, 90% of my summer was a first time experience.

And as vanlifers know, a ton of adventure and new experiences takes a toll 😅 (even if it’s so worth it)

Fall in New England is a new experience for me, too, but a slower one.

It’s peaceful, quieter, cozier, and the days are shorter. It’s been the perfect space for me to slow down and break in my bedding from @avocado.green 🤍

Why I love Avocado Green 🍃
• Their MADE SAFE certified linen sheets are by far the softest I’ve ever owned.
• Their GOLS organic latex pillows support spinal alignment for side sleepers like meee.
• They’re a Climate Neutral Certified company and members of 1% for the Planet.

As the days are getting shorter and the nights longer, there’s no better time for cozy, healthy bedding so experience the comfort for yourself at avocadogreenmattress.com 🤍

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #luxurycampervan #luxuryvanbuild #avocadopillows by @darian.explores

A fun thing about van life is how you can always build on and improve it. The not so fun thing about van life is that there are always things that can be improved on 😂

I have a 20 hour drive back home for the holidays next month. This heating seat pad is about to be the best travel companion a solo girl could ask for 🔥

Link in bio

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #vanlifetravel #vanbuildideas #roadtripessentials by @darian.explores

solo female van life gas expense ⛽️

you can tell which months i was booking it 🚐💨

and which i moved slower and took my time. it’s give and take though. usually when i stay in a few places for a longer stretch of time, it’s because i love where i am and am spending more money on all the new vegan restaurants, cafes, cocktails, and activities.

my monthly van payment is about $520 and insurance is about $70. all in, its still quite a bit cheaper than rent, especially when you factory the cost of a personal vehicle into it.

i’m also very intentional about fuel stops, making sure i fill up at the most affordable gas stations in my routes. i believe this step alone has saved me hundreds this year.

what do you think? is this higher or lower than you would’ve expected?

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #vanlifetravel by @darian.explores

skeet skurted my little campervan through the biggest city in the country. 10/10 would do it again even though i’ve rarely been so stressed out while driving 😅🚐💨

#solofemalevanlife #vanlifetravel by @darian.explores

Full van tour live now, link in bio. 🤍

#vantour #vanlife #solofemalevanlife by @darian.explores

a wise woman once told me if you build a van, you can drive to canada and have the best summer of your life.

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #fordtransitcamper #canadatravel #vanlifecanada by @darian.explores

It’s funny and interesting how many oldest siblings I meet in van life.

As I write this, I’m parked next to two vanlifers that are both oldest siblings. We’re also all earth signs ♉️♑️✨

We carry the nature of wanting to help and care for others into adulthood, so much so that we put ourselves secondary to others.

Sometimes it feels nice, other times it’s exhausting, defeating, and hurtful when we’re left on an empty battery and no one returning the favor.

It took me until 27 to finally snap out of an imbalance of giving and receiving. When I was finally sure that I couldn’t make progress in my life by living that way.

Lifting the pressure to please and caretake other people has improved my mental health and given me the ability to see what I truly need for my own life.

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #vanlifediary #solotraveling #womeninspiringwomen by @darian.explores

Pros & Cons of Solo Van Building 🚐👷🏻‍♀️

✅ Maximize knowledge + skills
✅ Become an expert creative + problem solver
✅ No obligation to consider outside opinions
✅ Fulfillment + pride!
✅ Confidence, self-certainty, and self-trust

❌ Mentally + emotionally taxing (to say the least)
❌ No one to navigate problems with
❌ It takes SO much longer
❌ In the spirit of honesty, it freaking sucks

I wouldn’t recommend solo van building for most non-professionals. But if you do, my best advice is to not overcomplicate it. Keep it simple. You can do a lot with decor, hardware, plants, etc. after the fact to get that luxury touch 🤍

#vanbuild #diyvanconversion #diyvanbuild #solovanlife #solofemalevanlife by @darian.explores

Van building, van life, and travel have offered me so much retrospection. Welcome to my diary.

I’ve been happily single for over 3 years now. Prior, I had spent my life letting empathy pave the way over what was right or best for me.

In the last 3 years, I’ve gradually learned how to stay connected to my empathy while leading with my gut. I’ve learned how to pour into my own cup.

I’ve spent the last 3 years putting in work to be a better, stronger version of myself and I’ve learned how to trust myself.

Now, I’m finally starting to open my heart to the idea of partnership again and actually think about my future partner often, even if I don’t know who they are.

Life on the road in my new van has been incredible and I’m happily soaking it up. I couldn’t imagine sharing my van full-time with someone else. But I am excited for what’s to come as well.

#solofemalevanlife #solovanlife #solotraveling #vanlifediaries by @darian.explores

This is your sign to build the van and drive somewhere that makes you happy <3

#solofemalevanlife #vanbuild #vanbuilding #solovanlife #vanconversions by @darian.explores