Start with the big stuff, then sprinkle in the details. Your bed will probably be the biggest component of the living space. Now that you've thought about the number of occupants and taken height into consideration, we can think about the bed.

Start with the big stuff, then sprinkle in the details. Your bed will probably be the biggest component of the living space. Now that you've thought about the number of occupants and taken height into consideration, we can think about the bed.

On the minimalist end, you could get away with a portable countertop burner and cooler. On the other end of the spectrum, contingent on vehicle size and space, you might have everything from a microwave to an oven.

Start listing out all your necessities in order of importance. Once we layer these components into the blueprint, you might have to forego some of the lower priority items (unless you have a skoolie!) 

A wet bathroom can take up a massive chunk of space, which we'll see mapped out further along. If you have multiple inhabitants, having a fully enclosed bathroom can make hygiene and every day living much more comfortable.

Alternatively you can get by with a simple porta potty that tucks away, and showers at the gym along the way.

Do you want plenty of natural light? Does your vehicle already have windows you want to utilize? Or do you want to stay stealthy and windowless?

Windows have major pros and cons. Nothing beats feeling immersed in nature, driving through the wilderness with panoramic views. Also, who wants to be trapped in a metal box? Imagine living in a home with no windows.

There are some major downsides to consider. Windows are like massive holes in your insulation. If you're staying in colder climates, your heat will be pouring out those thin panes of glass.

Your van will also be much more vulnerable when left alone, especially in cities. Windows have to be covered each time since you don't want to advertise your home and all of its belongings to potential thieves.

Many layouts are available online but for peace of mind, you might want to measure out the inner dimensions anyways. You don't want to find out at the very end that your bathroom or fridge doesn't fit.

This document will be your source of truth for all things to follow so be diligent with this step. It's also a critical way to organize the many complexities to come, and will make planning less overwhelming.

If you'd like to stay analog, get some graphing paper and carefully convert those measurements to a scale you'll be using. Find some tracing paper so you can layer on future steps (like electrical and plumbing).

I'd encourage you to go digital at the very least, because lots of 2-dimensional plans are available for free online.

The best approach, is to go 3D. I know it sounds intimidating, but SketchUp is a free tool for 3D modeling. It's designed in a user friendly way where anyone can learn it in a matter of minutes. Also, most van models are already free to download somewhere on the internet.

The beauty of SketchUp (or any other 3D modeling tool), is that your design will be damn near perfect from the onset, and you can proceed with confidence, knowing that even after your frame, insulation, and walls are in place, your stove and fridge will still fit as intended.

It's also a lot easier to visualize things in the vertical plane. Your van is a three-dimensional object and designing everything from cabinetry to your bed frame will be a lot easier.

Here are a couple of great resources for learning Sketchup. I promise once you've figured out the basics (which will take you a day at most), you'll be flying through the build and all its calculations. You can also rest easy, knowing you've measured to perfection.

Start with your bed. Once that's in place you can layer in the other big building blocks we determined earlier. This might include your bathroom, fridge, stove, sink, or seating area.

These are some common layouts which you can either pull inspiration from or follow directly. Alternatively, I'd encourage you to build beyond these and even break the mold, tossing your own unique designs into the community.
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I know we're early on here, but it's already time to think about electrical and plumbing. We won't dive into any technical complexities, but we need to figure out where you want your utilities to go.

Where do you want your outlets? What appliances need electricity? Most importantly, you'll want to think about where wires and will run and where you want to hide them, especially if anything could be tucked under the subfloor.

Ideally, you'll find the path with the least points of failure between your water supply and outlets. That means as few turns as possible. Each turn means a fitting needs to be installed to make a 90 degree bend.