Lots of folks want to be mobile these days. How could you blame them? There are so many beautiful places to see and the world is ever more accessible with new technology. Most of us carry around a GPS device right in our pocket every day.

Combine that with skyrocketing rent prices and an increase in well-paying remote jobs and many people are deciding to hit the road.  

Remember when living in a van down the river was a bad thing? 

Times they are a changin’. 

The global trend of living in a van, traveling around and working remotely has been dubbed the “Van Life Movement.” And it’s kind of a big deal. 

According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the UK, the owners of 21,215 vehicles have applied to have them re-designated as living spaces in the last 12 months. That’s almost a 75% increase in just two years. 

It’s unclear how many van-lifers there are in the United States, but the trending #vanlife on Instagram has over 6 million posts.

Perhaps the most interesting takeaway here is that the vanlife is not limited to just one demographic. 

Harley Sitner, the owner of a thriving Seattle van repair shop, says she serves clients who span generations. Including retired couples who are finally free to hit the open road, middle-aged tech industry gurus trying to escape the rat race, and younger folks who are burdened by student loans or not quite ready to settle down in one place. 

Sure, living on the road isn’t all happiness and glamour. There are a lot of uncertainties and depending on your choices the lifestyle is not always cheap. 

For some, #vanlife offers adventure and freedom. A creative way to live simply and favor experiences over material possessions; a growing trend in this economy. 

We’re excited to follow this trend and hope that the future brings more widespread accessibility to remote jobs, allowing people the freedom to travel and experience the world as they please.

Because that makes us really happy. 

Know somebody who is into the van-life? Share this with them!