The interior size available with your vehicle forces constraints upon what you keep in there and how much. Avoid being too cramped but the amount of open space needed depends upon the one(s) living in their vehicle.
I am a solo person, no hangers-on, so I have more space for storing items than a couple would who share a van, truck/camper shell or whatever vehicle is used. Hopefully you have saved enough money to allow a basic existence above the bare survival level. Start saving now if you do not have a cash stash in a credit union, bank, whatever.
No funds to allow saving; expenses consume your entire income? That has sadly become a common occurrence for many folks at the bottom of the economic pile. BUT… are you one of the HUGE horde of humans who view what some folks consider to be a luxury as a necessity? How about that expensive cable or dish-type TV connection?
$1,032 per year. And that is for just one expense. What other areas can you cut back on or eliminate entirely? Do what you can to set some money aside for the time you become homeless. Do your best to obtain a good vehicle for living in before homelessness is forced upon you.
I keep repeating the above since it is imperative to avoid abject homelessness that leads to being forced to sleep at a homeless shelter… IF there IS one available. And not having any decent shelter is a horrible situation. A cardboard box in an alley is dangerous and uncomfortable. A tent in a wooded are offers no security and calls out for police or jack-booted-thugs (there is a difference between the two) to interfere with your survival efforts in various ways.
Get that vehicle suitable for living in NOW… even if you never need it for living in those vehicle-types can be handy in other ways. What you place inside your vehicle to make living in it easier, safer, less obvious that you are living inside it, etc. is variable depending on your own needs.
Keeping warm during cold weather is critical. A down-filled sleeping bag is good, especially in very cold climates. When trucking I curled up inside my down sleeping bag and slept well even though the outside temperature was 22 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. The radio stated that the wind-chill temperature was around 80 below zero Fahrenheit. Brrrrrrrrrrr………
Normally, a semi-truck has its engine continuously running at extreme temperatures to avoid not being able to start the engine after cooling down in extreme cold and to keep the driver warm when sleeping in the cab’s sleeper compartment. But, my truck had an oil leak and I was forced to shut the engine off and wait for daylight to repair the leak. That night proved the usefulness of a down sleeping bag.
If you are ever homeless unless there are good reasons otherwise I advise heading for a warmer climate to avoid the worst of winter’s cold.
The linked to list is for survival-in-general purposes but some of the items apply to vehicle living:
Survival Guide to Homelessness
I have noticed a growing number of Web sites with vehicle living and homelessness in general the main or only topic covered. As with all Web sites some are better than others. But for those facing homelessness or planning for it before the threat of homelessness becomes increasingly possible the various Web sites may be useful.
Time to end this entry but another possibly useful information wandered into my mind and my next entry will cover using a rented storage space to assist your homelessness.
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Dead link removed July 13, 2022
Alternative Living Options 