Single Mom Roadschooling Van Life Adventures with Kate & Mel
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Our Van >
        • 2018 Ford Transit Cargo Van
      • The Backstory
      • We Found a Van!
      • Pre-Purchase Van Freak Out
      • Vanlife- Van Purchase Day
      • Registering an Out of State Vehicle
  • The Build
    • Planning is Different Then Doing - VanLife Van Build
    • How Much Does it Cost to Convert a Van?
    • How Much Time Does it Take to Convert a Van?
    • DIY Van Conversion Checklist >
      • Phase One DIY Van Conversion - Research >
        • Designing Your Perfect #VanBuild While Going on Practice Van Life Adventures
      • Making Decisions for Your DIY Van Conversion >
        • Rural Internet
      • Selecting and Buying the Van DIY Van Conversion >
        • Finding a Van
      • Prepping the Layout- DIY Van Conversion >
        • Detailing the Van Before Conversion
      • Installing Windows on Van Conversion for #vanlife
      • Selecting a Vent Fan for our Conversion Van >
        • Vent Placement in Conversion Van
        • Cutting a Hole for a Vent Fan for our Conversion Van
      • Solar Panels on Conversion Van >
        • Wind Solar Power on Conversion Van
        • Van Conversion Solar Set Up - Everything You Need
        • How Much Solar Power Do I Need?
  • Our Adventures
    • Friends on the Road
    • Sea World - Orlando
    • Aquatica- Orlando
    • Treasure Island Florida
  • Resources
    • Vanlife Websites and Blogs
    • Vanlife Hashtags for Families on the Road
    • Vanlife YouTube Channels
    • Financially Supporting Van Life
    • Random #VanLife Stuff
  • Roadschooling
  • YouTube
  • Contact
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YOUR CART

Step-by-Step DIY Van Conversion

Our DIY build. Please read our disclaimer.
Detailing the Van Before Conversion
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Eliza was empty except for a floor liner.  We made sure the liner was not glued or otherwise attached to the floor and easy to remove before heading out to the dump. There was one part of the liner that was really, really stuck under a bolt.  We used a razor to cut a slit in the liner and it came right up. #problemsolvers
The gate attendant at the landfill let us go in for free!  "That's all you have?! I'm not charging you for that. Just go."

Aww. How nice!


As we suspected, that liner was responsible for the icky smell (you know, after we got away from the landfill, of course). 

The salesperson from the 
dealership had suggested we just start building the conversion right on top. Thankfully, we didn't take his advice. There was dirt, grime, dead bugs, and just general grossness under that thing. Hence, the smell...


Anyway, we decided to hire a detailer to really get all the cracks and crevices.  Plus, we had already made a cross-country trip, so there were baked-on dead bugs all over the front. We figured a good cleaning was worth a financial splurge (see our total cost to build here). After all, we are building our HOUSE in that space!

And yes, we realize that hiring a detailer isn't really "DIY," but it's still more DIY than having an expensive professional van conversion company do the whole build.  That's how we justify it, anyway...

And, just look at her!  She's all clean and pretty!

We had asked them to take of the wheel well covers and clean, but they didn't, so we did that before moving on to the next step.


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Kate & Mel

Meet Us
We are Kate & Mel, daughter and mother wannabe van life nomads who have set out on a (sort of) gypsy life adventure in our soon-to-be converted van.  Join us!

Find Us on Social Media
Instagram: Kate & Mel Adenture
YouTube: Kate & Mel 
Twitter:  Kate & Mel Travel 
Pinterest: Kate & Mel Adventure 

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Single mom and kiddo set out on a nomad, van life, roadschooling lifestyle. Watch the beginner diy van conversion, first time homeschooling on the road experiences, and newbie family van life adventures unfold.  
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Melinda is the Director of Family & Children's Counseling Services, a therapy practice in Northern California, and author of the first National Supervised Visitation online training program. Her therapy blog can be found at The Motley Ms and her business consulting page can be found at MelindaHaynes.com.