Bathroom In A Camper - YES OR NO?

Jade - VLB

This has to be one of the most popular topics we get asked about both from our clients and from self builders who are converting their own vans! The way we see it is pretty simple, and comes down to 2 main categories, full time or part time vanlife...


Full Time Van Living


We recommend you having a dedicated space for your showering / toilet needs. 


If you plan to live in your van full time and travel, then chances are at times you will be going off-grid, or to places that you aren’t all that familiar with! You may not always be able to find services or restrooms especially in remote areas, so having a dedicated space in your van is pretty invaluable in this instance.

When it comes to choosing your toilet, we would highly recommend the Simploo Composting Loo, not only is it a more ecological choice compared with chemical loo's, it actually looks like a household toilet thanks to the sleek modern finish.

For 5% off Simploo use code: vanlifebuilds0522

Making use of our great outdoors is a popular method that we see often in van life, this is all good and well until you try going for a pee in the middle of a thunder storm (not fun) or late at night when it is dark and cold outside and you are half asleep! There are lots of van lifers that make this look easy because they live in a hot country, but the reality isn’t always that, certainly not over here in the UK anyway! Now, don’t get me wrong I have certainly enjoyed a fair few nature pee’s in my time, I am all for being close to nature where I can, but it is not always the most practical of choices for full time van living! You could also look at trying the portable urinals if you really do not have the space for a toilet, these are great for when peeing outside is not convenient!

If you are travelling as a couple or with friends then we really think having a private space to do your biz may be the best option. If you had a portable toilet that you pull out from a drawer for example, then put it this way, there would definitely be no secrets in your relationships! For us, a full bathroom makes sense to enable a private area to get changed in, shave your legs, or to sit on the loo scrolling Instagram or reading blogs (ha)

Having said all of the above we see many, many people live full time in their vans without any bathroom at all, and they wouldn’t change it for the world! So, at the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference and what works best for the individual, couple or family.

Full time van lifers that work and live on the road are often members of nationwide gyms - this enables them to have a shower daily after a work out (no matter where they are in the country)
This is a really good solution to saving space in your tiny home, and just having the portable loo for emergencies or night time!

Part Time / Weekends

You could probably do without if you prefer the space for something else.

We would always advise a bathroom if possible as your needs may change in the future, and from a resale point of view the camper would likely hold more value.


If you are still set on no bathroom and want to use the space for something else, there are many ways to incorporate a toilet  / shower into your home on wheels without having a bathroom! In our build for challenge Sophie we fitted a hot outdoor shower at the rear and a emergency toilet under her guest bed. We have seen many people with a similar set up, and seems to be the most popular choice for Medium Wheel Base or smaller vans!


If you are mainly using your van for weekend get aways, or part time holidays which involve staying at camp sites often, then you could most definitely live with out a bathroom by making full use of the camp sites facilities!

In summary there are so many innovative ideas out there, a quick search on Instagram or Pinterest and you will be inundated with a whole host of amazing inspo! If you are looking to  save  as much space as  you possibly can, you could also look at set ups similar to the lovely @mrandmrsadventure where they have incorporated a slide out shower in a drawer to create a pop up indoor shower - how cool is that! These guys have self built multiple campers and are very experienced van lifers, they are also bringing the blue prints of their current van out in a couple of weeks to share with the world, so be sure to head over to their Instgram for updates!


I hope this article has helped with your bathroom choices for your own van conversions! I will say again that it is very much a personal preference and at the end of the day you got to do you!


Subscribe to our YouTube channel here and watch our van tour playlist which includes tours with both bathroom and non bathroom camper vans.


~ Jade x


*blogs are opinion based by each writer*


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