What we're trying to figure out is just how much "personal" stuff we can get into a dedicated sleeper equipped sprinter. The list of stuff has begun, that which we think we'll need, and what we think we'll want as well.
It's good to think this through and to make lists. It's not good to commit to a firm personal-gear load plan before you take up life in a van. Commit instead to flexible load planning. Cut yourself some slack. No one gets their personal gear right the first time. It is an ongoing process for teams to outfit and re-outfit themselves for the road.
For starters, think about what you would take with you if you were going on a one month vacation. That will cover most if not all of the essentials. As other items are needed, most if not all of them can be purchased at Walmart or other easily found stores.
(Hint: Have money ready to spend for these things before you leave home.)
(Hint: Spend as little as possible at truck stops. You can get the same stuff elsewhere at far more reasonable prices.)
You can greatly increase your personal-gear load planning flexibility by planing one or two early trips home after you begin. Run for two or three weeks and head home to re-outfit your van. Run for a few weeks more and do the same.
Don't worry about what your carrier may think about this. Don't worry about proving yourselves to be hard workers in other people's eyes. You will be a married-couple, same-household team that wants to live and work on the road. Such teams are considered prized assets by all carriers. None in their right mind will give you grief for going home soon after starting.
As far as stuff at home goes, everyone does it different. Diane and I entered the business (fleet owner's straight truck) with no previous experience. We found someone to be a house sitter for the first year we were on the road. Finding expediting to be agreeable, we sold our house, cars and all household goods except keepsakes.
That left us with enough stuff to half-fill a small bedroom which we rent in a relative's house. The amount of stuff in that room has declined over the years as we go through it and find less and less of it worth keeping.
Zorry talked about taking it one day at a time and keeping an open mind. We had no clue that we would do so when we started expediting but ended up buying a house in a gated community in Florida. We use it as a vacation house and have nothing there that matters. It is nicely furnished but if a hurricane blew or flooded it away tomorrow, our lives would not be significantly affected. The important stuff is kept in the relative's house in Minnesota (our home state).
The best thing you can do for yourself in this planning stage of your expediting career is to go to a truck stop or otherwise make contact with van expediters. Ask them for a truck tour and take notes. Most expediters are happy to show off their trucks and techniques when asked. Expediters are known to talk for food. Buy them dinner and they will talk non-stop about their life and work on the road.
Actually, this is the second-best thing you can do. The first-best is to attend the Expedite Expo.
You are asking about personal gear but you will have to think about the cargo part of the van at some point. If you do a little searching here in the Open Forum, you will find some great, step-by-step posts written by seasoned vanners who are setting up new rigs. They even share photos! Good stuff, those posts.
Finally, something often left out of "what-do-we-bring?" lists is work gloves. Work gloves are essential. Start with a cheap pair. You will go through many sets of gloves in an expediting career. There will be plenty of time to develop your gloves preference as you go.
And one more suggestion, if I may. Join a fitness club. Specifically, join Anytime Fitness. Doing so opens you up to dozens if not hundreds of shower locations in each state and it is absolutely amazing how much better you will feel when you work out in a nice gym on a regular basis.
Diane and I have been on the road in a straight truck for nine years and only recently became Anytime Fitness members. We wish we would have done so years ago. Read more about how expediters are using fitness clubs here:
Anytime Fitness Thread
Gyms and Health Clubs
You don't have to wait to become an expediter to join a fitness club. If you are not a member already, become one now.
