Finding Peace in a Milwaukee Minivan

At sixty years old, I never imagined my retirement plan would involve window shades cut from reflective insulation and a address that changes every night.

If you look into the back window of the silver 2014 Dodge Caravan parked near the lakefront, you might just see a pair of green eyes blinking back. That's my calico cat and usually I'm right behind her, bundled in fleece, reading a library book by the light of a solar-powered lantern.

This isn't the glossy Instagram van life you see on social media. There are no reclaimed wood counters or expensive solar setups. Here my caravan is strictly functional. It’s a lifeboat for me.

My Part-time Walmart Job

A few years ago, the math just stopped making sense. My part-time Walmart job as a stocker paid enough for food and rent, but rarely enough for both in a city where prices kept climbing.

The stress of paying rent on the first of the month, was literally making me sick. I was working just to pay for a box to sleep in between shifts.

So, I let the apartment go. I had no choice. I took my small savings and made a down payment on the Dodge, ripped out the back seats and threw down a foam mattress.

I had plenty of heavy blankets and a subzero king size sleeping bag that kept me toasty warm. My Mr. Buddy heater was shut off during my sleeping hours. There was no need to waste propane.

Living in a vehicle in Milwaukee requires grit. The winters here don't mess around. You learn quickly which parking spots block the wind off of Lake Michigan and how many layers of wool are necessary to make it through a February night when it's 10 degrees outside. You learn the rhythm of public restrooms and which Planet Fitness is cleaner.

But here is the surprising part the thing I didn't expect: the Peace of Mind that I get.

When I finish my shift, I don't dread driving home to an eviction notice taped to my front door. My overhead is low; gas, insurance, a phone bill, and food for me and Star. My part- time wages which used to feel pathetic, now feel sufficient and sometimes I have a little money left over. I have downsized my life to the absolute essentials and there is a profound freedom in that. I don't own anything I don't use every single day.

In the evenings with the doors locked and Star curled up heavy and warm on my chest, the city noise fades away. It's a small life. It's sometimes a cold life. I get lonely at times, but who doesn't?

Star at her Best

I've learned how to take care of my personal needs living in a small space. I eat healthy while reducing my stress of making a living. It's not a glamorous life, but it's mine. It certainly isn't what I pictured for my 60s, but it is manageable. And tonight, listening to Star Purr in the quiet dark of the van; that is enough for me. I felt blessed!

Thanks for reading!

Carol