A SMALL VAN. A LOT OF PLANS.
I’d been banging onto the other half about getting a micro-camper for a few years and following some health issues earlier in 2026, I finally took the plunge in March and bought a VW Caddy Maxi and converted it into my own little camper. I’d seen various different options, Ford Connect, Citroen Berlingo and Fiat Doblo. I wanted something that I could get stuff ‘pre-done’ as my DIY skills are lacking, the Caddy meant I could order pre cut ply, bed frames built to fit and being the most popular option, I could watch endless hours of YouTube videos to see how to go about converting it! Most importantly I wanted a van small enough to use as an everyday vehicle but big enough to disappear in for a few days.
This most certainly isn’t a professional van conversion. I’m figuring it out as I go, getting the bed sorted, sorting the storage, choosing the kit and working out what I actually need to live out of a small van for a weekends away and the odd long distance adventure.
This page follows the conversion, the mistakes, the camping trips and the adventures along the way.
THE CONVERSION
From ordinary VW Caddy Maxi to tiny mobile basecamp.
VW CADDY MAXI CAMPER CONVERSION
I started with an ordinary VW Caddy Maxi and a fairly simple idea: build a small camper that I could actually use for walking trips and weekends away.
Here’s the full conversion so far — what I’ve done, what I’ve used and what I’ve learned along the way.
🔨 THE BUILD
Bed, storage, insulation and turning the back of the Caddy into somewhere to sleep.
⚡ VAN KIT
Power, lighting, cooking and the bits of kit that make a small van much easier to live with.
🏕️ VAN CAMPING
Campsites, overnight stops and places worth taking the Caddy.
WHAT’S IN THE VAN?
You don’t need loads of expensive gear to camp in a small van. These are the things I’ve actually found useful — and the things that have earned a permanent place in the Caddy.
⚡ POWER
I didn’t rig up any power in the van, I use a Jackery power box which gives me about 3 or 4 days of charging for my laptop and phone. I also carry an electric hookup if I stop at a campsite. Rechargeable lights give me what I need at night so I’ve really not found a need for any plug sockets so far!
🛏️ SLEEPING
I bought a pre built single bed and use my camping quilt and some blankets. It’s more than comfortable for me. I’ll see how it works out during the colder months!
☕ CAMPING KIT
I’ve accumulated loads of hiking cooking equipment over the years so didn’t really need anything else. I did by a camping gaz stove but that was about it.
WHERE THE CADDY TAKES ME
The conversion is only really the beginning, albeit a really fun beginning! The whole point of the van is being able to throw the walking gear in the back and head somewhere interesting for a few days. Campsites, pub stops, walking weekends, road trips and the occasional questionable overnight parking decision.
I managed to grab a week away this summer. I spent a few days in Castleton in the Peak District before heading up to Ambleside in the Lakes, then onto Twice Brewed and Hadrians Wall before eventually ending up near Holy Island, Northumberland. A proper trip to put the Caddy through it’s paces!
