A couple who struggled to convert their camper van amid constant fighting and money issues said the DIY movement is harder than it looks

Frank OlitoMar 11, 2021, 23:23 IST

It took Indie and Joel Akerblom eight months to convert their camper van.Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

Indie and Joel Akerblom converted a camper van during the pandemic and ran into lots of issues.
They struggled with electrical and insulation, and then they ran out of money.
The couple said, "We fought and we cried so much over this van," but they think it was worth it.

Indie and Joel Akerblom traveled all over the world full-time for several years, but when the coronavirus pandemic started, they wanted to do something different.

In early 2020, they flew home to Sweden and got to work on converting a camper van - something they've been dreaming about for years. The couple told Insider that van life was a way to have something permanent without settling down in one location.

When they started converting their Mercedes-Benz Sprinter during the pandemic, they figured they could do the project themselves, but they quickly realized they were in over their heads and it wasn't as easy as some influencers made it look on social media. In fact, Indie and Joel fought all the time, ran out of money, and struggled to get anything done.

Keep reading to find out what it's really like to renovate a camper van.

After budgeting and lots of planning, Indie and Joel Akerblom bought a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van for $12,600 with the help of a personal loan.

Joel and Indie in front of their camper van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

Immediately, the couple struggled to get anything done in the camper van.

Indie cleaning the van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

Indie and Joel were also surprised at how long it took to complete one task, especially insulating the van.

Joel and Indie insulating the van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

One of the hardest obstacles was getting electricity in the van.

Indie figuring out electrical. Courtesy of Indie and Joel Akerblom

Once they got the ceiling installed, they finally felt accomplished, but then they ran out of money.

The finished ceiling. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

Throughout the process, "we fought and we cried so much over this van," Indie said.

Indie working on the van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

They learned that the fighting and the difficulty of converting a van is a side of the movement that many don't talk about.

Indie and Joel during the building process. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

After eight months, building troubles, financial issues, and tons of fights, Indie and Joel finally turned their van into a home.

Indie and Joel outside their finished camper van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

The completed kitchen is a testament to everything they learned during the process.

The kitchen. Courtesy of Indie and Joel Akerblom

In the back of the vehicle, the couple built a sofa and a bed.

The back of the van. Courtesy of Indie and Joel Akerblom

Although the home looks beautiful in images, Indie said she can see the small imperfections and mistakes around the van that remind her of the difficult build.

Inside the completed camper van. Courtesy of Indie and Joel Akerblom

Despite the hardships, Indie and Joel said they would do it all again because van life is everything they dreamed of.

Joel and Indie outside their camper van. Courtesy of Indie & Joel Akerblom

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