5 Reasons We Did Not Choose a Fixed Bed for our Van Layout

When designing your van layout there are two popular bed options that people choose. From there there are a million ways to make it work or do half and half but the two most common bed configurations include a fixed bed or a convertible bed. In this post we’re going to dive into what both of those are and the 5 reasons we did not chose a fixed bed for our van layout.

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What is a Fixed Bed?

A fixed bed means the bed is fixed. It does not move. The full bed is built to be a bed at all times. Usually people build the bed raised up in order to maximize the space underneath. You can get a very large “garage” area underneath to store large items such as bikes or a large water tank.

This layout gives you a TON of storage. It allows you to fit a lot under the bed. So this layout is best if you need storage for larger items.
A lot of people also chose this layout so that you don’t have to convert the bed every day. Meaning the bed is always a bed. So to go to sleep at night all you do is lay down and in the morning all you do is pull your blanket up (if you do that every morning I am genuinely impressed).

What is a Convertible Bed?

A convertible bed means the bed converts between a day mode and a night or bed mode. Most convertible bed layouts are similar to a dinette design. There are two benches on either side and a walkway in the middle. A table is in the middle either attached to the ground or to one of the benches. This creates a nice couch area with a table in between.

In order to switch to bed mode the table fits down in the middle walkway to create a flat surface across the entire width of the van. The cushions move down and there you have a bed! Bedding can be stored either in one of the benches or we store ours in our headliner shelf.

This layout gives you a dedicated couch area to hang out. It also gives you a dedicated table. So if you need to work or want to eat meals at a table this layout gives you both of those options.
It does mean that you have to convert the bed every night and put it away every morning.

We see a lot of people choosing the fixed bed layout and definitely get envious at times by the large amounts of storage it provides. We’ve talked about wanting bikes but with our layout we would have to store them outside and we don’t love that idea. However, we chose the convertible bed layout and are so happy with it! Here are the 5 big reasons why we did NOT chose a fixed bed in our van layout:

It’s Too Hard to Work in Bed

For us and our van having a dedicated workspace was really important! We both spend a lot of time working on our computers so we need a place that functions well as a workspace. For us that means a table. Working with a computer in my lap is so hard. The computer overheats and then needs a break to cool down.

My computer actually crashed in New Zealand while working from bed because it overheated. Thankfully it was fine but we’re trying to avoid that happening again!

We have a Lagun table mount and it is completely worth the money! It swivels around giving so much flexibility for ways to sit and use the table.

It also just gets uncomfortable to sit in bed for a while. My butt starts to fall asleep and slowly I feel like I start to slide down until I’m inevitably laying down and no longer working.

This is obviously a personal preference. If you can smash your work while sitting under the covers in bed more power to you! But for us that just wasn’t a long term solution that was going to work for us.
We also do have these lap desks that make it easier to sit in bed and work. And it definitely makes it better but its still not comfortable enough to want to do it every day.

We Wanted a Table for us Both to be Able to Sit at Together

In a lot of fixed bed layouts we’ve seen small sitting areas usually towards the cab where people will design a small couch area with a table. It creates a really nice seating area and does give a table option. But because vans are small it does usually only fit one person.

We wanted to have a seating area with a table that was big enough for us both to be able to sit at. Because odds are if one of us is working the other one is too.

One option that you can look at is to install a swivel seat on the passenger seat. When you swivel the seat facing towards the back of the van it can be used as another workspace. Dave works from the swivel seat sometimes and it does provide another workspace in a different part of the van.

Besides working we wanted to be able to eat meals at a table together. Eating while sitting in bed is fine for a short amount of time but we wanted our van to be able to function really well long term.

Fewer Upper Cabinets Means Less Upper Storage

With a fixed bed layout the bed is usually raised to make better use of the “garage” space underneath. You want to make sure that you are able to sit up straight in bed without hitting your head on the ceiling.

But you also most likely want to be able to lean against one side of the van to sit. This way you can watch a movie in bed or sit up and read before going to sleep. Because vans are only so tall it means that you most likely can only have upper cabinets on one side.

Our upper cabinets are where we store all of our clothes, electronics, toiletries, our whole electrical distribution panel as well as all of our food and kitchen utensils such as plates and bowls. Without those upper cabinets we wouldn’t have a place to store basically everything we own.

Now with a fixed bed layout we could store some of those things under the bed but definitely not things we use regularly like our clothes.

We wanted to make sure we had useful storage within the living area of the van. For us that meant storing items in upper cabinets to access them easily. If we had a fixed bed we could probably make it work with less cabinets but it would change the way we function on a daily basis in our van.

We Love the Open Feel of Our Convertible Layout

We absolutely love the open feel of our convertible bed layout! The benches are lower allowing us to open the back doors and sit right there enjoying the breeze or watching the sunset. We can walk through the middle and take a container out of an upper cabinet or sweep the floor easily.

Because we have the Ford Transit 148” wheelbase if we had a fixed bed we would have very, very little standing room. But we need to both be able to stand in order to cook, use our composting toilet, change our clothes, and just live!

Having a convertible bed layout gives us the best of both worlds. We have much more standing room during the day and then when we’re ready for bed we have a queen sized bed to sleep in!

Our bench cushions are pieces of 6 inch foam that we cut to the exact sizes of our benches. When they are all laid flat it is really comfortable to sleep!

One thing that makes a convertible bed layout a lot easier is to use a Beddy’s sleep set. It’s basically like a sleeping bag so the comforter and the bottom sheet are attached. That way we only have to put one thing on the cushions every night! When we first moved into the van we didn’t have it yet and it took a lot longer to make the bed!

Read More: How to Choose a Van Layout

We Can Access our Under Bed Storage Without Going Outside

With our convertible bed layout we still have under bed storage. In both of the benches we have storage for things that we don’t need to access regularly or for larger items that don’t fit in our upper cabinets. In the passenger side bench is where our batteries and electrical system is. On the drivers side bench we store our yoga mats, camp chairs, hiking gear, extra jackets, and all of our tools.

There is no question that having a fixed bed gives you more under bed storage than in a convertible bed layout. Especially for larger items that take up a lot of space. The best part about under bed storage in a convertible bed layout is you can access it without having to go outside. Most times with a fixed bed you can only access the storage area by going outside to the back of the van and opening the back doors.

We have seen some people make a door or small access point on the wall of the bed which is a really good idea! That way you can access items you think you will need more often and leave the bigger items in the back.

Going outside to the back of the van to get something doesn’t seem like a big deal but if you’re staying in a parking lot and trying to be stealthy it kind of gives you away. Or if it’s raining or snowing or late at night it’s just inconvenient and odds are slowly it will mean you use the items in the back less and less frequently because it’s annoying to get to.

Remember you want things to function as smoothly and easily as you can in your van! There are always things that will go wrong or simple things that just require extra steps in a van. So you want as many things to be easy as possible! That will make it just that much more enjoyable for you on a daily basis.

Changing a Fixed Bed Later On Is A Big Job

This is something that we kept in the back of our heads throughout our entire van build. It’s not a reason why we chose either one but something that we thought about when deciding on our layout.

With a fixed bed most of the interior layout is designed around the space for the bed. And in order for the bed to be sturdy there are usually supports that go the entire width of the van. If you have a fixed bed and decide you want to change your layout to a convertible bed it would require some significant changes to the inside of the van. Because the bed structure would most likely need to be completely changed in order to lower it to make benches.

For our convertible bed layout we built the two benches on either side. Then the table fits in the middle to create the flat surface for the bed. If we wanted to make a fixed bed we could simply add more supports higher up on the walls for the bed to go across. We could leave the benches and then just cap off the walkway in the middle with a wall or a door.

It definitely wouldn’t be super easy. But if we did decide we wanted to switch from a convertible bed layout to a fixed bed layout we think it would be easier to modify this way instead of the opposite way. Either way any van project can get complicated (we learned that the hard way) but it’s something to keep in mind if you think you might want to switch your layout down the road.

Are you team fixed bed or convertible bed? If you have a van or RV we would love to know which you picked and why!