I've been living out of my car for 4 years - the three key items I wish I'd known I needed before making the change

A CAR life fanatic has been living out of his car for the past four years.

Jake McCollum uploaded a video to his YouTube channel to detail several bits of advice for those who may also want, or need, to live in their car.

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Filming inside his 2022 Toyota Prius, Jake said he had to take on the unconventional accommodations after coming out of recovery from a drug addiction.

Though he touted what he described as the benefits of car life, he explained that there were some key things that are needed before deciding to hit the road.

Jake's first piece of advice: Become a minimalist.

"I know it's easier said than done," he said. "I was clearly just living out of a suitcase so it was pretty easy for me to make the transition.

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"But you can get a storage unit depending if you plan on staying in a specific area.

"You have to part ways with some things that are sentimental, and just come to an understanding of what you really need and what you can live without."

His second tidbit was to get a temperature-controlled sleeping bag.

With the rear passenger seat folded flat and front passenger seat brought forward, he managed to fit a 5-foot inflatable mattress in with the sleeping bag on top.

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"To level it out, I have these two totes that sit on top of each other - that's actually storage - that levels everything out," he said as he filmed his sleeping setup.

He showed the two black crates sitting in the gap between the footwell of the passenger seat and the back of the front seat.

He then explained that for privacy while sleeping, he recommended getting tints for all the windows.

"My back windows are limo tinted so I really don't have to worry about covering those, and then I don't care about the front.

"My bed's in the back so no one can see."

His last bit of advice pertained to the inevitable times when nature calls.

"The world is your toilet," Jake said, as he named off gyms, restaurants, parks, the wilderness, pharmacies, and other destinations with bathrooms.

Showering, on the hand, was a trickier endeavor. But this car life expert had a solution that was relatively cheap.

"Get yourself a gym membership.

"Planet Fitness is cheap, it's $10. If you want to travel like I do, it's $25. You can use any gym you want - Planet Fitness-wise.

He said that while truck stops do have showers that were, in his opinion, some of the best showers he'd ever used, they can be a bit pricier at $7 to $15 a pop depending on the state.

Jake's not the only person who has taken on the mobile lifestyle.

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A freelance photographer left her home behind and began living out of her refurbished van.

And another couple converted a van into a luxury tiny home on wheels and resides in the picturesque Joshua Tree National Park.

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