Do you ever look at your life and feel the urge to walk away from it all for a little while?

If so, you're not alone.

As one downsizer can testify, it can be tight and it involves making sacrifices, but Dave Gallant is making it work. His living space has gone from 1,200 square feet to just 82 after moving into a van less than a month ago.

“People are afraid of what others will think and I guess that was partly me in the beginning, but then I just decided I'm going to do it,” said Gallant. “I have one life to live and I'm going to do what I want to do. I've been wanting to do this for 10 years.”

Gallant left a well-paying job in the tech industry, wanting to disconnect from the daily grind that he says was making him feel trapped. So, he put his belongings up for sale and made it happen.

“Within five minutes, I had sold it to a friend and that was ripping the Band-Aid off and I don't miss any of it,” said Gallant. “I don't miss my furniture, I don't miss my TV.”

The 42-year-old says his parents had mixed emotions when he told them about his plan. In the end it was a move his father helped him make.

“I think building this van was probably one of the best experiences I've had, probably since childhood, and it was because I did it with my dad and going through that process with my dad, I even feel like the bond with my father got closer because of this,” Gallant said.

He bought the van from a dealership for about $4,200 and he's put about $1,200 into it. It's got lots of storage, Wi-Fi and it's insulated. Gallant says this move is for the long term and that includes winter.

“I almost sound like a bit of a hermit but I really would like just a cabin in the valley and just, quiet, peace and quiet,” Gallant said. “So, I do plan on getting a place but this is going to be home for a while.”

The solitude has allowed Gallant to work on an outdoor adventure line of clothing and online forum called Gridless Lifewhere he shares minimalist ideas with like-minded people who want to unplug and go off the grid.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.