From hirers to hosts: How sharing our van on Camplify became our family's new beginning

Kostiantyn (AKA Costa) and Nataliia’s journey with Camplify, Australia's largest van-sharing platform, has come full circle. Having started as hirers, renting vans for their family adventures, they’re now Camplify Premium Members and successful hosts sharing their own vans, Honey and Betty, and their love for camping with the community.

From moving to Australia with their young son, Matusha, to building a rewarding side business around their passion for camping, Costa and Nataliia have kindly shared their story with us about how they became hirers turned hosts.

"We went full circle - from being hirers who needed Camplify, to becoming hosts who want to enable the same experiences for others” they shared.

From Ukraine to Australia - Costa, Nataliia, and Matusha are sharing their camping passion, one adventure at a time.

Their family motto? "One Life. Live It." Costa and Nataliia believe in “experiences over possessions, in nature over screens, in memories over material things. Our vans are tools for living that philosophy - both for our family and for the families and travellers who hire them. If you share these values and want to build a business around enabling adventures, this is genuinely one of the most rewarding things we've done as a family” they shared.

Where it all started: Discovering Camplify as hirers

For Costa and Nataliia, originally from Ukraine, where they spent years camping together, camping was always their way to connect. The challenge was that they arrived in Australia without gear and without the savings to immediately buy everything. That's when they discovered Camplify.

“When we came to Australia with our son Matusha, we essentially came with nothing - we were starting completely from scratch” they recalled.

Check out their Instagram or Tik Tok to follow along their van sharing journey.

That fresh start gave them a unique opportunity “to reflect on our past lives and understand what things actually have value and are truly important to us. Through that reflection, camping emerged clearly as the bonding family activity we were certain we wanted to keep doing. It's how we connect as a family, how we unwind, how we experience the world.”

Having hired numerous campervans and trailers, where they were met with “genuinely great experiences”, Camplify gave them the freedom to continue camping while they were building their new life in Australia.

What started as simply listing their van on Camplify during downtime has blossomed: the couple now manage two campervans through Camplify.

The “aha” moment

The moment that made them decided to take the plunge and buy their own van? Last Christmas, they tried to rent a van through Camplify, but everything was completely booked out. Although they ended up making other arrangements and had a great time camping in a tent, that shortage sparked an idea.

"That moment made us realise as a family: we really want to have our own campervan," they said.

They decided to focus on campervans over trailers, reasoning that vans are "a much easier option and accessible to a wider variety of people. No special towing vehicle needed, no extra driving skills required - just pick up the keys and go." Now, Costa and Nataliia own two vans, which they hire out through Camplify.

The decision to hire their vans out was simple: "Obviously, there are weekends and times when we don't use our campervans. So why not share them with the community of camping lovers and give them a chance to enjoy this beautiful experience?"

Costa and Nataliia aren't the only ones expanding their setup. Read how Tracy went from having one van to running a successful fleet of 10.

Managing hires: The Camplify advantage

For owners considering listing a van, Costa and Nataliia found that managing the process was simpler than expected.

"Camplify has removed so many barriers - the website, payment processing, damage protection, customer acquisition. You focus on providing a great van and great service. They handle the infrastructure."

• Platform simplicity and support: Regarding the day-to-day management of their van listings and hires, the platform’s ease of use stood out. "The interface is excellent - it makes everything easy. All the bookings, all the messages, everything comes through the Camplify platform in one place," they explained.

• Community connection: With the Camplify Owners Facebook Group, the opportunity for Costa and Nataliia to connect with a community of owners who share the same passion was “genuinely helpful, especially when you're starting out.”

Getting started with van hire is easier than you think and as Costa and Nataliia say - “Just do it”.

• Peace of mind with included damage protection: One of the biggest benefits of listing your van for hire with Camplify is the protection offered. "Camplify provides comprehensive protection that keeps us as campervan owners AND the hirers in a safe position. If anything happens, Camplify helps sort it out." This is crucial for the couple, as it allows them to feel secure even when their vans are far from home. "Knowing there's support and damage protection removes so much stress," they noted.

• Minimal time investment: Managing the rentals was easier than they expected. “Between bookings, there's cleaning, preparation, and checking everything. Together, we spend maybe 10-15 hours per week when we're fully booked, but much of that is work we enjoy anyway.”

And their own ad-van-tage? Costa's full-time job as a mechanic gives the family a major competitive advantage, allowing them to save time and money on maintenance.

“If you have a trade skill like this - mechanic, builder, electrician - you have a significant advantage in this business.”

Costa and Nataliia’s advice for van owners on the fence: "Just do it"

“If you're thinking about it, ask yourself: Do you love camping? Do you want to share that passion? Can you maintain a vehicle to a high standard? If yes, then honestly, the platform handles the rest. Camplify has removed so many barriers - the website, payment processing, insurance, customer acquisition. You focus on providing a great van and great service. They handle the infrastructure.”

• Start small, start now. “You don't need a luxury $50,000+ van to begin. Focus on:

  • Mechanical reliability over fancy features

  • Cleanliness and comfort (like our full-size mattresses)

  • Excellent service and communication

  • Being responsive and helpful”

• Focus on quality, not luxury: “A well-maintained, spotlessly clean van with great service will get better reviews than a fancy van with poor management” they shared.

• Understand the needs of hirers: "We understand what hirers want because we were them. That perspective makes us better hosts," they concluded.

With the advantage of understanding the needs of travelling families, the couple made sure one of their vans is specially certified for family-friendly adventures. "One of our vans is certified with child seat restraints... We want hirers to know that if they have a baby, toddler, or preschooler, they can rent our certified van and safely enjoy the camping experience with their little ones."

Is your van sitting idle? Why not turn that downtime into income?

"The chance to meet so many beautiful, amazing people is worth it alone. The income is great, but the real reward is being part of people's adventures and memories," they said.

“But what if…”

As experienced hirers, they offered practical advice on overcoming the most common concerns van owners on the fence might have:

• What if someone damages my van? "Camplify's damage protection covers it. We've had no issues."

• What if I don't get bookings? "If your van is clean, well-maintained, well-priced, and you provide good communication, you'll get bookings. We started getting them immediately."

• What if something breaks while someone's using it? "It can happen. You respond quickly, Camplify support helps, and you solve it."

"We wouldn't say there were significant challenges hiring our vans through Camplify. The platform is built in a very user-friendly way... Our expectations have been met, and we're getting ongoing support from Camplify when we need it" they shared.

If you're on the fence about the investment, let this be your inspiration: read how this Newcastle owner paid off his van in just one year.

Are you ready to turn your own van into an income-earning adventure machine?

Costa and Nataliia went from simply loving the camping experience to building a rewarding side business by sharing their passion - and they did it all with the seamless support of Camplify.

Every year, thousands of Australian van owners are earning up to $10,000 on Camplify by hiring out their motorhomes, caravans, and campers. With the average Australian owner only using their van four times a year, don't let your van sit idle - follow in Costa and Nataliia's footsteps - list your van and start funding your future memories today!