Preparation Pays the Big Dividends

Any other year the suitcases would be packed, your car would have been serviced, and you’d be headed down the road, stopping at hotels along the way.

This year is different.

Exciting, in a new way.

You are car camping – and your car isn’t packed.

It’s arranged.

And you are as prepared as possible because you have taken these 7 simple steps. 

Step1. Plan for safety and peace of mind

Have your car serviced and make any repairs. Make sure the tires are solid and, if you are traveling in snow, that you have the required tires or chains. This is the number one preventative measure to avoid additional expenses and loss of time.

But in case you do have a mishap while you are on the road, you should also have a road service plan. This can save you money; it also gives you fewer steps to follow when you need assistance.

Some car travel plans will even map your trip, pointing out road construction detours and delays and offering alternative routes. In addition, your road service might also list campgrounds and campsites that are on your route.

Before leaving, arrange for a contact person you can count on. Let them know where you are going. Check-in with them daily so they know where you are and that you are doing well. Even though it’s unlikely you will need it, this is a good safety tip.

Keep your phone charged and keep it with you when you get out of your car. Be aware when you are in a no-signal zone. 

About defense and safety – don’t pack a gun if you aren’t skilled and knowledgeable about using one. Do consider carrying mace, a high-lumens flashlight, and a loud alarm. Check with your sporting goods store, such as REI, to see their suggestions. Know how to secure your car from the inside, while keeping the windows cracked to reduce condensation, but screened to keep out insects.

If you are going to bear country, have bear spray. Don’t eat where you sleep. Don’t leave any food within reach of a bear. Don’t have unsealed food in your car. Bears deserve a lot of respect. Spend some time learning about safety with bears if they will potentially share space with you.

A lot goes into preparation for car camping, especially if you’ve never done it before. But when you are used to doing it, it’s like second nature. Many people would never go back to camping any other way. It’s nice just to pack your supplies and your bed and head out!

Step 2. Gather supplies

If you are a seasoned camper, you already have your basic supplies. If not, purchase or borrow a flashlight, batteries, a cook stove and pans, dishes and utensils, and a camp chair. That’s a minimal, basic, start.

Add butane or propane for your cook stove. Be sure to have matches and/or a lighter. You will need trash bags, preferably biodegradable. You also want dishwashing soap made for camping and the environment.  And you will need something to put dirty dishes in so you can wash them, and something to put them on, or in, when it is time to dry them. 

Depending on your choice for your camping spot, you may need to bring your own toilet and shower facilities, including biodegradable waste bags, soaps, and shampoos.

It’s not a necessity, but many people like to take battery-operated lanterns or lights to hang in the car, a colorful rug to put down when they are ready to go to bed, a bright quilt to make the inside of the car look “homey”, a couple of books to read and some crossword puzzles. You’ll be especially happy about this when it rains!

In the same way, some invest in things like a coffee maker and a blender that plug into the USB port, and an energy source – such as a Jackery.

What you choose to bring just depends on you. That’s the fun of it.

You can probably already tell this is not a trip for big suitcases and many clothes and shoes!

Step 3. Prepare for optimal sleep

Sleeping in your car will be an adjustment for your senses.

For one thing, there will be different noises.

For another, there might be different worries, or additional worries that just pile up on top of the worries you brought with you.

Finally, you might have trouble getting comfortable.

Since you are sleeping in your car, you probably want some privacy. You can put reflectix in your windows, or buy shades or curtains. Whatever you choose, make it easy on yourself. You don’t want something that will collapse in the middle of the night. You also don’t want anything to be a hassle to put up or take down,

The good news is that if you can identify what keeps you from sleeping, you can address it and find a solution.

For example, consider the noises that wake you up, or keep you from sleep. Just recognizing them and not being afraid of them might be enough, or you might use noise-canceling headphones or earplugs. You could invest in a white noise machine to bring with you.

If you can’t sleep because you are worried, the only way through is to face what you are worried about and then address the problem(s).  If you bring worries with you on your trip, you may be relying on medication or prescribed relaxation techniques. Don’t interrupt what has been working.

However, if you are worried about all the common things people worry about when they sleep in their car, especially in the beginning, make a list of those fears and then set out to address them.

Some common worries cluster around security and safety, having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, what to do in the event of a severe storm, or if you aren’t feeling well.

As previously mentioned, ensure your doors are locked and have window coverings so people can’t see in when you are sleeping. Have a plan for going to the bathroom – in or outside of your car. Test it before going on your trip to be sure it is set up to work for you. Do your research and know where storm shelters are, and what weather is coming your way. Many people have an emergency hotel fund they use in the event of severe weather.

The other thing you should know is where the nearest hospital is, and how to tell someone where you are if you need medical assistance.

If you plan for these things before you pull away from the curb, you will greatly reduce the number of things to worry about.

Another common reason people give for being unable to sleep in their car is discomfort.

You might be too cold or too hot. You might have insects in your car buzzing around you and maybe even biting you. There might not be enough room to stretch out or turn over, and you might wish you had more or less cushioning. Your “mattress” might feel lumpy. 

Consider window screens for your car. It may be tempting to just leave car windows open during the day while you are in and out of your car, but anything that gets in during the day will keep you company at night. You might want to have a safe and natural repellent to put inside your car, and also around it.

Sleeping bags are made for different body types and for different temperatures. Insulating pads underneath you can help you stay warm. Some people start their cars to cool down or warm up throughout the night. If you do this, be sure your headlights don’t automatically turn on when you start your car.

The bottom line is that if you cannot sleep well, your trip will not be enjoyable. 

It’s wise to try everything before leaving on your trip, but it’s a definite must to have a trial run or two at sleeping in your car under similar conditions you will experience on your travels.

Step 4. Plan your layout

When you look at your car, your supplies, your bed, your coolers, cooking equipment, and everything else you plan on taking, you may think – it’s never going to fit.

The layout can feel overwhelming. The only thing you can do is tackle it, reconfigure, and tackle it again. You might have to leave some non-essentials behind.

Your sleeping comfort is critical. Almost everything else can be adjusted.

Look at the space available to you, up and down and all around. You can get a ceiling net and floor bins that go in the space for legs and feet if no one is sitting in those seats. You might also invest in a car roof topper to hold things that are especially bulky and hard to pack, or that you won’t be using daily.

Your front seat area should be organized with what you need and want. Your driver’s area should not be crowded or cramped. Consider a place for your atlas or maps, a flashlight, water, and a snack. Where are the sunglasses, any medications, and your phone? Don’t forget the space under the seats (don’t put anything there that will roll out and affect your driving), and in the console or the glove box. The front seat area is also a good place to keep easily misplaced, but necessary small items like matches, a first aid kit, medications, and patch repair kits.

If you are in a car with a trunk and not a hatchback or a van, invest in a good tent and use that for sleeping. Don’t plan just to lean the driver’s seat back. Your legs have to elevate, or you will risk problems with circulation. You might want to check into a rooftop tent that mounts to the top of your van or car.

The back part of your car is the workhorse. You might want to use a paper grid or graph paper to plan the layout.

The minimal layout consists of:

  • Space for sleeping.
  • Space for any large items, such as an ice chest or camping fridge, a jackery or other power source, a tent, and camping chairs
  • Space for soft goods – sleeping bags, pillows, towels, blankets.
  • Space for clothing – pack seasonal clothing in separate spaces if you are traveling across climate changes.
  • Space for food and water – cold food, canned food, snack food. Don’t skimp on water. It’s necessary for survival. 
  • Space for cooking and kitchen supplies – dishes, utensils, pots and pans, a stove, butane or propane canisters, dishwashing liquid, and racks and towels.
  • Space for personal items – supplies for your hair and body, face wash and cosmetics, a toilet, toilet paper, and kleenex.

Organizing food, supplies, and clothing is often easier than you think. Clothing and towels can go into soft-sided, easily molded duffel bags or trash bags that can be scrunched or stuffed between seats or under a cot. Some things, like your camp chair, hiking sticks, and propane stove, just don’t bend. They have to have a place.

Step 5. Select and store food and water

As mentioned, don’t skimp on the water, and have a reserve of nutritious snacks/power bars – just in case of an emergency.

You can only skip this step if this is a foodie trip and you don’t have any intention of doing more than boiling water for instant coffee and having a supply of breakfast bars on hand. Even so, have a supply of water.

Plan to take and use food for specific periods. If you are going to the grocery store for ice every couple of days, you can carry much less food with you and just re-stock at the store when you are there. But if you are going to be in the woods for a couple of weeks between grocery trips, you will need to carry more cans, more dry goods, and more groceries in general.

Selecting the food isn’t a problem; take what you like. Just remember how long it will stay fresh once opened and how and where you can safely store it. Don’t forget the fruit and vegetables. Apples and potatoes keep much better than avocados and bananas. Remember the oil and seasonings.

Store opened food in sealed containers or bags, and don’t keep them where they can attract wildlife or pests. If you drink a soda, rinse the can well after the last drop. 

Many people think nothing is better than eating food made over a campfire, out in the open. A hot cup of coffee in the early morning chill, listening to the sounds of nature, feasting on the colors of the earth – it doesn’t get much better than that.

Step 6. Find out (and follow) the rules 

The first rule has nothing to do with the campsite. It has everything to do with setting up camp.

It is – Turn off the dome light. Don’t wear the battery down as you are getting in and out of the car, moving the stove to the picnic table, or pulling out sports gear and camping supplies.

Other rules focus on where you stay and the expectations set by the campground host.

Some common rules include:

  • Campsite maintenance:  Locate the area designated for trash and waste and use it. Always leave your campsite at least as clean and well-kept as you found it.
  • Restricted sleeping areas: Campgrounds are often divided into areas for tents, RV’s, and campers. If you are unhappy with your assigned space, request another.
  • Noise restrictions: These vary by campground, but it’s not uncommon for loud noises to be discouraged (forbidden) between listed hours. This includes loud sing-alongs at the campfire and barking dogs.
  • Water and fire restrictions: You might be surprised to find, even in a campground with grills, signs that forbid fires. This is often the case during high fire season. Likewise, you might find signs telling you to stay out of the lake, river, or ocean, even when that’s why you selected this campground. If these signs are up, there is usually a safety reason.
  • Dog restrictions: If you are traveling with your dog, make sure they are allowed in the campground, on any trails, and inside any parks you plan to visit. Many trips have been ruined because people didn’t know their friendly canine wasn’t welcome in a national or state park.

Step 7. Expect the unexpected

Since you are on a car camping trip, the most unexpected thing you might find is that some campgrounds don’t allow car camping!

That’s true. Some campgrounds don’t let you sleep in your car.

Some people get around this by setting up a small pop-up tent and then sleeping in the car. This means you have to be prepared with a tent.

Save a headache by checking with the campgrounds where you plan to stay to ensure car camping is allowed. 

Something else you least expect is car trouble.

But it happens. I speak from my experience in Colorado after having a transmission failure in Grand Junction and having an expensive fix, only to have the transmission fail again in Denver. It was late on a Friday and Monday was a national holiday. My choice was a new (used) car or a completely new transmission and 5 days in a hotel. 

When you have problems with your car, you have expensive problems. You have to have a plan for what you will do in that very unfortunate event.

Any health event or accident that could happen at home can happen on the road. Have phone numbers close at hand, along with your phone, no matter where you are.

Finally, expect having a trip you never expected could be so satisfying and enjoyable.

Camping in your car is filled with challenges from planning, to being flexible, to being safe.

But it is also filled with opportunities for adventure, personal growth, and exploration. You will find opportunities to meet people, to see the world you are living in and, perhaps, the wildlife sharing their space with you.

Car camping makes it possible to get away for a weekend, several weeks, or even longer. 

Now, it’s time.

Go ahead, fill the tank with gas.  

Look around. 

You have everything you need.

You can face east and watch the sun rise, or west and watch it set.

You set your own direction.

You have prepared. 

Feel the weight falling from your shoulders. 

Now, Go.