Depending on why you’re doing it, living in your car during the winter can be an awesome, fun experience, or the challenge of a lifetime. But no matter what your reason is, there are certain preparations you have to make if you’re going to be successful.
The key to winter car living is proper preparation and knowing what to expect. Staying warm overnight and finding ways to heat up food are only a few problems that you’ll be faced with. You’ll need to account for every contingency you can think of if you want to make car camping during the winter a bit more enjoyable, or tolerable.
In this article we’re going to share with you everything you need to know in order to live in your car this winter while remaining warm and comfortable. If you’re up for the challenge, keep reading to learn more!
Keeping Your Car Warm
One of the biggest challenges you’ll face when living in your car during the winter is keeping it warm. You not only have to know how to create heat, but also retain it.
Retaining Heat
In order to combat your heat issues you’ll need to insulate your car as well as you can. There are a few ways you can do this. To start, you can replace the headliner in your car with a carpeted version. Carpeted headliners help keep your vehicle cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They also help keep the interior of your vehicle a bit quieter which is great for sleeping.
Another way to insulate your car for the winter is by using Reflectix. Reflectix is a reflective foil insulating material that can be added to the interior of your car to help retain heat. It’s available in rolls of various lengths and widths and is commonly used by folks in the car camping community.
Reflectix can be used on pretty much any part of the interior of your car including the windows. You can cut it down to fit your windows perfectly with a pair of scissors and then tape it up. And when you need to drive, simply take them down and store them away until you need them again.
Creating Heat
Now that your car is well insulated, you’ll need to know how to create some heat. Obviously you can use your cars heater but if you need some additional targeted heat, like in the back seat area or in the bed of a truck, you may need a portable heater.
Portable heaters come in many sizes and variations. Some of them are electric and plug into your vehicles 12V cigarette outlet while others may require the use of a power inverter like the one pictured below. A power inverter allows you to use household electrical items such as fans, heaters, or anything that plugs into your wall outlet, in your car.
Electric portable heaters are a great option for those trying to stay warm in a car with no heat. Most of them are budget friendly and do a great job at heating your entire vehicle. One of the best portable electric heaters available on Amazon is the Lasko Model 100. Its small and compact but its super easy to use, its safe, and it puts off a ton of heat. The only downside is that you will need a power inverter to use it.
Another great option for creating heat inside your vehicle is a propane heater. With propane you don’t have to worry about running your cars battery dead like you would with an electric heater. However, propane heaters can be dangerous and should be used with caution. Always leave your windows cracked if using a propane heater inside your vehicle.
Propane heaters emit CO2 which will deplete your vehicle of oxygen if poorly ventilated which can be fatal. With that being said its best not to use propane heat while your sleeping. Use it prior to bedtime to get your vehicle nice and toasty and then snuggle up in a sleeping bag or wool blankets. (More on sleeping arrangements to come).
If you’re interested in purchasing a great, budget friendly propane heater, you can’t go wrong with one by Mr. Heater. The Mr. Heater Portable Buddy is a 4000-9000 BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 225 square feet. It comes with an auto shut off feature that activates if the unit is tipped over or low oxygen is detected. This is definitely one of the safest, most reliable propane heaters available.
Food Preparation For Car Living
One of the biggest challenges you’ll face while living in your car is meal preparation. Unless you have the funds to eat out every time you’re hungry, you’ll have to be a bit more creative when it comes to preparing food.
Since you don’t have the luxury of a stove in your vehicle, you’ll have to find other ways to cook your food and keep it preserved.
One of the best ways to cook food while living in your vehicle is with the use of a 12V portable oven. These are perfect for reheating leftovers or even cooking certain types of food. A good budget friendly option is the RoadPro 12-Volt Portable Stove. It plugs right into your 12V cigarette outlet and cooks/warms food up to 300° F.
Another option is to buy a portable propane stove like this one by Coleman. It has two independently adjustable burners and will cook up to one hour on high off a single 16.4 oz propane bottle. If folds up flat when not in use which is perfect for saving space in your vehicle.
If you have frozen or refrigerated items that you need to preserve you’ll want to invest in a good cooler. A well insulated cooler can keep your food cold for days without worry. And instead of using ice, which you’ll have to keep buying, its best to use cooler packs instead. Since you’re staying in your vehicle this winter you can simply leave the cooler packs outside overnight to re-freeze and put them back into your cooler in the morning. This will save you from having to buy ice every other day to keep your food preserved.
Packing Your Car Properly
Since you’re going to be living in your car, you’re going to want to pack everything you need for daily survival. This means everything from personal hygiene items, to books and playing cards to keep you entertained, to everything in between.
Packing all this stuff in a car can be a challenge, but its essential that you do it as efficiently as possible. The last thing you want is for your living space to be so disorganized and cluttered that it drives you to insanity every time you need something. Trunk and backseat organizers can help with this tremendously.
Before you start your car living adventure its best if you put together a checklist of all the items you need/use on a daily basis. Doing this will go a long way towards having what you need and being able to pack accordingly. But remember, you have very limited space in you vehicle so choose what you bring with you wisely.
Sleeping in Your Car
Sleeping in a car is never really that comfortable. And since you’ll be doing it in the winter, it wont be that warm either. With that being said, its vital that you pack your car with comfy pillows, blankets, sleeping bags, etc.
Having a good sleeping bag like the Coleman Brazos to snuggle into will make a world of difference when it comes to staying warm overnight. Also, having a few wool blankets to throw over top of you will help out tremendously. Wool is one of the best natural insulators available and is great for retaining body heat. A good alternative to wool blankets would be a heated electric blanket. These are great for keeping you warm but since they run off of your vehicles 12V cigarette outlet they can drain the car battery if left on for too long.
If you’re sleeping in the bed of your truck or you have enough space inside your vehicle, you could always opt for a portable air mattress. The Intex Classic Downy Airbed Set is a portable air mattress set that comes with two inflatable pillows and a hand pump making it perfect for car camping/living situations. It has a waterproof top, is easily cleaned, folds up compactly for storage and can hold up to 600 lbs.
Another item you may want to carry with you is a white noise machine like the LectroFan Evo available on Amazon. If you have trouble sleeping without a fan or TV on this little device can be a real life saver.
Keeping Yourself Entertained
Since you’re probably going to be spending a lot of time in your car, it might be a good idea to pack a few items to help keep you entertained. This could be anything from books, playing cards, puzzles, brain teasers, video games, etc.
If you’re going to be bringing along any electronics, including your phone, you’re going to need a way to keep them charged. You can always use a car charger for your phone but this may not always be your best option, especially if you need to charge multiple items at a time. One option you have is a solar charger with multiple ports for quickly charging multiple electronics all at the same time.
You may also want to consider bringing some additional lighting such as flashlights and lanterns to avoid using the lights in your car at night. We’ve all accidentally left our lights on overnight only to return the next morning and find our battery dead. This is something you’ll definitely want to avoid if you’re living in your car. Packing some additional lighting can be a real life safer.
Preparing for Winter Conditions
Winter often brings with it a slew of unfavorable conditions such as snow, ice, and wind. If you live in a climate that already experiences harsh winters then you’re definitely going to want to have some tools at your disposal to help deal with the elements.
Items such as shovels, tire chains, windshield scrapers and the like can be real life savers when living in your car. If there’s any chance at all of getting your vehicle stuck, you’re going to want to have these items on hand. Kitty litter, believe it or not, can also help your tires gain a bit of traction on the ice.
Another condition to be aware of when living in your car is humidity. Excess humidity inside your vehicle locks in moisture and can keep you or your wet clothes from drying out. It can also prevent you from retaining precious heat. This is a huge issue especially if you’re trying to fall asleep and can’t because your cold and wet.
A good way to fight excess moisture inside your vehicle is with a portable dehumidifier/moisture absorber like this one on Amazon. These are great for keeping small spaces dry and free from mildew odor. Keeping one of these in your vehicle next to your wet clothes can go a long way towards preventing moisture from building up in your car. Be sure to always remove wet clothes as soon as possible and keep them separate until they dry.
Find Your Overnight Spot in Advance
Finding a place to park your vehicle overnight without getting a ticket is a must. Your best bet is to check with friends and family to see if you can park in their driveway overnight.
If this doesn’t work out you still have a few good options. Well lit grocery stores like Walmart are a great choice. Most of them are open 24/7 so finding a restroom in the middle of the night isn’t an issue. Not to mention they carry everything else you’ll need to pack your car for camping.
Other places like casinos, rest stops, or any public, well lit parking lots can make for a good place to stop and rest. Just be sure to black out your windows or else the light could prevent you from sleeping.
Other Tips & Tricks For Living In Your Car During The Winter
Now that we’ve covered all the essentials, I’d like to leave you with a few more useful tips to make your car living experience a bit more enjoyable.
Tip #1 – Preheat Your Sleeping Bag
For a little extra warmth in your sleeping bag, place some hand warmers or bottles filled with hot water inside. This heat wont last forever but a warm sleeping bag is a lot easier to fall asleep in than a cold one. Be sure to wrap the bottles with a towel first. This will help retain the heat and keep it from escaping as quickly. Obviously this heat wont last all night but it will definitely help you fall asleep a bit quicker.
Tip #2 – Wear Multiple Layers of Clothing
Wearing multiple layers of clothing is a simple, easy way to help stay warm. When you wear multiple layers, you actually trap warm air between the layers. This warm air acts as an insulator which helps keep your body warm.
Tip #3 – Keep a Stash of Hot Drinks & Water
Eating a hot meal or drinking a hot drink can help keep your body warm. If possible, keep a few insulated thermoses full of hot coffee or tea inside your vehicle. Having a few of these on hand can be helpful when you need that little extra boost in body heat. Hot water will do the same it just wont taste as good.
Tip #4 – Choose Your Vehicle & Tires Wisely
While this may not always be possible, having a 4×4 vehicle is ideal for a winter living. If this isn’t an option you should at least consider a set of all terrain tires. All terrain tires have better grip than standard street tires and can help prevent you from getting stuck in the snow. If neither of these is an option, a good set of tire chains should work just fine.
Tip #5 – Keep Your Ride Tidy
Trying to keep a small vehicle crammed full of life’s essentials neat and clean is a tough task. However, doing so will play a major part in helping you stay organized and sane. There’s nothing worse than needing something, knowing that its right in front of you, and not being able to find it. Do yourself a favor and keep your vehicle as neat as possible. You’ll thank yourself later.
Tip #6 – Don’t Hold Your Pee
Whenever you have to go, just go! When you hold your pee, your body wastes lots of energy trying to keep your bladder warm. This takes away from its ability to heat the rest of your body to the best of its ability.
Tip #7 – Shower Whenever Possible
It doesn’t take long for our bodies to start smelling when we stop showering. Make sure you bathe yourself as often as you can. This will not only keep you smelling good but your living space as well.
Tip #8 – Keep Your Windows Cracked
This may sound counter-intuitive but keeping your windows cracked, especially while sleeping, is very important. Doing this will help prevent moisture from building up inside your car and freezing overnight. Refraining from doing this can leave the inside of your vehicle covered in ice which presents a set of problems you probably don’t want to deal with.
In Conclusion
I hope by now you have all the info you need to make your winter living situation a bit more comfortable and enjoyable. Using even just a few of these tips should help out tremendously. Also, be sure to test your setup prior to hitting the open road. Doing so can help ensure that you have everything you need before its too late. Good luck and thanks for reading!