Traveling and sleeping in your car means giving yourself the opportunity to see more. Imagine being in Rome and being able to head to Pompeii overnight? Everything is possible ! It is enough not to plan too much in advance in order to afford the possibilities of change from day to day. For my part, during my first experience in 2015, I crossed southern Germany to reach Austria a few days before branching off into the Dolomites in Italy… An incredible experience and landscapes that are forever etched in my head ! I could never have afforded so many destinations in one trip!
Be careful, however, not to drive too much every day . Because it can tire very quickly and it’s neither good for your car, nor good for your wallet and even less good for the planet! We remain reasonable by avoiding more than 2 hours of driving per trip and a maximum of 4 hours of driving per day.
Anyway, I swear you will always find something to do between your steps!
To be free
Let yourself be surprised throughout your trip! Choose to stop in front of a castle, decide to drink a beer on the terrace or even turn off on a beach… Finally, with your everyday car, you will always find a place where you can park easily and quickly at the last minute . But that is only possible if you only take the country roads! So, exit the paying and uninteresting highway! We offer ourselves the luxury of having the time to savor the places crossed !
How to sleep in your car during a traveling trip?
To live the experience of traveling and sleeping in your car, you must nevertheless prepare it well. For my part, the first time, my installation was spartan and I lost a lot of time each day to install my bedding and find my things. This is the second year that I have started to really optimize the layout of my car. I therefore give you some advice to make your first nights with your car unforgettable .
1/ Provide an inflatable mattress
Even though there are practical installations to easily install in your everyday car, nothing will beat an inflatable mattress to save space ! Because yes, let’s not forget that it’s not a van, it’s a car! And it would be a shame to lose all the advantages! You must therefore remain discreet and manage to fit everything in your trunk .
The inflatable mattress folds quickly when deflated. It lands on its belongings and all you have to do is unfold it in the evening on the lowered rear seats to create a cozy space in which to sleep.
2/ Compartmentalize your belongings in boxes
Choose plastic boxes of the same size to stack and where you will store your travel essentials . In the evening, they will be useful to offer you a semblance of a box spring. For my part, I compartmentalize each daily gesture to easily find my way around:
I put my shoes at the foot of the back seat to easily change them without opening the trunk and, right next to it, I already have my beach bag ready to be unpacked
3/ Have an electric cooler
If you have a cigarette lighter socket in your trunk , Bingo! You can install a small electric cooler that will turn on every time you drive . No need for more when you are on a road trip of a few days. We buy fresh products day by day and otherwise we decide not to eat anything that doesn’t go in the fridge. Fortunately, cans, bread, fruits and vegetables, cereals, legumes and others, do not expire in a few days! And you will still be spoiled for choice when it comes to recipes!
Otherwise, I invite you to take the smallest size of electric cooler possible and place it at the foot of your back seat. It will go almost unnoticed during your trip and will be very accessible. You can then plug it in when you ride on the front socket.