How to Convert Your Honda Civic into a Camper!
Are you looking for a way to sleep and live in your Honda Civic or other small car? Many people are making the decision to sleep in their cars, either to go camping, to explore #carlife, or even to escape bad domestic situations. This post will walk you through everything you need to sleep and live successfully in your car, including what to buy, what to DIY, and how much I spent on my own Honda Civic camper conversion.
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Check out the video of my first night in my own Honda Civic camper conversion below!
Making The Bed to Sleep in My Honda Civic
The first thing I did was make a bed, since I thought sleeping comfortably in the Honda would be the hardest part. I tilted the front seats forward and lowered the back seats so I could take measurements of my car. Then I made a 6′ long foldable platform with a 6″ tall platform for the trunk area to rest my feet on. (If your car has seats that lay down flat, you won’t need the platform but may still want one). Here’s a walk-through of how I made my bed:
I picked up a Backseat Extender to hang from my tilted-forward front seats to give the head of my bed something to rest on. (This also helps provide more privacy when you’re sleeping since it blocks you from the front of the car.) If you don’t want to buy one of these, you could definitely make your own with some plywood and straps.
I also bought a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Dream Mattress to sit on top of my platform bed. (I did a lot of research and splurged on this part because I really wanted the bed to be as comfortable as possible.)
To make my bedding, I bought some cheap sheets and a “down alternative” comforter which I cut down and sewed them to fit my bed. I used a queen sheet folded in half to make a duvet for the comforter, which I secured with some ribbon I already had. (I wanted white bedding partly because it makes the space in my car look bigger and partly so I could bleach it when things get dirty.) I already had the red quilt to put across the lowered back seat, and I also picked up a warm blanket at Goodwill to use as a layer. I also got a Mexican yoga blanket to put over the foot of the bed, and a fun novelty pillow from World Market. Ét voila!
Cost Breakdown for my Honda Civic Camper Bed
In total, I spent $409 on my bed for my Honda Civic:
- DIY Platform Bed – $87
- Backseat Extender – I got mine for $47
- Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Dream Mattress – $178
- DIY Bedding (2 flat sheets for $4 each, one queen flat sheet for $10, comforter for $20, and a set of pillow cases for $4) – $42
- Warm blanket from Goodwill – $5
- Mexican Yoga Blanket – $20
- Throw Pillow – $30
Building a “Sheet Fort”
Next, I used bungees and jute to rig up lines extending between the “OH S***” handles in the back and front seats respectively. I then used the leftover sheet material to sew panels to fit into the car, which I lit from above using a small string of Christmas lights I already had in a kind of sheet fort. I’m planning to add a bit to the back of the tent that you see in the video above to make it a little tauter — stay tuned for updates!
I also picked up some window screens that I could put over the windows so I could roll them down slightly and allow airflow so the car won’t get stuffy and humid overnight. (You could totally DIY these if you wanted to, but I didn’t feel like taking the time to do so.)
Cost Breakdown for my Honda Civic Camper
In total, I spent about $40 to build the sleeping tent for inside my Civic:
- “Sheet fort” – $20
- Window Screens – $19.97
Building a Kitchen in the Trunk
Finally, I got a couple of milk crates to put on either side of the foot of my platform bed to allow for storage and to prop up my “counter top.” (I actually already had these, but they’re to easy to find if you need some.) I picked up a TV tray to cook on for $5, which I’m storing inside the platform bed. Finally, I got three 4′ boards from Home Depot for $3 a piece to make a shelf to cook on. I used a bungee I already had to string up under the trunk and and towels to dry.
Cost Breakdown for my Honda Civic Camper Kitchen
Overall, I spent just $17 on the kitchen for my Honda Civic conversion:
- TV tray – $5
- 4′ boards – $12
Total Cost for my Build Out
In total, I spent about $450 on my camper conversion, and I have zero regrets about it.
Have you made your own Honda Civic camper? Leave me a comment below and tell me about it! – Lindsay
nice setup. I do not like tent camping. My question is where did you get the stove. have fun and thanks, Gregg
Hi Gregg! I actually got it at REI, but you can get it at Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Mountain-plastic-storage/dp/B002Z7WSJM/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1523619041&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A2761246011
Full disclosure, I don’t like the box it came in because it requires you to completely disassemble the stove before you put it away. I’m devising an alternate haha!
You can also get that stove at Walmart.
Oooh good to know, thank you. 🙂
If a person is not too tall, like me, you may get one of the inflatable beds to put across the back seat. It has inflatable supports under it, or if you prefer, you could put crates under it in which you might store clothing and such. That would save the work and expense of making a bed, but of course, it would only work in a car which isn’t too small, and with someone under 5’5″. Most people sleep with their legs in a fetal position anyway, and as such, I would find this much easier to work with. I have an Impala, bigger than this car, and it works just fine for me. All I need is window coverings and I’m all set for a good night’s sleep. The trunk space can then be used for a portable kitchen etc. It works well for a road trip. If you really don’t mind the work, the money one would spend on making the bed could be used instead to make some slide out drawers and a table. Just check out the SUV set ups and make to fit a car trunk instead. In most cars, you could have some storage to bring the “kitchen” up to the level of the trunk opening with the storage compartment underneath.
Ah nice! I like to lay flat on my back to sleep, but that’s awesome that it works for you. You don’t get too cold sleeping on an air mattress?
I thought about making a fold-out kitchen set up, but my trunk has a lip that was complicating the design, and I was afraid of losing too much space… but I’ll probably figure something out in the future. 🙂
I just got rid of my last car camper. I thinking about taking off in my car and wondering how I could convert it into a my new car camper. Glad I found your post. It’s brilliant! and I love your sheet fort.
Thank you! I ended up not using the sheet fort for future trips, it’s too much of a pain to set up, but I loved how cozy it was. 🙂
How embarrassing! Did not hold air for more than 20 minutes. But I was smart this time and bought two, luckily the other one was a Coleman not an Intex. BUT the coleman did not come with an air pump. So had to make a trip to the gas station at midnight to fill it up. Stick with the Coleman. I have had nothing but headaches with Intex brand.
Oh my gosh! I haven’t had any problems with mine, but that would be annoying!
Hi Lindsay,
You did a great job Girl.
I used to have big SUV
Now I git a new civic sedan I was wondering if I can sleep in it
I’m almost 6’ do you think I can sleep there easily?
Hi Ashkan, I don’t know if you can do it EASILY. My bed is exactly 6″ long, so it would be a bit tight. Maybe if you make your bed a little wider and sleep diagonally?
I love your adventurous soul! I’ve been thinking of doing this for a long time and finding your site might be the push I need to fulfill it. Keep it up!
Hi Paolo! DOOOO ITTTT! 🙂
I have a 2016 civic ext and I’ve been wondering how I could sleep in it for my next trip to see my parents in Charleston SC. I live in pittsburgh and it’s become sort of a tradition to drive / camp the Blue Ridge Parkway back home. Setting up a tent for just one night then taking it down, only to set it up again the next night was becoming very tedious and annoying. I really like your suggestions and setup. I’m going to try to do a slimmed down version of your idea for my trip in September. Thanks for the ideas!
Hi Chad! That’s so awesome, let me know how it goes!
Hey there Lindsay, was your Honda a two door coupe? Because I want to purchase the seat extender but I’m not sure if it will fit my two door coupe.
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I have a 2013 Accord Sport and have been trying to figure out how to set it up a little better for road trips. I did discover that if I remove the front passenger headrest, the passenger seat folds completely flat and I am able to fit very comfortably in that space between the dash and back seat. If I can get my trunk set up like you and Rue have y’all’s set up I will have it made. It’s a serious game changer when you can camp comfortably out of your car.
I have a 2015 Honda Fit named Ruby that I’ve car camped in. One of the reasons I opted for a Fit is that it has “magic seats” and a lot of cargo room for an economy car. I just put the back seats down flat and can sleep relatively easily as I’m short. 🙂 I don’t know if you know of the Cheap RV Living YouTube channel, but it’s a GREAT resource. Bob is a lovely soul.
aww man I have the honda civic hybrid. Behind the seats the IMA battery is placed. I guess I’ll figure something out haha. Really want to try this. Don’t like tents.
Working on this idea for Hyundai Accent. Due to 4″ “hump” with back seats down, I had to “remove” them to make a flat area. But, they “lock” back in place, so it still looks like a regular car. My sleeping area is 69x40x14 high.
Thanks for the tips! Do you have tips for insulating the car to keep warm on cold nights?