The Bed -- Updated April 2015

When the front passenger seat of my '04 Prius is laid back flat, someone over 7' tall could sleep in it. If you'd like to view my bed with the front seat back, then click here.

There's enough length for an 8' tall person to sleep in my '04 Prius.  Jan 2011  

But, I'm only 5'2", so I now keep my front passenger seat upright and use that space for storage when I travel solo.

The head of my bed up against the front passenger seat.  April 2015  

I get lots of questions about how I set up my bed.  So, I hope these photos and explanations help to answer some of those questions.

When living out of a mid-size car like the Prius, every bit of storage space is garnered and cherished.  For example, directly under my bed I store my Therm-A-Rest Seat and my silicone cutting board under the mattress because they are thin and flat they take up almost no room in this location.  Also, under those items is a compartment for emergency items (spare tire, extra fluids, jumper cables, tools, first-aid kit, etc.).

Using one of my trekking poles to hold up my mattress, you can see
that I put thin, flat items here for storage.  April 2015  

Since I had a lot of camping gear when I started living out of my Prius, I simply tried to use what I had.  I chose to put wool fleece at the bottom for it's insulating properties, then a Therm-A-Rest pad for both comfort and insulation.  A couple of years ago I replaced an old foam cot mattress combined with a 1" Therm-A-Rest pad, with just a 3.5" REI inflatable foam pad.

My "mattress" is made of several layers.  From bottom up: fitted sheet, 1"
deflated Therm-A-Rest pad (for storage), 75% inflated 3.5" REI inflatable
foam pad (like a Therm-A-Rest), flat sheet.  April 2015  

These 3 layers get encapsulated in sheets.  I first wrap all with a flat sheet from the top, then cover everything with a fitted sheet from the bottom.

All of my mattress layers get wrapped up in a sheet burrito.  April 2015  

I bring 4 sets of sheets with me.  One set is used to wrap the mattress layers as shown above.  When clean, the other 3 are put on the bed for easy storage.  On my mattress is a fitted sheet, flat sheet, fitted sheet, flat sheet, fitted sheet and flat sheet.  On laundry day, I strip off the top fitted and flat sheets to wash.  At that point, the clean sheets must be stored until it's time to make the bed up again.

My mattress with 4 sets of sheets on it.  April 2015  

For warmth on top, I use a king-size down comforter covered in a duvet.  To fit the bed, the comforter is folded into thirds.  If it's real cold, I cover myself in all 3 layers.  If it's not too cold, I unfold it at the head of the bed and sleep under only one layer.  My feet, which tend to be the coldest, are always under 3 layers.  

A king-size comforter is folded into thirds.
 It fits the mattress perfectly.  April 2015  

Every once in a while I need to stealth camp.  That is, I park someplace like a truck stop, rest area or Walmart to sleep for the night before I head out the next morning.  I cover my comforter with a black twin flat sheet because it makes the bed look less obvious.  Plus, if it's a warm night, I'll just sleep under the sheet.

A black twin flat sheet makes the bed less obvious to anyone who
might look into the car.  April 2015  

Next I cover the foot of the bed with a waterproof polyester fleece lap blanket.  This serves several purposes:  1) protects the bed from accidental spills when I'm using the hatch area as a galley, 2) more warmth for my feet, 3) fleece absorbs the light better than the poly/cotton sheet making the bed even less obvious to onlookers, 4) its large enough to cover the contents on the driver's side of the hatch, and 5) it becomes a curtain by clipping its top edge to the bungee cord stretched across by the hinge of the hatch.

I cover the foot of the bed with a waterproof fleece lap blanket,
stretching across to cover the contents on the driver's side as well.    April 2015  

Usually I take a heavy coat when I travel because even the desert can get very cold.  But, it takes up a lot of room.  So, I often just spread it out in the back as an extra layer of warmth at the foot of my bed.

Storing a heavy coat by laying it over the foot of the bed.  April 2015  

Please note that these photos were taken while staying in Arizona during the winter and spring.  If I were wintering in a damp chilly location like Seattle, WA, then I would would stay away from cotton and down.  Instead I would use synthetic materials as they will keep you warm even when damp.