In late July I decided to get rid of my excess stuff and move into my 2010 Toyota Prius. Friends, family and strangers alike have asked me all sorts of questions, so here is my FAQ on #priuslife!
Where do you park?
This is usually the first question people ask me when they find out I live in my car. Most often I park on the north side of town because there’s tons of free parking or at Walmart parking lots. Thanks to a sea-kayaking trip to the Florida Everglades with some great friends, I’m pretty accustomed to eating in Walmart parking lots as well as brushing my teeth and doing dishes in the bathrooms. I never park in the same spot more than two nights in a row, but I do frequent the same few streets. It’s important to stay discreet so as not to alarm residents.
How do you get your mail?
I actually try to go paperless as often as I can and get online bank statements and bills. As for deliveries and other mail, I have a P.O. box.
What if you have to go to the bathroom at night?
There’s always that one person who asks this. If I’m parking at Walmart, it’s not an issue at all because it’s open 24 hours. But if I’m in a residential area, I make sure to drink more water during the day so I stay hydrated at night and stop somewhere just before I park my car. Usually I’m in the newsroom working or at Kafe Kerouac studying, both with public bathrooms readily available for when nature calls.
Ohio has had some cold winters. What are you going to do when the temperature drops?
This is the second most-asked question I get. Because I drive a hybrid, I can leave the car on during the night with the heat on (or AC when it’s hot out) and the engine will only come on just enough to charge the battery. I’ve done this a few times with the AC when the night air retained its humidity, causing the inside of my car to boil and me to sweat like Josh Nichols reporting the weather on the TV show Drake and Josh. Depending on how long I leave the car on and what setting its at, I typically spend between 50¢ and $2 on gas. For extra warmth, I have two zero-degree sleeping bags and one 40-degree sleeping bag, meaning I’ll stay pretty cozy once temperatures drop.
What safety precautions do you take?
I know all you parents reading this probably had this as your first thought. When I asked my dad what his thoughts were on me living out of my car, his first response was “Well, it’s not ideal.” He then proceeded to show me where I could find a cheap taser online. Thanks dad. But currently each night before I go to sleep, I put up my backseat window curtains, tack my reflective window shade to the rear windshield, get back inside the driver’s seat and lock my car. Then I’ll put a reflective window shade in the front windshield, put my backpack in the backseat and crawl onto my makeshift bed. Separating the back from the front seats is another curtain that prevents anyone from looking into the back. It’s grey, just like the interior of my car (as are the window curtains). I place the curtain on commands hooks and tack the middle up to the ceiling of the car. This blocks about 80% of the light that comes in through the windows and prevents anyone from seeing in. As for protection, I have mace and a knife handy just in case anything were to happen.
Speaking of your “bed”, what’s it made of?
Some people who live out of vans or Prius’ build platforms for storage underneath their beds. I wanted to do what was cost effective and sustainable, so I simply used the three sleeping bags I mentioned earlier and bought a used sleeping pad from a friend who was getting rid of hers (thanks Amy!). To keep all the pieces together, I wrapped my twin bed’s fitted sheet around everything and tucked it underneath the two backseats. On top of that I have a twin-sized comforter and two pillows.
How do you store clothes?
I jerry-rigged a “closet” out of rubber bands, some string and 1″-thick dowel rod, located behind the driver’s seat. Hanging currently are: summer t-shirts and tanks, a couple flannels (because for some reason it’s already getting cold), jeans and two nice dresses. A suitcase with winter clothing is in storage at my parents’ house up north, and extra jeans, my camping clothes and additional formal-wear are in a smaller suitcase behind the “closet” in what would be trunk-space. After the first or second frost, I’ll switch out my summer suitcase for the winter one. As for dirty clothes, I have a collapsible bin on the floor underneath the hanging clothes.
And laundry?
My gracious friends Katie, Meagan, Danielle, Kandace and their roommates have allowed me to do laundry at their place. Thanks friends!
How do you cook?
Goooood question. Originally I was cooking all sorts of meals, from mac’n’cheese to omelettes and pancakes, on a two-burner camp stove from REI. Each morning I’d drive down to the Audubon and park next to the river, set up my grill and start flippin’ pancakes. Or I’d grill veggie burgers as the sun set across the park. But now with how time-intensive school and work have become, I’m finding myself eating out a lot more than I had originally intended. Although I’m saving money on rent and utilities, going out to eat adds up fast. I’m trying to strategize ways to prevent that. I have access to a fridge and a microwave available at work, but a microwave doesn’t make for good fresh veggies. I’m thinking of investing in a Yeti cooler so I can at least store the basics (bread, eggs, almond milk) without anything spoiling. I also need to scope out parks that are closer to campus that I can bring my stove to. Maybe I’ll start bringing my backpacking stove on campus and cooking using that? It’s lightweight, compact and easy to use. I’m always open to suggestions, so if you have any leave some comments!
Where do you shower?
One of the perks of being a college student is that a gym pass comes with the price of tuition, meaning I can visit any gym on campus and take a shower. And workout, too!
Even though you have limited space for storage, did you keep any particular items for fun?
I kept my ukulele, drumsticks and a tambourine. Just for funsies.
Did you think of more questions after reading this? Feel free to send them my way and I’ll update this list with the answers! Also, for my next post I’ll be creating a photo gallery of my living space. Let me know what you’d like to see pictures of and I’ll capture them.
envyscy 
go girl.