How To Make Fun Blackout Shades for a Camper Van

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Converting my car into a small camper has been a dream of mine for years. Thanks to quarantine, I’ve now been able to make that dream a reality!

One of the major concerns of living on the road is safety. Some places can be sketchier than others, sometimes your only option is sleeping in a Walmart parking lot, sometimes you just want to sleep in and not be woken up by the glistening early morning sunshine…. Whatever the case, these blackout shades are exactly what you need!

They are extremely affordable and easy to make and they will make life on the road feel so much more comfortable!

When planning for #suvlife, I knew I needed to find a way to block out all my windows so I would feel safe sleeping in my car alone. One of the easiest and most affordable options is buying a roll of Reflectix and fitting each piece to your windows. However, if you’d rather not feel like you’re living inside of a spaceship, these fun and easy decorative shades are perfect for you!

What you’ll need:

• Roll of Reflectix (25ft x 24in was more than enough for my Ford Escape)
• Fabric– 3 yards was the perfect amount for me (without covering the front windshield), but you might need more if you have larger windows. Hobby Lobby and Joann Fabrics have lots of choices!
• Adhesive spray
• Duct tape– try to get a color that matches well with your fabric. Can be found at any craft or hardware store!
• Scissors
• Sharpie
• Tape measure
• Cardboard

Step 1:

Measure each of the windows and cut out pieces of cardboard to fit the dimensions, leaving one extra inch on all sides (it’s much easier to cut off pieces than try to reattach them). Place the cardboard in the windows cutting them until they are the correct shape with that extra inch on each side. Hint- opposing windows are the same shape and size, so only cut out one piece of cardboard for each pair of windows.

Step 2:

Lay out the cardboard pieces on the roll of Reflectix. Trace each piece with a sharpie and cut them out, always leaving a little extra on the sides. Again, it’s significantly easier to cut away extra than trying to reconnect pieces.

Repeat for all window pairs. Place each piece of Reflectix in the windows, making sure they fit nice and tight (I sort of tucked mine into the rubber surrounding the window). If they don’t fit snug, they won’t be able to stay in place on their own. If they are too big to fit into the windows, cut small slices off the ends until they are able to fit and stay up on their own.

Step 3:

Lay out each piece of Reflectix on the fabric, making sure the side of the Refectix facing inside the car is facing up on the fabric. Also, be aware of the direction of your fabric and which way you want it to be facing when putting it into the windows. Trace out each piece with a sharpie and cut them all out.

Step 4:

Once all the pieces of fabric are cut out, spray adhesive glue onto the Reflectix and press on fabric. Be sure to press out any creases or bubbles in the fabric. Do this for all pieces.

Step 5:

Once the glue is dry, place duct tape around all edges, making sure all sides are covered.

Optional Step:

Add a small piece of Velcro to each window cover and window to make sure they will stay up, even after months of use.

You can also spray paint the back sides black for extra stealth.

Final Step:

Go out and have amazing adventures in your camper van!! All while still feeling safe and secure! I truly love my fun blackout shades. They make my car feel so safe and cozy and I can’t wait to get on the road and start adventuring!!

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