Weekend Reset: How Car Camping Became My Self-Care Ritual

I used to think “self-care” meant spa days or staying in bed with a book all Sunday. But with kids, work, and everything in between, even quiet moments at home started to feel noisy.

That’s when I found something better.

Not glamorous. Not curated. Just my car, a Teraglide platform, and a Friday night plan to disappear into the hills.

From burnout to breathing again

Monday to Friday: meetings, pickups, groceries, laundry, emails.

Saturday to Sunday? For a while, it felt like more of the same — just in sweatpants.

The shift happened when we took a spontaneous trip to a nearby lake. No tents, no reservations. We threw everything in the car, folded out the platform bed in a minute, and by sunset, we were making pasta next to the trunk.

The kids laughed more. I breathed deeper. And for once, I didn’t feel behind on anything.

➡ Find out how car camping helps you unwind, sleep better, and enjoy true weekend freedom — no setup hassle, no stress about the weather. Full post here: Car Camping as a Way to Reduce Anxiety and Stress.

Car camping isn’t a vacation — it’s a pattern interrupt.

When I camp, I don’t check email. I don’t scroll. I don’t overthink.

Instead, I cook with my hands, sip coffee at sunrise, and listen to the birds instead of Slack notifications.

The best part? I don’t need to pack half the house.

The platform stays in the trunk. The kitchen drawer is already stocked. And we always keep a few meals, a flashlight, and a coffee press ready to go.

Want to see how our platform sets up in under a minute—no tools, no stress? Read: The One-Minute Setup That Changes Everything.

How we turned weekends into memory makers

Now, we don’t wait for holidays. We just go.

Sometimes it’s a night by the beach. Sometimes a trailhead and hot cocoa with the kids.

Sometimes it’s just me — a solo reset with no schedule and no expectations.

Because car camping isn’t about planning. It’s about choosing presence over pressure.

Self-care in motion

My weekend reset doesn’t come in a box.

It comes with fresh air, fewer decisions, and the sound of zipping up a sleeping bag next to the people I love most.

And I’m not the only one. Studies show that even short breaks in nature can significantly reduce stress and improve mood—a concept known as “nature therapy” or shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), now backed by science.

➡ According to the Victorian Government, spending time in natural habitats can lower anxiety levels, reduce blood pressure, and improve sleep patterns. 

If you’ve been looking for a self-care ritual that actually sticks, start here:

Start where you are. Sleep where you park.

Explore our camping platforms and conversion kits — and make your own kind of reset.