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Episode 15: Minivan Camper Curtains – Easy, No-Drill Window Curtains for a Toyota Sienna

▶ Watch Episode 15 on YouTube

Full blackout sunshades like WeatherTech are a must-have for stealth camping, but at a campsite I prefer curtains: no daily putting up and taking down blinds, easy natural light, and a cozy, home-like feel. Here is a quick overview of the setup in my Toyota Sienna.

Inside a Toyota Sienna minivan camper with grey curtains drawn over the side window beside the kitchen module, a bed on the left and a black WeatherTech blackout shade on the opposite window
Grey curtains on the side window; the back side window keeps its WeatherTech blackout shade.

What I Wanted From Van Curtains

I wanted curtains that were easy to install with no drilling, lightweight with no heavy hardware, full coverage with no light gaps, compatible with my WeatherTech blinds, and not in the way of the sliding door or windows.

The Curtains and Rails

I found curtains for minivan campers in several colors and sizes. Each set includes two curtains and the self-adhesive mounting rails. I chose the 50x47cm Grey sets, four sets in total to cover the main windows.

The plastic rails are very light, so there are no heavy projectiles in an accident, and a heat gun bends them to match the window curves. The curtains attach at the top and bottom, and the stretch fabric gives a gap-free fit while letting soft light through.

Black plastic self-adhesive curtain rail bent into a smooth curve, lying on a speckled grey countertop
A lightweight plastic rail, bent to follow the curve of a window.
Grey curtain pulled to one side of a minivan camper window with a black WeatherTech blackout shade still in place, above the plywood kitchen module
The rails are slim enough to leave room for the WeatherTech blackout shade.

Installation in Brief

Cut the rails with a sharp knife, bend them with a heat gun if needed, and stick them to the top and bottom of the window frame, leaving a small gap from the glass for the blackout inserts. Slide in the curtains; transparent cable clips close gaps on irregular windows.

Grey curtain partly drawn across a Toyota Sienna minivan camper side window, with a garden fence and lawn visible through the open part of the glass
Snug fit with no flapping, and the window still works normally.
Interior of a Toyota Sienna minivan camper looking toward the front, with curtains on the side windows, a divider curtain behind the front seats with string lights, and the sunroof open overhead
Side window curtains, with the divider curtain visible at the front.

Quick Facts

  • Vehicle: Toyota Sienna minivan
  • Curtains: 50x47cm Grey, four sets
  • Mounting: self-adhesive plastic rails, no drilling
  • Shaping: cut with a knife, bent with a heat gun
  • Blackout: WeatherTech shades still slide in
  • Function: sliding doors and windows work normally

Next up, Episode 16: Divider Curtains. I add a divider curtain between the front seats and my living space, install a lightweight ceiling rail, and solve a small challenge with a surprise item from my electrical parts box.

← Episode 14: Rain & Sun Protection  |  Full build story  |  Episode 16: Divider Curtain →