My wife and I are planning to take our second short trip in our new P-W Plateau next week. We want to learn more about Class B traveling/camping before taking a much longer trip this summer.
As we gather together all the stuff we need for the 3-day trip, it is becoming apparent that careful organizing is necessary to best utilize the limited storage space in the van. We found that just basic equipment and supplies will quickly fill up the van, leaving little space for the "nice to haves". This, despite having identified usable storage space as an important criterion when choosing our van.
As new B campers, we need to get creative in our choice of things to take with us and how to best organize them to make living easier.
This is probably a no-brainer to you veterans out there, but one idea is to assign a specific place for each article taken along and to make sure it's always put back in its rightful place. Bedding always goes in cabinet A, cooking utencils in cabinet B, etc.
We also like the idea of "his and her" cabinets and drawers for personal items. This should eliminate questions like, "Honey, did you happen to see my hairbrush (camera, sunglasses)?"
Then, there's finding ways to pack more utility into a given space. For example, disposing of unnecessary packaging of purchased items, finding pans that nest together, or always placing shoes on the floor in front of the driver and passenger seat when removed, so no one trips over them.
Anybody have any favorite tips/tricks to improve the quality of life in the cramped quarters of your B?
Smitty,
I'm no veteran but we also try to have separate areas for our clothes and goodies. In a B it's vital to keep these things and our common items up and out of the way.
I have learned to pare down such things as dish soap to a 4 oz bottle (don't need a 16-oz bottle of dish soap for one week). All the spices are in small plastic bottles about the size of 35-mm film containers. We do a lot of pre packing of foods. Pancake mix for two in a baggy with the instructions on the outside. The same for oatmeal or biscuits. My cream for coffee goes in a 6-oz plastic container as does the honey. A relative of my brother had all their day to day cooking stuff bungeed around the kitchen on the wall in their RV. I thought at first this looked so disorganized, but soon realized that it would be very convenient to have things at your finger tips and put other things in the drawers.
Rich
If I'm going to work the rest of my life, I'd better start to retire on the weekends.
- '98 190 Roadtrek Popular -
This is probably a no-brainer to you veterans out there, but one idea is to assign a specific place for each article taken along and to make sure it's always put back in its rightful place. Bedding always goes in cabinet A, cooking utencils in cabinet B, etc.
Smitty, you've hit on a really key concept here. I took my Sportsmobile on its first extended trip of the season last week. I remembered most of my system from last summer (food, dishes, electronics all well organized), but I did end up with one long storage cabinet that turned into a "catch-all" when I got bored with packing and wanted to get on the road. I eventually sorted it out while camping, but who wants to do something that close to housework while on vacation? So, take your time planning. It's completely worth it.
Two items that worked well for me on the trip were (1) small dish towels ... to line drawers and stop items from sliding, to put under the microwave glass turntable to prevent rattles/breakage, and to clean up spills. (Also nice for spills is a container of Simple Green wipes.) and (2) shoebox or smaller sized rubbermaid containers ... can be used to store food, to store smaller items on a shelf or in a drawer, or as a cereal bowl (mmmm, cereal). Obviously, packing items that perform double or triple "duty" is good.
Looking forward to reading everyone else's tips, and best wishes to you for a fabulous trip!
QJ
* This post was
edited 05/10/06 10:44pm by qjane *
I have lots of space in my MH, but my boat is pretty much the same space as a B.
You'll find things that fit well as you progress. Certain clothes, towels and blankets take up much less room than others (and some dry faster too). Buy food as you need or want it - don't overstock. I installed a liquid soap pump (Home Depot) in the counter at the kitchen sink - no more bottles or counter clutter. A single shampoo pump and reservoir sticks to the shower wall. Check out the new Rubbermaid collapsing food containers.
Then there are the weight issues. Light weight flexible cutting board. Only carry plastic bags, laundry products (Don't buy them at the machines!), toilet paper, "sundries" as you need them (no need to take the whole box you bought). I don't use ice, so I have none taking space or weight.
Find a place for dirty laundry - there's always too much.
If you like to buy souvenirs, stop at a UPS store and ship home a box once in a while.
Don't overfill your fridge, but use the space inside creatively
This may be extreme, but MH cabinets often waste a lot of space around the drawers and slides. I've found space to hide the checkbooks, Living Will (You DO carry it with you, don't you??????), extra credit cards, etc.
Every box is thrown out, and plastic packages of crackers and other foods are sealed by folding and using a wooden clothespin - these are good for holding things, folding maps, as well as drying laundry.
It's a great day when you tear the MH apart and KNOW the things you don't want to carry or use. I'm always searching for a smaller "this" or lighter "that". It's the only time I get to indulge my "shopaholic" side these days.
A roll of velcro! For example, the cell phone stays up front during the day, and is velcroed to the bedroom wall at night where it functions as clock (or alarm clock, if necessary. Another great thing about cell phones is that they have the only clocks that change time with each new zone). There's a zillion other uses for velcro in a B--you'll see.
We've had our Plateau for almost 2 years. We haven't had any problem finding enough space to fit stuff for 2 people and 3 dogs, even for 10 or more days at a time. We each use one of the bins on the side over the bed for our clothing, T shirts, undies, socks and PJ's. The one across the back has jeans and sweatshirts for both (his on one side, mine on the other) The overbed bins on the other side - one has extra sheets, dog towels and a couple of extra kitchen items. The other back side bin is devoted to my husband's electronics. The bin under the bed has the first aid kit, extra shoes and our small portable fan/heater.
Over the stove bin has our canned and bottled goods, the other over the sink has the dog stuff like food, brush, dishes, extra leashes and collars etc. Under the sink is our dishes, pots and pans, paper towels etc. We carry a little bit of laundry soap, I use the snack size baggies, put about a cup of detergent powder in each along with a dryer sheet. I have 4 or 5 of those stuffed into a larger baggie.
The small drawers under the stove get kitchen towel, hot pad and cooking utensils. The big drawer has silverware, cutting board, plastic glasses stacked together laying on their side.
The "big closet" has our hanging clothing, the tripod adn the table leg are stuck into the corners with velcro. The big drawers under the closet - one has rolled up towels and washclothes, the other has our packaged food (pancake mix soup mix etc) plus the plastic wrap and baggies, as well as a few potatos and onions.
We don't have the coffee maker so the cupboard right inside the door (on the passenger side) has outdoor junk, like lantern, duct tape, a few tools, etc.
Just this week we had Waldoch Conversions (Forest Lake MN) put in an overhead bin over the cab area. (When we went to pick it up yesterday, they told us someone from this forum had read that we were having the work done there and had been to Waldoch to see it) Anyway, we love it. They did excellent work. This is the new spot for our cameras, cellphones, my purse etc. They used to be on the floor between the seats, This is much better! They also put on a swingaway hitch box. We'll use that for the grill, charcoal etc.
That dirty laundry is a problem though. We carry a collapsable basket for that, it rides on the bed when we're on the road and on the floor in front of passenger seat when we're stopped. When it gets full we stop and do laundry.
Long winded... sorry. If you're ever in MN stop by and see us!
Julie
Julie
_____________________________________________________________________
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~ Lao Tzu
We use micro fiber quick dry towels and cloths. Keep a dozen of "bar towels" for dishes, and any other clean up. Small stuff bags to keep clothing items organized. For the laundry, we have a large mesh bag. It lives on the shelf over the hanging locker, and it is amazing how much laundry one can stuff into it! We leave it fully packed, since it is kept in a different part of the country and we fly to it. We don't carry a suitcase of duffle bag, only a few papers and personal items when we fly there.
Bob Austin
2007 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 40 PDQ
Toad 2003 Honda Pilot
2000 Ford Excursion 7.3 Diesel
I have a set of pots called "Ingenio". They're no stick, they have detachable handles so they can nest together in the space of one pot. Altogether about 10 square inches,and about 8" high.
john
b_smitty wrote: As we gather together all the stuff we need for the 3-day trip, it is becoming apparent that careful organizing is necessary to best utilize the limited storage space in the van.
Anybody have any favorite tips/tricks to improve the quality of life in the cramped quarters of your B?
I agree whole heartedly that organization adds greatly to the enjoyment of your B!!
From my perspective, there is nothing more frustrating than needing something, like at meal time, and not being able to find where you put it.
My solution to this issue is to make a list of everything that I need or want in the B, and to organize it by storage location. I use the list to prepare for departure--so that nothing critical gets left behind, and for locating a needed item when it is needed.
Each season I modify the list, learning from past experience what works and what wasn't so convenient, and moving things around to make them more convenient.
I'm at the start of my 7th season in my B, and I'm still refining my lists; each change does yield improvements.
I stick my socks and unmentionables, folded tops, pants, pj's, etc., inside and store them in the overhead cabinet above my bed. That way socks are not falling out, I don't need a suitcase or duffel bag and they are easy to pack.
I also keep my kitchen towels and dishrags in one of the bags and I store it on top of my pots and pans and it acts as a noise buffer/cushion.
When camping we store many misc. items on the dashboard. It looks messy from the outside looking in so we don't use the curtain on the van. We have an outside windshield cover instead. Without the curtains we have more room inside or at least the illusion of more room!
This summer we will be traveling on our annual two week trip and I am determined not to over pack!
Marilyn w/ Joe, 2000 Xplorer Class B van, usually pulling a Ranger bass boat.
Smudge, (in photo) a Shih Tzu/Yorkie Mix and Gizmo is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge
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So, take your time planning. It's completely worth it.
, Lois 
