Need more storage!!

[gizmo0706]

Hello All!

This past summer was our families first camping experience!  We loved everything but having to move our "stuff" around in the PU.  I would like to keep as much of this "stuff" as possible outside the PU to leave room for moving around and sleeping.  We generally keep everything in plastic tubs but they really don't fit many places while traveling.  I have four small children so I really don't have any room in the TV for storage.  So  does anyone  have any good ideas for a easy, cheap way to store some items on top of or behind the PU or TV?  I have considered mounting a couple of car top storage carriers and a bike rack to the PU roof but want to know the best way of mounting it safely without creating a roof leak.  I look forward to any input!

[chipperone1]

  So you want   "easy, cheap way to store some items on top of or behind the PU or TV?"  How about a waterproof bag or two on top?  When setup you could keep it under the rear bunk end.  We used to use a PVC rooftop bag that worked great. Remember to face the zipper to the rear or it may inflate while travelling.

  something like this


http://www.truckstuffusa.com/rooftopstorageaerobagbylund.html

[jeffr]

I've always been afraid of putting anything in the center of the roof. If you are like me then you can make a cheapo roof rack out of 2x4s to keep the weight along the sides where the pup can support more.  I just layed two 2x4s parallel to eachother just far apart from eachother to lay directly on the sides of the roof. I then bolted two other 2x4s attaching the two. In your case you might want to add 4 2x4s apart from eachother to keep a storage bage off the roof. Just don't use plywood and chance making a kite out of your rack. I attached it with 4 synching straps to the frame at the bottom.  I transport my kayaks this way with ease.  I did paint all the wood white so it doesn't look too cheap.   

[austinado16]

I've seen some people use the area under the rear bunk as storage, by clipping a tarp of some sort to the bottom edge of the rear bunk canvas (binder clips from an office supply store) and letting the canvas hang down to the ground, like a little room.  If you guys are already doing the tub thing, that may be a good solution.  If you got real crazy, you could even have an automotive upholstery shop do something that matched your camper, out of real canvas, with snaps and tie-down or stake-down eyelets along the bottom, and a zippered door.

Also, things like the bunk end shelves you see people doing here.....those will hold some things up in the ends of the bunks out of the way, and are cheap to make.  Same goes for the shelf racks that people are doing over their galley and over their side counters, with the spring loaded tension bars that span from the counter top surface, or the rear base cabinet under the galley, up to the roof.  Couple of cool mods that would probably do you guys well.

[HappiKampers!]

I've always been afraid of putting anything in the center of the roof. If you are like me then you can make a cheapo roof rack out of 2x4s to keep the weight along the sides where the pup can support more.  I just layed two 2x4s parallel to eachother just far apart from eachother to lay directly on the sides of the roof. I then bolted two other 2x4s attaching the two. In your case you might want to add 4 2x4s apart from eachother to keep a storage bage off the roof. Just don't use plywood and chance making a kite out of your rack. I attached it with 4 synching straps to the frame at the bottom.  I transport my kayaks this way with ease.  I did paint all the wood white so it doesn't look too cheap.   

You have any pics??

[jeffr]

You bet I have picks 

You could space out the four 2x4s going crosswise to best carry your load.  Two 2x4s should've been fine, but for carrying my kayaks I liked having 4 just in case one broke on each end of the load.   Just don't use a plywood board and chance making a kite out of your rack!!!!!  I know, I'm paranoid. But I just have synch straps holding the thing down, and it would be disaster if one gave way while going 65+.

[chiefd]

Be careful of the weight you add to the roof.  Most pups only support 250 lbs and when raised less than that.  If you have an AC on the roof there is little available extra you can add safely. 

We store the bins of stuff under the table, and in the seats.  There is a rubbermaid bin of outside toys and items stored under the table,  Other bins of stuff, propane hoses, electric cords etc in another bin under one of the bench seats, BBQ tools, lantern etc go under the other seat.  When at the campground these bins and stuff are pulled out and stored under the camper, for easy access.  I do not have a bench seat like you have.  Instead I have some counter space to store items there such as food, clothes TV and DVD player for the grandson. 

I also built one of these



and this

[gizmo0706]

Thank you for all your input!  I guess my main question is what do you all do will your bins while traveling?  The campsite isn't really as big of any issue as getting everything there.  All I have for storage while traveling is the space behind the seat of the TV, the front bin on the pup, and what space I can access from the door on the pup.  So my only real left over space is on top of the TV and pup. 

[IPcamper]

We have a Coleman Cottonwood 2002. It does not have the front storage box. So we put a cargo rack on the roof and put our luggage on top in Vinyl, waterproof duffel bags. If we really need to bring a lot of stuff, we have a Sears cargo box that goes on the roof of the truck. On the inside of the trailer, I rebuild the lower galley cabinet to provide more space. We do not have a furnace, so the space for it was awkward to use for storage. The front storage area under the bed had a pull out drawer, this wasted a lot of space, so I removed the drawer and remount the face as a flip down door.

Look over the way you pack, often reorganizing the storage will give a more efficient use of the limited space you have.

[fallsrider]

The main thing that has to be moved around is clothes. So, I measured our PUP door when closed, then went to Walmart and bought clear bins with the slide-out drawer that will stack. Two stacked up will fit through the door and on the floor of the PUP. We have 4 people, so I can slide in 2 stacks of 2. Each person gets one bin.

When popped up, we stack all 4 on top of each other on top of one of the cabinets. They do A LOT to keep clothes off the seats. When getting ready for bed, we usually end up with the day's clothes laying on the seats, but we pick those up and put them away the next morning.

[rawhite1969]

plastic bins for us.  One for clothes that get unpacked when we get there and put in hanging cloth shelves.  Then the bin gets used for the dirty clothes during the trip.  Food in a plastic two drawer that fits upright when packed and on a counter when we are camping.  Some clothes get hung in the TV and then hung in the camper.  Pillows in the TV.  Chairs are the folding kind with a bag and they go behind the seats in the TV too.  Coolers are upright models that go in the camper.  We pop up in order to pack and unpack as it lets us get as much as possible in the camper.

A roof rack on the TV would always be an option too.  Especially for clothing, sleeping bags, etc.

As you'll see on other posts here, re-evaluate what you are taking.  I know I have things in the camper that need to come out, which will free up more space under benches, etc. 

[Spirit Deer]

What things are you having trouble finding space for?

We used to tent camp with five teenagers and a Doberman using a GMC Safari that did NOT have the extended body.  Nothing was carried on top the van or behind it.  The key was minimizing the gear we took and how much each kid was allowed to drag along.

I'd suggest re-evaluating what you're bringing with you.  Once you've figured out how to take less stuff, then re-examine every storage space you have and figure out how to make the best, most-convenient, most efficient use of each area.

[CampingFamily1]

We use soft sided luggage and bags that can be packed into the floor of the camper.

We also have a car top cargo carrier for longer trips as shown below on top of our minivan


[size=50]created by picasa2html.com[/size]

[Moosehead]

We basically have the same TV and we also use all three rows of seating. This is how we usualy orginize all of our stuff:

We put the coolers and our clothes (DW and I) in the back of the TV. One suitcase on weekender`s and a suitcase each on longer trips. We also put the camera bag and laptop (for longer trips, to pay bills, send emails and watch movies on rainy nights). We also put the footwear Rubbermaid container and a duffle bag containing coats and hats in the back of the TV during transit. At the campground, only our suitcases and buffle bag stay in the TV.

Depending on the trip, we might put the ''pod'' on top of the Burb. This is usualy when we take the bikes along, the bike trailer, helmets, soccer ball, etc. go up there. The bikes go on top of the pup (Yakima crossbars and 5 Raptor bike mounts).

The kids clothes go into two large 3-drawer plastic containers. They all have 1.5 drawer each. Not including coats and hats which are put in a duffle bag in the back of the TV. These drawer units are placed on the pups floor in transit and up on one of the counters when camping.

Sleeping bags go under the dinnette table. Food, pots & pans, dishes, etc. go into the cabinets and drawers of the galley. Dinnette benches contain food on one side and lanterns, extra blankets and misc. stuff in the other.

Chairs, packable outdoor kitchen, packable picnic table, and Barker gray water tote go on the floor towards the back of the pup. Other misc. stuff might be placed there as well.

Tools, outdoor carpet, Bal Leveler and chock, Lynx levelers, rubermaid bin containing sewer connections, jack, battery charger, water hoses, etc. go into the front storage.

Sewer hose goes into the back bumper.

It took us a little while to get things organized, and we are always tweaking our set-up and moving things around. We also reduced the number of stuff we brought with us...which made the biggest difference!

Anyways, that's what works for us...good luck with your set-up!

 

[happpybooker1]

Since it is just me & DS and maybe a friend of his, I found that the duffle bags we pack w/our clothes in them fit just fine on the end of the queen bed. DS & friend still have plenty of room to sleep. That's one reason DS has the bigger bunk -- we store stuff on it!

He still have the bigger bunk in the new trailer, and we still store our duffles at the end!