RV Shelf Organization Consolidates Storage

Sometimes an RV idea is so simple it's powerful. My full time RV friends John & Evelyn Culver wanted a way to keep their pantry stocked but not overstocked. They added slide out shelving to several of their cabinets to hold canned goods. Unfortunately the can labels were hidden and they had to pull every can out of it's tidy placement to see what it was. This meant that they would sometimes run out of something they needed for a meal and sometimes they would over-buy things of which they already had an ample supply. To alleviate this problem they used a Sharpie and marked the tops of all the cans. Now all they need to do is look at the lid top to see what they have. This helps RVers because when you know what you already have you won't overstock your pantry with heavy canned goods. It provides economy of space and a neat and orderly pantry. Helping you with a "can do" approach to storage issues - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

How Will You Store Your Kayak On Your Small RV

Smaller RVs are becoming more popular all the time. This is great because it means more new ideas for getting the most out of them will coming to the surface. This Roadtrek conversion RV sports a rear Kayak carrier. The carrier fits into an extra receiver hitch on the driver side. The rack securely holds the kayak at the bottom in the upright position. Pull the pin and the rack pivots down for easy loading and unloading. The upper portion of the kayak is held in place by a single cargo strap. Since the kayak covers the brake and signal light on the vehicle, an additional signal light is part of the rack on the driver’s side. RVers are out to have fun and new innovations are making it possible. Out paddling with the current - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Take Control Of Your RV Hoses

Attached to the RV like an umbilical cord, the white water hose is an RV essential. These hoses are white because they stand up to ultra violet radiation and it prevents you from accidentally using a contaminated hose. I carry green hoses for cleaning out the sewer and washing the rig. Before I used Coil n’ Wrap my hose would twist and kink. Now I can roll it up quickly and easily for a neat uniform coil that fits perfectly in my storage compartment. The package comes with instructions or you can watch my video below. Put the Velcro strap on the female side of the hose. Insert the male end through the smaller of the holes in the rubber keeper and slide it back 3 or 4 feet on the hose. Make a coil and insert the male end through the keeper to hold it in place. Use a hand over hand technique to roll the hose into a coil. Screw the ends together and then wrap the Velcro strap around the coil to secure it for storage. You can purchase these from Coil n’ Wrap. Helping you work out the kinks - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Generators Sprout Legs and Leave the Campground

RV Boondocking is much more enjoyable with a generator. These portable light weight Honda generators are great for recharging the batteries and making a fresh pot of coffee. Many folks chain these to their rigs thinking that it will deter thieves. While I was dry camping at Hi Jolly BLM campground in Quartzite a fellow camper came home one afternoon to discover his generator had grown legs. Thieves routinely target these small units because they sell fast and are worth a lot more than say a stolen stereo. In this case the thieves had bolt cutters and the generator that was chained to the tree was set free. If you stow your generator where they can't see it you stand a better chance of keeping it. Another guy was saying something about rigging explosives to his generator. I'm not sure what came of that idea. You could also make a more sturdy storage container, but I suggest you use one of those fancy guarded locks that are next to impossible for bolt cutters to break. Law enforcement recommends engraving your name and phone number several places on the unit as they frequently find these lost generators when they bust unsuspecting thieves. Bringing you the shocking news of generator rustling - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

After Christmas RV Storage Deals

As a public service announcement, let me tell you that the "after Christmas" sales are great for picking up a few things for your RV. Bins are everywhere (Target, WalMart, KMart, etc.) and they are CHEAP right now. These are a great way to organize your stuff and I prefer the see-through type because it makes it easier when I'm looking for something in the bowels of my RV basement. If you use opaque containers as in the photo below, it's a good idea to make a list of what's in them and attach it to the outside of the container as seen here.There are usually a lot of other types of storage containers on sale as well. Use your imagination and get your stuff organized. Plastic bins are light weight and durable (not to mention water resistant). You'll find these bins indispensable as you continue RVing. Helping you stay organized and save a buck at the same time - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Fishermen, Keep Your Poles Safe in Your RV

On more than one occasion I’ve had my fishing rods damaged or broken because another piece of cargo crushed them. I stored them in a canvas bag in my 5th wheel, but it wasn't sufficient. Here's a solution for protecting your valuable fishing poles. The “AirLiner 4588” is a telescoping fishing rod case that looks more like it holds a bazooka.The three piece design extends from 48 to 88 inches (the next model up will extend out to 112 inches). It has a molded handle for easy carrying and is lockable. Constructed from heavy duty blown plastic this unit is tough and ready for the rigors of RV travel. With a five inch diameter it’ll hold eight fishing rods (without the reels) up to seven feet long. It costs around $40.00 dollars. This unit is well worth the price since it will save them from being crushed while stored in your RV compartments. Made by Plano (famous for tackle boxes) it’ll protect your expensive poles and help you stay organized. You can purchase these at Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Wal-Mart.com, and the Sport Chalet. Read more about it at Plano. Covering all the angles - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Sliding Trays Make RVing Much Easier

If you don’t have sliding trays in your RV you don’t know what you’re missing. With sliding trays you can easily access your stuff without having to take everything out. I have two half bay sliding trays in one compartment of my coach and I love them. The rest of my bays don’t have them and are filled with plastic tubs which work but require you to reshuffle everything when you need to get to that special item in the middle. This person is much more organized than I am. Some coaches have “pass through” sliding trays that can slide out on either side of the RV. These are nice because you may be parked too close to a pole or some other obstacle in a campground and being able to access the slide out tray from either side is a real plus. These sliding trays are not only for motorhomes, they work equally as well for 5th wheel basements. Here is an example of a slide out tray in a Mobile Suites 5er by Doubletree RV. The tray slides all the way up to the opposing door and locks in place to prevent shifting while towing. Some of the newer motorhomes like this Alpine are using full extension half bay sliding trays to get past the overhead slides. As you can see it would be difficult to access your stuff underneath the motorhome slides, so the Alpine was designed to compensate with full extension trays. These sort of remind me of drawers. Notice in this photo how far the tray is extended. The average RVer isn’t in much danger of overloading these storage trays, but you do need to use them in accordance with the manufacturer's weight limits. After market sliding storage/cargo trays are available for your RV. Most RV shows will have several vendors who carry them. Here is an online source for these after market trays. Helping make your RV life easier - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

What to Look for in a RV Storage Facility

My neighbors didn't complain, but I know that storing my RV next to my stick house didn't make them happy. I tried my best to keep my RV looking good and thereby reducing any "visual conflict" with the neighborhood. The unfortunate reality is that stick house neighborhoods and RVs just don't mix. The houses really make the RV's look bad! For this reason many RVers prefer to store their rigs at commercial storage facilities. Vandalism and pilfering are common problems when you leave your RV on the street unattended. Unfortunately it can also occur in commercial storage facilities. Anyone with a code can get into the place and that leaves your RV vulnerable. To help you select the safest storage unit I have a six point list. 1. The facility should be manned daily by bonded employees and have a security patrol that checks on the facility after hours. 2. The facility should have regular hours when you can enter and exit and is security armed with motion sensors or trained guard dogs after hours. 3. It must have surveillance cameras that cover all the storage spaces and the video footage recorded 24 hours a day. 4. The gate code only works during regular hours and is changed on a regular basis. 5. They must have satisfactory fencing and gates (will it keep out your typical teenager?). 6. They must have a good track record with no reported break-ins or vandalism. On point six you can check with the Better Business Bureau or ask for the contact information of two clients that have stored their RVs there for at least one year. The best possible storage is a completely enclosed unit that is lockable form the outside. Unfortunately, this type of unit is very expensive compared to open storage. Many RV storage facilities have covered storage which keeps weather and ultra violet rays from damaging your rig. Should you elect to store your RV in open storage or covered storage, make sure you have a good dead-bolt lock in addition to your regular locks on your entrance doors. Be sure all your windows are locked and in the case of a 5th wheel or travel trailer your kingpin or tongue lever has a high quality lock as well. And finally, make unexpected visits to your storage facility during the day and drive around the outside at night just to see how things look. Good RV storage facilities will also have a dump station and a wash rack. Helping you keep your RV save and sound - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Stepping Up to Extra RV Storage Space

RVers are always looking for more storage, it's the nature of the beast. Fellow RVer John Culver found some extra storage in his entry steps. His Monaco motorhome came with one step that doubled as storage, so he looked at the other step to see if he could also make it into storage. Sure enough, he discovered a hollow space under the step and he did a little "re-manufacturing" to make more storage. It's amazing how much wasted space you'll find in RVs. Granted, you don't want to overload your rig with excessive weight, but handy storage areas like these stairs can spread out the load and make your RVing experience more enjoyable. Have you found an extra space in your RV that you'd like to share with us? Tell us about it by clicking on the "comments" section below. Thousands of your fellow RVers read this blog every day and will benefit form your suggestions, even the most simple suggestions. This month marks the one year anniversary of RV Now and I thank you for your readership. Keeping you informed on all things RV - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Dry Air Makes a Happy RV

Many RVers are preparing their rigs for winter storage. One of the considerations is to include a dehumidifier of some kind. The obvious reason is to prevent mold and mildew and the accompanying smell. The easiest and most economical way is to use a chemical dehumidifier like the Dri-Z-Air brand. These consist of a two stage plastic unit that holds the dehumidifying crystals in the top and allows moisture to collect in the bottom. The crystals are cheap and the unit is easy to use. The only drawback is that you will need to empty the water and change the crystals at intervals during storage. Other products such as DampRid do the same thing. DampRid also has a plastic container that holds the crystals on top and collects the water in the bottom. You can purchase a large quantity of DampRid available in a detergent sized bucket. Electric dehumidifiers can also be a good option like the Dry Wave air dryer. It uses about the same amount of electricity of a standard light bulb and requires that your RV be connected to electricity while in storage. Keeping you drier than antiperspirant - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers Find a Place to Store Magazines, Maps and More

Full time RVers Jim and Bronwen Soukup needed a place to store magazines and other large items of the paper variety. Jim came up with an idea to use the shelf that houses the heater hoses for this purpose. He visited an office supply store and purchased a couple of plastic paper organizers. He mounted them on top of the heater hose shelf in his motorhome and now the reading material is neat and tidy. I’ve also seen nice home-made wood racks on the heater hose shelf. What is otherwise unused space in many motorhomes can be made into practical storage. Helping you with more ideas than you’ll ever be able to use - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Grab Some Extra RV Storage Using Your Dinghy

RVers, especially full-time RVers, are always looking for more storage space on their rigs. Switching from a 5th wheel trailer to a motorhome was a chore because it took us a long time to re-orient our stuff to the different RV format. One of the surprises for me was the added space afforded by our dinghy (the Honda CRV we tow behind the motorhome). I use the car to store my satellite antenna and cables while we travel. In the 5th wheel, I had to completely break down my satellite system in order to get it to fit neatly in the 5th wheel "basement". The satellite is the last thing I take down before we break camp and it stores neatly in the back of the Honda CRV. One of our RV neighbors we met in Georgia this year is a workcamper. He tows his truck behind his motorhome and using a shell on the back of his truck combined with a slide-out storage tray he is able to carry a lot of extra cargo. Another form of storage that will increase your carrying capacity are the storage containers that mount to the roof rack of your dinghy. These roof mounted racks can't handle heavy loads, but they are very useful for storing light weight items. These Thule models cost around $500 dollars. As a safety pointer, be sure not to exceed the towing capacity of your RV. Keeping you loaded up with RVing ideas - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

RVers Think Outside the Box When it Comes to Storage

Fellow RVer John Culver discovered some useful storage in his generator compartment that would have otherwise been wasted space. He used plastic coated wire shelving to make a utility storage box in the front section of his generator compartment on his Monaco motorhome. He didn’t stop there, but also added three PVC sewer hose storage tubes he purchased from an RV store. You can make these out of PVC pipe available at hardware stores. Pick up a couple of female couplers with a threaded end which allows you to screw a cap onto the end. Drill a hole in the caps and insert a “keeper cord” so you won’t loose them.These storage containers are great for things like extension handles, fishing poles and tent poles. John fastened them in place with long zip-ties. This kind of innovation keeps me asking you, “What new and interesting things have you done to your RV?” So, if you see me in your neighborhood and have an idea you want to show me, I’ll be there with my camera and notepad. Keeping you apprised of novel ideas - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

Do It Yourself RV Storage Requires Some Carpentry Skill

RVers have long used barns, outbuildings and pole barns to store their RVs. This picture I snapped on a back road in Oregon, reminded me that in some parts of the country it’s time to start thinking about storing your RV. Keeping the sun, wind and rain (not to mention the snow and ice) off of your expensive RV is a good idea. If you were contemplating building a pole barn for this purpose, here are some ideas. Above is a pole barn that has two laminate beams on the sides. The problem with this design is that it also needs more support to keep it from shifting front and back. The next design does not have the side laminate beams, but incorporates a central beam, double truss (which is one contiguous double rafter/ceiling joist unit). This truss design is strong and is more than adequate to support a light weight metal roof. These trusses were custom made and delivered ready to “lay up”. This pole barn used 24 foot 6” by 8” posts. These posts were sunk four feet ten inches into the ground. Once the posts were cemented in place they were cut level at the top. This pole barn is 16 feet across and has about 15 feet of clearance for a tall motorhome, 5th wheel or travel trailer. You can also add a permanent awning with side poles like these nice pole barns. You can also just leave it as a stand alone unit. You can build these yourself from scratch or you can order them as a kit.

Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

RV TV Cabinet Turned into Usable Storage

RV interiors can often be modified to accommodate your particular RV lifestyle. Watch this video as the Professor shows you how to turn a bedroom TV cabinet into a storage cabinet.

How RVers Can Tote and Store Their Little Lumberyards

RVers have often been accused of taking along a partial lumberyard on their journeys. Why do we carry pieces of wood around? Mostly it’s for leveling and configuring stabilizer jacks. Sometimes we use it to elevate our sewer hose, or hold down the sewer hose elbow. They come in handy for chalking tires, creating a barrier so we don’t back into our rigs, landing gear platforms, and all sorts of things. Go to any RV park and you’ll see lots of lumber being employed in this manner. The problem is finding a place for all this wood. It also becomes dirty and wherever you store it will soon be cluttered with dirt and debris that collects on the wood and quickly spreads to your storage area. Richard Walter of DeBary, Florida uses a canvas firewood carrier to both tote and store his little lumberyard. Notice that he also uses the plastic Lego style blocks as well. They all store neatly in his tote and it keeps the dirt and debris in the bag and out of his storage area.I’m out here digging up RVing tips like crazy so you'll have a more enjoyable RVing experience. I hope to see you on the road this summer. Jim

How About A Toolbox That Doubles As A Table, Workbench And Diving Platform?

If you have a solid bumper on the rear of your travel trailer, 5th wheel or motorhome you may want to consider employing a toolbox like this. It makes a great table and workbench when closed. John and Barbra Thompson have been full time RVers for 12 years and live in a Travel Supreme 5th Wheel with this toolbox affixed to the back. John says it's so strong that he even stands on it when washing the coach. Though the actual toolbox was custom made, the rack holding it in place is actually two spare tire holders welded with cross member supports. The tire holders bracket the toolbox and are bolted to the bumper for a nice application. John bolted a block of wood to one of the tire holder brackets in order to hold and transport his electric trolling motor. Any welding shop can do this for you, but you may want to have a custom toolbox built as well. For that you'll need to contact a company like Brunner’s Fabrication in Joplin Missouri
Custom Toolboxes . As far as a diving platform goes just back up to a pristine lake and away you go! Jim

Hose Kinked? Get Organized With This Do It Yourself Hose Rack

John and Barbra Thompson have been full time RVers for 12 years and live in a Travel Supreme 5th Wheel. John retired from the Army as a CW-4 combat engineer. He designed and built this PVC hose and filter rack himself.
A bungee cord holds the center together as the middle PVC joints are not glued but allowed to pivot freely. Here you can see that the bungee cord also holds the filter assembly in place.The hose on the rack also acts to hold the rack together. Short lengths of light weight chain are used for width restraint.Barbra puts the rack up against the 5er slide when it is windy to prevent it from blowing over. The front legs are split with two 45 degree elbows that are permanently glued in place. This effectively enlarges the “footprint” of the rack giving it more stability.

Vaccuum Cleaner Storage

Vaccuum cleaners come in various sizes and therefore the storage requirements differ. We use the DirtDevil hand held because it is small and we have to get on our hands and knees to get the cracks and crevices anyway so we get along just fine with this little jewel. We store it in a plastic tub in an overhead cabinet. This keeps the cabinet clean and the cord out of the way. (We also store the toaster in one of these plastic tubs under the sink and it's amazing to see how many bread crumbs it collects). Most full time RV'rs we hang out with have learned this trick, so if you are not already using this idea - try it. If you have other ways of storing the vaccuum, please leave a post and let us know. Have a great RV day! Jim

Pots and Pans Storage

Imagine having an earthquake at your house for eight straight hours every few weeks. You would eventually learn to make adjustments after the earthquake. Well, that is exactly what happens in your 5th wheel everytime you travel. If it isn't tied down it will fall, roll around and make a mess. This twisting and turning, churning and shaking causes wear and tear on thing that are secured in drawers like your pots and pans. If you store metal on metal it will cause abrasion and do things like wear off that nice T-Fall non-stick coating on your expensive pans. So, RV'rs have learned to pack these things to minimize the damage. Many RV'rs use the no-slide "Grip-It" shelf and drawer liner (note the liner in the photo). Not only is it good as a non-slip lining but it is also a good separator for glassware. It is soft and spongy so it nicely absorbs the rattle of travel. Some RV'rs use bubble wrap or dish towels to accomplish this. I wore off the non-stick coating on my last electric skillet by putting the lid upside down in it so the drawer would close. Now I put a rubber muffin pan in the skillet before I put the lid in place and it protects the non-stick lining of the skillet from abrasion.