Cabinet Organizaton

Sandiegogal

Hi all...can you share how you organize your cabinets: how do you stow your clothing, your kitchen items, your toiletries?  We're awaiting arrival of our 2017 T@B S in early Feb after years of adventures in our teeny-tiny teardrop trailer. Looking for ideas, with pics please

Nomad

There's been a couple discussions on this with pics - Might try searching on "cabinets" or organization" or something similar.

Sandiegogal

Already done

Nomad

Since you show a smily face, I presume you found them :-)

Photomom

We each have a rear cupboard. We organize our clothes using packing cubes and are allowed only enough clothes to fit into one cupboard. Outerwear such as rain jackets and fleece sweaters (one each!) travel in the TV during the day and hang on hooks in the T@B at night. 

The center rear cupboard has books and puzzles, and games.

Over the kitchen, one cupboard has wine glasses, coffee mugs, and a CafePress coffee maker.  The other cupboard has flashlights, remotes, Luci lights, and other doodads.

We keep cookware, utensils, glasses, dishes, foil, ziplocks, etc. in the cabinets under the sink. They move to the outdoor kitchen when we make camp.

Flat things like a collapsible dish pan and bucket go in the little space under the fridge. 

Sandiegogal

@ Photomom...thanks, exactly what I"m looking for  What type of packing cubes are you using for your clothing?  We have some for our teardrop but since the back of the S T@B cupboards are curved, they don't fit so I'm looking for ideas that'll fit in the T@B.  I like the idea of hanging jackets on an indoor hook too (Saw someone's hook idea while searching)...it'll be great to have a warm coat for the cold mornings

Photomom

We use Eagle Creek Specter bags. They take up no room on their own and squish into oddly shaped spaces. We roll clothing tightly to fit in them. There are many sizes available. We originally bought them to facilitate a 10 day tour of Italy with only one carry on bag each but they are perfect for T@Bbing too. http://www.ems.com/eagle-creek-pack-it-specter-compression-cube-set /1306572.html

Photomom

This is the hook that "everyone" uses. A good place to mount it is to the left of the shower door. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D8UA446/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have several inexpensive double hooks from Target mounted to various places on the wooden valances. These are great for things like hats, toilet kits, etc. I have one on the end of the passenger side valence near the door for dog collars and leashes.

You need to mount any kind of screw in hook on something wood and not on a wall.

Photomom

We keep our groceries that don't require refrigeration in a small bin in the TV. Since we cook outdoors we just carry it to our outdoor kitchen at mealtimes. There really isn't much room in the T@B for food other than in the fridge and sooner or later the dog would get hold of anything edible that was in his reach.   

We do carry a small cooler in the TV for lunch food and cold drinks. When we're traveling or out on a day trip we can picnic anywhere.

Sandiegogal

@Photomom...this is great!  Thanks!  Wonderful ideas!  Adding everything to my "wish" list

reedd

I bought some Sterlite containers for silverware, utensils, and spices for the cabinets above the sink. These are a perfect fit even with the lids on.  Dishes and pans are in a couple of plastic bins under the sink.  

For clothes, I bought one of these doohickeys because I got tired of pawing through the large duffle bags for clothes. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/mountainsmith-modular-hauler-3~p~73081/?filterString=duffels-and-dry-bags~d~9319/  If you sign up for emails, you usually get a 20% off coupon plus STP has a lot of sales.  (I love Eagle Creek products and will have to look into the cubes in the link.  Thank you for that and the hook links!)

Bought one of these for the closet next to the sink (U model) and it is a perfect width and depth but had to cut the last two rows off for the length. Well made. Would probably be good for the shower door. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G6ZUHVE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I do like Photomom does and have plastic tubs for groceries and hobby stuff stored in TV. Action Packers...8 gal size for maps, binocs, cameras, flashlights, etc.....24 gal for groceries.  
I have a bunch of stuff from years of tent camping and am now going through things and gifting them to friends. Trying to really cut back on stuff hauled and to have things better organized - ready for spur of moment trips. The T@B has a lot of great storage areas. 

reedd

Someone on a T@B FB forum put in a divider in the passenger side storage area for storing the Lynx levelers, chocks and caps. She put the chocks on the sides of the wheel well and the rest of the blocks on top. In the photo you have only see the caps 

Sandiegogal

@reedd ...The modular hauler is really cool!  I may have to think about that in our TV for extras...still wanting to keep our 'daily' clothing in the T@B and I may have found some modular containers for the clothing; not sure if it'll work.  In our Tear Drop we have kept our clothing in cloth baskets but because of the sloping back of T@B's cabinets, those won't fit.  I, like you, also like the over the door idea; I'm pretty sure it'll fit over the shower. Thanks for your input...love to hear how others are organizing their escape pods

Sandiegogal

@reedd...great place to put those levelers!  We've ordered the side door on the outside of our T@B; will show hubby  

reedd

Here is a photo of the Lynx chock by the wheel well. This is from Jill Olkoski on the T@B Camping Forum on FB and she calls it T@B Tetris .  This is a really good idea but not sure if I'm ready to do this yet. Still trying to figure everything out. 
Good luck and please share your ideas!  The folks on this forum are awesome and there are lots of great mods. 

Sandiegogal

We'll post pics in Feb sometime...can't wait!

Sandiegogal

Thinking about this to hold our plates in the under the sink cabinet: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80240416/  And 2 of these for utinsils: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30131716/

TerryV6

Our organization idea keeps changing as we've used the camper.  We are not full time live in it types, like some here, but each time we go, we come up with something different.  At first, we expected to utilize the indoor cooking idea more, but found out that now we have a bin for cooking stuff outside on our cookstove, and have things inside like coffee, oatmeal etc and the bare essentials for cooking them.  We got the collapsible coffee pot and cook pot.  Our back cupboards are for dopp kits, electrical dodad box for phones etc, and a fresh change of clothes for the next day.  Surprisingly, I have a bin all of my own.  Usually, she shares my areas too...  On a car trip, not camping, I found that she put her 5 pound exercise weights in my bag, because "I" had extra room..  I remember being in the London airport and being pulled aside because I had some not allowed travel items in my bag...  I tried to explain that I didn't put them there....   43 years of married life and it is still very interesting...   

TabberJohn

Storage requires some things to be closed up or tied down if you want them to stay that way while traveling.
Sooner or later you're going to hit bumps or a railroad crossing that will launch things out of any open containers including those inside your cabinets.

ericnliz

TerryV6, Be glad she shares! My wife usually takes twice what I do, uses half of it, and lovingly tells me that the other "stuff" was for just in case. I just smile, and carry on my merry way!
Sandigogal, The rear cupboards in ours are for fine washables [undies, socks, t-shirts, etc], she has her side, I have mine, she has hers, and the middle one..sometimes I get to share. I use the old military roll 'em and stack 'em method, and can get 10 days worth in my designated area. For shirts, shorts, jeans, shoes, rain gear and jackets, we found two square plastic boxes that slide under the bed [we leave the bed made all the time] side by side, and don't cover the top, or bottom vents. Don't recall exactly where she got them, maybe Walmart. We have an outdoor kitchen that has two hanging bags on either side. One side is for dry goods, the other for pots, pans, plates, cups, silverware, and coffee pot. The kitchen folds down, and fits inside a bag. Inside the bag after everything for the kitchen is put in, there is enough room to stow the two burner Coleman stove. Our 100 watt Renogy suitcase solar panel rides perfectly next to the toilet for travel. Like TerryV6, and probably the larger portion of the folks here, your storage ideas will change as your needs, and wants change, as well as the length of your ventures. Surprisingly there is quite a bit of storage in these trailers. It really all boils down to finding the best spots for the things you plan to take. What is going to be used outside, and what you wish to leave in the trailer the whole time. Best advise, think about what you will, and won't use, try to keep things down to your comfortable minimum, and trial and error will take care of the rest. I know from personal experience the more you travel, the more adjustments you'll make. We're still adjusting!

Vermonster

I'll echo what everyone else says, how you store things will evolve with time and everyone has different needs and tastes.  We haven't begun to use up the space in the camper and at this point feel we have everything we could possibly need, but tow with a pickup and all our outside kitchen stuff resides in a large plastic tool box in the back of the truck

marknjudy

Vermonster, I agree. I call the big plastic box my garage. It keeps mostly the items needed to set up for camping (blocks, chocks, electrical, water, etc, excluding the sewer stuff which gets it's own space; but also most of the things I don't need very often and would take up space I can use for more interesting things. It's even big enough to hold the stabilizer jack handle.

Sandiegogal

TerryV6 ...this cracks me up!  We currently have 3 spaces in our Little Guy Tear Drop; I get 2, my husband 1...I guess we're not alone!  Thanks for your info

  Surprisingly, I have a bin all of my own.  Usually, she shares my areas too...  On a car trip, not camping, I found that she put her 5 pound exercise weights in my bag, because "I" had extra room..  I remember being in the London airport and being pulled aside because I had some not allowed travel items in my bag...  I tried to explain that I didn't put them there....   43 years of married life and it is still very interesting...   

Sandiegogal

@TabberJohn...good info there.  We're thinking we may add cargo netting to the inside of the cabinets so hopefully when we do hit those pot holes, at least stuff won't come flying out!
@Vermonster...we'll either be placing our "garage" items in the storage under the passenger side or they'll stay in their current box in our TV.  On our Little Guy Tear Drop my hubby has 2 garage bins but by having things inside the trailer now we can consolidate that down to 1...hopefully  We're already able to purge some of the stuff we currently tow; like our hot water heater, porta-potty, porta-shower, shower/potty tent etc.  I'm super excited about being able to pee inside!
@ericnliz...thanks for the great details; I can picture what you're doing.  

Thanks all for your input...I know once we get our T@B (we're currently calling it at T@B-stream) we'll figure it all out but it's super helpful to hear what you-all are doing!

Vermonster

Worthless ramblings-  So in reading some of these posts I'm thinking we must be real minimalists since we have usually thought that we can carry way more than we really need in our Prius.   Maybe a little smug about it because we have joked about "bringing the kitchen sink" when seeing what others bring camping.  Then I suddenly had a shocking realization- now that we have the t@b WE ARE BRINGING THE KITCHEN SINK.  Yikes!!!   Happy holidays to all

Allie

For towels and clothes I went to IKEA and bought 3 of these.  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80098516/#/90099290

Since I leave the table down, and the bed a permanent fixture, these fit under the bed and can be rolled out to grab clothing or towels.  For a 4 day trip, I only need one container for clothes, the spare one is for dirty laundry.  Can be carried into the house easily when returning home.  I'm tossing an idea around in my head of a way to attach a "leash" onto the containers to wrangle them easily from under the bed when they get shoved back too far.  Until then, I get a little "extra"exercise.

Sandiegogal

@Allie Love these; thanks! ...http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80098516/#/90099290 

Homebodyatheart

Vermonster, wait till I get to tell DH that I am finally bringing the kitchen sink! Ha! Thanks for this enlightenment!