storage in caravans

[belinda]

Hi, It’s Belinda back from the dead. You didn’t hear much from me in 2006 as I went back to uni, which was a shock to the system 23 years since I last graduated.

Anyway, it’s now Summer – no uni and a girl’s mind (and laptop) turns to …. Caravans! I've even decided to give Photobucket a go.

I have to say that seeing other people’s vans (particularly Ticko’s) always induces a severe case of “cupboard envy” in me, not only is their van bigger than ours, but it has really clever storage everywhere. If you are doing up a van, don’t forget what goes inside the cupboards as well as the colour of the decals. Here are some ideas:

In Ticko’s van, Lynelle’s uncle built slots and nests for everything, including the detergent bottle. Nothing moves in transit.





Here are a couple of other cup and plate racks from different vans. The little shelves for the cups in this one have a bead around the edge so they don't slide off.



The cups stack inside the box in this Sunliner cupboard and the handles poke out the slot.



A quirky (and very clever) idea we saw at Munmorah was using retro aprons as curtains in a teardrop - the pockets are ideal to stick your glasses in when it's time to go beddy-byes.

Trodler’s van has lots of individual cupboards, including a zinc-lined one for the bread.



Best of all are the skinny pantries that can be built into the side of the wardrobe (this is Ticko's ). I’d die for one of these.



Who else has nifty storage ideas (particularly original stuff)?

cheers
Belinda

[cobber]

Welcome back Belinda,

That is what I call determination and dedication to the cause....going back to Uni to learn how to master Photobucket. I give you an A+. ;D

This is a good subject you have initiated.
These days plastic things can be bought in the shop in which to put items to keep them in place
In the good old days..when things were home made..people made things to suit their individual needs
My ol’ 36 is an example of this I think.

This first photo is at the rear of the van, which is the adult sleeping quarters and the dinning area.. so you have storage space in the centre for some breakfast needs and on either side space for toiletries.
That shelf holding the two white cups has oval shaped holes, had me intrigued as to what they were meant to hold...then I discovered the oval shape holds different size cups on an angle just A OK


The next three photos show the arrangement in the centre of the van next to the sink.
The first one is looking from the front of the van, over the sink, showing all the different size slots for dishes, plates, cups and glasses with a shelf thrown in for luck.
I have cardboard cut-outs of all the different slots that I cart around to garage sales & boot sales looking for china that fits the holes......do I hear somebody saying “why don’t you cut
slots to suit the china you have”.......bite your tongue philistine.


The next photo is the same storage area accessed from the other side.

This feature is necessary because when the metal storage box (or what ever it is, haven’t quite figured this one out yet ) is pulled in for travelling it blocks access to the shelves from the sink side, as shown in this third photo.


Ol’36 has heaps more storage space but they are just draws..doors & holes.

Cobber

[chippydave01]

Great photos and great subject Belinda and Cobber .My van was owned by a jazz musician who travelled the eastern states.It has his and hers seperate wardrobes and so much storage that you can spend so much holiday time looking for where you put things.It doesnt have to many quirky storage ideas but heaps of room for cardboard storage boxes.


















Cheers Dave

[belinda]

Here is the MkI cup stacker, manufactured from a large cardboard tube with a slot cut in it. It worked fine on a week's holiday at Kiama so the MkII version will be manufactured from ag. pipe.

[belinda]

Here are a couple more storage ideas from a 1956 edition of the English book "The Caravan Manual"

I love all the shaped cup-holders in this one.



This china storage tray lifts out of the cupboard



here is the cover of the book

[kingy]

Hi Chippydave, I think it was Belinda who started a thread on storage in vans some time back , so i'll add my 2 bobs worth under that.
I bet those cartons in your wardrobe will soon be given the flick to make room for cartons of beer , looks like they'd fit in there just right ;D
MaryAnn come up with the idea in our van's wardrobe, seeing we don't use much hanging space, we pinched some of that area and put in a set of, dare i say it -PLASTIC draws- which are cheap and very light, i then placed a full width shelf across the top of them. It creates a lot more useable space, and takes little time to fit
Cheers Kingy

[chippydave01]

Cheers Dave