Storage while driving

[Llilith]

Hi

Does anyone have any tips on how to store things while you are moving? I read about (and bought) some of the rubberized shelf liner to go between my plates and under stuff in the cupboards. But I'm wondering where I'll put the toaster oven and Keurig when we are pulling the trailer. I'd rather not pack everything in boxes and unpack when I get somewhere.

This may be unrealistic, but I really want to put everything in the cupboards where they will live so when we stop it's all just ready to go. Do any of you do this? Also, does it make a difference how big the trailer is as far as stability for items while traveling? Our new TT is 18.5ft, so pretty small.

Edited to add - any tips for keeping the cupboard doors closed while moving? They have little catches but I wonder if that's enough to keep them from being jostled opened.

Thanks in advance!

[gingerK]

Well, my MH is small so storage is small too. I converted the clothes closet into a pantry with shelves and I can store a lot of small appliances, canned goods and paper products in there now. To keep everything in place I use those spring loaded bars you can get at Walmart in the RV section. I have a nice sized cabinet over the refrig that I use for dry goods, crackers, cookies etc. I put in 2 storage baskets so things don't roll around. Those stackable bins and wire shelves are pretty useful for making the most of whatever storage space you have. There are tons of RV storage ideas on Pinterest, too.

[Llilith]

Ginger - are these the bars you are talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Camco-44063-Cupboard-Bars-pack/dp/B000EDUUHQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1439220131&sr=8-2&keywords=spring+rv+cupboard ?

[Acadianmom]

I have a small motorhome and I put my coffee maker and toaster in a lower cabinet. If I had a toaster oven I would put it in the floor to travel. My rule is don't put anything in an upper cabinet that could fall out and knock you out. I think the heavier something is the lower it should be. I don't have any plates or glasses that are glass. I put anything on the cabinet that could slide off in the floor when I'm on the road.

Martha

[JudyJB]

I just bought cheap extension rods made for curtains and have two in my refrigerator

Also you can get super strong Velcro at hardware. I used it to Velcro my toaster to my kitchen counter. Works fine.

[Birdie]

I put plastic cutting 'boards' in front of the spring rods in the cabinets in both the bathroom and kitchen to keep things from hitting the door. So far that has worked. I put place mats in the pantry and where I store plates, glasses etc, again in front of the spring rods. I put my small NuWave oven, coffee pot, soda maker, small plastic basket with onions and sweet potatoes and my drinking water in the shower and then lock the door.

I did, at one time, have my knives in a knife holder on the wall. However, I was with Liz at the time of her accident. She was traveling probably less than 15 mph because she saw there was no place to go and she was going to be hit head on. Virtually everything ended up in the front or on the dashboard of her RV. She was very fortunate that the microwave came loose and part way out of the cabinet, but held in place. I have made it a personal rule to only drive with my empty dish pans in the sink, store the sink cover and everything and I mean everything else is either secured or on the floor. I know some of the secured items may come flying in an accident, but I will have done my best to keep it to a minimum. I am still bad about throwing things on the bed!

[Llilith]

My rule is don't put anything in an upper cabinet that could fall out and knock you out. I think the heavier something is the lower it should be.

Martha

Great rule! I'm gonna adopt that one myself.

[Llilith]

I put plastic cutting 'boards' in front of the spring rods in the cabinets in both the bathroom and kitchen to keep things from hitting the door. So far that has worked. I put place mats in the pantry and where I store plates, glasses etc, again in front of the spring rods. I put my small NuWave oven, coffee pot, soda maker, small plastic basket with onions and sweet potatoes and my drinking water in the shower and then lock the door.

I did, at one time, have my knives in a knife holder on the wall. However, I was with Liz at the time of her accident. She was traveling probably less than 15 mph because she saw there was no place to go and she was going to be hit head on. Virtually everything ended up in the front or on the dashboard of her RV. She was very fortunate that the microwave came loose and part way out of the cabinet, but held in place. I have made it a personal rule to only drive with my empty dish pans in the sink, store the sink cover and everything and I mean everything else is either secured or on the floor. I know some of the secured items may come flying in an accident, but I will have done my best to keep it to a minimum. I am still bad about throwing things on the bed!

oh my gosh, how scary!!!
Thanks for the tip about the shower and locking the door.

[gingerK]

Yes, Lilith that what I used. You can get them at Walmart too. Some of them are double ones, having 2 bars connected with a plastic plate in between. And like Martha said I put all the heavier appliances at the bottom of the "pantry" cupboard. They are then secured with the spring poles in front of them to keep them in place. The only things I have that don't have a "home" are a small Weber grill and my cases of drinking water and they go on the floor of the dinette. Haven't moved so far while driving.

[Bethers]

Everything goes in cabinets and stays there - nothing special about it, for me. I'm a little more concerned in my new mh, as these cabinet doors open differently and I could see them opening by accident, so I'm careful how I put things in. I do use liners, and I do use the rv fridge bars in the fridge, and I have placed the thin, pliable, plastic cutting boards between canned goods and cabinet doors, hoping to save dings on the doors if they do move.

I have only had a cabinet door open on me once in over 10 years now, so I figure I must have not secured it well ... but who knows. In my old rig, my bathroom door would sometimes open driving. The first couple times, I blamed myself for not getting it shut properly, but learned over time that it would sometimes jiggle open on it's own. I found another way to secure it.

I try to not leave anything laying out that isn't soft - but have some bins on my dining room table that I probably shouldn't ... so far, np, but probably not smart if there were to be an accident

[snowball]

I tow a 5th wheel so in some ways it's different sorta out of sight out of mind
I think there has been two times that we have had issues one was going over a very bad RR track
and hit it to fast they now have a sign telling of the danger!! and the other was having to stop on a dime
in both cases we had a lot of doors come open launched a few things I'm sure...I use the no what ever shelf liner
and for the most part works there is different types and some I like some I don't...on one of my shelves I have a
thing that puts a second level I put my mugs ect on that yes I have correl stuff...those go into a bin and stashed
usually under the table...I have plants they go in the sink I have some bottles for olive oil usually wrapped and put in among
the plants although why I don't put them in the pantry some stuff remains on the counter on top of the no skid shelve paper
some stuff goes in bins and under the desk I use bungy cords on the doors that have two sets of handles and on the aquarium
(usually lower the water about a half a gallon or so) I make a walk through before the slides are put out to make sure that
nothing gotten in the way...
sheila