We have previously fulltimed in several sizes of RVs, the largest was a 34' 5r, others in the 30' range. We now have a 27' 5r with the floor plan I like best but with no basement storage. One storage bin under the dinette bench opens to the outside and my DH wants to use it for hoses, etc. My original idea was to remove the dinette completely and put in our small upright freezer and a compact table with fold down leaves that can be moved. My DH is giving me every reason in the world not to do that. I'm still trying to convince him that, since we travel with two pickups, all "his" stuff can go in the trucks and he can modify the 5r the way I want. Weight would not be a problem, the little freezer and table are not much heavier than loaded storage bins. I just want the convenience of being able to reach the upper cabinets without stretching over an awkward dinette.
Anyone fulltiming in a small rig? Need some ideas.
Lucky Mike said
02:41 PM Apr 17, 2014
well....Im in a 24' class A.....but I'm Solo with the Dog....I thought about a small freezer but I can keep better than a weeks supply in the RV Freezer and most everything else is staple product or fresh veggie's which gives me a reason to shop on the weekend..(Wed.& Thurs.).
if the cabinets over the table are an issue...use them for long term storage , you wont have to reach so much.
I'm one for not modifying the interior of a coach to much , once you remove factory installs and then go to sell the unit the new buyer is expecting the pieces you pulled out....so the price goes down immediately....that 1200 dollar factory booth replaced with a 200 dollar after market table becomes a 1000 dollar loss as far as the book value goes....and kills the selling points unless you find someone that wants what you did.
Case and point...
my coach was missing the dinette and was replaced with a narrow card table....when it was at auction that was the first thing pointed out by just about everyone who looked at it prior to bidding.......needless to say I bought it at its minimum bid because the interior was modified and factory primary options were removed that are visible.
remove your table and you will have a access door to the outside that goes to nowhere right off...screw holes in walls and interior supports now missing....
also from a mates perspective.....you just told the person who is your mate to put all his stuff out in the truck from what is going to be both of your home.......
Please note....this is my honest opinion so it only counts for me.....thank you for inquiring
manycats said
04:16 PM Apr 17, 2014
Love your practical side Lucky Mike. Our 5r is a 1991 model that we bought for a song, when it's traveling life is over it will go to a salvage yard or to a hunting camp. It's structurally sound, interior pristine and all appliances work because it was stored in a barn and hardly used. We are only replacing the tires because they are so old. The "stuff" I was referring to are the sewer and other hoses, wheel chocks and miscellaneous items that I feel don't belong under the dinette bench. Just as easy to take them out of the truck than through a narrow outside door on the rig. Besides, once they're in use they may smell!
There's plenty of room inside for my DHs personal belongings and playthings. I'd never hear the end of it if we left anything behind... The problem is that I'm vertically challenged at 5'2" and upper cabinets like to throw things down on my head. As a matter of fact, he sold our last Class C because he constantly had to get items out of the high cabinets for me. He would be glad to say that he'd rather sit outside and be waited on hand and foot than have to be in and out of the rig every few minutes. The man means it when he says he's going to retire.
Since our income will be pretty low we will probably workamp (not true retirement but close) and I realize that deep down I want to fill all the empty space in our trucks. My nature abhors a vacuum....
manycats said
07:11 PM Apr 19, 2014
Addendum: I just noticed 150 views of this thread and only Lucky Mike commented. Probably small and vintage are not well liked and not too popular with dreamers. I'll keep on looking for ideas in blogs, I've seen some awesome modifications in some really old units. Or maybe we'll win the lottery and get the 65' monster Mike mentioned in another thread!
Lucky Mike said
07:35 PM Apr 19, 2014
I kinda like my small unit....and its vintage charm keep my yearly tax way down......the beauty of an affordable coach is every one can have one!!!..........whether you spend 500.00 or 500,000.00
el Rojo and Pam said
07:23 AM Apr 20, 2014
We carry a folding step stool. Just a thought.
WestWardHo said
07:19 PM Apr 20, 2014
I'm one of the viewers but I really have nothing to add or suggest because el Rojo did it already.
Small and vintage or anything else welcome on here. I just don't know much about them.
Sherry
TRAILERKING said
11:12 PM Apr 20, 2014
manycats wrote:
Addendum: I just noticed 150 views of this thread and only Lucky Mike commented. Probably small and vintage are not well liked and not too popular with dreamers. I'll keep on looking for ideas in blogs, I've seen some awesome modifications in some really old units. Or maybe we'll win the lottery and get the 65' monster Mike mentioned in another thread!
It's got nothing to do with "small and vintage are not well liked".
Do like el Rojo suggested.......get a folding stool.
'cause winning the lottery and getting the 65' monster won't get you any closer to the upper cabinets.
The Bear II said
08:36 AM Apr 21, 2014
Many dinettes hide some of the infrastructure for the trailer. Two of ours had the freshwater tanks under one bench and the hot water heater under the other.
manycats said
10:24 PM Apr 21, 2014
If a 65' monster doesn't bring down the upper cabinets, maybe I'll hire a tall butler or maid to travel with us, do the cooking, cleaning, etc. All we need is that big lottery win. The problem with the step stool is that I'm also clumsy and will probably fall off or trip over it. It's too bad I stopped growing a long, long time ago. Stretching exercises didn't work either. Getting old is no fun...
For now, problem solved, DH has agreed to carry the tools and stuff in our trucks. Nothing structural hides under the dinette seats, they're just empty boxes that are hard to get into. Table, two chairs, our little freezer and a storage cabinet are more convenient for us. My DH used to remodel and repair RVs for a dealer, gutted them down to the studs if needed, so modifications are easy for him. Removing the tall backs in the dinette will also give the illusion of more space because a visual barrier will disappear.
Thanks for the ideas, I'll keep asking as we go along.
NWescapee said
04:25 PM Apr 25, 2014
An idea on your dinette that's hard to get into, in one of our previous TT's we had that issue. Hubby cut most of the side out of the cabinet, built and installed a drawer so we could easily get to the stuff stored. We lost some storage room but were able to everything so much easier and therefore actually used it more frequently.
Agree with the folding step stool, we have both a 3 step (stored in the truck) and 2 step (stored in the house). 2 step works great 90% of the time and it hides behind the couch, 3 step is used for heavy duty cleaning, especially dusting at the upper levels. BTW, I'm a bit shorter than you, so yes, I do understand being vertically challenged.
manycats said
04:58 PM Apr 25, 2014
Love the drawer idea. I can foresee some more adaptations in the future. I do use plastic drawers on the bottom of tall closets, no space wasted. Hate blind corners at the end of cabinets where I can't reach. Turntables or lazy susans may soon find their way in there. Isn't this forum great?
Aurora Borealis said
09:26 PM May 6, 2014
I am also thinking of using a small RV, specifically motorhome. Probably similar size and boondocking schedule as Mike's.
My son tells me that it would be able to travel on rougher terrain than a longer one. I would really enjoy being able to get to more natural settings.
Does it seem correct that an ~24ft Class C would be able to camp and drive more places than an ~31ft Class C?
Would it also be correct that a Class C would be able to camp and drive more places than a Class A?
I am also intrigued by the Toyota Motorhomes and the larger Class B.
RickandJanice said
10:08 PM May 6, 2014
I have always liked storing the sewer hoses outside. You can buy storage tubes for this that can be screwed to the frame under the trailer or have also seen another idea recently where 5" vinyl fence posts were used in the same way and the caps hinged on the ends and held shut with padlock hasps. This keeps the wet mess outside and vented caps will allow the hoses to dry out and reduce the musty smell they tend to get. Either way, if fastened directly in front or behind the axles, there is little chance of them being dragged or tore off when going over uneven surfaces like speed bumps or steep ramps at fuel stations.
Storing the chock blocks in the back of the truck also makes good sense as this still keeps them handy during set up and tear down and keeps the dirt outside of the rig. Same for water hoses.
To keep all of this handy, you might consider one of those storage boxes that fit in the bed of the truck behind the fifth wheel hitch and /or a box directly behind the cab that sits on the floor, level with the bed rails. We have one behind the cab that is big enough to store all my tools, spare parts, Honda 2000 watt generator and 5 gallon fuel can (and that is with a 34' fifth wheel!) which keeps these items handier and more portable than storing in the rig.
manycats said
07:51 PM May 8, 2014
Thanks Rick, just yesterday my DH said he's going to replace the tool box that rides on the rails of his pickup with one that sits on the bed itself and behind the 5r hitch. I'll make sure I go with him and maybe get two boxes, one for tools and one for the RV stuff. That truck has a long bed and he could fit both easily. The funny (or not so funny) thing is that the rig already has a back bumper with caps but our sewer hose is too long and very hard to stuff into that tube, particularly if the hose is wet.
Ruth, if we don't take out the dinette bench, a door cut out on the side will work. May not even need a drawer, I'm the queen of plastic boxes and I'm sure I can find one to fit in there. As long as I don't have to remove the back and seat cushions to get to that storage I'll be happy. I'm sure my Dearest Darling will see the light when he has to remove those cushions a few times. (Works every time, if it inconveniences him, it will get done).
PS: Sorry guys, that's the secret to a long happy marriage, don't nag, just let him find out for himself...
Terry and Jo said
10:00 PM May 8, 2014
Dyana,
Check out this thread where the topic of tool boxes came up. Among other ideas, I posted some links to tool boxes that sat behind the fifth wheel, but had drop centers so it was easier to hook up a fifth wheel. While these may not be quite large enough for all your stuff, an additional box could be put in front of the fifth wheel, but that would then preclude having much of anything else in the bed of the truck.
I was introduced to this a few years ago when I had a total hip replacement, but also being height challenged, find this extremely helpful when reaching for things on the top shelves or picking things up from the floor. I have picked up a dime from the floor and took down a 1 lb jar of sauce from the top shelf. It is extremely versatile!
We have previously fulltimed in several sizes of RVs, the largest was a 34' 5r, others in the 30' range. We now have a 27' 5r with the floor plan I like best but with no basement storage. One storage bin under the dinette bench opens to the outside and my DH wants to use it for hoses, etc. My original idea was to remove the dinette completely and put in our small upright freezer and a compact table with fold down leaves that can be moved. My DH is giving me every reason in the world not to do that. I'm still trying to convince him that, since we travel with two pickups, all "his" stuff can go in the trucks and he can modify the 5r the way I want. Weight would not be a problem, the little freezer and table are not much heavier than loaded storage bins. I just want the convenience of being able to reach the upper cabinets without stretching over an awkward dinette.
Anyone fulltiming in a small rig? Need some ideas.
well....Im in a 24' class A.....but I'm Solo with the Dog....I thought about a small freezer but I can keep better than a weeks supply in the RV Freezer and most everything else is staple product or fresh veggie's which gives me a reason to shop on the weekend..(Wed.& Thurs.).
if the cabinets over the table are an issue...use them for long term storage , you wont have to reach so much.
I'm one for not modifying the interior of a coach to much , once you remove factory installs and then go to sell the unit the new buyer is expecting the pieces you pulled out....so the price goes down immediately....that 1200 dollar factory booth replaced with a 200 dollar after market table becomes a 1000 dollar loss as far as the book value goes....and kills the selling points unless you find someone that wants what you did.
Case and point...
my coach was missing the dinette and was replaced with a narrow card table....when it was at auction that was the first thing pointed out by just about everyone who looked at it prior to bidding.......needless to say I bought it at its minimum bid because the interior was modified and factory primary options were removed that are visible.
remove your table and you will have a access door to the outside that goes to nowhere right off...screw holes in walls and interior supports now missing....
also from a mates perspective.....you just told the person who is your mate to put all his stuff out in the truck from what is going to be both of your home.......
Please note....this is my honest opinion so it only counts for me.....thank you for inquiring
There's plenty of room inside for my DHs personal belongings and playthings. I'd never hear the end of it if we left anything behind... The problem is that I'm vertically challenged at 5'2" and upper cabinets like to throw things down on my head. As a matter of fact, he sold our last Class C because he constantly had to get items out of the high cabinets for me. He would be glad to say that he'd rather sit outside and be waited on hand and foot than have to be in and out of the rig every few minutes. The man means it when he says he's going to retire.
Since our income will be pretty low we will probably workamp (not true retirement but close) and I realize that deep down I want to fill all the empty space in our trucks. My nature abhors a vacuum....
Small and vintage or anything else welcome on here. I just don't know much about them.
Sherry
It's got nothing to do with "small and vintage are not well liked".
Do like el Rojo suggested.......get a folding stool.
'cause winning the lottery and getting the 65' monster won't get you any closer to the upper cabinets.
For now, problem solved, DH has agreed to carry the tools and stuff in our trucks. Nothing structural hides under the dinette seats, they're just empty boxes that are hard to get into. Table, two chairs, our little freezer and a storage cabinet are more convenient for us. My DH used to remodel and repair RVs for a dealer, gutted them down to the studs if needed, so modifications are easy for him. Removing the tall backs in the dinette will also give the illusion of more space because a visual barrier will disappear.
Thanks for the ideas, I'll keep asking as we go along.
Agree with the folding step stool, we have both a 3 step (stored in the truck) and 2 step (stored in the house). 2 step works great 90% of the time and it hides behind the couch, 3 step is used for heavy duty cleaning, especially dusting at the upper levels. BTW, I'm a bit shorter than you, so yes, I do understand being vertically challenged.
I am also thinking of using a small RV, specifically motorhome. Probably similar size and boondocking schedule as Mike's.
My son tells me that it would be able to travel on rougher terrain than a longer one. I would really enjoy being able to get to more natural settings.
Does it seem correct that an ~24ft Class C would be able to camp and drive more places than an ~31ft Class C?
Would it also be correct that a Class C would be able to camp and drive more places than a Class A?
I am also intrigued by the Toyota Motorhomes and the larger Class B.
Storing the chock blocks in the back of the truck also makes good sense as this still keeps them handy during set up and tear down and keeps the dirt outside of the rig. Same for water hoses.
To keep all of this handy, you might consider one of those storage boxes that fit in the bed of the truck behind the fifth wheel hitch and /or a box directly behind the cab that sits on the floor, level with the bed rails. We have one behind the cab that is big enough to store all my tools, spare parts, Honda 2000 watt generator and 5 gallon fuel can (and that is with a 34' fifth wheel!) which keeps these items handier and more portable than storing in the rig.
Ruth, if we don't take out the dinette bench, a door cut out on the side will work. May not even need a drawer, I'm the queen of plastic boxes and I'm sure I can find one to fit in there. As long as I don't have to remove the back and seat cushions to get to that storage I'll be happy. I'm sure my Dearest Darling will see the light when he has to remove those cushions a few times. (Works every time, if it inconveniences him, it will get done).
PS: Sorry guys, that's the secret to a long happy marriage, don't nag, just let him find out for himself...
Dyana,
Check out this thread where the topic of tool boxes came up. Among other ideas, I posted some links to tool boxes that sat behind the fifth wheel, but had drop centers so it was easier to hook up a fifth wheel. While these may not be quite large enough for all your stuff, an additional box could be put in front of the fifth wheel, but that would then preclude having much of anything else in the bed of the truck.
5th Wheel Storage Boxes
There might be other ideas if you use the "Search" function in the blue bar above in the forums and use "tool boxes" for your search phrase.
Terry
For reaching things, may I suggest a grabber (this is just one of many -- you can Google "grabber" or "reacher": http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Grabber-Reaching-Aid/dp/B000AEGCW6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1399639981&sr=8-8&keywords=grabber).
I was introduced to this a few years ago when I had a total hip replacement, but also being height challenged, find this extremely helpful when reaching for things on the top shelves or picking things up from the floor. I have picked up a dime from the floor and took down a 1 lb jar of sauce from the top shelf. It is extremely versatile!