As we were getting ready to go full time, we took a long hard look at our inside storage. We had lots of raw room, we just needed to configure it to work for us.
The first thing was files. Try as we did to eliminate paper, we still had some. We needed someplace where we could put hanging file folders.
We had a storage “hole” under the bed that was 22″ wide by 38″ long, roughly 18″ deep. We had always put our laundry basket there, full of dirty clothes. When the bed started to bounce, it was time to do the laundry.
After some measuring, I saw I could put rails in for hanging files, and our laundry basket would still fit.
I got a length of 1×3
, and screwed it in the end of the bed wall 15″ off the floor, same as the other side all ready was. I put the screws from the inside out, predrilled the holes, and made sure the screws were short enough so they wouldn’t stick thru and show from the outside.
From the hardware store, I picked up some alluminum channel. Stuff is 3 sided, so very strong, 1/2″ across the base, 3/8″ sides. Easy to cut with a hacksaw. Screwed them in from my 2×3 to the shelf, 12″ apart. Walla! 22″ hanging file drawer!
Next was a safe. The safe I all ready had was nice enough to slide right into the cabinet over the bed. Screwed it down and called it done.
Now the closet. We’re lucky enough to have a huge closet, Full width and height. Just had to make it make sense. We didn’t need to hang long dresses, we needed to hang T shirts and Jeans, and have someplace to put shoes and hats and stuff.
I went to home depot, and got some of that closet organizer stuff. I got the ones that were 16″ deep, along with some of the hardware to hold em up. I like the “capture” brackets with 2 screw holes, and 45 degree brackets where they are not on a wall. The wallboard in our RV is plenty strong enough to hold a screw, I just used some #8 x 1″ self taps, and didn’t bother to try to find the studs.
That big box on the left side holds our water heater, main A/C breaker panel, and the DC house fuse panel. I kept my main shelf short enough so I could still access the fuse panel and the water heater bypass valves, and was rewarded by a hole where the vacuum would fit!
The closet rod continues above that box
, but at 26″ tall, the space isn’t actually tall enough to hang anything!
I put another shelf up there, and I use it for my hats and stuff.
The room under it is perfect for Brian’s bedding. Since he sleeps up front on the jackknife couch, all his stuff needs a home every morning.
So there’s a few of the things we’ve done to improve inside storage in our RV, hope you find it helpful.
Jim
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