Every summer time it takes me a couple of weeks to get my van packed and actually dialed. Depending on the place we’re going and the actions we now have deliberate, we now have totally different gear that should come alongside. This yr posed some new challenges with our new child added to the combo.
We needed to swap out a few of our out of doors gear to make room for our stroller and different child objects, however thanks to those camper van group concepts that I’ve developed through the years (and a little bit of Tetris), every little thing match within the van completely.
I take into account an organized van to be important to my sanity on the highway. With two adults, two canine, and now a child, every little thing HAS to have a spot….in any other case it rapidly turns into chaos.
Here are some ideas that will help you take your van group to the following stage and make life on the highway simpler.
Camper Van Organization Ideas
1) Measure Every Inch of Space & Use Bins to Compartmentalize
Before you begin packing your van, measure the within of each cupboard, drawer, and ground space the place you intend to retailer your stuff. Start to visualise what must go the place.
Then buy bins that completely slot in these areas to be able to compartmentalize your stuff and forestall it from sliding round when you drive. Bins additionally make it straightforward to drag issues out and in of the van if you find yourself loading and unloading.
For smaller objects that must go in your overhead cupboards and drawers, like toiletries, meals, and kitchen utensils, The Container Store has nearly each form and measurement of bin you’ll be able to think about.
For bigger objects, get some stackable plastic bins with lids which can be the precise measurement on your van storage. I wish to lump objects of the identical class in my van’s gear storage bins. For occasion, backpacks and climbing gear are multi functional bin. Shoes are in one other. Dog meals in a 3rd. This camper van group thought will aid you hold observe of what goes the place so that you by no means need to seek for issues once more!
If you’re in search of a light-weight and compact storage resolution on your Starlink, take a look at the gear containers made by Radius Outfitters. I lately bought the Radius Outfitters Starlink Storage Case which is their 5500 Gear Box with a foam insert that’s completely lower for the Starlink Dishy and Modem.
Previously I had an Alubox that was tailored for the Starlink. The field itself was very top quality, however you actually needed to wrestle to get the Starlink out and in. This Radius Outfitters Starlink Storage Case makes it a lot simpler to retailer and shield my Starlink which is fairly necessary contemplating it’s how I work and entry the web on the highway.
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2) Don’t Overpack
Seems easy, however I guess 90% of us do it in any case. I do know I’m nonetheless responsible of this even in spite of everything these years. Although I’ve my garments pared right down to what’s going to slot in 5 packing cubes, as soon as we’re on the highway, I notice that I nonetheless have an excessive amount of.
For instance, we left Salt Lake City 10 days in the past, and I’m solely on my second shirt. If you select fast dry, athletic-type materials and strong colours which can be simply matched, you will get away with a minimal variety of outfits. Having fewer garments which you could put on many occasions earlier than needing to scrub them makes it simpler to maintain your van garments folded and tidy. Plus, it’s good to not have an amazing quantity of garments within the van to need to hold organized.
The similar goes for the remainder of your belongings. You don’t must deliver each toiletry you may use over the following six months. Unless you’re driving to Alaska, you shouldn’t have any drawback getting what you want on the highway. You may even get Amazon packages in most locations as you journey if you really want to restock one thing.
Pare down your out of doors gear so that you’re packing stuff on your favourite actions that with confidence you’ll use. That paddleboard that’s been gathering mud for two years in your storage? That can in all probability keep house.
Freebie!
Van Life Packing Checklist
Get this free PDF that can aid you pack up your van in a jiffy.
3) Use Packing Cubes for Clothing
Packing cubes are a genius strategy to retailer your garments in your van. You simply want one for shirts, one for pants/shorts, one for socks, one for underwear, and one for miscellaneous objects like a beanie, gloves, and a swimsuit. This helps hold your clothes organized so that you aren’t looking out by means of a duffel bag or a cupboard for a pair of socks.
4) Utilize the Back of Your Seats
This is a reasonably new hack for me. I lately realized that using the again of your seats is a superb camper van group thought, because it gives a spot to retailer small issues that will in any other case get simply misplaced within the van.
On the again of my driver’s seat, I’ve the Overland Gear Guy Sprinter III Seat Organizer. It’s a terrific place to retailer charging cords, canine poop baggage, enterprise playing cards, our child monitor, and different issues that we use recurrently. It additionally has a secret laptop computer compartment which isn’t solely good for safety, but in addition makes it straightforward for me to achieve my laptop if I need to get somewhat work achieved whereas Ryan’s driving.
On my passenger seat, I’ve the Radius Outfitters Small Trash Tube. I’m not utilizing it for trash although. Instead, I’m utilizing this for my canine gear (leashes, harness, chuck it, frisbee, and so forth) – which we use each single day. It’s so useful having every little thing multi functional place proper by the door.
5) Don’t Forget About Your Trash Storage
Where to retailer your trash is an afterthought for many individuals when they’re constructing out their vans. In my first Sprinter Van, I had nowhere to retailer my trash as a result of I didn’t suppose to plan for it. I ended up hanging my trash bag on a hook on my again door. I hated that it was at all times seen, and after I bought a canine, it grew to become a giant no-go.
In my latest Sprinter Van, I cover away my trash cans in a cupboard so my canine can’t get to them. However with a brand new child, I didn’t need to be placing soiled diapers in my kitchen trash, so I picked up the Overland Gear Guy Spare Tire Trash Bag.
Made of industrial quality vinyl, it’s water-resistant and can be utilized for trash, transporting firewood, instruments, or anything that you simply don’t have room for inside your van. And because it sits outdoors the van, you don’t have to fret about any funky smells in your residing house.
6) Utilize Outside Storage
If you’ve run out of house in your van or issues are getting cluttered, take into account storing some issues outdoors your van. I’ve the Owl Vans Medium Expedition field on the again of my passenger facet door, and I really like the added storage it gives (take a look at my Owl Vans evaluate for extra particulars).
Inside our Owl Vans storage field, we hold our hose, electrical hookups, instruments, trekking poles, and even our moveable fuel Lavabox moveable firepit (pictured beneath).
It’s so good not having to retailer that stuff that tends to get dusty and soiled contained in the van, and it actually helps cut back the litter.
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7) Have a Designated Food Bin
It’s good to have some further pantry items available for simple meal planning, however meals can rapidly eat up house in your residing space. Instead of attempting to cram canned items, pasta, bread, cereal, chips, and different meals into your cupboards, take into account having a delegated meals bin.
We have a giant bin in our van storage that has all of our meals. It’s simply reachable from our van’s residing space so at any time when we want a snack or are prepping dinner, I simply attain beneath there, open the lid and seize what I want.
For your meals bin, I’d recommend one thing clear so you’ll be able to see what’s in there and one thing that latches closed. This method in case your canine will get sneaky OR a mouse ever makes its method into your van (it occurs!), your meals can be protected.
8) Tidy Up Regularly
No matter how organized you’re, you actually have to remain on high of the litter when residing and touring out of a small house. When you’re in a rush (ie working out the door to hit the path), it’s really easy to not put one thing again “where it goes.”
If you get lazy, earlier than it, the van is a multitude.
In order to forestall our complete organizational system from getting out of whack, we attempt to tidy up recurrently. Then each couple of days we make a much bigger effort to place issues again the place they belong and do some cleanup.
I hope these sensible camper van group hacks will aid you preserve order in your van, so you’ll be able to deal with having fun with the journey.
Got your personal van group ideas? Share them within the feedback beneath!
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