One of the things that appealed to us about a small campervan is the minimalist approach that may be required.  We needed to carefully consider what we wanted to take with us, concentrate on what we really need, and what is vital to making us happy.  We needed to be mindful and focus on space and function. There was a satisfying sense of clarity that came with this process.

When we were in our twenties and backpacked across Europe and the Far East for extended periods of times, we had everything that we needed in our backpacks, and everything that we had with us had a purpose.  Returning home from and extended trip was shocking as we were confronted with stuff, waste, and excess.  Alas, we quickly adjust, and years later we find ourselves in a four bedroom farmhouse that is full of stuff, some of which was not used or looked at in years.

After every decluttering frenzy, it’s a little better, but the void gets filled rather quickly even though we hardly buy anything anymore.  The older generation is passing on and leaving us their prized heirlooms, and the younger generation is moving away and leaving their stuff behind for safekeeping.

Can we really get rid of Grandma’s china?

What to do with bulky saddles and 12 guitars of various stray children and their partners?

We may be fooling ourselves by thinking that when we practice minimalism on the road we are practicing minimalism at all, but we choose to believe that at this point it’s the state of mind that we’re in and not the sum of our belongings.  We said our goodbyes to excess and now we just need to follow through.

We are trying to.  We had a change of circumstances when the last member of our small herd, at the age of 34, went to greener pastures this past January.  Our small horse farm is now just a rural property, allowing us the freedom to travel and the opportunity to downsize.  We are working on it.

But to go back to the campervan: what to take with us and where do we store it all in a Class B campervan?  The Banff’s storage capacity is impressive and on our first couple of short trips, the cabinets were almost empty.  No problem there!  Finding the right spot for everything in a way that will make sense required some thinking.  Some things were easy, for example, the deep compartment above the driver and passenger seats is perfect for bedding, extra blankets, and jackets.  This frees up the wardrobe and leaves plenty of room for clothing.

The wardrobe in the Banff is fantastic, especially after we added shelves to it.  The drawers are large and spacious and there is plenty of empty space that I am sure will get filled up on longer trips.

The upper cabinets do have lots of space and we still need to find what to put in them. They are slowly filling up as we go on longer trips, and we are slowly adding storage modifications, shelving, and compartments.

For a while, we were like squirrels in autumn; moving things from one stash to another in a quest for the optimal spot, but then we had to stop.  Chill!  It doesn’t really matter.  Things will naturally fall into place (and sometimes literally…).

But what about large, awkward items?  It’s okay to stack large items in the walkway if we are planning a weekend trip and spending most of our time hiking, swimming, and by the campfire, but if we want to live in the van even part time.  Even for a few weeks.  We need this space clear.  It will allow for a better quality of life, which is important for our sanity…

The under-bench storage in the Banff is amazing and the amount of stuff that can go in there is unbelievable!  On our last trip we stored in there 2 folding chairs, 2 metal detectors, an inflatable kayak, 2 oars, 3 life jackets, the large bag that holds the blackout shades, a bin of shoes, leveling boards, and several other items. It wasn’t full and we had  room for more.  This is very impressive for a smaller Class B under 20′ long.

It is an unobstructed open space, so it can address a variety of storage needs.  It may be the answer for those that do not wish to tow anything, or need the extra space for whatever reason.

There is a second, smaller compartment under the driver’s side bench where we store hoses, cords, jack, inflation kit, etc.

We are slowly finding the right spot for items, while figuring out what to ditch on the next trip and what is essential.  Finding the right spot for smaller, everyday items, present more of a challenge, but that’s a story for another post.

Even though we are still trying to perfect the arrangement of our stuff, we realize that having ample space doesn’t mean that it has to be filled up!

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Carado Banff storage capacity as advertised: 52.6 cu. ft. (1,480 L)
• Similar size Class B storage range: approx. 45-51 cu. ft. (1,274-1,444 L)

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