This is the view from our back door today as we sit here and wonder why we are not in a desert somewhere basking in the warm sunshine.  The next best thing to do is to write a blog post about storage, right?

In our last post, we talked about storage for bulky items in the van, but can we store small items in a way that will be rattle free and convenient?

The kitchen in the Banff is on the small side with minimal amount of kitchen cabinetry, but with lots of storage in other areas of the van that can be utilized for this purpose.  We use the cabinets above the benches to “expand” our kitchen, which may be okay for most people, but one of us is 5′ 1″ (and shrinking).  Getting stuff out of the upper cabinets can be akin to cooking blindfolded.

We tried using bins, but found them bulky and uncomfortable, so we decided to modify a couple of small Ikea drawer units that we had, and  create from them shelving and dividers for our dishes, pans, and other kitchen stuff.

So we modified the shell of the unit based on the cabinets curvature,

the drawerless units are now shelves and the drawers are placed between the units to house taller items.

Removing the Blu-ray player from the cabinet, and reinstalling it underneath and placing a divider inside that cabinet created a space for a small library.

We decided not to use a standard organizer in the kitchen drawer and found out that we can fit a lot of items in the drawer this way.  We use the kitchen drawer as a catch-all drawer for all of our cutlery (that’s our silver, y’all), and other small items that you find around the kitchen.  To prevent rattle when we are driving, we just put a kitchen towel on top of everything and there is no rattle at all.

Next, we installed wire baskets inside the cabinets doors and above the beds.  We use them to store lids, small bottles, spices, and other small items.

We utilized a couple of old plastic drawers and file holders to keep the wardrobe organized and to hold toiletries, bottles, etc.  (we will add an actual picture once we dare venture into the arctic outside our door right now).

Although it’s fun to buy new things for the campervan, there is a much grater satisfaction in giving old items new life, so take a look around your home and garage for those forgotten treasures.

So we both have big feet and our shoes take up a lot of real estate.  For now, we keep our shoes in a bin at the bottom of the cabinet that is accessible both from inside and outside the van.  The bin is already full and will work as long as we don’t add too many shoes…  We actually purchased a pair each during our last trip.  We didn’t want to bring dirty shoes into the van, but we were cold, so we bought slippers.  The second half of our trip was much cozier thanks to this addition.  The point is that you never know when you will need to buy more shoes!

We also realized after our first swim that there is nowhere to hang wet towels and bathing suits.  For now, we added some vacuum hooks that work well on surfaces such as mirrors and windows, and we will probably add a shower curtain rod in the back to hang things on.

Next, we added clasps in the back for long items such as a shovel and a broom.  Side note: if you are getting a dog, find out how much it sheds.  Our broom is working overtime as our double-coated Emma sheds year-round.

And, yes, we still have bungee cords on the drawers…some things you just get used to.

The smart and resourceful people at the Carado Owners Facebook Group came up with lots of great ideas for storage, so you might want to check them out for some great organizing ideas. There are also a lot of ideas in one of the many groups on RVillage.  Check them out if you haven’t done so already!

One thing that we are still struggling with is where to put the damn toilet paper.  Yes, it can be tucked away in the cabinet on an as-needed basis, but really, it should have a more honourary placement in the bathroom.

For now, the toilet paper roll is perched on the faucet’s handle, we’ll see how quickly we just get to used to it being there and forget all about it.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Assorted wire baskets: approx. $20
• Assorted drawers: free now, but years ago they must have cost us something
• Time to modify and install: a couple of hours 

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