Over the last two weeks I’ve spent a lot of time moving the camping equipment from the old RV to the new one and installing storage upgrades to fit the family. It has been so much fun to set up a new RV! The first project was installing a Closet Maid double shelf under the kitchen cabinet. The new RV has no counter space to keep these appliances so I installed this. It barely clears the faucet but its securely screwed into the closet wall, the back and later I bolted the top to the cabinet. The RV moves a lot so it needs to be secure. Bungie cords attached to hooks in the back and pieces of styrofoam hold the appliances in place. The paper towel holder is a special type that doesn’t unroll during travel.
The new RV has quite a bit more wall space than the old one. So I thought of ways to use it for storage. When we walk in the door this line of hooks will hold backpacks and jackets. We also needed a place to store shoes. Hiking and beach wear can be messy. Its best to keep shoes at the door. I needed to find something narrower than a standard shoe rack and these file folder systems fit perfectly. The baskets can even be labeled. There are two sets, each screwed at the top and bottom to keep them from moving. Notice there are two file folders in the open shelf above the door. This is a good spot for items needed when leaving the RV like keys, umbrellas, maps, etc. The baskets will keep items in place. Not in the photo but the broom is now clamped next to the fire extinguisher and handy for cleaning the all vinyl floor which is so much nicer than the carpet in the old RV.
My grandson noticed right away that there were no cup holders in the new RV. I said don’t worry I already ordered them. The table doesn’t have built in holders so I put two there and one at each end of the couch.
I decided to keep our practically brand new 12/120 volt RV TV. Hookups for another TV were already located in the bedroom area. I just needed to buy a locking articulating arm as a mount for it. I also bought several of the narrow file folder baskets and added one here for the remote and extra movie storage.
In the overhead bed there are a few changes too. Normally if I sleep up there I charge my phone so I added a USB outlet light combination in place of the light up there.
I was also worried about sleeping feet and the TV on the wall so I placed a corner cabinet sideways against the wall. I had to trim the last two boards to fit under the TV. I’m less sure about this mod. It should help to keep the mattress topper from shifting under the TV but the spaces are a bit small for storage needs. Maybe it’s a mini book shelf.
It was interesting that the former owners did not need many of the daily accessories of life. They must have traveled much lighter than we do. There was a lack of usable cabinet space. I added storage to several areas. In the bathroom cabinet I used clear acrylic shelves with small lips to hold in the items during travel.
In the bathroom a wine bottle holder provides storage for extra towels. It is hung over the shower wall but also velcroed to the glass so it holds steady when we are under way. One of the file folders is under the mirror for our toiletry boxes. Unfortunately I hit the mirror when I was driving the screw holder into the wall and cracked it. Later I might replace it with a mirrored medicine cabinet.
I converted the shirt cabinet next to the refrigerator into a pantry with a roll out shelving unit that will work well for dry food containers and canned items. The system is mounted on double 2 x 4’s screwed into the bottom of the cabinet because the lip was so deep. But there is still room on the side for long skinny items like cookie sheets or a cutting board.
There was no towel bar in the bathroom or kitchen. I found out that the bathroom wall space was limited by the shower door needing enough clearance to open, but an 18″ bar fit there. The kitchen bar mounted inside the under sink cabinet door is similar to the one in the old RV.
I had to find a new spot for the hat storage ribbon from the old RV where the closet door is longer and wider than this one. So I moved it to the bathroom door. I just velcroed the bottom since its not long enough for the full door. These hooks can store flip flops too if necessary. Some sturdy bamboo corner shelves were added to the kitchen cabinet. I moved the tension rods from the old RV.
In the kitchen we like to cook in a 12 volt crock pot while we are traveling so I wired an extra 12 volt/usb outlet under the kitchen cabinet pig tailing off the light over the sink.
The new stove top did not have a cover. I think the original cover was glass according to the specifications and it probably got broken so I ordered a metal one like in the old RV. I looks great and gives us some working space when the stove is not being used. Notice the new cup holder next to the couch too. The sinks in the new RV are equal in size while our old sinks had one larger and one smaller. The old dish drainer fit the larger one so I hunted and hunted for a stainless steel dish drainer to fit the new sink. This is a partial sink dish drainer with a collapsible colander underneath for extra cups etc.
I have several more projects I’d like to finish before we take it on its maiden voyage. I think we will drive to Indiana later in April. Sadly we may have sold the farm there and we need to meet with the potential buyers.