Shelves vs Cabinets

[BeNimble]

I have seen mostly cabinets in buses. I saw one example where the upper cabinets were just a shelf with containers. I thought this was brilliant.

Something I've noticed is how often people will comment that they need to be careful when opening the cabinet doors, as things will spill out.
So often they have BOTH shelves with containers AND a cabinet door.

I recently made a big tool cabinent with drawers, and after all that effort, I really think it was a big waste, and my shelves with containers is much better.
I can remove the container if needed and move it elsewhere and makes it much easier to find what you're looking for compared to digging around in an upper cabinet.

Am I getting this all wrong? Is hiding your stuff behind a door real important?

 

[Ronnie-SKO]

We have shelves for everything above counter height. All shelves have a "lip"to prevent stuff from sliding off. Pots and pans are on a shelve in a rack, and that has worked out well. Small stuff is in containers (on the shelves)and that has worked out well.

I see no reason to hide stuff as long as it can be organized enough to suit you. Even if you want to go(display)to tiny house shows.

 

[turf]

no opinion on the op's question. just posting

my bus was a bookmobile, so 100% shelves. i still have a few of the ones i took out at demo around holding stuff in my garage.

the cool thing about bookmobile shelves is they are not flat. they angle down towards the side, fairly steep. there is probably a 2-3 inch drop over 10 or 12 inches.. no lip onthe edge of the shelf needed. gravity works.

i did angle my closet shelves the same, and they have never dumped their contents. i cant saythat about my regular shelves/cabinets in my kitchen.

oh, and if you make cabinets - get a kreg jig

 

[musigenesis]

I've lived in some pretty damp environments (like central Florida with no AC) and I found that storing clothes in drawers or closets or anywhere that didn't get some regular air flow would quickly doom them to mold (I remember pulling out my leather jacket in November and finding it covered with an inch of green fuzz). So for my overhead storage in back I'm going to make shelves out of expanded steel, basically prison bus style in keeping with the theme of the rest of my bus so far.

 

[Drew Bru]

We have upper shelves in the kitchen and living room, they've worked great. We put cabinets and a closet in the bedroom, shelves would have worked just fine.

 

[ol trunt]

I don't see it as one verses the other but more an expression of form and function. Blutos beautiful cupboard doors are a great accent to his decor. Drew Bru's shelving makes a perfect spot to show off his Limoge and Waterford and Turf's bookmobile shelves speak to both finish quality and function.

I chose to go with both cupboards and a modified shelf for clothing. I used push to open and push to close latches on the cupboard doors under the counter, scroll doors for over the sink to keep me from constantly hitting my head and a flexible floored woven net covered shelf over the bed for clothing. The entire shelf/cupboard squishes up if accidently stood up under and the netting allows for air circulation while keeping a view of wifey's undies and my tighty whities from being the first thing you see when you step into my bus.
Jack

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[Sehnsucht-SKO]

This is coming out of my experience in multiple brands of sleeper semis ... I find cabinets with doors to be more cumbersome because of the restricted confines of the cab. My preferred truck is the Freightliner Cascadia which has a combination of doored cabinets and open shelved cubbies. I have totes or those fabric drawers to keep everything confined but can easily reach inside the open top for stuff I use most frequently. There is a lip to keep them from sliding out but also I've resorted to drilling small holes for eye hooks and using bungee cords across the front to retain things.

Drawers aren't too bad but cabinet doors just seem like they are too 'rigid' for lack of a better word so I much prefer netting or bungees

 

[milkmania]

I have seen mostly cabinets in buses. I saw one example where the upper cabinets were just a shelf with containers. I thought this was brilliant.

Something I've noticed is how often people will comment that they need to be careful when opening the cabinet doors, as things will spill out.
So often they have BOTH shelves with containers AND a cabinet door.

I recently made a big tool cabinent with drawers, and after all that effort, I really think it was a big waste, and my shelves with containers is much better.
I can remove the container if needed and move it elsewhere and makes it much easier to find what you're looking for compared to digging around in an upper cabinet.

Am I getting this all wrong? Is hiding your stuff behind a door real important?

shelves that slide... best of both worlds https://www.shelvesthatslide.com/pantry.htm

 

[BeNimble]

Or the worst of them? I am used to designing for a big boat, and our rules are always simpler is better and anything that can fail will, usually when you are 2000 miles from anything..so a solid shelf with a container on it is about as simple as it gets. With a slide now you need something to prevent it from opening.

Something heavy though, really needs a slide, the container ends up breaking.

 

[Ronnie-SKO]

I can just see the pictured slides giving trouble. Bad bumps in thr road, take a turn a little fast, all add up to sliding slides if not real secure. Not saying it can not be done, just put some thought into securing them real well

 

[joeblack5]

We repurposed the stainless hand railing in Dory to shelves for milk crate containers. They are angled a little but also have a lip..Different colors containers for different things. Also easy to store kids.

 

[leadsled01-SKO]

My brother decided to remove the cabinet doors in our garage cabinets. I thought it was stupid at first but now its awesome. I can see every tool I have stored and it stays fairly clean. Just thought it might cross over to the skoolie world.

 

[ol trunt]

I live on a well traveled street where every passerby takes a gander at what is in my garage. The house was built with 2 walls of behind doors storage which keeps folks from getting too interested--can't steal what you don't see.

While my bus is actually parked in my garage in the attached picture, at a quick glance it is invisible. I do like my anonymity. It is actually behind a series of easily removed panels painted to look like an empty garage.
Jack

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[BeNimble]

We repurposed the stainless hand railing in Dory to shelves for milk crate containers. They are angled a little but also have a lip..Different colors containers for different things. Also easy to store kids.

I was thinking the same plan, use the hand railings to make shelves. I probably won't fit any kids up there, maybe some cats though.

 

[Phatman]

I don't see it as one verses the other but more an expression of form and function. Blutos beautiful cupboard doors are a great accent to his decor. Drew Bru's shelving makes a perfect spot to show off his Limoge and Waterford and Turf's bookmobile shelves speak to both finish quality and function.

I chose to go with both cupboards and a modified shelf for clothing. I used push to open and push to close latches on the cupboard doors under the counter, scroll doors for over the sink to keep me from constantly hitting my head and a flexible floored woven net covered shelf over the bed for clothing. The entire shelf/cupboard squishes up if accidently stood up under and the netting allows for air circulation while keeping a view of wifey's undies and my tighty whities from being the first thing you see when you step into my bus.
Jack

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Your setup reminds me of Tango’s work. I really dig your setup !!!

 

[ol trunt]

Thank you. That is a high compliment. Jack

 

[rebapuck]

I don't know how to share pictures from Pinterest here. But I've seen examples of rope run vertical. Just vertical in front of a clothing cabinet. Spaced maybe 4" apart. Holds things in, but easy to reach in grab something. The ropes can spread for wider items.

 

[roach711]

Plenty of ways to skin (or store) a cat here and I expect all of them work well.

Jack - Awesome work as always. I love your zippered curtain and soft shelf unit!

JoeBlack - What's the shelf life of a Kid? Do you rotate your stock? :wink1:

 

[Sharee100]

Did you make your own hanging divider? If yes, what is your primary fabric and how is it attached to the wall? If not, can you share where you got it?

 

[ol trunt]

Roach, thanks and I LMAO at this "What's the shelf life of a Kid? Do you rotate your stock? "

Sharee100, The grey fabric is Sunbrella brand patio shade material--the same thing I used on my roll out awning. The zipper is plastic and the whole thing simply snaps in place around the edges.
Jack