Space saving tips

[lornaschinske]

Neat idea. We use the huge containers from Sam's Club and I want to turn them on their sides with just the caps facing out. I can use the labels on the caps. While I have some from my Dover vintage label clip art books, I don't have all the ones I need. Thanks.

 

[chev49]

good idea. even for small fasteners...

 

[lornaschinske]

http://ana-white.com/ found this site from the site mentioned above. More good ideas and PLANS!

 

[wtd]

I did something similar to the top picture above with my cupboard doors -

Tom

 

[lornaschinske]

Similar to a setup you can buy from Hafele. I have "The complete Hafele" (from the days when I had a cabinet shop). Uses dowels, pegboard and thin boards. Neat setup. I plan on building my rollouts and drawers to utilize this setup. It's wood and we can reproduce most anything in wood.


"Kitchen & Plate Organizers" Section 5.54 http://www.hafele.com/us/products/drawer-peg-system.asp
The Base plate (#557.46.000) is just a standard beech veneer peg board.(I have found a PVC pegboard that I think would work better). The 1" dia round beech posts (#557.46.010) have an offset threaded dowel with a locking nut. There is also a 1" diacoved "triangular beech post (#557.46.011) with a threaded dowel (centered) Insert the threaded dowel thru the base place and secure with the locking nut. Added to this are beech 1-3/4" high utensil dividers (short =3-1/16"L #557.46.020 & long 6 7/8"L #557.46.021) and a knife holder set (#557.46.030)

You can download sections of the book at Hafele's website. Their stuff is pricey and made to be used in high end furniture and cabinetry. This is an outfit that I believe will only sell to a pro shop. Outwater Plastics is a good source for similar stuff with much better prices. None of this stuff is cheap. But with space at a premium, it may be worth thinning down the drawers and stacking two thinner drawers in place of a standard 3.5" H drawer. I've looked at the drawers in the Class C's galley. They are "standard" height (3.5") and wastes a lot of space. I could build a 2"H drawer (1-3/4" dividers plus 1/4" thick pegboard) for my flatware and much (if not all) of my spatulas, etc would fit there as well. I might need to buy new "thinner" whisks, but I would have to measure. I think my metal whisk would fit. I would cut down posts to fit height if using in the shallow drawers. Plates & bowls would be in roll out trays in the base cabinets held apart from each other with the posts. If I notched the posts (small "V" grooves in a ring around the post), an elastic cord could be used to "hold down" the plates and bowls while bouncing down the roads.

Online Hafele wood drawer organizers (not the peg system)
kitchen cabinet accessories

 

[TygerCub]

I like the idea of storing the dishes in a drying rack. That way it's as simple as wash & store. Here are a couple of ideas I've seen in local stores:

... and ...

I'm thinking some sort of restraint system might have to be put around the plates while on the road. Something like a cloth cover, or maybe place it in a cabinet?

Great thread. I look forward to more ideas.

 

[Accordion]

I always thought that a desk under the bunk is an excellent idea.

 

[RavensOracle]

Several years ago, hell it's been over 10 yrs. I helped with the install of 2 different entertainment systems in already existing rv's. A cousin of mine ran a company that took gov't contracts for storm restoration. He had a crew that traveled with him from job to job so they lived in their campers. He wanted someway to be able to entertain his crew at the campgrounds after a long day working. Some of the guys were electricians but none of them were real electronic savvy so I helped them put projectors with pull down screens into the bunkhouses. It worked so well that I even helped run a spare set of connections to a belly bay where they could set up a projector outside. They had a big white drop-cloth they would tie up to some trees or hang of the rv when it was nice enough outside for everyone just to hang around the campfire.

Nowadays that setup could be made for a lot less than it cost then. I've been looking and found small portable projectors for $100-200. Go for $200-400 range and they'll even be HD. I figure if I hang the screen above the front window I can pull it down and should be able to get a nice theater feel. Later, I'll get a second screen I can setup outside for those times after dark when we want to sit around the campfire but I still need to keep the kids occupied.

 

[RavensOracle]

It's the way I plan on having a tv in my bus. While on the road i'll just let the kids use the laptop or their tablets for movies. Once we park and I put the insulating cover in the front window, I'll hang the projector screen from the hooks I've put up. I'm looking at a portable projector instead of mounting one to the roof. That way I can move the projector outside when we want to get out of the bus. I'm looking at a screen that just hangs from hooks. You could use something like a sheet or drop cloth but the screen will get you a better picture.

I'm going to put a couple of hooks on the outside of the bus to hang the projector screen. That way on a nice evening we can entertain a large group with movie night. Maybe not something you would want to do in a RV park but I tend to go to remote boondocking sites where I don't have to worry about annoying the neighbors.

If you are going to permanently mount a projector on one side of the bus to project across to the other side it's nice because the screen can be raised or lowered over windows. Weight is a big thing too. You can easily get 60+ inches from a projector. Doing the same thing with a flatscreen would require a lot more engineering.

 

[wtd]

... I'm going to put a couple of hooks on the outside of the bus to hang the projector screen. That way on a nice evening we can entertain a large group with movie night. ...

Sounds like a neat idea, but where I live, with all the night bugs that would be attracted to the projector lamp projected on screen, every movie would be like "The Giant Moth That Ate ..."
Or maybe I could show nothing but Mothra movies and they'd fit into the scenes.

Tom

 

[RavensOracle]

It'll give you that real drive-in experience wtd. LOL

 

[thommassey]

I hadn't seen a thread for this topic so I thought it might be useful to have one for anyone that wants to give some tips, hints, or tricks.

I found this and thought it was a good idea for spices. Its made out of a pill organizer: http://www.handyhausfrau.com/2010/03/po ... 8651420577

What if you want to use Red Pepper on Monday??
Kool idea! 8)

 

[chev49]

I like the collapsible bowls, and so forth that camping world sells.

 

[TygerCub]

Moshart, that's brilliant! I'm definitely installing this idea!
Oh, and a murphy bed is also a great idea. Still mulling over making one of those, though.

 

[lornaschinske]

Good old Murphy beds....

Side Mount hardware A fold down bed mechanism is perfect for guests, small rooms and apartments. This finely engineered hardware is counterbalanced for smooth operation without binding or overextending. Mechanism uses a sophisticated piston lift system rather than old-fashioned springs that can snap back. Beds are held securely closed, and open gently for added safety. Steel pivot pin and bracket points install easily without adjustments. Includes instructions for basic cabinet construction and instructional DVD. Choose Side Mount Hardware in Twin, Full or Queen Sizes.

Vertical Mount hardware A fold down bed mechanism is perfect for guests, small rooms and apartments. This finely engineered hardware is counterbalanced for smooth operation without binding or overextending. Mechanism uses a sophisticated piston lift system rather than old-fashioned springs that can snap back. Beds are held securely closed, and open gently for added safety. Steel pivot pin and bracket points install easily without adjustments. Includes instructions for basic cabinet construction and instructional DVD. Hardware available in Twin, Full or Queen Sizes.

Bed plans A fold down bed is a great space saver, but now, with our Drop Leaf addition, you get two projects in one! This plan uses side mount hardware (89591-Full or 89608-Queen) only.

Like those pricey "pop-up" tables you see in the expensive RVs?

Woodsmith Convertible Table Plan Pop the top of this elegant coffee table and you’ll find yourself with a table that’s at a comfortable height for work, dining or play.

More plans at Rockler.

 

[dirtygoat]

Here's something else I've been seeing a lot lately. I don't have any doors, but I think I'm going to use one in the shower along the wall, it will take up less elbow room than a standard shelf. If we can't fit all our shampoos and body washes, etc in there we have too much stuff

That's an awesome idea...

 

[lornaschinske]

If you are going to use it in a shower, you may want to pop a couple of tiny holes in the bottom to let the water drain out or use a fabric mesh version.