Storage Box for the TV

[nrvale0]

Hey, all.

 

Prepping to go full-time after my Elite II pickup in late April. I have a spec sheet provided by Oliver which has measurements but perhaps someone can share pictures of the various storage cubbies in their E2? The ones on the site really just show the doors of the cubbies but not the shape + contour of things inside.

 

Even better if this prompted a discussion here from folks who have advice on what they've settled on for dividing/organizing the various storage cubbies. Nothing exotic planned for storage needs on my end: clothes, dishes, and similar.

 

Thx!

[Kkmain]

We picking up our Oliver on March 26th, very exciting!! Can you message me that spec sheet that you got from Oliver? Much appreciate it.

 

Kathi

[Overland]

Kathi, if you look on Oliver University (the last menu item under Travel Trailers on the website) you’ll find several downloadable PDFs for various dimensions for your trailer.  Here's a direct link to the main measurement index.

[GrumbleandTwist]

We've been full timing in our Oliver since Nov of 2017.   Here are some pics of storage solutions that work for us.  It took a while living in the Ollie to really determine how we would use the space so I would caution you to give yourself some time.   [attachment file=0311191047.jpg]

 

 

[attachment file=163145]

[attachment file=163148]

 

 

 

[GrumbleandTwist]

This one appears to have been dropped from my last post.  These are stacking bins for produce in the cubby next to the pantry.

[nrvale0]

Wow! Thanks, that's exactly the kind of pics I was hoping someone would share!

 

FWIW, it looks like you are doing a great job of keeping things in order and especially so for full-timing. :D

[Overland]

GrumbleandTwist, I think I've got your photos corrected.  Let me know if they're right.

 

Great idea on the dirty clothes hamper by the way.

[GrumbleandTwist]

Thanks!  Was there a way I could have fixed them myself?

[topgun2]

G & T -

 

Fixing them yourself depends on what programs you have on your computer.  The basic operation involves bring your "posted" photo into a photo editing program - such as - Microsoft Photos or Adobe Photoshop or Corel Paintshop or etc. - and use that to turn the photo the right side up.  Then you would simply re-post it.

 

Bill

[GrumbleandTwist]

Hi Bill - They were all right side up when I attached them, the forum website flipped them after they uploaded. I deleted and reattached them, they consistently flipped.  Very weird, but they're fixed now so no worries. - T

[Overland]

I believe the problem is that photos taken from phones contain a bit of data that tells both the phone and your computer the correct orientation.  So when you look at it at home, it appears right way up even if it's actually sideways or upside down.  But that data either gets stripped out when the photo is posted or the forum software doesn't recognize it, and so the photos end up whichever direction you actually took them.

 

I don't seem to have any problems with photos from my iPhone.  It may be that the forum software respects iPhone data, or it could be that when I export them from Apple's Photos app they get corrected automatically.

[Kkmain]

Thank you! The images are great and very helpful!

[DavidS]

We found that we weren’t using the cupboards above the dinette very efficiently, since some of the things we were storing there were not very tall. We solved this by buying two of these wire shelves, one for each of the two cupboards above the dinette.

 

 

Before we got Ollie we were advised to get refrigerator bars such as these, to prevent stuff from falling out when the fridge door was opened. We found that stuff in the pantry shifted around during transit, and so we got some spring-loaded bars double bars for the pantry. We had put heavier stuff on the bottom shelf of the pantry, but things just moved fore and aft during transit, sometimes making a mess. I found the fruit box from the Farmer’s Market fit perfectly, and I could stack canned beers or soda two high in the box to optimize space usage, and they would not shift during transit.

 

But the pantry bars were not enough. The major problem was not being able to maximize the use of vertical space in the pantry. I measured both the available space and the size of the opening at the pantry door, and then went virtual shopping at Amazon and the Container Store, looking at dimensions posted on the web sites. I ended up getting these Wire Storage Organizer Baskets from Amazon. They fit perfectly.

 

 

GrumbleandTwist put an Ikea bag under the front dinette seat. I wanted something with a solid bottom and sides, as we wanted to carry our pressure cooker in this storage area. So I measured the space and again searched at Amazon and the Container Store. The problem was that bins large enough to use the space effectively are too big to fit through the opening. And then I had an inspiration.

 

Have you ever seen InstaCrates, these collapsible storage bins? We got them at Costco for $7 each, and they are available at Amazon and Walmart for $12-14. We use them when organizing for our trip (foods or clothes), and to carry stuff out to the trailer. At the end of the trailer trip, we bring a bunch of collapsed InstaCrates out to the trailer and use them to carry stuff into the house. We love them.

 

 

Well, I discovered that the collapsed InstaCrate will fit through the opening into the storage area under the dinette seat, and then I can open it up when it is inside the storage compartment. It works well for our needs.

 

[GrumbleandTwist]

Excellent ideas, thanks!

[topgun2]

G & T -

 

Here is another idea for you:

 

I've got two of these that I use to store little items in.  They fit very nicely in the cubbies.  I did glue strips of 3/8" thick foam on the bottoms so that the lower drawer would clear the lip of the storage area.  They measure:

 

7" wide

 

7 1/8" tall

 

8 1/4" deep - including the little pull handles on each drawer

 

[nrvale0]

So glad I started this thread! Keep 'em coming, folks! :D

[Mike and Carol]

I am working on my presentation for the Rally and wanted to include storage ideas. If all y’all who have posted pictures don’t mind I will incorporate some of them on a couple of my visuals. We can all learn a lot from each other... Mike

[topgun2]

Mike -

 

No problem with any of my pictures unless they make me look really stupid!

 

Bill

[nellybly]

Wonderful storage solutions. My question is, as full-timers, where are all your clothes and shoes?

 

 

[nrvale0]

Wonderful storage solutions. My question is, as full-timers, where are all your clothes and shoes?

 

A very good question! For whatever reason, I always tend to find mud and dirt when I'm outside and I've been thinking what I can do without a "mud room" per se. Given that I will be spending some time in areas with poisonous creepy crawlies which like to crawl into warm and dark places, I don't really like the idea of leaving shoes on a mat outside the trailer but then I also don't like the idea of tracking all of that stuff inside.

[BackofBeyond]

Great solutions all.

 

I am always amazed by the creativity and variety of ideas this forum produces.

 

More often than not, something I see here prompts me to "go see" on my own unit.

 

Thanks all.

 

RB

[mossemi]

 

For whatever reason, I always tend to find mud and dirt when I’m outside and I’ve been thinking what I can do without a “mud room” per se.

 

 

This is where some of us park our shoes and boots. I usually keep my house shoes there while I am out getting dirty.

[GrumbleandTwist]

Love Mossemi's shoe idea!  Our shoes are kept in covered bins tucked under the trailer next to the front door.  Clothing storage was one of my worries in the planning stages as well.  In addition to the packing cubes inside, we started out with a fairly large bin each in the back of the truck full of clothes we thought we might want.  Over time, that extra stash has dwindled down to one shared smaller bin.  It helps that we're pretty much chasing the sun and warm weather clothes don't take up as much room.

[GrumbleandTwist]

In the spirit of keeping this thread going, here are a couple more random ideas I've found useful.

 

We had remotes everywhere until I put this wasted horizontal surface to use!  Velcro dots keep them in place when the tv is down.

 

We're on the move quite a bit and at each new location I pick up as much info as I can to plan our time there.  All that paper ended up stacked on the table.  This simple little file holder mounted out of the way under the dinette table keeps the current info handy without clutter.  It can also hold a charging laptop, again freeing up the table surface.  When you're living in a small space little things like this can make a big difference?

[Mike and Carol]

I like the file holder under the dinette. Is that something you picked up at Staples or Walmart?