storeage in a trident

Hi, we had our first trip in our trident and loved it. Still trying to work out where to keep stuff and wondered what you did? I am also currently considering where cooking pots could live. (I have a lovely set of pots on order but they're not small)

I really would love to hear what you do.

Lorna

We've got a Trooper, which is significantly more restricted for storage than the Trident, and the trick in our experience is to cut down on what you take!

So for example we use a Tatonka stainless cooking set (a stainless version of the Trangia where the kettle and all the pans nest inside one another). We also have a stack of six (or is it eight?) Really Useful plastic boxes that fit neatly under the rear bed section so that you can completely fill the space and not have everything fall out when you open the tailgate.

You're lucky in that I assume you have the big overcab locker - which we don't - which will swallow loads of stuff.

We still haven't quite figured how to use the tall wardrobe effectively - at the moment it has a set of soft luggage with clothes in stuffed into it, which takes a lot of clothes - but it's annoying because whatever you want is always in the bag at the bottom!

Mojo, thank you for responding.

Yes the overhead bulkhead is really great, can't imagine it not being there. Though it got stuffed with mainly the two boys clothes, games, towels, toilet bags. I'm wondering if I could fit the large pot in here.

Do you fit your pots into the cupboard with the crockery?, I'm really going to struggle to fit them here. I have a canvas bag that has 3 fairly large pots and frying pan and utensils all neatly fitted together but even though it's space saving and light the large pan will never fit in this cupboard, with the auto sleeper crockery. 

I have the porta potti in its cupboard, odds and ends in with the valves in next cupboard. Our clothes and all the jackets in the wardrobe. 

In the boot a box with hook up cables and stuff, bbq chimney. I also have portable bbq and basin and portable gas burner. 

Bedding and pjs all up top.

When camped up the child car seats go into the drivers seat, the kids toy guns, fishing nets, foot balls, camping seats, stuff, end up in passenger footwell. Coolbox (beer) is used for extra seat and stays inside along with dogs bed.

Shoes tend to get left in sliding door footwell.

I haven't yet fully sorted out what goes in the drawer under the bed, currently a tiny outdoor table, a picnic rug and some nesting Tupperware, which fights for space with the box of wine. Food goes in the cupboard with basket beside sink.

It's amazing it all fits in really but still wondering where your supposed to fit the pots. I didn't like having to pull out lots of cooking stuff to get to crockery. 

Do your pots fit in there?

Hello
We have a small light weight cooking set by Vango which has fold away handles but quite small, as theres only 2 of us! We also have the crockery in the cupboard under the sink in a strange looking rack that holds the plates and cups all upright, but it takes up space. The space above the cab is huge and we stuff that full of clothes and cameras etc. The bedding is stuffed in the space that would have been the bunk beds
We have a porta potti which we never use and that could be a useful space. The cupboard next to that we use also for washing but keep the gas valves clear and i think theres a small vent in there also.
We travel light as theres only 2 but weve not been away for very long periods yet and also not in winter where yuod probably have to take more stuff!
Theres an amazing amount of space in the food cupboard which we keep tins sugar etc loads of stuff!
I think you do very well with all your stuff :)

In the wardrobe we find one of the hanging canvas wardrobe thingies- currently we have an Ikea one -is very handuy and holds a lot.  There is still space for two of the long teired coat hangers which hold umpteen pairs of trousers and shirts each beside it.  We have 3 overdoor hooks ( the cheap bent aluminium Poundshop type) which, with a small piece of non- slip mat to prevent marking the door, hangs inside the  the wardrobe door itself. One hook has a hanging plastic shoe holder( Argos) which holds 5 pairs, the other two have canvas shopping bags full of pants and socks.

Change of season clothes, spare towels and bedclothes, go into a roll up vacuum bag ( Lakeland, more expensive but they last longer)  and, once rolled up, they are almost flat so can be stacked in any spare space. Make sure you get the roll up bags not the ones that need a Hoover to suck air out.

We use much of the space in the same way others do except for the bedding. Have removed the rear shelf and use that space to store the sleeping bag/pillows. In the morning I simply roll up the sleeping bag, return the rear seat to its day position and place the pillows on top of the rolled up bag. Usually cover things up with travelling rug. At night, pull out the bed and unroll the sleeping bag.

mikeandlizriley wrote:.......and place the pillows on top of the rolled up bag. 

Just to squeeze out a little more space: we put all our pillows ( 4)  in cushion covers that match the seat covers during the day and so they do double duty and save other storage space. I just bought off-the-shelf cushion covers and took out the cushion pad.

I am thoroughly enjoying hearing where you keep things and how to maximise space. This is very useful, thank you.

With regards to pots and pans I hear that you use smaller pans and stacking ones. Stored in with the crockery cupboard?

I find that pans with lugs not  long handles easier to store. Pockets screwed to the inside of doors are also useful. I have found small plastic baskets very useful for organising the cupboards. Cut up plastic milk bottles fit the cupboards well and stop small things falling out.
At the end of each summer I go round Doris and tidy up. Anything that has been put in because "it might be useful" and has not been used goes back into the house. I started doing this after 2 years of motorhoming and it was amazing what I had put in and never used.
Enjoy your great adventure.
Louise

Lorna
It's worth noting that a Fiamma bike rack designed specifically for the VW T4/5 has a 60Kg load capacity.  That's a great deal of gear but it does make access through the rear hatch rather difficult.
Keith