Storage space in Warwick XL

Am about to take delivery of a 2019 Warwick XL having previously owned a, much larger, Wiltshire Duo. Obviously we will have much less storage space than previously so, as we never use the on board shower, I am looking to incorporate some sort of, ultimately removable, storage accessories into the shower cabinet,e.g. rails, shelves or hooks, but I don't want to permanently modify or damage the cabinet. Would appreciate ideas that members have found to work. Thanks in advance.

Hi Purdy,

Although our van is a Kemerton we likewise do not use the shower and use this area for storage but only when travelling to and from site. Having said that we still use the sink which means any storage vessel must be removable on a daily basis. If you still want to use the sink then surely you will have to do likewise and then it would mean moving it out to on top of the toilet which is what we do. We use a couple of builders Flexi tubs one on top of the other and if they move about they are soft enough to cause no damage.
I think though you are probably after a more permanent solution to which might be difficult to find, hope someone proves me wrong  
Well done on your purchase of the Warwick and we hope you have many happy years in her ( or him 

Kind regards
            Windy

Moving from a coachbuilt to the Warwick Duo meant we had to be ruthless in deciding just what to carry. We have less space than you, Purdy, but have managed it with no problems. 

The only things we carry in our tiny washroom are a small pedal bin and our 5litre drinking water container and both these live in the cab once on site.

Life is definitely simpler with less stuff carried onboard.

Good luck with the new van.

Thank you to both Windy, for your suggestion, and Tinwheeler for your comfort. We are very conscious of the prospective space reduction in the new vehicle, but hopefully, when it arrives, we will quickly adapt to taking a lot less stuff with us.

We downsized from a coachbuilt to a PVC last year too.

Anything in the old van that hadn't been used in the previous 12 months is now in a box in the shed 

Thanks Roger. From the replies received it seems that we need to adapt to the PVC and not the converse   . Am sure you are right - historically we have always taken too much stuff with us - probably because we had the space. Would however like to identify somewhere to hang wet stuff on the inevitably rainy days.

Welcome to the forum and ownership of a Warwick XL. I took delivery of mine 10 days ago and today loading up to take off tommorrow for a maiden camp in the new forrest.
As always when looking at the amount of storage space,whether there is enough will depend on what you want to carry. I have found there is more than sufficient In this van for my needs. Miss not having an external locker for dirty bits(ramps/grip mats etc.).but getting round it.Not 100% sure where things will go regularly but that will develope with use.
As been mentioned previously,if you want to use the wash basin whatever you do for storing in the shower will have to be removed,could be a bit of a faff.Can only agree that a couple of bins/boxes which can easily be moved is your way ahead.If you do not intend to use that sink then a stack of bins and plastic draws could supply you with more store room. That would only be the case if it was smallish items you are storing.
Out of intrest,we have put bedding pillows up above the cab,plenty of space for that and more,and douvets in the off side underseat locker. This is a warm space due to vacinity of boiler,only half a seat length but big enough.That has left the near side underseat locker,which is a fair size,so far i have two chairs,levelling ramps,grip mats,wind break,two bottle bags and a gas BBQ in there and with oodles of spare space.
One thing regarding the shower area,shame they did not consider and design in a means to hang wet coats  from the ceiling,guess thats something i will have to work on!

I’m so glad we didn’t move from the caravan to the PVC in one go as that would have been a huge shock in terms of storage space. The coachbuilt was a stepping stone in decluttering and a practice run for moving to the PVC.

Wet coats can be a problem so we use lightweight pack in a bag type waterproofs which dry quickly either on hooks or over the backs of the cab seats. We add layers underneath the macs for warmth. They also take up less storage space than conventional coats.

Have you considered collapsible items, Purdy? We have 2 collapsible buckets, a washing up bowl and colander. They take up very little space. Like, KDC, we keep pillows above the cab and roll our sleeping bags up into their storage bags and use them as back supports/cushions by day. Most of the scatter cushions we leave at home along with the large table.

Thanks Kdc for your reply. Think that we will need to take heed of the Round Table motto - "Adopt, adapt and (if possible) improve".
Hope your maiden voyage goes well!

Thanks again Tinwheeler.
Am visiting Go Outdoors next week to pick up some sleeping pods so will investigate their collapsibles range at the same time

Tinwheeler wrote:I’m so glad we didn’t move from the caravan to the PVC in one go as that would have been a huge shock in terms of storage space. The coachbuilt was a stepping stone in decluttering and a practice run for moving to the PVC.

Wet coats can be a problem so we use lightweight pack in a bag type waterproofs which dry quickly either on hooks or over the backs of the cab seats. We add layers underneath the macs for warmth. They also take up less storage space than conventional coats.

Have you considered collapsible items, Purdy? We have 2 collapsible buckets, a washing up bowl and colander. They take up very little space. Like, KDC, we keep pillows above the cab and roll our sleeping bags up into their storage bags and use them as back supports/cushions by day. Most of the scatter cushions we leave at home along with the large table.

Ah, that large table, in the loft. I wonder how many Duo owners have done the same.
---------
Richard

I have a Warwick XL. I have fitted a hanging rail in the shower. Great for hanging wet coats and towels. Parts all in B@Q. Oval rail comes with end fixing that allow you to lift out the rail if showering. Fitted front to back. Take your time to position the rail using a coat hanger as a guide . Check your screws are not to long. Really easy to do and a great upgrade.

rgermain wrote:

Tinwheeler wrote:I’m so glad we didn’t move from the caravan to the PVC in one go as that would have been a huge shock in terms of storage space. The coachbuilt was a stepping stone in decluttering and a practice run for moving to the PVC.

Wet coats can be a problem so we use lightweight pack in a bag type waterproofs which dry quickly either on hooks or over the backs of the cab seats. We add layers underneath the macs for warmth. They also take up less storage space than conventional coats.

Have you considered collapsible items, Purdy? We have 2 collapsible buckets, a washing up bowl and colander. They take up very little space. Like, KDC, we keep pillows above the cab and roll our sleeping bags up into their storage bags and use them as back supports/cushions by day. Most of the scatter cushions we leave at home along with the large table.

Ah, that large table, in the loft. I wonder how many Duo owners have done the same.
---------
Richard

It’s much better in the loft than taking up valuable storage space over the cab. It’s a pain to get in and out of the over cab area as well. We leave the small table in place full time which frees up space in that excuse for a wardrobe. 

We bought a big-ish waterproof black storage box for keeping some of the stuff which we had previously kept in the gas locker when we had a caravan. Toilet fluid, mains cable, a few bits of wood, a few pegs etc for the canopy, folding bucket.. anything and everything potentially dirty. It sits outside when on site and fits between the beds just inside the backdoor ( on a mat ) when travelling. When outside on site it also doubles as a handy coffee table..  It nearly fills the width between the beds when in the van and is nearly as tall as them, and is about 3 ft long. We got ours from B&Q but have also seen similar at Argos and indeed elsewhere...

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chalkywhite wrote:I have a Warwick XL. I have fitted a hanging rail in the shower. Great for hanging wet coats and towels. Parts all in B@Q. Oval rail comes with end fixing that allow you to lift out the rail if showering. Fitted front to back. Take your time to position the rail using a coat hanger as a guide . Check your screws are not to long. Really easy to do and a great upgrade

Love your idea for hanging rail in shower,i'm on it already.

Big thanks to all for the helpful replies. Will definitely be installing the shower rail and buying a waterproof box. Didn't realise the big table was going to be an issue but can now see the potential for its being so.
Also didn't hitherto appreciate how useful this forum can be. Very grateful!

Purdyhorse, or indeed anyone else on this thread, if you PM me with your own email address I'll send you many photos of what I have done to maximise the space in my Warwick Duo. There's far too many to put on here! Circa 30!!

Hi ,We have the same issue and the same van so I paid a visit to the Range store and bought 3 of their see through storage boxes 2 will now live in the shower room and 1 as an aisle box when required ,we also have a storage tent which will house all our bits when on site ,this seems to us the easiest option as our bedding takes up all the space on one side of our Warwick and the other underbed locker space is not very big .I will also be fitting a hanging rail in the shower room for the wet clothes its so hot in there with the blown air system its like a sauna .

Thank you Mogzee. Storage boxes and a shower rail sound very promising.

Hi,

I moved the large table from the over cab position into the left hand side of the wardrobe using plastic fittings available in any camping and caravan store. The small table stowage is now on the right hand wall of the wardrobe. We now find that the overcab space now takes sheets,four pillows and two single duvets with no problem at all.

We’ve had our xl for five years and spent many months in it and wouldn’t change it. I hope you get as much pleasure from yours.

Thank you. We took delivery last week and have no doubts we made the right choice - we just need some better weather now so we can try it out! Regarding space, we may have underestimated how much of it there really is, because, after cutting out stuff that we used to take in the Wiltshire but never needed, we have found a home for everything. The only mod we have made so far is to stick 3 hooks, for hanging wet stuff on, on the shower walls. 
I guess the real test will come on our first trip but currently I am very comfortable with the decision to downsize.
Thanks again for your advice.

purdyhorse...........Nice to hear you have finally taken delivery of your Warick XL and that you imediately feel it was the right choice.
We also were quite pleasantly suprised at the ammount of storage and have easily stored all we need,especially after re stowing the large table in our loft!!! We have got a desmo leg tripod base so we can take the small table outside if desired.
Three hooks on shower wall,have you decided not to fit a rail for hanging wet item?

Kdc - thank you for your interest. We took delivery last week but because of the dreadful weather here have not yet ventured out in the Warwick. However, the dealer I bought from is about 100 miles from home so collecting it did give me chance to get a feel for the way it drives. The positives were that it generates much less wind noise than our AS Wiltshire and, being much smaller, is more manoueverable, but I did miss the more generous driving position, rear wheel drive (and its effect on steering) and the auto gearbox that the Wiltshire afforded. I obviously was aware of these negatives when I bought the Warwick and accepted them as trade offs for the several advantages that the Warwick offered. Ideally I would have liked the Warwick to have been built on a Mercedes Sprinter (as the Wiltshire was) but the dealer said Autosleeper don't do this because it would push the weight too close or even over the 3.5 tonnes weight so taking the vehicle out of the market weight that is most popular.
Regarding the shower hooks I decided to give them a try because they were very easy to install and equally easy to remove if they don't prove satisfactory. We just need to go away in the vehicle for a few days to see how we get on - which we will do as soon as the sun comes out again! Best wishes.

We felt as you do on moving from the auto Sprinter to the manual Pug, Purdy. We investigated every option for getting a Sprinter based PVC with a suitable layout, including a one off conversion on a newly bought van, but it wasn’t to be.

I have to say, though, that the Pug has grown on us despite its lousy turning circle and other drawbacks.

oops - was having trouble with tinternet and do not know how to delete duplicate post ?