Packing Your RV

[alisasings]

How do most full timer's pack their motor homes? I have just a couple of weeks to move out of our house and into the RV & I have no idea how to pack it.

Do you put your dishes, food, clothes, etc away just as you would in your house? Or do you keep everything in boxes/containers and unpack them when you get where you're going?

We're selling everything we own and keeping our clothes, a few personal possessions, and some music gear. This is TMI, but (for instance) do you just fold your undies and put them in a compartment or find it better to have them in a stoage basket type thing and then set on the shelf?

Our 1987 Fleetwood is a basement model so we have lots of storage...just not sure how to pack it. Man I have a LOT to learn!

[BillO]

I think you'll find that everyone has their own style and over time you'll work into yours.

Until then, I'll offer a few observations on my own transition (which you might take with a grain of salt since I'm a single male who moved into a 40' coach).

Like you I had a limited time to move out of the house after selling it. I didn't try to pack everything away immediately, but traveled for a while with things in boxes on the floor and in bays until I got a basic plan.

I found that the basic pots, pans, dishes, etc. went into the limited cabinets and drawers around the galley. Those things do need some buffering to keep them from shifting around and banging when you go over bumps. I just got a few rolls of the non-sticking shelf liner that is like a rubberized mesh and cut pieces to put between, or around, the pieces.

The cooking items that I don't use frequently (big pots, pans, etc.) went into a rubbermaid container in the basement.

Those Rubbermaid type storage containers are a good way in general to organize the basement and keep things separated. Some masking tape and a permanent marker will let you label contents until you're reasonably sure that things are stable at which point you can just mark the containers directly. Make sure to take some measurements of the basement bays before buying the containers. I bought several that would stack two-high in my bays, giving more flexibility in compartmentalizing things.

Foodstuffs got distributed around the galley area depending on frequency of use and cabinet configuration much as you would at home, except for the buffering to keep things in place under motion (still working on that for the spice rack ). Some people will use the basement for extra foods, but I find that traveling a lot in TX makes that a dicey proposition for me (too humid).

Clothes pretty much got hung up or folded and put on shelves pretty much the same as in the house with just some basic sorting for off-season or infrequently used things in the back. The same idea with stuff like towels and sheets.

Really seasonal things like down comforter, winter jackets, etc. get relegated to rubbermaid containers in the back of basement bays until you pull them out and use in-season.

The same thing applies to occasional or seasonal use hardware (like extra dining chairs or space heaters) . They've gotten tucked into the deep recesses of the basement until needed.

A couple of things to consider as you go about loading -- especially if you have/acquire some heavier items. You do want to keep the overall MH weight within, or below, the design limits as listed on the manufacturer's plaque. It's also good to try to keep the load balanced side-to-side, with front-to-back loading depending on your axle capabilities.

I suspect others will come along with a lot more organization tips and ideas that you can incorporate into your own way of living and traveling.

Have fun while you do it.

[alisasings]

Thank BillO! Lots of great info & I appreciate it! We're not going to have much heavy stuff, if any at all. Probably hubby's tools will be the heaviest. Definitely going to get some storage containers for the basement. Hubby used to be a trucker so he knows about balancing the weight.

I saw a spice rack at Walmart the other day. It's about four inches wide when in the cabinet, but you pull it toward you and it swivels sideways so you can see what all is in there. I think I'll look at the measurments and see if it will fit!

I do have my galley items set up with the non skid in between to keep from sliding/rattling when driving. I should have plenty of room for foodstuffs without having to use the basement. At least we're up north so we don't have the humidity issue. I was born & raised in central Texas & I know all about that humidity! LOL!

Thanks again!

~Alisa

[alisasings]

Good grief!! There is SOOOO much stuff you just cannot get rid of! ACK! Boxes of memories... no way I'm giving those up, even though they live in a box and I only look thru them once a year (or 2). Crud!

I don't want to have storage somewhere. We're going to live in the motor home...I just have to figure out how to make our life fit in it. Unnecessary stuff takes up vauable room

[charles10]

We have had our motorhome 2 years, experienced rvrs and thought we knew what we needed. I have repacked the thing at least twice and thinking of doing it again. (we are not full timers, kept the stuff at home). Many things I thought we needed got taken out after non use and replaced with other stuff.

If I was doing what you are I would do the storage thing for a while and find out reality! It certainly is not what you think! If you are retired like us the only thing you must have is your clothes and drugs, everything else changes with your attitude and where you are .Experience for your new lifestyle is a necessity. My personal lifetyle changed when we married, I had been single for 20 years, I am still adjusting.

Another thought, reading recently an article of what to take if you had to evacuate your home makes me say start there.

Good luck, I could never leave the grandkids full time.