Guest post by Sandra R.
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I live in an RV. Want to talk about limited space and nowhere to store things? I have an undersink cabinet, four drawers, and three overhead short cabinets tall enough to stack 2-3 cans in my “kitchen” area. I have a half closet and under sink cabinet in the bathroom. The aisle going through the kitchen is 2.5′ wide. The aisle by the master bed leading to the bathroom is 1.5′ wide. It’s hard for 2 people to move around in here.
What else I have though is three other beds in that back area –two that pull down for visitors to sleep on. The other is permanent on the floor. I’ve taken those and converted them to storage along with the bathroom cabinet. I’ve taken various tops off things like small desks to create an extra shelf settled on top of box halves to store things above and below thereby creating yet another set of “shelves” on the two beds near the ceiling.
For the one built on the floor, there is quite a bit of space between the one bottom bed and the top, and I’ve put a small shelf set on top of that. I also have my cooler and printer stored on top of that. Eventually I plan to take out at least half of that bed and install shelving from floor to ceiling. I will then install shelving on top of the other half up to the ceiling…this has an electrical panel underneath so it cannot be removed…and remove that top bed.
I have a larger master bed, and the water heater is underneath. It doesn’t work. I plan to take that out and install an on demand water heater when money allows. That way I will be able to use the full amount of storage under the bed instead of merely half as I’m able to do now. I’m not able to lift the bed since it is built into the wall, but I will install rollers underneath so I can simply pull out the section I need to get to. This will eliminate the need to take everything out to get to one thing.
The next step is taking out one of my kitchen benches and turning it sideways creating an “L”. One side has heating ducts inside. Those will be taken out creating yet another space for storage (no, my heater doesn’t work either). The other side already has room for that…a drawer that will be taken out since I won’t be able to pull it out the side, and a pull down door. I will take the drawer off, open up a hole in the front and cover it with a removable panel. The benches are made of wood, and the top isn’t very sturdy so I will replace that with stronger wood adding in a storage area a few inches tall that will lift up…more storage for things like tools or weapons.
I have already taken out the passenger seat on my RV. What’s left is the pedestal it sat on. For now, there is ANOTHER bed above that which pulls down. I will remove that bed, remove the pedestal, and install a small wood stove. The hole from the pedestal will create the air movement needed from below, and I will cut a hole in the roof to install the stovepipe.
My RV also has a rack on half of the roof. I’m debating how to keep the water from getting hot in the summer. Once I figure that out, I will install a water bladder on the roof.
If you don’t have room to store things needed, then you don’t have a home. Even if you live in the woods, you can find places to store items. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Resources:
- The Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat by M.D. Creekmore
- Tiny Homes on the Move: Wheels and Water by Lloyd Kahn
Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.
Via : thesurvivalistblog
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