Do You Use Suitcases?

[Mr Lynn]

And if so, where do you put them?

We're old car/train travelers and tent campers. We always used suitcases or backpacks. In our NTU (New To Us) Casita inaugural outing last month, we stowed them under the bed (which we left down all the time). But to get one, you had to pull out the other. With the dog in the aisle, that wasn't always easy, and even without the dog, it was awkward and annoying.

My daughter says that they stopped carrying suitcases in their 1963 Avion, and use the trailer cupboards and closets. I guess we should do the same, but deciding how to allocate the limited space is going to be a problem. We've now got a hanging shelf bag in the tall closet, so maybe that will help. And we won't need much in the way of clothes for the summer. We can also keep suitcases in the tow vehicle.

But I'm used to having my stuff in one place. . .

What do you do?

/Mr Lynn

[emij]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

And if so, where do you put them?

We're old car/train travelers and tent campers. We always used suitcases or backpacks. In our NTU (New To Us) Casita inaugural outing last month, we stowed them under the bed (which we left down all the time). But to get one, you had to pull out the other. With the dog in the aisle, that wasn't always easy, and even without the dog, it was awkward and annoying.

My daughter says that they stopped carrying suitcases in their 1963 Avion, and use the trailer cupboards and closets. I guess we should do the same, but deciding how to allocate the limited space is going to be a problem. We've now got a hanging shelf bag in the tall closet, so maybe that will help. And we won't need much in the way of clothes for the summer. We can also keep suitcases in the tow vehicle.

But I'm used to having my stuff in one place. . .

What do you do?

/Mr Lynn

We have shelves in our one closet made from stacking bins purchased from the Container Store (but originally I got the idea from Jon in Arizona, who got his from Big Lots, I think). Each bin is allocated to one person - four in our case. Each bin holds enough clothing for 5 days. So for weekends or extended trips, I just pack into the closet. For longer trips, I take one additional LARGE suitcase and pack it with the next 5+ days clothing for all four of us. When it's time, I trade out the dirty, used clothing into the suitcase and put the clean, new clothing into the closet. Then the suitcase goes back into the car. I also really like having everything in one place and accessible!

[Zennifer]

We use one small duffel per person, lined up in the back of the minivan, easy to access of them by lifting the hatch (which stays open for much of the day). We have a 13' and 4 people, though, so internal space is precious!

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Lynn,

Laura and I use long, shallow (clear with white lids) Hefty containers stacked and stowed under the bed. We each have one. They fit great. A little bit of a hassle to get them out, but we do it once a day. Once we get our bed clothes out, they stay in the cabinets over the bed. At night when I put on my shorts and t-shirt, I will get out my Hefty bin and get my clothes out for the next day stowing my dirty clothes elsewhere. That means I can get up in the morning and get dressed without disturbing Laura as much. I then go outside to make coffee and breakfast. Later when Laura gets up, she accesses her Hefty bin. So each bin is usually only accessed once per day. Gibbs, our Maltese, usually does not get in the way. He is on the bed or in my swivel chair, D'oh!

Using the Hefty bins is kinda like using suitcases, but seems to work for us. Our toiletries are kept separately in small bags and stowed in the closet basket next to the bathroom.

Take care,

Dean

[Mikmay]

Originally Posted by emij

We have shelves in our one closet made from stacking bins purchased from the Container Store (but originally I got the idea from Jon in Arizona, who got his from Big Lots, I think). Each bin is allocated to one person - four in our case. Each bin holds enough clothing for 5 days. So for weekends or extended trips, I just pack into the closet. For longer trips, I take one additional LARGE suitcase and pack it with the next 5+ days clothing for all four of us. When it's time, I trade out the dirty, used clothing into the suitcase and put the clean, new clothing into the closet. Then the suitcase goes back into the car. I also really like having everything in one place and accessible!

In the HC1 the cubes are my suitcase I bring them in the house and load them up 1 for me and 4 for the wife of which 3 well be for just in case and won't be used

[DeanCHS1980]

Mike,

Looks like the PERFECT system!



Dean

[mary and bob]

Hanging clothes, like shirts, go in the front closet. We bought the camper hangers that snap over the closet rod as regular hangers would bounce off when traveling. I use the small compartment over the closet for underware and small clothing items, wife uses a the rear overhead compartments. The PO of our trailer kept the rear made up as a bed, as we do and now installed a Southern Mattress. He was using a Christmas tree storage container under the bed. It has small wheels on the rear, so just pick up front and roll it out. It was a little too long so I shortened it and made a plywood end for it. Turns out our Casita is a Spirit model, not Liberty as in my profile, I'll change that.

[stevebaz]

We use 1 each medium duffel for the 2 of us. We keep the bed down all the time. The duffels fit side by side under the bed. We keep the coats and light jackets in the closet. Extra shoes stay in the tug most of the time. Our 13 foot Scamp trailer only works for us when we use the tug as over flow storage. I hate being stuffed or boxed into a corner inside the small trailer. The smaller the trailer the bigger the tug you will need to carry the overflow.

[Alf S.]

Hi: Mr. Lynn... We don't use suit cases any more. We divide things down the middle. She gets the bigger half!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Civilguy]

Our boots and jackets and such generally go into the tow vehicle when we aren't using them. That way they are always readily available if we need them even if we are out driving around (with thanks to the forum member who posted this should-have-been-obvious-to-me approach a few months back!)

Most of the other clothing goes into an inexpensive canvas organizer with square bins that hangs in the closet (sold as a "sweater organizer"). Naturally, I plan to convert the closet with some majestic work of custom cabinetry, uh, some day, uh, soon-ish. Meanwhile I have been shamelessly collecting pictures of the many solutions that other owners have implemented.

We also have some small soft duffle bags that fit under the dining table. They fit side-by-side so we can easily retrieve either one without having to rummage. These include shower gear and whatnot.

As we are new to the Casita, it's all a work in progress for us.

[k corbin]

Duffles are fine for lounging against so that is what I use. If you are going to have something soft and bulky along make it do double duty

Ironing is against my innermost principals so I don't need hanging space except for a coat hook.

[steve dunham]

No : Never owned a suitcase , probably never will .
We use plastic tubs and a small duffel bag.
We don't take dress clothes camping so wrinkles don't matter
Camping chic is more my style

[floyd]

We have a Scamp13D and use the built in storage for everything that a suitcase could be used for. We do have a HUGE duffel bag folded flat and placed on the floor of the closet, just in case of some catastrophe, also there are always smaller " shopping" bags for misc purposes outside the trailer.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Zennifer

We use one small duffel per person, lined up in the back of the minivan, easy to access of them by lifting the hatch (which stays open for much of the day). We have a 13' and 4 people, though, so internal space is precious!

That's exactly what we do, and for exactly the same reason. I prefer duffles to suitcases because they don't slide around.

One handy thing about keeping clothes in the TV is you're always prepared for an emergency away from camp- a wetting or an unexpected change in the weather.

[Gilda]

Roll, roll, roll your shirts and pants and you can store a TON on shelves, assuming you have them. You can also see what you have easily. Jackets we either stuff into throw pillowcases or hang them on over-the-cabinet hooks or Command hooks on the wood divider by the door of a Scamp.

[frankcfx]

I use plastic bins under the dinette made into a permanent bed in the rear of my Scamp 16 and I drilled a small hole in the bottom edge of the bin and put a knotted cord through it. I have three bins and each one has its own cord. Pulling each cord pulls the bin out one at a time.

[Tom Trostel]

In our Bigfoot there are 2 cabinets above the front window that measure 41" wide, 9" high, and 16" deep. These are our "suitcases". We pack clothes in several heavy duty plastic bags to keep items separate. We both use 4 or 5 bags of different colors for shirts, pants, etc.

[Carol H]

I use one cube type bin per person with a few small travel packs inside to keep small items such as socks, tidy & easy to find in the box.

In the Scamp I stored the bins under the rear table/bed. In current trailer I store them on bottom shelf in a large hanging closest. I like using the cube as it keeps clothing all in one place and I can take then into the house for packing.

[David L. C.]

Wife and I keep all our clothes in the storage areas above the bed in the SD17 FT Casita, heavier shirts and coats hung in the closet by the door, duffle bag for laundry in closet floor as well.

[Jon Vermilye]

Plastic tubs & a laundry basket. The laundry basket sits in the back seat of the truck & holds spare dry goods until I need to do laundry. The plastic tubs are sized so they fit under the bed - rarely used clothing, Beer & Wine, and bread products (a large toaster oven lives there too).

I added shelves to the closet in the Escape. That, combined with 2 Umbra hooks holds all my clothes. Somehow, even though there are storage bins all the way around the perimeter of the Escape 17B, I manage to fill, (and lose track of what is in) all of them!