Clothes storage/bed table

[Bobbie Mayer]

I've been looking for something to use for clothes as I have the long cupboard for food storage (plastic drawers inside) and really want the clothes by the bed. So I found the perfect sized drawers- I bought one and then went back for another. They fit the space next to my sideways-bed (about 24 inches square) as shown. And no, I was hoping they would, but they don't stay in place on hairpin turns. So my next job is to figure out how to hold them in while traveling. But they are perfect- I can put three days clothes in one, then move dirty clothes to the other. The height makes a great bed table; I can slip in things like glasses and iPad, too, and there is a little storage space on the far side. I'll figure out the storage in motion problem- probably something a bungie cord can handle. I can remove the drawers and pack directly into them instead of having a messy duffle bag stuffed somewhere. It wouldn't work for everyone but for me they are great.

[D Davis]

These plastic boxes are great. I use a small one under my bed, have carpet so it does not move in travel. You could try to put cut to fit rubber under the bottom of the plastic drawer frame. Like the rubber you put under a throw rug or line shelves with. Actually there is a better product, a thin gel pad. I have seen them under wheel chair seat cushions but don't know where to buy them. Coming from a 13 footer looks like you have a lot of storage area in your camper.
Each of us do what works for us in our additions, huh.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Right now I have no access to under the seat storage due to the permanent bed, and I don't like clothes stuffed away somewhere, anyway. I'm not sure just non-skid would work; it was pretty secure until I hit the hairpin turns on the way downhill. But I think I can put some hooks in and bungee it during transit. It IS a 13 footer but with no overhead storage the popup type is a little more limited. I'd put access doors outside and probably eventually will, but I don't want to carry a whole lot more in hard to get to places. I like things handy when I want them. And I've been needing a place to put coffee and glasses for a long time!

[deryk]

What about a pair of these and some bungie cords? Suncor Flag Pole Cleat

[Bobbie Mayer]

That would work but I think just a place to hook a bungee cord is all I need. Maybe... the trick is getting something that attaches higher than the seat. I may be able to use velcro hook to attach one end to the liner (which is velcro loop). I'll figure something. The two problems are keeping the drawers from sliding out and then keeping the whole thing from toppling- but I'm not sure it would have toppled had the drawers not slid out. It feels pretty solid in place.

[D Davis]

Bobbie, I have found many uses for suction cups thingys. You could get two of the kind that is shaped like a handle ( for lifting glass) at Habor Freight. attach one on the back wall and the other one on the front of your lower base cabinet below the plastic boxes. Then run a bungie attached to the back one and over the plastic boxes to the lower front handle. I'll get an attached picture in a minute and post.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by D Davis

Bobbie, I have found many uses for suction cups thingys. .....

Me, too, especially in a UHaul. Dollar Tree sells a nice assortment including a coat hook with two suction cups.

[D Davis]

Bobby, here is the link originally supplied by Thomas.

Search results for: 'suction cups'

[cpaharley2008]

put a screw with washer thru the bottom plastic into the wood below, it will hold it there, not sure about the drawers.

[Bobbie Mayer]

CpHarley... I don't want to screw it to the bench as that is the one area where I CAN access the storage.

No suction cups- the inside of my trailer is velcro fur (and I posted this before, no idea what happened to my post!) Bench is wood, walls are wood or velcro. Hence velcro hook would work, but not suction cups. But I think the solution is bungee the drawers closed and use Velcro to stabilize during transit. I don't think the boxes would have gone over if the drawers had stayed in place as the lip on the bench would have kept them from sliding- they had to tip to move (and the lower one stayed in place; only its drawer came out.)

[Lora]

How about one of the child safety lock mechanisms?
Or, try just turning the boxes around so that the drawers face the wall during travel.

[Bobbie Mayer]

The child safety lock would be good.

Turning around- no, too much trouble. I pack things around them which helps keep them in place, so that would mean completely repacking.

Funny thing is, I doubt on most roads they'd even come down, but that windy road down from Hecker Pass did it. I don't often drive on quite those kinds of roads but I guess I should be prepared. Nice thing is, its only clothes if they do fall.

[Mouse]

Bungee cords are great! I put bungees across doors, refrigerator, open spaces, and everything else that could move before pulling out. Then remove them when I stop.

Bungees are your traveling friends.

[Bobbie Mayer]

I use Velcro. I can attach small things to the walls and they stay while I drive. Though this is a bigger thing. I also Velcro the door closed as I've yet to run across the nifty door holder thing someone once posted- it screwed into the door frame and put a bungee-type strap around the handle.

[james kent]

Get two plastic storage boxes (one each) from Walmart to fit under the bed. If the base size fits then the sides will compress and stay in place.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Good idea, but I store other things under the bed and I don't want to have to go under it to get clothes out (the duffle fit under there.) Also, one of the dogs sleeps under the bed. (I could travel with these under the bed but the EZup and mats are there.)

I'll figure something out before I travel again.

[lpk49]

hi bobbi-i found your thread searching for ways to make a dinette bed permanent

it looks like you have some space under the bed

i have 2 totes the right size to fit under. i dont put tops on them-not tight anyway-and i use a cane so it is easy to just hook one and pull it out when i need it

i bet a sturdy back scartcher would work too

any info on how you made bed permanent?

[Bobbie Mayer]

Read the post before yours- under the bed is NOT an option.

On the permanent bed: the Campster bed is originally about 72 by 76 or something like that, longer front to back. To get in you have to climb in from the "hallway" or galley. As I'm not 6 feet tall, I can sleep sideways, so what I did was put a 3/4 mattress (6 foot by 48 inches wide) across the width of the trailer. That leaves the two 24x24 inch seats (I got cushions for them from another member's Casita side dinette.) I already had the mattress which was custom made for a 3/4 bed (antique 4-poster) that I own, but was a bit too small for that. It's basically just a good quality foam mattress.

To add a more level surface and good support (no sag in the middle) I left the table top in place as a support but added plywood crosswise over the seats. I made cuts in the seat lids so the last 24 inches still opens for storage but there is currently no way, without removing the mattress and boards, to access the front 4 feet of storage.

I really don't use those seats as seats. As they are a bit lower than the bed, though, my dog does use them as a jump up to the bed, so the one on the trailer's right I keep pretty uncovered. The other side has traditionally been where my "stuff" sits in camp. Duffle bag, iPad, etc. This didn't leave a very good place to put things like a cup of coffee or soda or eyeglasses at night, so one of my goals with the storage drawers is to double as a bed table.

I could travel with them under the bed, but I already have other things under the bed. I definitely don't want my clothes stuffed under the bed when I'm in camp.

[Bobbie Mayer]

It worked pretty well to put the two drawers on the floor next to the bed during travel- easy to pick them up and put them in place when I stop for the night- but I still want to find a way to hold them in place. Didn't have time before the last trip. I did enjoy not packing a lot of stuff on the trailer floor so I could use it if I wanted to while traveling, and that's why I'd rather have the drawers also stay where they are used.

They work really great for clothes and as a bedtable. Perfect fit, drawers work easily, and I can remove them and take them upstairs to pack the clothes (or could take them in to a laundry as they have handles.)

And Jack enjoyed having the underbed area free! (Well, he had to crawl past a few things but then he had room to stretch out.)