arrrgh! New fulltimer.

[cyndi H]

I am on my 4th try at arranging and nothing is working. I HATE the roundness and if i could do it again i wouldnt buy a boler. (Gasp!) The round corners suck for space arrangement. i dont have time or energy to be making fancy curved shelves. On the up side, got the pump working, the fridge working, and the shore water to stop leaking. Now if i could just arrange my clothes and small appliances as well as a place to sit i'd be in heaven. I had to put the double bed out. The bunks were the solution to the storage sitting issue, but i couldnt sleep. In the bottom bunk i couldnt turn over w/o hitting my elbows on the ceiling or open my laptop b/c it would hit the roof too, and on the top bunk i couldnt turn over w/o hitting the wall. Not to mention being so close i feared i'd fall off edge. I will say it. the design sucks from a practical sense. Cute yes, functional no. I wont give up......I need pics of full time layouts please. Help!

[Pam Garlow]

Maybe a 16'er is more what you need. I love my little 13foot, but I use it on weekends. I could not fulltime in it. I'd need something with a little more elbow room... maybe even a scamp 5th wheel.

[Greg H]

You shouldn't be on the top bunk anyway, unless you are a real little petite thing, I love my round trailer, maybe you have too much stuff with you.

[Mike Magee]

Perhaps you should dismount the seat-back cushion (or replace it) and remove the 'top bunk' assembly altogether. Attach a fishnet to the ceiling and stow your back cushion in there when sleeping, and if you want to sit there during daytime just grab the cushion and put it into place for you to sit back against.

[Pam Garlow]

Mike's post about the bunk is true. I took off my bunk that folded down as a backrest for the seat, and then reworked the cushion to fit the (now much wider) seat area. This gives me a very comfortable sleeping bench at the front, and I can leave the table set up at the back.
I haven't tried the fishnet storage, but that is a great idea!

[Marg]

I had my son build me a platform to pull out about a foot which gives me plenty of room to turn over on when sleeping. It also gives my little terrier more room to sleep. She insists on sleeping with me when we travel. I'll get a picture soon. He used USB and three legs. One leg is right against the refrigerator, one leg is a little over 1/2 way across and the third leg is near the door. I am going to cover the USB contact paper which will hopefully make it easier to pull out and make it slippery and will protect the cushion from snagging and protect the fiberglass underneath. The only thing I will have to remember is to pull the porta-potti out from underneath before I go to bed. No problem. I glued four pieces of foam together and covered it with two pillow cases. This mattress extension will also make a good cushion to lean against when using the bunk for a seat during the day. The top bunk I keep stored in my house, just in case I would ever want to use it again. Marg in NW California

[cyndi H]

Originally Posted by Pam Garlow

Maybe a 16'er is more what you need. I love my little 13foot, but I use it on weekends. I could not full time in it. I'd need something with a little more elbow room... maybe even a scamp 5th wheel.

I don't think bigger is my solution, although it may be in the future. Any size in the future will be square. Ive actually got a lot of empty space in here (I'm good with space planning) its just so much of it is unusable b/c of the roundness. drawers and counters don't fit in tight b/c they hit one curve or another. Tomorrow i seek more stackable drawers.

[cyndi H]

I fit, just hit the wall with elbows when turning over. too high up there for me.

[cyndi H]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Perhaps you should dismount the seat-back cushion (or replace it) and remove the 'top bunk' assembly altogether. Attach a fishnet to the ceiling and stow your back cushion in there when sleeping, and if you want to sit there during daytime just grab the cushion and put it into place for you to sit back against.

I don't want to make any design changes to it b/c i did a lot of work on it to get it versatile for camping luxury. However, i took it out of camping mode and into f/t mode. It wont be forever (better not be) so i want to be able to use it as a camper again. i see a square trailer in the future....

[cyndi H]

Originally Posted by Marg

I had my son build me a platform to pull out about a foot which gives me plenty of room to turn over on when sleeping. It also gives my little terrier more room to sleep. She insists on sleeping with me when we travel. I'll get a picture soon. He used USB and three legs. One leg is right against the refrigerator, one leg is a little over 1/2 way across and the third leg is near the door. I am going to cover the USB contact paper which will hopefully make it easier to pull out and make it slippery and will protect the cushion from snagging and protect the fiberglass underneath. The only thing I will have to remember is to pull the porta-potti out from underneath before I go to bed. No problem. I glued four pieces of foam together and covered it with two pillow cases. This mattress extension will also make a good cushion to lean against when using the bunk for a seat during the day. The top bunk I keep stored in my house, just in case I would ever want to use it again. Marg in NW California

I'd love to see pics. My space problem down there was head room. i couldn't turn over w/o hitting elbows on the roof of the bunk. i also couldn't open my laptop in bed b/c it hit the roof too. My bunk supports also bugged me, too close to the face. Tmrw i go to my locker to get my feather bed. oh yeah. Its actually usable just so much wasted space from all the curves.

[cyndi H]

The funny thing is b/c i was so busy with the move and getting the trailer organized i forgot about the local rally. i cant go b/c its way too much work to switch the trailer over from f/t to camp mode. plus, I'm a little tired of 'camping' So, I'm going, but staying in a b and b nearby. lol

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by cyndi H

I am on my 4th try at arranging and nothing is working. I HATE the roundness and if i could do it again i wouldnt buy a boler. (Gasp!) The round corners suck for space arrangement. i dont have time or energy to be making fancy curved shelves. On the up side, got the pump working, the fridge working, and the shore water to stop leaking. Now if i could just arrange my clothes and small appliances as well as a place to sit i'd be in heaven. I had to put the double bed out. The bunks were the solution to the storage sitting issue, but i couldnt sleep. In the bottom bunk i couldnt turn over w/o hitting my elbows on the ceiling or open my laptop b/c it would hit the roof too, and on the top bunk i couldnt turn over w/o hitting the wall. Not to mention being so close i feared i'd fall off edge. I will say it. the design sucks from a practical sense. Cute yes, functional no. I wont give up......I need pics of full time layouts please. Help!

Boyoboyoboy, do I know what you're talking about!
As cute as they are, Bolers are not easy spaces to work with...
I had one for a few minutes before I found my Trillium and though I hated to see the little Boler go down the driveway, I really appreciate the extra square inches in the Trillium
Sometimes an inch or two is the difference between comfort and frustration...

Francesca

[Darnelle]

My "someday" Wish List includes an old Trillium to restore, partially because it is more square than Scamp or Boler. For now we need the room a 16-footer offers. Tons of storage, but that's partially due to having the front closet instead of a bath. We have the SD and keep the rear dinette made into a bed (with extra foam) and store our clothes underneath. Have an extra shelf above the bed installed between the factory side cubicules. Made changes to the large cupboard over the frig for more efficient storage and added a storage area at the side of the frig for campfire tools. We don't fulltime, but we are 2 adults, 1 human child and 1 95-lb. canine child. Everyday items are reached without moving anything else.

[Francesca Knowles]

Hi, Darnelle

I know what you mean about maximizing storage space- the closet in my Trillium is our pantry!
We travel with a dog- person, too, and often with our two grandkids.
We even get to sleep in the trailer if the kids don't bring a couple of friends along...
When they do, Grandma and Grandpa sleep in a tent
The best storage improvement I ever made was to install outside access doors at all four corners of the trailer. No more unloading benches to get at the storage underneath!
All of our outside "camp" gear is readily accessible (including the "spare room" tent).
We even keep long things like oars, fishing poles, and umbrellas up front where the bench extends across the trailer.
Love it!

Francesca

[Darnelle]

Yep, outside doors to access the room under the rear dinette/bed is on the list! Right now we store almost nothing in the benches due to the hassles of trying to lift the cushions, foam and all the bedding (we don't like sleeping bags, want "regular" bedding.)

When precious daughter gets to the age of bringing a friend along, someone will be sleeping on the floor -- but it won't be one of us adults!

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Darnelle

Yep, outside doors to access the room under the rear dinette/bed is on the list! Right now we store almost nothing in the benches due to the hassles of trying to lift the cushions, foam and all the bedding (we don't like sleeping bags, want "regular" bedding.)

When precious daughter gets to the age of bringing a friend along, someone will be sleeping on the floor -- but it won't be one of us adults!

Darnelle,

Here's a tip from Cheapskate Central!
The access doors you see in the picture below are actually fridge vent covers- about $27.00 apiece when I bought them a few years back...
Not only were they MUCH cheaper than official "luggage compartment" doors, they were the only doors I could find that fit the area available.
You can see that I had to install my running lights on the door faces, but I wanted to replace the originals with the LED's in the picture anyway, so that was no big deal...

Francesca

..................................................

[Darnelle]

Thank you Francesca! I've only looked at boat supply dealers for compartment doors and the prices were ouch! Did you block the venting, or am I not seeing the photo correctly?

[Robin G]

Cyndi, How long have you been full timing in it? It may take some time to find what works best where and what needs to go.

I understand you have to use it for now, but truly it wasn't made to be full timed in. I am sure you understand that. Not fair to blame the trailer!


As important as finding the perfect rv for someones full timing needs would be down sizing as well. I understand you want certain luxury's with you. But honestly your trailer isn't made for the luxury's as well as living in it. As you know there is only so much space in a 13ft Boler. It may take time, but eventually you will find what works for you. But just a gentle suggestion is you might be trying to have to much stuff with you in a 13 ft trailer.

[honda03842]

Cyndi,
Full timing requires configuring the trailer for the full time life style and changing your view of what it takes to survive happily in a small space.

Unfortunately almost no one manufacturers a trailer for the full time life style. Obviously with the bunk configuration you have, the trailer was designed for a family, two adults and two (well behaved) small children.

We have a Scamp 16; it is layed out similarly to your rig, front couch/bunk and rear dinette. One difference is that it has a side bath and larger kitchen.

We have decided to sleep on the dinette and make it into a bed each night. We have replaced the dinette table top with a smaller table top. This makes the dinette easier to sit at. You could do the same thing, since it sounds like you are alone, and have a small table you could quickly drop down to make a bed for one of any width (the width of the table).

I'm not knowledgeable of the Boler, but like most trailers their is a lot of storage space. Generally it just needs to be made handy to use. For example in one side of our dinette bench there is nothing. Unfortunately the only access is thru the top.

To make use easier we are putting three side-by-side draws in it. Each draw contains a plastic bin with cover. Three of these are adequate for all my wife's clothes except for one or two semi dress outfits she carries.

We also have two more bins that fit under the center of the front couch.

One other potential storage space addition for us is one end of the couch. We are building a cabinet that will go over one end of the couch (so our legs can still fit under it. for jeans and sweater storage. We carry no winter clothes or heavy jackets even when going north, layering instead with sweaters and the like.

Unlike many on these sites we carry little in the way of pots and pans. We carry two frying pans, one pasta pot, one corning wear dish with cover and one small pan. As well we carry a collapsible strainer. We have no micro wave, no mixer, no oven, no electric frying pan, no stove top skillet. We do have an electric coffee pot and a toaster. If we were to add one thing it would be a small, slow cooker.

I do plan to add two small storage containers to the rear bumper for hoses and the like.

We do carry two computers, a net book and a laptop. As well we have a wireless hotspot. Being gone so long the computer allows us to do most everything from movies, banking, news and just staying in touch.

It turns out the refigerators are small so you'll be shopping a lot so in general there's not a lot of reason to carry a lot of food, though when we're going really out of the way we carry a little more.

As to things like bedding and towels. We carry one change of sheets, two blankets, one electric and an additional one for boondocking. We have each have a bath towel and a beach towel.

For shoes we each have a pair of Keens, good general purpose hiking and even dress shoes, a pair of sneakers and Ginny carries a pair of dress shoes. We each have rain jackets and a sweater or the like in the car, useful when out hiking about (as well we have a small backpack in the car for the same reason).

I agree the corners are a pain, but anything made is a one time event. It's possible to buy cabinets for over the dinette or over the couch for the Boler that will greatly extend your storage. If you're interested I'll dig up the name of a rather nice guy who sells them for you and other Boler parts.

Of all the suggestions the table one is very easy to do and would provide you with a comfortable sleeping area that you could setup in minutes.

I could write on this subject for a long time and would be happy to answer any specific questions. Please do not hesitate to send me a private email for any reason. If you want instructions for a smaller table let me know.

It's a great life and welcome.

Norm

[cyndi H]

I have a lot to learn. My under bed storage is empty! everything i have i need out b/c i use it everyday. i cleared out all my camping gear to make way for the living stuff. i think i found the way that will work the best though. the only problem is a desk/table. Ive left the bottom dinette table out under the top bunk but cant open the laptop on it. I may have to get slider hardware.