Stuff - Do you use it?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Storage seems to be a big issue with a lot of RVers. Storage to put more stuff seems to be in demand, even to the extent that at least one person was contemplating towing a second trailer to haul the stuff. So here's the question:

Of all the "stuff" you carry how much have you actually used?

How much do you use each trip?

Just curious.

[Donna D.]

I'm one of those that packs/unpacks a lot of stuff. Depending on what the camping trip entails (group events like NOG), I'll pack a bit differently than I would if I was going off on my own. Based on that, I can honestly say I use most of the stuff I pack. Sure, I don't always use the hatchet, and maybe some of the cooking gear, but I don't always pack the E-Z-Up nor extra tables when I don't think I'll need them either.

Now clothing.... that's a different story

[Chester Taje]

Stuff------good subject.
This year i only took with me what i really knew what could/would come in handy for daily use or emergency. One small item i carried was a set of allan keys, because awing had allan key screws.

It took me a while to really know what to take but it was worth the effort. I think most of us just carry to much stuff/junk with us most of the time.

[Anne H]

Good question - I've been thinking about such things a lot lately - especially as I emptied the Escape last weekend for it's annual cleanup - wondering where in the world I found space for all that stuff in my house!! I've never even come close to filling up the Escape - but I'm still thinking of ways to cut down!!

I don't use a lot of what I pack most of the time -

• Emergency Stuff: well, by definition I don't use it often, but that stuff will stay - and hopefully, I'll have the right stuff when I need it! I really only carry what I know how to use.
• Kitchen Stuff: I usually use only a few things - but, I like not having to remember to pack all the extra stuff if I'm going to be doing potlucks or having company - I could trim that stuff down quite a bit with a bit more planning.
• Clothes: don't generally over-pack with clothes - all it takes is a day or two of rain to be very glad of everything I did pack!
• Bedding: I do pack a winter bag for spring/fall in case it gets really cold AND my heater fails. It came in handy when I forgot to tell a friend to bring her own beddding this fall
• Toys: kites, sketching stuff, musical instruments, camera - probably bring more than I use - but they don't take up a lot of room. Actually, I keep adding to this category (bike, kayak, golf clubs . . . ), so I'll have to be careful.
• Food: A friend I took camping this fall remarked that I had more food in the Escape than she had in her whole house Of course, she is quite the minimalist and by the end of the week, she was wondering why I didn't have a wine rack but . . . . I do tend to pack for getting stuck in the winter for an undetermined amount of time - lots of staples. I never even come close to running out!
• Decor: here I am truly a minimalist - after several NOG's, I feel I must add a bit of creative decoration to my 'still-looks-like-it-just-came-from-the-factory' egg.
• Camping reference books - well, I have a ton of them and mostly only look at them before I leave on a trip. I should probably keep them in the house and only take them for extended trips where I know I'll be changing my mind and route a million times.
• Dog Stuff - well, you can never have too many towels, dog treats, or x-pens!!

[Frederick L. Simson]

Good question, Byron!

We have equipped the kitchen of the Fiber Stream rather completely, and the family chef requires it, and I (not being the family chef) do not question it. He is rather judicious in packing food items specifically for carefully planned meals. We keep coffee items stocked all the time.

I tend to over pack clothing, which is selected before each trip. I have not approached exceeding closet capacity yet, however. (If there's room for it, it will come.)

The Fiber Stream has it's own bed linens and towel sets, at least 2 of each item. Enough to get us through a 2 week trip with only one laundry pit stop.

My solar panels and 2nd group 27 battery are only needed for boondocking. I usually store them in the trailer. I am considering leaving them behind during the next trip to a full hook-up campsite.

[Greg A]

We've gotten pretty good at this for our first year. Our time to leave the house each trip has gone steadily down as more and more "stuff" stays packed in the Scamp.

Like Frederick the Scamp has its own bedding, and towels which we wash after each trip and put right back in the bench storage so it's ready to go. We each have a shelf in the closet and that is what clothes you can pack. Most clothes are duplicates now and stay packed in the Scamp closet.

Fortunately, we only have two kids and each gets a storage bin on each side under the couch. They can only pack their toys and lots of board games that will fit in their bin, which has been more than enough.

All dry foods, coffee, tea, plates, cups, forks are always stocked and we only need to add fresh produce and meats either before we leave or shop after arriving at destination.

I have a floor to ceiling rack in the garage where all the camping stuff is stored.(chairs, cooler, stove, awning, bbq, propane, etc.) I just pull off the rack whatever is needed for the destination we're going to, then we unload that stuff back to the rack when we get home.

So far, only thing we seem to have too much of is food, everything else seems to get used and has always been what we needed.

Now that school is back in we like to be hitched and ready to leave on Friday at 4pm right after kids get home and pull an hour or so to Sedona, Cottonwood, or Flagstaff area for short weekends. Works pretty well if you don't take too much "stuff."

[Pete Dumbleton]

If you really want to get into stuf, try FullTiming for a while... Chester, I always carry a pretty complete tool box (happens to have two sets of Allen wrenches, metric and SAE) because I presume I will need something when I am a long way from elsewhere...

Donna, I had a hatchet for a while and then replaced it with a full ax. It's awkward to use it as a hatchet, but I realized it was too easy to hit myself in the leg with the hatchet...

[Robert Brummett]

I go very light. Coupla cans of soup, box of crackers, tin of coffee. One change of clothes. A wrench, a screwdriver, a hammer. Bar of soap. Nothing else.

Yeah.

Right.