Storage ideas for Casita Spirit Deluxe

[Lisa M.]

I’ve had “four-foot-itis” for a year or two now, but it appears a new trailer is not in the works anytime soon, so I have been nailing down what frustrates me about my Casita that CAN BE changed and addressing those issues.

Storage is a frustration because I’m not a stuff person and I can’t stand clutter and things just laying around. These things do not bother my husband, however! I am not talking mods including drilling and riveting, so maybe the term is is “hack”.

Some ideas I’ve seen others do and wondered, “Now why haven’t I thought of that?” and got busy and did: platforms on legs that go inside cabinets to make a second shelf. Huge help! Suction hooks OUTSIDE the trailer to hang towels and whatever. A magazine storage box holding foil, plastic wrap. etc., that fits perfectly under the sink in front of the wheel well. A hanging cloth pocket organizer on the other side of the bathroom wall to corral all the little stuff.

Our bed is in the permanent down position with two large containers under it that hold winter coats, an additional down comforter, and all linens. I also did copy someone years ago and built a magazine rack between the side seats (back when I wasn’t afraid to drill).

Does anyone have other ideas to share? Thank you!

[alan H]

Back when I had a freedom deluxe I copied someone else idea and built a open little wall ( for lack of a better desk)
That utilized the space below the table to store laptop/kindle books/ dog food etc on that 6” wide raceway also added a couple of inexpensive slideout drawers under the table

[Lisa M.]

I do have a wooden crate underneath that we keep our shoes in, and we move it into the aisle when we’re at the table so there is room for our feet. You may have been able to work a little different setup with the captain’s chairs. Thank you for the idea though!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Lisa M.

I’ve had “four-foot-itis” for a year or two now, but it appears a new trailer is not in the works anytime soon, so I have been nailing down what frustrates me about my Casita that CAN BE changed and addressing those issues.

Storage is a frustration because I’m not a stuff person and I can’t stand clutter and things just laying around. These things do not bother my husband, however! I am not talking mods including drilling and riveting, so maybe the term is is “hack”.

Some ideas I’ve seen others do and wondered, “Now why haven’t I thought of that?” and got busy and did: platforms on legs that go inside cabinets to make a second shelf. Huge help! Suction hooks OUTSIDE the trailer to hang towels and whatever. A magazine storage box holding foil, plastic wrap. etc., that fits perfectly under the sink in front of the wheel well. A hanging cloth pocket organizer on the other side of the bathroom wall to corral all the little stuff.

Our bed is in the permanent down position with two large containers under it that hold winter coats, an additional down comforter, and all linens. I also did copy someone years ago and built a magazine rack between the side seats (back when I wasn’t afraid to drill).

Does anyone have other ideas to share? Thank you!

I would suggest you try backpacking for a couple years. Read all the backpacking books you can learn
about how to minimize. You don't need a bigger trailer just a better utilization of space on the one have.

I have a 13' Scamp and it has more storage space that I can fill. So it can be done. You just have to put your mind to it and not try to take whole house full of stuff.

[Dudley]

First thing to do is pull everything and I mean everything out of the trailer and sort out what you have not used in the last year. As far as simple mods, I installed 3 shelves in the closet which are used for dry goods such as cereal and other food stuffs. We ditched the microwave and freed up that cupboard and installed dollar store racks with legs for a second shelf which holds food and spices. I bought dollar store plastic cake tins and cut them in half which are screwed and double-faced taped to the closet and sink door for small stuff. Also used the cake tins for drawers under the side table for odds and ends. Our area under the rear table is used for the cats litter box so we cannot put anything back there. I removed the slant board on the floor of the closet and put the wires in a plastic conduit box thus freeing up floor area in the closet. The slant board under the side table was also removed and replace by a small shelf and we store some tools and such there. I will probably make some shelving under the sink sometime in the future.

BTW we went fro a 13" Ventura to the 17SD. We were shocked when we unloaded the Ventura as to how much stuff we had in that 13' that would not fit in the Casita. Most of it was stuff we really didn't need. We went on a 4 week trip to the Yukon and a 6 week trip to the Maritime provinces and had no trouble. We love our 17SD and we are always looking in dollar stores for storage ideas. We tow with a 2004 F150 and I rigged up a slide out bed in the truck so it gets used for the small BBQ, 2 burner coleman, propane bottle table and chairs. Also have racks for my RC planes for our trips for flying.

We also use microfiber towels as the take up far less room (we have 4). We take enough cloths for a week tops and do laundry at campgrounds or laundromats along the way.

Bottom line is, its your trailer and make it your own. Don't be afraid of doing something to improve it or make it more practical. Its 21 years old (same as ours) and a face lift will do it wonders!

[ssatkinson]

I made a double tier sling that hung on suction cup hooks under our bathroom sink in our '04 SD for our microfiber towels. Also IKEA has suction cup bins that work well on the walls, and I stored plastic shoe bins on either side of the toilet with TP, shoes, laundry pods, etc. Added an extra towel rack on large pipe in bath. I made storage pouches for both back corners (glasses, flashlight, Kindle, etc.), also one for the carpeted bathroom wall, and either side of the dinette secured with drapery hooks. I also made mesh zipper bags the depth of the back overhead cabinets for clothing storage. We made sure our clothing could be easily rolled (dry fit, etc.) and took layers for trips where weather would range from 30-90 degrees. Rollable space bags for bulky clothing, stored over back bed. Stackable pots for cooking, took out microwave for storage. Took 3 plates, 3 bowls,2 insulated cups, and a stainless steel bowl that served for mixing/storage. Stored a child size broom behind the fire extinguisher and fly swatter on a hook above that. Closet shelves. Took out large dinette table since bed was permanent, made support from 3/4" plywood which made it easier to store stuff under. Command hooks in kitchen, extra rack on back wall for spices. Oh, and magnetic paper towel holder on end of range hood. Just be creative, and try to make as many items multi-use as possible! Had our Casita for 5 years and several extended trips. After each one we reassessed what we used a lot and took out stuff that we didn't. Cooked mainly outdoors, used a small tackle box for cooking utensils and that stored easily and could stay outdoors. BBQ, camp chairs, screen room in back of Nissan Frontier and suitcase solar rode on bed. We limited our loading to 250-300 lbs, and it is amazing how that makes you rethink what you pack! There were some trips we had empty storage bins!

[Walt]

One of the first things I did was to lengthen the silverware drawer to take advantage of the wasted space behind the original drawer.

[sypfautz]

Do you have any photos of these additions you mentioned? Particularly the storage pouches and mesh zipper bags?

Originally Posted by ssatkinson

I made a double tier sling that hung on suction cup hooks under our bathroom sink in our '04 SD for our microfiber towels. Also IKEA has suction cup bins that work well on the walls, and I stored plastic shoe bins on either side of the toilet with TP, shoes, laundry pods, etc. Added an extra towel rack on large pipe in bath. I made storage pouches for both back corners (glasses, flashlight, Kindle, etc.), also one for the carpeted bathroom wall, and either side of the dinette secured with drapery hooks. I also made mesh zipper bags the depth of the back overhead cabinets for clothing storage. We made sure our clothing could be easily rolled (dry fit, etc.) and took layers for trips where weather would range from 30-90 degrees. Rollable space bags for bulky clothing, stored over back bed. Stackable pots for cooking, took out microwave for storage. Took 3 plates, 3 bowls,2 insulated cups, and a stainless steel bowl that served for mixing/storage. Stored a child size broom behind the fire extinguisher and fly swatter on a hook above that. Closet shelves. Took out large dinette table since bed was permanent, made support from 3/4" plywood which made it easier to store stuff under. Command hooks in kitchen, extra rack on back wall for spices. Oh, and magnetic paper towel holder on end of range hood. Just be creative, and try to make as many items multi-use as possible! Had our Casita for 5 years and several extended trips. After each one we reassessed what we used a lot and took out stuff that we didn't. Cooked mainly outdoors, used a small tackle box for cooking utensils and that stored easily and could stay outdoors. BBQ, camp chairs, screen room in back of Nissan Frontier and suitcase solar rode on bed. We limited our loading to 250-300 lbs, and it is amazing how that makes you rethink what you pack! There were some trips we had empty storage bins!

[jimiller5]

I turned the slant board under the table to an upright position for shoe storage. I did have to drill two holes to install small 90 degree angle brackets.

[Jimmy J]

Originally Posted by Dudley

First thing to do is pull everything and I mean everything out of the trailer and sort out what you have not used in the last year. As far as simple mods, I installed 3 shelves in the closet which are used for dry goods such as cereal and other food stuffs. We ditched the microwave and freed up that cupboard and installed dollar store racks with legs for a second shelf which holds food and spices. I bought dollar store plastic cake tins and cut them in half which are screwed and double-faced taped to the closet and sink door for small stuff. Also used the cake tins for drawers under the side table for odds and ends. Our area under the rear table is used for the cats litter box so we cannot put anything back there. I removed the slant board on the floor of the closet and put the wires in a plastic conduit box thus freeing up floor area in the closet. The slant board under the side table was also removed and replace by a small shelf and we store some tools and such there. I will probably make some shelving under the sink sometime in the future.

BTW we went fro a 13" Ventura to the 17SD. We were shocked when we unloaded the Ventura as to how much stuff we had in that 13' that would not fit in the Casita. Most of it was stuff we really didn't need. We went on a 4 week trip to the Yukon and a 6 week trip to the Maritime provinces and had no trouble. We love our 17SD and we are always looking in dollar stores for storage ideas. We tow with a 2004 F150 and I rigged up a slide out bed in the truck so it gets used for the small BBQ, 2 burner coleman, propane bottle table and chairs. Also have racks for my RC planes for our trips for flying.

We also use microfiber towels as the take up far less room (we have 4). We take enough cloths for a week tops and do laundry at campgrounds or laundromats along the way.

Bottom line is, its your trailer and make it your own. Don't be afraid of doing something to improve it or make it more practical. Its 21 years old (same as ours) and a face lift will do it wonders!

Dudley,
I love your interior woodwork. What a great "updating" job.

[Dudley]

Originally Posted by Jimmy J

Dudley,
I love your interior woodwork. What a great "updating" job.

Thanks, the bonus is the weight reduction as the pine doors were 1/3 the weight of the "Casita Oak" and does really adds some charm to it. My previous Ventura was totally done in pine and it was our little "cabin on wheels". I would love to see it again but it went to Fort St John BC and the guy hasn't been on here for years.

[Casita Greg]

I created more usable closet space by adding shelves, and a door hanger, sewed up out of Herculite tarp material, for some smaller items. I also added a floor in the closet at the level of the bottom of the door, and cut a new access in underneath it with a new door of it's own.

And I added a shelf in the cabinet under the sink for long rolls of foil, wax paper, parchment paper, zip-lock bags, etc. Nice and deep for those small, but long, items. I also got rid of the "P" trap drain and installed a HepVo on the drain line next to the side wall to free up more space vertically.

[Casita Greg]

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my Stow-Away rear hitch mounted storage box. Great place for all those bulky things like sewer hose and fittings, (coiled up in a 5 Gal plastic bucket,) patio mat, chocks, jack pads, hoses, cords, small rake, shovel, hatchet, etc.
Great way to add some "trunk space" for those things.

[ssatkinson]

I don’t have pics of pouches, as the person who bought our Casita wanted them badly so I sent them with her. The fabrics matched the quilts I had made for the bed. Basically they were just pockets, though-the rear corner was about 10” tall, and had one horizontal pocket the full width on the bottom half and a divided pocket on top. I had another next to the dinette window customized for my Kindle, keys, and glasses, and a third on the dinette wall shard with the bathroom. It went nearly the full width of the wall and was about 10” tall, divided into 3 pockets all in a row. I got the idea from the good old hanging shower organizers.
The packing cubes were from a free pattern online. I revised the dimensions to fit the overhead bins. Some had mesh tops, some fabric as I used what I had on hand! I even found zippers at the thrift store! They are easy to make.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

I created more usable closet space by adding shelves

Are those the closet shelves that Orbital used to sell?

[Ericka O]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

I also added a floor in the closet at the level of the bottom of the door, and cut a new access in underneath it with a new door of it's own.

I would LOVE to do this in our Casita. Where did you find a door and hardware to match all the rest? Thanks.

[Jennifer Minogue]

This is made from an Ikea shelf. I put the dishes on it and put hooks on the front to hold a rod for paper towels. This leaves the table below free for cooking, prep, etc.

[Rzrbrn]

When we had the Casita we did exactly what Dudley did in post #5. Also had a camper shell on the Tundra, which helped a lot. Put a Honda 3000 generator over the propane tanks, so the box of the TT had plenty of room in which to store things.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Are those the closet shelves that Orbital used to sell?

I don't know about Orbital, because I have never bought any shelving from them, but, if my memory serves me, I believe that you used to produce these shelves a while back. I bought my set from another person on the Casita Forum several years ago, off the "for sale" page. They originally purchased them, but never installed them, and I bought the set from them.

[Casita Greg]

Originally Posted by Ericka O

I would LOVE to do this in our Casita. Where did you find a door and hardware to match all the rest? Thanks.

Actually, the lower "door" for my new accessible space below the large front cabinet door was the "cutting board" provided by Casita, which originally sat over the galley sink. I would never use that particle board for prepping anything on that I would eat, but it worked well to fashion into a new hatch door for my lower cabinet. The pop-up latches are available on-line. I bought a bag of them on Amazon. The hinges are standard 1/2" offset cabinet hinges, and can be found in the hardware section at any Lowes or Home Depot, etc.

If you don't have an extra piece of that "fake wood," that Casita uses, you could probably contact Casita and tell them what size piece you want. I'm sure they would sell you a chunk, but I can't say what shipping would cost.