Living small in a teardrop means organization. Everything has to have a place...and a little diciplin of putting things back where they need to go. Failure to do this will result in frustration. Back in the day we were able to find small totes and bags a bit easier, or at least the options were a bit more visible even in the stores. But for some reason when we started our search to refresh our new Ultra 560, we have not been able to find luggage bags. We found ourselves looking at dollar stores and "5 below" finding the best options for us were children's backpacks. Which of course were sadly made in china to a very low price point...meaning no dourability. What we were looking for is a 12" x 6" x 6" bag with a zipper closure around the top edge along the long and 1 short side and simply were unable I've got pretty good google foo, and generally can find what I'm looking for quickly --- my wife is better than I am --- we we both were coming up empty. We finally cracked it --- the key to this stuff is alternative use items that are designed for some other purrpose. Finally we cracked it. And as obvious as it is, for some reason we were blind to it....the magic term was "Shoe Bag" which got us exactly what we needed. We settled on this item - right approximate size, the zipper top we wanted, and as a bonus vented sides to allow easy visability to contents without having to open the bag. 2 bags allows adequate room for 4-5 days of "delicates", socks, and T-Shirts. We then store jeans and pants in the storage bay behind the seat in our 560. By the way, with the heater, I can tell you its very nice to slip into warm jeans in the winter Just don't store your chocolate there. 2 bags fit comfortably on either of the upper cabinets without crowding. Giving still a little mroe room for a shaving kit or maybe even a rolled up pair of jeans or sweatpants for the night run to the shower house. Hope this helps some of the new owners...
Always interesting to hear how others do it. I can't speak for Lisa's half of the trailer, but I can usually fit 2 weeks worth of clothing in the two aft cabinets above my feet. T-shirts get rolled (not folded!), pants and shorts get stacked, and socks get paired up and stuffed next to the underwear. I keep a heavy field jacket in the forward compartment behind the sofa, along with either a heavy flannel shirt or a light fleece jacket. Shaving kit stays in the back seat of the truck, since I don't like anything with potential smells in the people spaces (we camp in grizzly country periodically).
We bought a bunch of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XJXP38T/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_0CEYWNKFVV0NDVCBPREP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 for the family. On our first trip we had clothes for the four of us mixed up all over the place, so this will hopefully keep my kids socks separated. We bring a laundry bag and dirty clothes go in the tow vehicle.
We looked at the packing cubes --- but the size wasn't right --- at least in every one we looked at. The shoe bags I found are nigh on perfect. Sit on their sides and they leav eabout 3 inches at the front so the door can close with the shaving kit & sweatpants. My bay has the electronic FM antenna in it -- so I rally want to have room so nothing can possibly get in its way.... One nice thing about where we are --- no bears around here. Or at least so few that it isn't an issue, I've only ever seen 2 or 3 in my whole life here. Especially at state parks where theres a lot of noise...boondocking in Kentuckky --- might be a different discussion If I were to roll and stack shirts, underwear, and socks I could probably fit a couple weeks in that storage bay -- but its my experience when I do that it takes daily re-organization, the bags for me act as separateion and organization. You are right though...ROLL, don't fold. Its AMAZING how much more you can fit in any bag by rolling!!!!
Mike, thats a great tip. I'll have ta review some of the old guard threads here on CampInn-ing in grizz country... I agree on food in vehicle, generally as it seems the problem bears in the western parks have learned to break into cars, specifically... far fewer than in "alien craft like CampInn" other than per one account- "the bear whumped the top like it was a dumpster..." Now the interesting question in real bear country is "where to cook, in the galley, or someplace separate... like backpacking- sleep in tent far from the cooking area/tent, and food and toothpaste etc goes in the bear device high in the trees. hmmm...can easily swing both ways...on lodge cast iron using a fire nearby or cook aways off with light backpack gear to cook, keep galley more or less "clean" and closed. Just an interesting question for later...when approaching the high country... -Pilgrim, out.
Bears are a major reason I prefer to keep my cooking simple. That and the fact I can't cook. LoL! I still love having that stove and how it is well protected from the wind. But a microwave and boiling water for other basics suits me just fine. No fears that any bacon grease or spaghetti sauce will manage to elude my cleaning efforts like they do at home. ;-) Heading for black bear country Sunday and grizzly country in the fall. Those bears won't be looking for me.
I run a coffee maker off a solar generator. The same sogen also runs an electric egg cooker. I make toast on the CI gas grill. No muss, no fuss!
