Outfitting AS for FTing

[fr8tshaker]

Originally Posted by reodds

Hi Everyone,

My wife Linda and I are new to this forum, and new to RVing.

We need all the information we can get, and this seems like a great place to begin.

After much research, we have decided that an AS 31' Classic is the way to go for us, towed by a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel truck, since we want to fulltime as soon as we can.

Our main question is how do you plan on what clothing to take, and where is it all stored? Even the 31' sems a bit short on storage (no, we don't want a 5er). We want to travel all over the US, and since we have a place in Florida will stay there during the winter venturing north when the weather is warmer than now!

Thanks for all of your help, and a great forum!

Roger & Linda

Roger and Linda,

Everyone is different. With that said, the approach we took was to just use alot of our household items in our unit until we attended some rallies and campouts with other 'streamers.

This approach kept us from wasting hard earned $$$ on items that did not work that we would soon regret purchasing. It was a nuisance at times, like my SS copper bottomed pots and pans with long handles, but in the end we got a lot of ideas on what would work great for us.

'shaker

[reodds]

Thanks 'shaker! I don't want to be rude, but I understand about taking "hardware", my question was more about what cloths to take, and where to store them?

The AS really doesn't seem to allow a lot of storage compared to say a fifth wheel.
That was our major concern.

[BrockLives]

Thanks for posting this, Fr8t. Very well thought out hoses, and that foldable camping grill rocks! More things for my Amazon Wishlist..

[vswingfield]

I have a few items similar but slightly different from ’shaker. I also have the Corelle square dinnerware, but instead of white I have the Simple Lines pattern.

I also have a Presto pressure cooker, but mine is the 6-Quart version. Same diameter, just a little taller. It is my sole large pan. I came with the strainer lid, and I also order a glass lid, a steamer basket, and a larger hardback cookbook from Presto.

I got one of the Endless Breeze fans after seeing hers. Great all-round fan.

I also have a 7 inch square Taste of Home electric skillet that is perfect for a quick grilled cheese or other one-person meals. I really use it all the time. It was a gift from ’shaker the last time I had dinner with them. Thanks!


and

Originally Posted by ArtStream

...

One of my favorite weight indulgences is

3: My 3 qt Le Creuset, enameled Dutch oven.
I use it for pasta, “no Kneed” bread, one pot meals and reheating.

4: An oven

Inspired by Michel, I just ordered a 3 qt enameled Dutch oven. I went with Lodge, though.


I have already posted on the “How Many People Actually Use Their Oven?” thread several times, so that is obviously one of my favorites.

[pattimarty]

Shaker....

great stuff. i'm a total newbie and appreciate the thought you put into your list. Definitely some good ideas that i hadn't thought about.

[fr8tshaker]

Hi,

Just thought I would kinda give an update on some things that are working out great for our unit.

Since I find the thought of drilling into my cabinets painful, I have opted for these over the cabinet door solutions. I got mine at Amazon (also submitted reviews there), but I think Ikea carries them as well as other places.

I purchased an over the cabinet door paper towel holder that I did not mount over the cabinet door. Instead I removed the two screws on one end of the window valance over the sinks in my galley. I placed the paper towel holder on it and reattached the valance. It is working out great. Seemed as if the free standing holder I had was always getting moved out of the way and was always in the wrong place when I needed it.

I added 2 nine inch over the cabinet door towel holders to the double doors below my sinks in the galley. Great for my dishcloth and dish towel.

I removed the towel ring that I had mounted in the bath on the angled part of the cabinet that is between the vanity door and shower. I found The hand towel I kept on it blocked the heating vent. I replaced it with an over the cabinet door towel ring below the vanity sink.

I have also been trying to find a good solution for a wastebasket in the galley so I can relace my slide out for the trash can with an additional slide out pantry. I went with the bamboo over the cabinet door wastebasket that I placed on the cabinet door of my credenza. This required a small modification to the wastebasket since the over the cabinet braces interfered with the door latch. The brackets on the waste basket unscrew to enable the unit to be screwed to a cabinet for a permanent mount. The screw holes for the permanent mount are closer together. I cut some of the lenght off of the over the cabinet brackets and drilled ahole into each of them and used a small nut and bolt to attach the brackets to the wastebasket. This placed them closer together and out of the way of the latch. A family member made a wood lid so we do not have to see or ,more importantly, smell the contents. I like this wastebasket more than I thought I would after I realized I can temporarily move it to one of the doors below the sink in the galley and just drop stuff right into it during meal prep.

None of these seem intrusive or hinder movement.

Hope others find these ideas helpful.

Happy trails
'shaker

[Lily&Me]

Our Interstate had one small towel bar on the bathroom door, period. Someone told us about these little items, which are as good as advertised.

RV Towel Bars

We have two of the larger and two smaller, which adhere tightly to the wetbath walls and required no drilling or permanent fixtures. On sunny days, you can pop them off and put them outside to dry your towels. Lovely!

Maggie

[darlingbooks]

fr8tshaker - Would like a little more info on the washer and dryer. How much time does a load take to wash and then dry. I just spent over $15 to do 1 weeks worth of laundry, 4 loads. The little units on your list are intreging.

Anne Marie

[fr8tshaker]

Originally Posted by darlingbooks

fr8tshaker - Would like a little more info on the washer and dryer. How much time does a load take to wash and then dry. I just spent over $15 to do 1 weeks worth of laundry, 4 loads. The little units on your list are intreging.

Anne Marie

The Wonder Washer has a timer that allows you to set it up to one hour. It also has a separate control for normal or gentle. I place my items in first then add the water to the line in the bucket portion. It takes just a little of liquid detergent since it is about a five gallon container. It has done a good job on our clothes like shorts and shirts, dish towels , under clothes and will wash one full size bath towel or one pair of jeans at a time. It also does one bed sheet at a time very well.The $50 price is easily recouped v.s. a laudromat, whick you already know. The motorized base stores in the wash bucket and easily fits under the bed.

The spin dryer is not a heated dryer. It works by centrifical force. It spins the items at a high rate of speed and wrings out most of the water just leaving them damp. It accomplishes this in 3 minutes or less, depending on the item. It does not cause distortion of the fabric like hand wringing does. During inclement weather I have placed the items I laundered on my foldable rack or placed them on hangers and then hang these on the rack to air dry, usually in the living area. and not had any dripping. I do place a plastic table cloth under the rack just it case, but as yet have not had a problem. I usually place a fan on low to help speed up the drying. Many lightweight items take less than 15 minutes. I store this unit in my closet.

There is also a portable clothes dryer available that I hang items on hangers to dry in after a cycle through the spin dryer. For things like shirts, shorts, dishtowels the fan method works well and I do not use the portable dryer at all. It is very easy to setup and breakdown. It stores quite compactly under the bed.

Of course during nice weather the foldable clothes rack is great. I usually have it up outside anyway, since it dries and airs out our bath towels everyday. It is light weight and stores easily at the back of the closet. The marbles are a must on breezy days to prevent the rack from being blown over due to the wind catching items hanging on the rack.

I have been happy with this setup. I only go to the laundromat for blankets or when I have several pairs of jeans at one time. It has easily paid for itself and is really easy to wash a load and spin dry which is a godsend when miles from a laundromat. The conveinience of doing a load of laundry while I do other things or just relax instead of toting things to a laundry is also a very big plus.

I use mine fairly regularly when home and all three have held up well.


'shaker

[fr8tshaker]

BTW - I have found the wonder washer and spin dryer the best way to wash my curtains and not end up a nightmare.

I just remove the from one window at a time, wash, rinse, spin dry and rehang them, open the window, aim a fan set on low at the curtains and they dry before I get the next set of curtains washed and ready to rehang.

I have also found that If I pour the water down the sink or shower my gray tank gets a good cleaning and deodorizing from the OxyClean I use to brighten the curtains.

'shaker

[darlingbooks]

fr8tshaker - Looks like we have a very similar set up. '06 34 classic, although ours has the S/O; F350 ford, ours an '06; and a Hensley Arrow. Thanks for the info on your laundry set up.

Anne Marie

[darlingbooks]

Oops! Ford is an E 350!