Creative ways to maximize "triangular" overhead cabinet efficiency?

[InterBlog]

What have you done with your roughly-triangular overhead cabinets to make the best use of those oddly-shaped spaces?

These seem to be found in most if not all Airstreams, whether trailer or motorhome.

A few months ago, my husband and I acquired an Airstream Interstate, which is tiny as motorhomes go (Class B). It's especially important for us to find ways to use our seven overhead cabinets efficiently, because they constitute such a large fraction of our total storage volume.

Thus far, we have used PVC pipe to build a series of clothing cubbies for me in one of the cabinets. I've attached a descriptive pic and a link to a blog post describing the DIY construction sequence.

One down, six to go. Next, I would really like to discover a solution for storing food items in an organized fashion. Like clothing, food packages tend to end up in a disorganized heap at the bottom of their cabinet.

Also, if there is an existing thread on this issue, please link it here. I searched and searched but could not find one (each search phrase yielded about 600 nonspecific threads).

Thank you!


THE INTERSTATE BLOG: MAXIMIZING 'TRIANGULAR' AIRSTREAM CABINET EFFICIENCY, PART 1: CLOTHING

[Protagonist]

I reserve the locker over the galley stove for non-refrigerated food. I've found that two of these bins(Mainstays Medium Storage Bin, Natural - Walmart.com) fit side-by-side in that overhead locker. The bins make it very convenient; load up the bins from my home pantry, and then just lift bin and all into the locker. You have to take down a bin to find anything in it, but the bins do keep everything organized amd make sure nothing falls on your head when you open the door.

It should not be difficult to make dividers for these bins if you're so inclined.

[Lily&Me]

I use the overhead galley cabinet for odds and ends of non-perishables, store most non-perishables...and all canned goods....in trunk organizers in a base cabinet beneath one of the rear benches.

Keep things in place, you can quickly see what you have, and nicely organized.


Maggie

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I reserve the locker over the galley stove for non-refrigerated food. I've found that two of these bins... fit side-by-side in that overhead locker. ....

The original Interstates were modified at some point (maybe when they made the transition to the 3500?) to accept more square-ish overhead cabinets (random pic of a 2014 attached). Those could indeed accept a canvas bin such as you describe. Ours cannot because the cabinets are much closer to being true triangles in cross section, having only about 3 vertical inches before the 45 degree rear wall vault.

I'm not really sure why Airstream even decided to make the 45 degree angle in those older Interstate cabinets, because the motorhome's sidewalls are obviously not that steeply curved. It may have been a feature that they simply ported over from the trailer side (?). Whatever the reason, our cabinets bear more resemblance to trailer cabinets than they do to later Interstates, which is why I planted this thread here.

[64airstream]

InterBlog,

Thanks for the post and the photo. I just showed it to Marie and she said "go for it." So I'll be adding one set to each trailer. Great idea.

Roy and Marie

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by 64airstream

InterBlog,

Thanks for the post and the photo. I just showed it to Marie and she said "go for it." So I'll be adding one set to each trailer. Great idea.

Roy and Marie

You're welcome. I have a few additional ideas as well that I haven't had a chance to test out yet. Much of our DIY is getting done sporadically on weekends when we plan to take a short overnight trip, but then we have to cancel it because the weather outside is frightful, as it was this past weekend (it's the bottom of the winter... that's how it goes).

I'm trying to figure out ways of re-thinking the 45 degree angle such that it becomes something of an asset rather than the liability that most folks would see it as. I'll post more if any of those ideas prove to work.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

You're welcome. I have a few additional ideas as well that I haven't had a chance to test out yet.....

(Cross-posted from the B Van Small Space Living thread) - Here's the second of my projects for optimizing space in triangular Airstream cabinets. For non-refrigerated food items, I needed pliable storage pockets rather than something rigid like the PVC pipe that I used for stuffing clothing. I cut pockets from an over-the-door nylon mesh shoe storage bag and mounted them on the slant wall of the cabinet. Instructions in the blog post.

THE INTERSTATE BLOG: MAXIMIZING 'TRIANGULAR' AIRSTREAM CABINET EFFICIENCY, PART 2: FOOD