packing questions... need advice please.

[jgpenn]

I'm sure this info is here somewhere but I did a few searches and couldn't find what I'm looking for. I don't need a packing list (that I have) but I'm looking more for advice on where to put some of the bigger stuff.

We are total AS newbies but we're getting ready to full time. We have a few short trips plans to get us ready and know that we'll adjust stuff as we go. We have a 2009 Airstream International 25FB.

First, I'm wondering, is it ok to pack stuff just inside the AS but not in a cabinet? I am thinking of keeping our generator in a heavy duty, air-tight bin and then placing this under the AS table while we travel.

I am also thinking of keeping an electric cooler under the table as well.

And we have a portable solar panel we need to put somewhere. It might go in the truck but if we needed to put it loose in the AS, is that ok?

Where does everyone pack their chairs? These I'm thinking about putting right behind the propane bungeeing them to the propane cover. Bad idea? Good idea? Is there a good way to do this?

As far as kitchen stuff goes, does everyone secure everything in the cabinets or is it ok to just put stuff in there? I'm lining the cabinets and drawers but how much does everything shift?

Thanks so much for any tips/ideas in advance!

[woodfox45]

I would not put the generator inside the trailer or anything else with gas in it .

[Hibby]

I agree with Woodfox... Generator should go in the truckbed. I wouldn't hesitate to put the electric cooler under the dinette in the airstream, but I'd make sure it's not likely to slide around. You may stuff pillows or bedding on either end of it if you're not blocking any ventilation on it if it's running.

I do often lay things on the bed and it doesn't ever seem to move while on the road. However, a hard stab at the brakes and you'll regret having anything on it that can be damaged (or will damage the trailer).

I try to keep the cabinets packed fairly tightly so stuff doesn't move around, and I use lots of tupperware containers to consolidate things.


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[jgpenn]

Thanks! The biggest issue with the generator in the truck bed is, we will have a cap on it and our two dogs in it. We'll also have the window between us and the back open with the boot on so the dogs will have AC/heat as-needed.

I did see someone on here keep their generator in the trailer in a bin without an issue. I don't love the idea of keeping it in the trailer either but with the dogs in the truck I don't see an option... unless someone has another idea?

[gandttimes]

We have the same configuration with the truck cap and we have no problem with the generator in the back with the dogs. We just make sure we keep the gas in a sealed container. We also don't like to carry anything in the trailer that could possibly slide around and destroy anything in their path.


George

[Rocinante]

We have a crew cab and fold up the back seat for the dog while traveling. If we had a generator, I'd put it in the truck bed, for which we also have a cap. We put our two light-weight camp chairs on the bed (we have a 27FB) and buffer the front with pillows so a sharp stab at the brakes won't slide them out thru the front window like a couple of torpedoes.

We used to put some things under the dinette, which is in the back of our trailer with a clear shot all the way up to the bedroom. We quickly realized that was a Very Bad Idea, because stuff there tended to move around a lot more than we liked, and it tried to push the dinette leg out of the way in the process of sliding north. So, we keep our floor clear and shove as much as possible into the hall closet and other cabinets, as well as under the bed, aside from the two camp chairs.

[LavendarMoon]

Greetings...Great questions! Couple of tid-bits...some flat items can be stored under the mattress (solar panels), we place our sink cutting boards under the couch cushion, we use pillows (have several on the couch) that we "stuff" in our cabinets (works super well and keeps things in their place), the lawn chairs are slid under the dinette and we use a bungee chord to secure. We always take the shower sprayer off the hook and lay it down on the bottom of the shower floor, wrapped in a big towel to keep it from bouncing around. Agree that the generator should not be stored inside. Hope this is helpful! Enjoy

[jgpenn]

I like the idea of putting the chairs on the bed... we'll give that a try. thanks!

I am going to have to figure out the best for the electric cooler. Maybe secured well under the dinette? Or even in the truck with us might work.

For the generator issue... I just found the Rotopax gas cans in another thread. They are super strong, rigid cans that people with ATV's, Jeeps, etc use. It seems like they are made to be mounted outside. So maybe the Rotopax mounted to the AS or back of truck on the outside and the generator (empty of gas) in the truck bed with the dogs in the airtight container?

And just so I understand, why is it better to have the generator in the back of the truck and not in the AS? Is it a safety issue in the trailer? And if so, why is it safer in the truck? And if it's not a safety issue, is it just an issue of smell?

[Len n Jeanne]

Have you got a crew cab with a back seat for the dogs, and/or have you traveled sufficiently with them in the truck bed so that you know they won't get too hot back there in the summer? I don't think those little windows provide much ventilation.

With our little unit, we have to put nearly everything in the truck bed (covered with a topper) and the dog goes on our back seat. We bring the space-saving type of folding camp chairs and they go in the truck bed.

If something can slide around in the trailer while you're traveling, it probably will; especially if you drive on wash-boarded or dirt roads. When we get ready to leave a campsite and Len does the outside preparations, I am usually "battening down the hatches" inside. I put big sheets of bubble-wrap or foam on top of the (non-breakable) dishes in the cabinet, although a beach towel would probably work just as well. I fasten the sliding cabinet doors with big twist-ties in the finger-holes to make sure they stay closed. I do leave small flat items on the bed (like a brief case) sometimes and they haven't jumped off, yet. Our duffle/gym bags of clothes go under the bed against the lower rear cupboards to prevent them from opening.

The fridge door can swing open in transit if you hit a bump, with food items jumping out, so we don't travel with fresh eggs!

Enjoy your new adventures!

Jeanne

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by jgpenn

I did see someone on here keep their generator in the trailer in a bin without an issue. I don't love the idea of keeping it in the trailer either but with the dogs in the truck I don't see an option... unless someone has another idea?

If you MUST put the generator in the trailer, put it in the shower stall. There isn't much room for it to shift around in there, plus if you put a plug in the shower drain, the shower pan provides containment for any fuel that might leak— though I'm sure you won't carry it with a full tank of fuel in it. Don't know if your shower stall has a roof vent, but if it does, open it and turn on the fan while the generator is stored there.

Gasoline vapor is heavier than air (like propane) and an LPG detector MIGHT detect the fumes. It has been a while since I read the manual for mine to see if it will also detect gasoline vapor. So read your LPG detector manual to see, and if it does, you're okay. When you open your trailer door, don't go inside until you've listened for the LPG alarm and verified that you don't have an "alarming" (ahem!) level of gasoline vapors built up.

If your LPG detector won't detect gasoline vapors, then you'll have to go to West Marine to buy a gasoline vapor detector (used in inboard boat engine compartments) and install it near where you store the generator. Fair warning, they're not cheap, but they're cheaper than blowing up your trailer! Side note: If you carry your generator in the truck bed with the dogs, it wouldn't hurt to install a gasoline vapor detector in the truck bed, just to be safe. Even if the vapors don't explode due to lack of an ignition source, they're still hazardous to breathe, and dogs have smaller lungs so it affects them sooner.

[Wayne&Sam]

I kept a generator under the table in our 20'. That floor plan has the table on the side of the trailer, not front or back,and it took up most of the space so it stayed in place very well. I now carry a Honda 1000 in the rear storage compartment.

[dkottum]

If the generator is light such as a Honda 1000 or 2000 you can get a lockable mount to carry it on the battery compartment. Honda makes a slip cover to protect the generator from weather.

We travel long distances frequently so we try to travel with as little stuff as possible. As a rule of thumb we try to balance the trailer's load front-to-back and side-to-side, heavy things over the axles. No heavy stuff such as stacks of porcelain dishes in the upper cabinets; the upper cabinet mounting isn't that strong (screws into the aluminum walls). The shower stall is over the axles and a good travel storage compartment but be careful, the fiberglass is thin and can be punctured or cracked easily; a good place for laundry, clothes, drinking water bottles.

Some full-timers use the truck bed as an attic. We don't because when parked for extended periods it's our daily driver. A couple of large plastic bins right behind the cab is handy because they can be removed and stored next to the trailer when parked; but try to avoid the cluttered trailer site look. Our bicycles are on the back of the trailer on the Airstream bike rack.

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by dkottum

If the generator is light such as a Honda 1000 or 2000 you can get a lockable mount to carry it on the battery compartment. Honda makes a slip cover to protect the generator from weather.

That's what I did with our 20', but I made the mount.

I was pleased to find it fit in the rear storage of our new 25'

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by jgpenn

I like the idea of putting the chairs on the bed... we'll give that a try. thanks!

I am going to have to figure out the best for the electric cooler. Maybe secured well under the dinette? Or even in the truck with us might work.

For the generator issue... I just found the Rotopax gas cans in another thread. They are super strong, rigid cans that people with ATV's, Jeeps, etc use. It seems like they are made to be mounted outside. So maybe the Rotopax mounted to the AS or back of truck on the outside and the generator (empty of gas) in the truck bed with the dogs in the airtight container?

And just so I understand, why is it better to have the generator in the back of the truck and not in the AS? Is it a safety issue in the trailer? And if so, why is it safer in the truck? And if it's not a safety issue, is it just an issue of smell?

You might take a peek at an Eddie Bauer model to get the locations of the installed d-ring tie downs. They most likely are bolted into the frame, but that would give you a more permanent solution to being able to secure cargo under your dinette table if you care to make a permanent modification.

We carried a small Honda generator as well as a small microwave under the table in our FC20 with no issues. Aside from the potential fire / explosion from spilled gasoline, IMO most folks just don't want the smell in their TT. It is easy to slightly open both F.Fan vents fore and aft to keep fresh air circulating through your AS so as to not build up any residual odor.

If you care to read the EB section, you will find that folks carry an assortment of cargo - some with gasoline- inside of the EBs. The shell and floor are all the same as the Int/FC 25 and 27 with the addition of the rear hatch, two metal vents, and a different floor covering. Properly secured (emphasis), I would have no reservations about carrying either a gen or spare refrig unit in the dead space in any TT. WE do, however, carry two Rota-Pax in the rear of our truck along with our gen ... and there IS the occasional odor of gasoline when the fuel expands and/or sloshes inside of the plastic cans. The R-P are NOT vented; so, be cautious when opening them in warmer climates after fueling in cooler temps. The next time you are able to inspect an SOB with the front storage hatches, take a look at the variety of cargo stored in there - many with access (just like the AS) to those items from within the TT.

[Hibby]

I like the idea of putting the solar panels under the mattress... Never thought of that!


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[Gene]

If you are fulltiming, I suspect you will bring much more stuff than you think. Anyway, after a few months, you will probably have even more stuff. We carry lots of stuff in the truck bed—the dirty things like boxes for sewer hoses and connections, water hoses, tools, hitch parts, chairs, table, spare tire (we have changed to 16" wheels and they don't fit well in the tire carrier), and more including a generator and gas cans.

An empty or partly empty gas can or tank is more explosive than a full one because the gas fumes are highly volatile (liquid gas is too, but less so). It can get pretty hot in a truck with any kind of cover on it and while it is very unlikely it will blow, I'd rather have an explosion in the truck bed than the trailer or truck cab. We use the truck cab back seat area to store tools and more camping stuff. But if we had a dog, the dog would go there. Would you put your kids or grandmother in the truck bed?

At RV stores, you can get foam sleeves to go over china, glasses and anything breakable. Bubble wrap works well too, but sleeves are easy. Plastic and paper dinnerware is a good choice, but a few real plates and bowls are nice to have. Wrap them and make sure everything is tightly packed to prevent them from jumping around. Put the heaviest stuff in compartments close to the floor—that lowers the trailer center of gravity. Try to put equal weight on both sides of the trailer and front to back. This makes the trailer more stable.

If you have a bedspread with some friction (not smooth) things will pretty much stay where you put them (unless you drive 60 on washboard roads). I've put computers, cameras and other valuable stuff on the center of the bed and they've never moved.

Why do you need an electric cooler? If it operates on 12 v., it may draw down the battery a bit. You have a 7 cubic foot fridge. We have travelled up to 8 weeks and the fridge was packed, but it was enough. It may be difficult to find healthy foods in some places, but we managed fine. We are very particular about what we eat, but we've survived in northern Canada, Alaska, and even Kansas. Those portable solar panels help, but we find 200 watts of solar keeps us from ever having to use the generator (unless it is late fall and we are camped under big trees in a narrow canyon like Yosemite). We hardly ever use the generator and could go without. If you don't have LED lighting, you will use much more battery and consider changing to high quality LED's. Solar has gone down a lot in price, so permanently mounted ones may be a good choice. Lewster, a forum member, is great with solar and can help you make decisions or you can swing by his shop and have them installed.

Lots of people store things on the battery box. Note than rocks and dirt hit that area and can damage things and a good cover is a good idea. It can increase tongue weight significantly though. Airstream gives tongue weight numbers that are a lot lower than reality, so add a few hundred pounds to what they say for your trailer (720 lbs. I believe) when figuring your weights for towing.

Anything on the floor will move around a lot. The smoother the surface, the more movement. That's true of things left on the seating too. After a section of bad road, the pillows that come for the seat cushions are usually on the floor.

It is a great idea to take some short trips to get used to this kind of travel. You will learn a lot and make a lot of mistakes at first. Things will break in the trailer whether it is new or used. I bring enough tools to take apart a locomotive (I'd need a new brain to put it back together), but every one of them gets used over time. You also should collect spares of things that break—like the catches that keep the drawers closed. Screws will back out and get some thread locker for them and super glue for things that don't stay glued. You'll need cleaning products—cleaner for the plastic rock guards is different than window cleaner, silicon for the rubber seals on the windows and doors, chemicals to keep the black tank smelling good, and more stuff that you can only learn from experience. Woodall's RV Owners Handbook explains how things work and how to fix them. And read everything you can on the Forum to learn.

It looks like you haven't done this before. You have a steep learning curve, but we all did and most of us have figured it out though experience and lots of reading. But some just venture out and get discouraged and wish they've never thought of fulltiming or even just traveling several weeks a year. I'd take more trips, each one longer than the last, to get used to this big change in your life. After 50,000 miles traveling and lots of reading, we still are learning and always will.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

Gene

[urnmor]

I would not carry the generators in the AS for fear of the AS absorbing a gas smell from them. One reason why we bought a truck and not an SUV was to carry the generators in the bed so as not to smell the gas fumes.

[silverlabs]

Welcome! We are not fultimers but just finished outfitting our FC for the 6 week trip we are now on. You will have to experiment with what shifts and doesn't but we tried to buy plastic wherever possible. I put nonskid drawer liners down in all cabinets and brought an extra roll to use as padding as needed. At first our pillows would slide from back to front in transit but we got better at driving or packing because they are not shifting now. We are still working out the overhead bins. I bought a set of plastic shoeboxes at Target for small stuff and that has worked well in several places. I use some cup towels as padding between things. We don't have a generator yet but will store it in the truck. Our two labs ride with us in the 4 door truck, at my insistence, and we carry their broken down kennels in the bed of the truck. Lawn chairs are in the storage underneath. All in all, we were very worried about thinking small and efficient enough in our planning. We are now on this trip with empty cupboards and have everything we need for all weather situations from Texas to Canada! Oh, and I give all of the packing credit to fellow forum members and our experienced RV friends.