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Old 09-19-2015, 07:53 AM   #1
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How to organize the front outside storage locker

So we have gone out on 4-5 weekend trips now, and are getting a pretty good feel for what items are needed at hand for hitching up, setting up camp, dumping, and leaving camp.

Currently we have these items all in the outside storage locker, but it's kind of a hot mess. Involving unpacking and deep digging to get to needed items.

Here is what we currently have in there. If you have good storage ideas, or places that you keep these items, I would like to pick your brain!

I am looking for ideas on how people with only 1 outside storage compartment store these items:
fresh water hose with filter and L fitting,
dump water rinse hose,
hitch hardware (pins, etc),
chocks and legos and squares of wood,
small tools, flashlight, level,
socket set for water heater,
sewer dump elbow fitting,
black tank treatment chemicals,
kneeler foam pad (which I highly recommend!)
crank for stabilizers,
hitch bar helper wrench for equalizer

Right now I have a couple of those $2 flimsy coated fabric grocery bags with hoses and such, but am looking for better ideas. Something ideally that would contain any residual water from dripping all over.

I would say that the hand tools are the #1 problem as needed a better solution. I have several small containers and probably need a small tool box.

Thanks as always for the helpful ideas!
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Old 09-19-2015, 01:00 PM   #2
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How to organize the front outside storage locker

Here's how I do mine:

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This is the right side of the storage area. 30a cable rolled up, surge protector, then in the back in Tupperware containers - one with lights in another with water filter, adapters and some other cables. You can also see my chocks. You probably can't see the 150# torque wrench toward the front side of the area - for checkin lug nuts and ProPride stinger.


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Left side has the Andersen levelers, safety vest, box of safety triangles, tire minder, some boards, and two hoses (one on a reel).

Using Tupperware helps. I put the stinky slinky in the bumper compartment (wouldn't want that under my bed!) and all my hitch stuff goes in a bag inside the trailer by the recliner.

There's a thousand ways to do it. There's one 😃
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Old 09-19-2015, 01:18 PM   #3
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We keep most of the items mentioned in the spiffy black with yellow lid cargo containers that are sold at WalMart, Lowes, etc. and keep in the tow vehicle. They are much easier to access withouy bending over and are close to the hitch area. Because there are just two of us, we have plenty of room in the Honda Pilot's cargo area for this gear. We use the Bambi storage compartment for storing items we access from the inside such as toaster oven and other occassionally used kitchen items, awning lights, extra toilet paper, napkins, etc. We only use about half the available space.
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Old 09-19-2015, 01:32 PM   #4
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Thanks.

I notice you don't have many tools there. Maybe my tool storage should go inside the trailer to free up better space in the locker.

As I have the lowly sport model, I don't have a rear bumper. There is a slinky storage tube underneath, but it is straight, so the elbow connectors do not fit in it. A bin with some gallon zip locks for the fittings would probably work out better than the bags I am using now. Why oh why couldn't Airstream at least give a bigger storage area for the slinky on the sport, even if it is on the underside?

I think your tupperware idea will work for my hoses better than what I have going there now.

We have been keeping the power cord and surge protector in the interior closet. Which is probably fine for weekending, since we set up once and break camp once, and are usually living out of a duffel which is easily pulled out of the way in the closet.

But for a trip with several days of travel, I think I would like having it like yours is situated better.

Think I will see if that will all fit in mine.

Thanks again
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Old 09-19-2015, 01:37 PM   #5
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rem,
I am "trying" to keep the trailer items all self-contained in the trailer.

I don't trust myself to get things put away so they are there when needed next time if I keep them in my truck. And forgetting any of these essential items would be a big problem.

But it may be a good enough idea on a long trip to have a "locker" in the truck and use it over the week, and then re-pack in the trailer at the end of the trip.

Good thought!
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Old 09-19-2015, 02:53 PM   #6
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I think you might be able to replace that slinky tube underneath with something of a wider diameter - you'd just have to watch out for ground clearance.

Any locking plastic containers could help organize things. You could even use a bunch of them inside the trailer (even packed on the bed) to get to your site, set up and package all the containers inside one another and put them practically anywhere (tow vehicle?) and then pack up and stick 'em back in the trailer.

I thought I remember reading somewhere about a person who used a big 5 gallon paint bucket with a lid for the slinky - bleach water inside the bucket....

Lots of options! Good luck!
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Old 09-19-2015, 03:11 PM   #7
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Hi, I have the rear bumper storage compartment and keep all of my sewer stuff, my awning rod, and my porch mat in there. [small mat]
In my storage compartment I keep my water hoses, shore power cord, torque wrench, breaker bar and a few sockets for lug nuts and my hitch. Two bag chairs, sewer hose holder, and several different dog bones for shore power. The rest of my tools are in a box in my truck. My shore power cord and water hoses are all rolled up, connected at both ends, and held together with old dog collars. Tank chemicals in the bathroom. Leveling blocks in the truck. Chocks in the truck. Flashlights in the trailer. I try to keep things where they are most convenient.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Piggy Bank View Post
So we have gone out on 4-5 weekend trips now, and are getting a pretty good feel for what items are needed at hand for hitching up, setting up camp, dumping, and leaving camp.

Currently we have these items all in the outside storage locker, but it's kind of a hot mess. Involving unpacking and deep digging to get to needed items.

Here is what we currently have in there. If you have good storage ideas, or places that you keep these items, I would like to pick your brain!

I am looking for ideas on how people with only 1 outside storage compartment store these items:
fresh water hose with filter and L fitting,
dump water rinse hose,
hitch hardware (pins, etc),
chocks and legos and squares of wood,
small tools, flashlight, level,
socket set for water heater,
sewer dump elbow fitting,
black tank treatment chemicals,
kneeler foam pad (which I highly recommend!)
crank for stabilizers,
hitch bar helper wrench for equalizer

Right now I have a couple of those $2 flimsy coated fabric grocery bags with hoses and such, but am looking for better ideas. Something ideally that would contain any residual water from dripping all over.

I would say that the hand tools are the #1 problem as needed a better solution. I have several small containers and probably need a small tool box.

Thanks as always for the helpful ideas!
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Old 09-19-2015, 03:32 PM   #8
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Bob,
You get Bag Chairs in there? Impressive!
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Old 09-19-2015, 07:47 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Piggy Bank View Post
Bob,
You get Bag Chairs in there? Impressive!
Hi, Yes I do, because mine is real deep towards the back of my trailer. But I have to use my awning rod to pull them out. You can't reach that far especially since you lose the height of the opened storage door too.
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Old 09-20-2015, 11:21 AM   #10
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Fwd locker

What I use is cored pro clubs for water hose and elec cable small one for TV cable. Bought at Home Depot on line about 20 bucks, works well for me
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Old 09-20-2015, 11:49 AM   #11
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We use the bumper storage for sewer fittings (placed inside large ziplock plastics bags) awning rod, wheel chocks and the special water hose for the sewer flush.

In the compartment we use three Craftsman canvas tool bags from Sears. One for tools, one for the electrical cords and the TV cable. The large one is used for the torque wrench and and stabilizer wrench. Finally the plastic tray is used the for water hose and filter. It works very well.
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Old 09-20-2015, 03:38 PM   #12
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You might look around for a two piece sewer elbo. i have one and both pieces fit in the tube with the slinky and a foam fitting seal. I believe it came from cw
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Old 09-20-2015, 03:39 PM   #13
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I suggest opening a Pinterest Account and typing in Airstream, or RV, and storage. You will be completely blown away by all the cool ideas complete with photos and directions. My boyfriend and I both have Pinterest Accounts and we have learned a lot from people, made use of some ideas, and have plans of making more use of the ones we have posted in our own wall.
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Old 09-20-2015, 06:20 PM   #14
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It's was worth a trip to The Container Store for us.....besides lots of just cool stuff to help us organize, we bought some neoprene like bags for water hoses, Velcro like straps for controlling and carrying cords and various size boxes with and without lids, for both inside and outside transport and storage. Has made our lives much easier.
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Old 09-20-2015, 06:48 PM   #15
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With only one small storage door in our 1979, we only store 2'water hoses, Y connector, sprayer, electrical extension, plastics jack and tire pads and 30amp-50 amp converter. Tools we keep in the truck box except some water line fittings, rivets, camper specifics inside in small plastic containers. We have the bumper storage for hoses. All of our wd bars, hitch, tire iron, etc. go into the storage over winter but go into the truck box while camping. That keeps everything close to the storage door.

Friends of ours who have an SOB store their sewer hoses in a small plastic box which works greats. They have the ones that snap expand like the bendable straws.

For the water hoses, I just hook one end into the other so no water can drain into the storage and just lay them in there.
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:09 PM   #16
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Much Improved!

Thank you for all of the great ideas and suggestions.

I spent the better part of the day working on this and have it just like I want it.

Went to the storage site, and moved the tools except the socket set into a zipper briefcase style bag. This is now inside the trailer under the dinette. That alone freed up a a lot of room in the locker.

Then I headed to the store to get storage containers with lids as many suggested. My non AS friend who camps also had strongly recommended boxes with lids so that if you are setting or breaking camp in the rain that things stay as dry as possible.

I purchased some storage containers to get everything in its own spot. Luckily at Walmart they had both a container section, rv item section. So I loaded up some possible container options, and then wheeled over to the rv section to see how things would fit.

I got:

1 container for the clean water hose, fitting, and water filter.
1 container for the dump rinse hose, gloves, and sewer elbow (remember I don't have a bumper. I keep the slinky in the tube under the trailer.)
1 container for the power cord and surge protector. When I got back to the trailer, discovered that I will need 1 more, as the surge protector takes up one all by itself.
1 smaller container for hitch pins and hardware, tire gauge, flashlight, and 2 pair of work gloves.

Here are pictures. I will have room for the additional container for the power cord, and still have room to stow the chocks while traveling.



Much better!
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:15 PM   #17
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Looking good!
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:21 PM   #18
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Nice. That is how I set up our rear storage. The plastic boxes don't get UV light and last a long time. The "cover" is good so little things are less likely to nest and can stack at least a light one on a heavy one. We have 3. One is the rarely used ground cover, replacement sewer hose, awning repair tape, extension cord, The other, our Pink Flamingo and lots of "lights"'to decorate the awning and entry steps. Making large loops makes it easier to deploy and recover. A third has the "water hose" and filter plus backups along with a satchel Of "quick" Electrical Repair things I might need

The "Lego" blocks..'in their bags.. Which shredded.. So now are in storage bins on side of AS and in a big tub I carry in the truck bed or inside on the floor. It has jack stands, wooden squares for soft ground instead of Legos (I am about to ditch the Legos....)
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:31 PM   #19
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One of the reasons I kept the socket set in the locker is that it helps hold those legos and wood blocks agains the side of the compartment, like a big book end.
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Old 09-23-2015, 01:06 PM   #20
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I have the clear Sterlite boxes, two Twelve quart and one shoe box size. All with lids. The small one is small hitch stuff, metal bars, cotter pins, hammer,level. One big one is water things, elbows, adapters, extra hose also Propane stuff, extra hoses, extra connectors for propane bottles, bottle of soapy water. Other big one is electrical stuff, dog bones, extension cord, electrical tape. All tools are in truck except a few I would use inside. leveling boards, hitch 'foot' live in the back of the truck when moving.

I also can't get usual sewer hose in the place underneath, I like the idea above on that. however, I don't use it much. I use a macerator pump. It has its own case and lives in back storage with leveler bars and spare electric cable. The set of 20' hoses and the 50' hoses I use for it are in large heavy duty trash bags in the back of the truck unless I am in one place for awhile, then they are looped around the bumper in a trash bag.
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