Year 3 of Living in My Camper: What Works
Jan 22, 2019 14:36:11 GMT -8
kirkadie, mobiltec, and 2 more like this
Post by windborn on Jan 22, 2019 14:36:11 GMT -8
Hey y’all. I was pretty active on this board a few years ago when I was rebuilding my '57 canned ham. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help! (My build is here: vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/5208/57-sportcraft-rebuild) Since then I’ve spent 5-6 months of every year living in my camper. I thought I’d make a post to let you know what “mods” I’ve found the most helpful.
What Works:
Shellacked Birch Walls: I can’t believe I ever thought about painting. I love the warmth. I have painted white cabinets and they always get so dirty in comparison.
Side-Mounted Lagun Table Pedestal: I *love* this thing. I work from my camper so having the ability to move the table around is incredibly helpful. And I love having space under the table for a dog bed. I’ve also been able to use it to host 4 people. However—after a very long game of cards with two people bouncing around on each bench and leaning heavily on the table, I did need to do some more reinforcement on the bench that’s holding the table. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/post/72995/thread
Shoe/ Nasty Dog Stuff Drawer: It’s so much easier to access the storage under the bench with the drawer and it keeps all the dirty things hidden away.
Hooks Near the Door: I installed a row of coat hooks next to my door which are very helpful.
Foot Pump Sink: This thing is great and still working perfectly. I didn’t want an electric pump in order to use my sink while off the grid, but I also didn’t want to have to wash dishes with a hand pump. I got lucky that a 3-gallon water jug and the pump fit perfectly next to my wheel well. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/8116/foot-pump)
Swivel/ “Telescoping” Faucet: I love being able to tuck the faucet away when I need to. I have a board the length of the sink that I place on it for more counter space and a “bedside table.”
Small Shelf Near Bed: If you’re a bed reader like me this is indispensable.
Contact Paper Counter Tops: I thought this would be a temporary solution, but they still look great after months and months of wear and tear. It’s not my favorite pattern, but you can’t beat the price!
Draped Fabric vs Upholstery: Another solution I thought was temporary: I simply found two similar pieces of fabric at thrift stores to drape them over my dinette benches thinking I’d re-upholster for real one day. But now I love the ability to take the fabric off and wash it or just shake the dust and dog hair off.
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98 Toyota 4Runner: I’m able to easily pull the trailer back and forth to Texas. I’m sure a beefier truck would handle a little better, but I feel totally safe, even in high winds. I can’t go too fast up hills, but I try to stay below 70 anyway because I’m towing a really old lady.
What Doesn’t Work:
Mazda Tribute: RIP. This thing was toast after my first long trip. It was *able* to pull the camper, and made it, but it always ended up with some issue afterward. And towing was a nightmare: I had white knuckles every time a truck passed me.
Icebox: I gave up on this after my first year. I liked the idea of keeping things cold off-grid, but I was buying a bag of ice a day in this desert heat. (Which gets pricey!) I paid about $100 for a small fridge, painted the door, and haven’t regretted it one bit.
Gray Water Bucket: I have yet to find a solution to hold the water from all the dishes I’m doing. I’ve tried a few collapsible buckets, but I inevitably forget to empty them and they overflow/ spontaneously collapse. They also get really nasty after a couple months. Any other recommendations?
Locking Hasp on Door: The key became very difficult to lock after a few months, and now it’s super rusty. I just keep the key in there to turn the hasp and “lock” the door when I’m on the highway. Otherwise, I just park in places where I don’t worry about theft. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/7870/door-lock-options?page=2&scrollTo=79203)
What Works:
Shellacked Birch Walls: I can’t believe I ever thought about painting. I love the warmth. I have painted white cabinets and they always get so dirty in comparison.
Side-Mounted Lagun Table Pedestal: I *love* this thing. I work from my camper so having the ability to move the table around is incredibly helpful. And I love having space under the table for a dog bed. I’ve also been able to use it to host 4 people. However—after a very long game of cards with two people bouncing around on each bench and leaning heavily on the table, I did need to do some more reinforcement on the bench that’s holding the table. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/post/72995/thread
Shoe/ Nasty Dog Stuff Drawer: It’s so much easier to access the storage under the bench with the drawer and it keeps all the dirty things hidden away.
Hooks Near the Door: I installed a row of coat hooks next to my door which are very helpful.
Foot Pump Sink: This thing is great and still working perfectly. I didn’t want an electric pump in order to use my sink while off the grid, but I also didn’t want to have to wash dishes with a hand pump. I got lucky that a 3-gallon water jug and the pump fit perfectly next to my wheel well. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/8116/foot-pump)
Swivel/ “Telescoping” Faucet: I love being able to tuck the faucet away when I need to. I have a board the length of the sink that I place on it for more counter space and a “bedside table.”
Small Shelf Near Bed: If you’re a bed reader like me this is indispensable.
Contact Paper Counter Tops: I thought this would be a temporary solution, but they still look great after months and months of wear and tear. It’s not my favorite pattern, but you can’t beat the price!
Draped Fabric vs Upholstery: Another solution I thought was temporary: I simply found two similar pieces of fabric at thrift stores to drape them over my dinette benches thinking I’d re-upholster for real one day. But now I love the ability to take the fabric off and wash it or just shake the dust and dog hair off.
98 Toyota 4Runner: I’m able to easily pull the trailer back and forth to Texas. I’m sure a beefier truck would handle a little better, but I feel totally safe, even in high winds. I can’t go too fast up hills, but I try to stay below 70 anyway because I’m towing a really old lady.
What Doesn’t Work:
Mazda Tribute: RIP. This thing was toast after my first long trip. It was *able* to pull the camper, and made it, but it always ended up with some issue afterward. And towing was a nightmare: I had white knuckles every time a truck passed me.
Icebox: I gave up on this after my first year. I liked the idea of keeping things cold off-grid, but I was buying a bag of ice a day in this desert heat. (Which gets pricey!) I paid about $100 for a small fridge, painted the door, and haven’t regretted it one bit.
Gray Water Bucket: I have yet to find a solution to hold the water from all the dishes I’m doing. I’ve tried a few collapsible buckets, but I inevitably forget to empty them and they overflow/ spontaneously collapse. They also get really nasty after a couple months. Any other recommendations?
Locking Hasp on Door: The key became very difficult to lock after a few months, and now it’s super rusty. I just keep the key in there to turn the hasp and “lock” the door when I’m on the highway. Otherwise, I just park in places where I don’t worry about theft. (http://vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/7870/door-lock-options?page=2&scrollTo=79203)
