We're buying a compact 4x4 mobile home and would like to have a bit more storage space. The vehicle comes with a bathroom, seperate shower. We were considering turning the shower into storage space (we'll have an outdoor shower and aren't averse to a wash down when wild camping). Would love to have the your opinions on whether this is a good idea or not. Thanks!
There are places that you might like to camp that require to "Leave No Trace" IE fully self contained. If you remove from use your shower how would you be able to camp there. Places like Cooktown ?
Can you build your storage shelves in the shower recess so that the shelves can be removed without marking the original shower installation? I would suggest going that way for resale purposes.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Perhaps think about the overall weight of your unit - if that could be an issue - before taking more 'stuff' - but I would suggest going to buy some of those stackable plastic storage drawers you often see in camper trailers (from bunnings/kmart etc) & get someone to sew you a cover - one that has sides/back/top & bottom - so you can stack a few of them with a velcro front or zip front, that way they travel well & then if necessary, you can then just pick up the bundle of drawers in their cover & move them outside when camped should you need to use the shower. I have seen the covers for sale, made out of canvas & thought at the time it was a great idea.
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Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store or under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends.
we have a "standard" style shower compartment in our 'van.
In it we store large bulky items that aren't too heavy (and possibly damage the fiberglass shell), like a large plastic bucket that has a packet of flour for our bread maker, just general "junk" that will take up too much room in cupboards but easy to get out and stand on the floor if we need to use the shower.
That being said, we generally stay in lower priced council/shire and independent country CPs. We're in one at the moment and 7 nights cost us $120. But when we free camp, we empty the stuff out of the shower in about 2-3 minutes, have our shower, use a window rubber blade scraper (like the ones in Servos to clean your windows) to get rid of the excess water and finish it off with the towels we just used to dry ourselves with or just leave it to air dry. Then we put the stuff back in.
But remember to put the plug in the sink hole and put one of out storage items on top of the plug. Sometimes waste water will bubble back (especially if your RV is on a bit of a slope) through the lowest point - your shower outlet - and you will get your stored gear wet
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
We always have a chuckle at people dragging around huge vans with en-suites they never use & always use CP showers & toilets. Outside of CP's they always camp where there's a toilet block. Having an en-suite in your van must be some sort of status symbol even if you only use it as an extra wardrobe.
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Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
We store our chairs in the ensuite while we are traveling. Lunch stops are usually at parks, rest areas or servos where there are toilets (and usually covered seating), so we don't need to unpack till we reach our o/night site.
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BJC
"A year from now you'll wish you had started today."
We always have a chuckle at people dragging around huge vans with en-suites they never use & always use CP showers & toilets. Outside of CP's they always camp where there's a toilet block. Having an en-suite in your van must be some sort of status symbol even if you only use it as an extra wardrobe.
We always use our own shower & toilet. When we are traveling together, the grand kids often find it more convenient to use our shower as well.
It acts as a storage area for the dirty clothes basket as well.
Wouldn't be without it ... Not status, just a necessity for us.
We always have a chuckle at people dragging around huge vans with en-suites they never use & always use CP showers & toilets. Outside of CP's they always camp where there's a toilet block. Having an en-suite in your van must be some sort of status symbol even if you only use it as an extra wardrobe.
Have you tried buying a motorhome without an ensuite?
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
The answer is "No". We used to have a little VW camper van which we toured round Europe in and now we're looking forward to the luxury of a separate bathroom
