RE: What are the essentials for a small PU?

[George]

 
If all goes well tomorrow we ll take the Taos back home.  The first nigth we had it, I was amazed at how much space the " packing of the PU"  took up inside.   We basically have the space in the lower galley drawers and door, the area under the folded dinette, the " porta potti cabinet"  (very small) and the small space in front of the door.  But with the cooler that came with it, I think the space in front of the door is occupied.  (oh yea... area under dinette seats)
 
 I use a Jeep Wrangler as a TV (which holds exactly one toolbox and one kite).  So what would you consider " essential"  that would fit for a two night trip?  We must include 3 sleeping bags in the PU, clothing will be in bags in the 4th seat of the wrangler.  I d be interested in knowing your thoughts.
 
 -George
 

[Steve-o-bud]

 georger
We had a 77 Jayco with a 7 or 8 foot box. One the floor, we carried a cooler, a step stool (the trailer did not have a step), a broom, a Bucket, and a plastic storage container to carry essential camping supplies. I was supprised there was that much floor space. I would stash wheel chocks, crank handle, other essential items in the bucket, so that when we got to our campsite, it was easy to get to.
 
 My wife kept a small electric heater under the dinette bench, and a few essential pots, pans, uttensils, and cleaning supplies inside the cabinets.
 
 

[Opie431]

 George
Your sleeping bag should be able to lie flat on the beds at night.  We use blankets but they should be about the same thickness.  We have a 12 foot length inside so storage is not a problem for us but you could also make half-size pillows.
 If you are not sure that there is room for the sleeping bags try my Kleenex box test.  Place a box on the beds and pop-down.  If it is not crushed, there is room for the sleeping bags. We have the small table folded flat that goes in the AAR flat on the other bunk.

[sandykayak]

 George
I have an 8  box Jayco and have come to the conclusion that it is big enough for just one person!!!  That is, one person who has a lot of STUFF!!!!
 
 Every time I go, I say say, " I ve got to keep this tidy."   But I take all sorts of hobbies and have all sorts of gear and gadgets.
 
 I must admit that, after camping with a Taos and a Yuma friends this past weekend, I do like the Coleman decor package and the 12v outlet for the bunk end fan-lights, and the fold down shelf, and the gray hanging thingee with pockets.
 
 What I don t like are the curtains hanging down all the time (the Jayco ones roll up) and MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL - neither Taos nor Yuma (I would really like to have the extra floor space you get from a box that is 6"  longer and I don t know how many inches wider - you can tell the difference) enable you to open the door while closed, let alone access the fridge with the top down.
 
 I open the door and can throw in stuff and even load the fridge.

[wssfetch]

 George
Like Sandy, I have the wee tiny 8 ft Jayco.  Fortunately, thanks to an extremely innovative floor plan mine has tons of storage space in addition to a dorm fridge.
 
 Use Sterilie plastic drawers (get the stackable kind) to pack your odds and ends, clothing, personal items, etc. in.  These can either sit on the floor of the camper when folded down or be stacked in the back of the tow vehicle.  When you set up camp, stack them on top of your porta potty cabinet or on a bunk during the day (and on the floor at night).
 
 If you can t fit your sleeping bags on the bunkends when folded down, try rolling them tightly and putting them inside the dinette storage area.  
 
 A handy thing for carrying tools, hoses and cords is a 5 gallon plastic bucket with lid.  I have two 25  potable water hoses and a 30 amp extension cord coiled in the bucket.  Then in the center of the coil I put my rubber mallet, metal tent pegs for the awning, city water pressure regulator, graywater hose and connectors, and a level.  Lid goes on top. It is first thing out of the camper and the last in.  When you get set up, you can use a plastic bag in the bucket and turn it into a trash can.
 
 I have a small 600 watt microwave and a 9"  tv/vcr combo that always go with me.  They ride on the floor when folded down.  When set up the tv goes on top of the Sterilie drawers and the microwave sits on the galley counter (stove is outside).
 
 One of the things that is nice about the Jaycos that Sandy and I have is that the galley folds over onto the dinnette seats and does not take up floor space.  That gives a lot more room to pack things on the floor.  
 
 Good luck and enjoy your Taos!
 
 

[The Robinsons]

 George
Space Bags have really helped me alot.  (The bags that squeeze the air out of soft items.)  We have sheets & quilts on the beds leave  em there all the time (except for washing, of course!), but I put pillows in the space bags and squish all the air out and lay them on top of the folded down dinette or in the drawers.  They also work great for clothes.  I m pretty sure I ve seen blanket-size ones, so I would think a sleeping bag would fit in one of those.  I ve seem them at Target and at the Container Store.

[Rocky Mountain Sue]

 George
I must be an oddball [8D]or something, I don t seem to have a space problem in my Newport. We are a family of 5, granted only 4 of us camp anymore, DS likes to stay home and make the big bucks at his job. My DH thinks I have too many kitchen things and assorted camping gadgets, but I have room left over. Maybe I still think I am tent camping with the added luxury of not sleeping on the ground, I don t know.[] Maybe the fact that I put the food in the TV helps, we camp in bear country. I store the ice chest in the PU when its home.

[sandykayak]

 George
Sue (Healey), I remembered to take out my hoses and extra extension cord to see how I m going to fit them in the 5 gallon paint bucket I m going to buy!!
 
 I have them in mesh bags right now.  What I don t understand is do you coil them and have all the loose hoses one on top of the other??? Surely not.  
 
 BTW, my latest crazy purchase (the devil made me do it!) is a Panasonic LA-95 9"  portable DVD player.  Now I have more floor space since I don t have to take the 9"  TV/VCR (unless I want to take paddling videos).
 
 It is awesome and I will never admit to how much I paid.  But, what s a single gal to do when she has no DH or SO to lavish gifts on her.[]  SOMEONE s got to be generous with me, don t you think?
 
 I also lack someone to bail me out of financial distress.  WOE IS ME[: (]

[TheWallRocks]

 George
Funny..... I was joking around the other weekend while camping that we need to pull a small utility trailer behind the 2nd car to carry all our junk.  
 
 There is never enough space.

[wssfetch]

 George
Sandy,
 
 I coil the hoses in the bottom of the bucket (2 25-ft hoses) and then coil the 25 ft. 30 amp extension cord on top of that.  That leaves some space at the top plus the donut hole in the middle of the bucket.  Then I put the awning stakes, mallet, gray water hose, hose " Y" , duck tape into the donut hole. Stick the lid on the bucket and I have just about everything I need for setting up right there in the bucket.  BTW, the bucket (with lid on) also makes a great stepping stool or extra seat.

[sandykayak]

 George
sue, have you ever needed to retrieve the hose but not the 30 amp extension cord?  seems as if it would be a PITA to lift the black cord to get at the white hose.
 
 BTW, where do you store your cranks?