Alternatives to lack of storage space

Looked into u-haul. They want $1300 for 10 days, probably need it for longer than that. Still looking at trailers, there were 3 of them on craigslist last week, gone by saturday afternoon. Also looked at another vehicle to tow behind, not sure if I want to try and buy something, then get it and the MH set up, would cost me a fair amount just for the controller/actuator/lighting/tow bar system in addition to another vehicle that may or may not be flat towable. I get Avan's issue with them being too low, I have back issues myself that makes it difficult to bend over sometimes. (a little garden stool with wheels works wonders for working down low)
Single axle or dual axle? Do the toll roads in the south charge by number of axles? I know the golden gate bridge does. With a limit of 3000lbs do you really need dual axles?

With the MH you have I would put a 10' enclosed trailer behind it WITH BRAKES and go for it. I'm towing a 4-runner 4 down and doing just fine, you will be a lot lighter than my MH and the trailer will be lighter than the 4-runner. Pratice backing in a MT parking lot and your good to go, you will be able to back up I can't, I would damage the tow bar. Or get a small pickup and tow it 4 down with its bed as storage. There are always options.

LEN

I'm sorry but I haven't read OP's entire post but am answering the question asked in his title. My storage compartments are totally empty when I travel. While I would agree they are too small my reason is they are too low and with my back and my knees, I find them physically unusable. If I were to get on my knees to retrieve something from one of those, I would provide a half hours entertainment to the RV park as I crawl to find a hand hold to use to push myself up.

I bought a SUV to tow and I lower the rear seats and my dump hoses are curled into a 5 gal sealed pail, my water hoses in a milk gallon crate, my tools in a chest and those, with my fishing equipment, extra water, etc etc etc are in the more comfortable height and behind the more friendly sized rear hatch of my toad. FWIW.

If it were me looking for a trailer to pull behind my motorhome, I would look for one with trailer brakes (and, of course, install and wire the requisite brake controller in the motorhome if they're electric brakes). It may not be required legally for trailers of this size, at least in many jurisdictions, but given that motorhomes are not the quickest vehicles to stop even without a trailer it seems like a good idea to me.

ya know for $3K I would seriously look at Uhaul or whoever they have trailers like you want and are not that expensive. Look at craigs list for a used but actually would go to bigger one since you would likely move more into it as you go?

PB, Just for reference, we had a fairly short Jamboree with the spare mounted under the rear frame. We moved it to a front bumper mount and the handling greatly improved.
As for a trailer, we say several "C's" pulling enclosed trailers during this Summer's adventure. That's the route I would take as well. Also, take a close look at a trailer that's 10' or even 12'. My experience towing Uhauls with our Coachmen is the shorter ones are a real pain to back up!!

Good Luck,
Gary

Here's the portable clothes washer we got. Sits in the shower and plugs into the water/drain there. works ok for light clothes every couple of days or so. spin dries pretty well then hang for final dry. Towels and jeans aren't as efficient. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AW04ZMM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


looking at a trailer like this
https://www.trailersplus.com/Washington/Marysville/5-Wide-Cargo-Trailers/trailer/4RAVS081XHN101927

Kayaks are inflatable so they pack into a 2x3x2 bag. wouldn't mind having hard ones, but carrying them on the MH would be difficult with all the **** on the roof as it is.

Sounds like everything is full for folks who take a lot, and everyone in the less-is-more camp is happy there too. I've seen kayaks carried vertically on the back, likely va the hitch or ladder. Our tire is under the rear overhang; can't imagine getting it if it was on top, even with my collapsing ladder. I'm also interested in the portable washer, and the trailer for that matter. We've toyed with pulling a long trailer to fit everyone's gear for a long trip, especially since we often get to max on the rear axle - but can pull 10k. Since you're moving, I'd pull a trailer, which gives you flexibility at the new place- instant storage unit. You'll get the hang of backing up- or just go around the block a few times! Keep us posted.

We have very little storage room in our 20 foot C. I figured I would be adding back bumper storage boxes but luckily was delayed and we found the inside storage was quite adequate. We only have stuff on the cabover bed when one of us gets carried away shopping. The thing with storage is that it always gets filled up regardless of how much you have. Often less is more satisfying in the end.

We have the big spare tire mounted above the bumper. Never used in 9 years now but not carrying a spare prevents backwoods travel. I got its mount reinforced when I had a custom hitch added. We use the hitch to pull a 12 foot trailer with up to 4 kayaks. It pulls very easily, easy to forget it's there, but it does take away from the wonderful versatility of a small C which can park nearly anywhere a pickup truck can. I put a switch on the backup camera so I control when it is on - just a matter of running the power wire through a switch accessible from the driver's seat. I admit easier for me with the camera mounted inside the back window so all wiring is inside.

We never thought of carrying a generator. As long time tent campers we hated the noise of the darn things. We were very short of boondocking power in our C until I installed a solar panel. I was sure pleased that one 100 watt panel does the job completely so we never plug in. No doubt that is because we don't have room for many electric appliances.

pnichols wrote:
We're not full-timers, but have taken a couple of real long trips in our 24 foot Class C - a 9000 mile trip and a 10000 mile trip. We like to be ready for anything anytime so we carry everything all the time ... including a portable generator and it's spare gas (this is in addition to the built-in generator) and a portable propane fire pit, it's long fuel hose, and it's propane tank.

Here's how we carry stuff:

- We use the shower stall for clothing beyond that in our two closets and just temporarily dump the clothing on the bed whenever we shower.

- Both dinnette seats have the entire volume underneath them for storage, so we load it up ... this offers a whole lot of great storage space.

- The spare tire is mounted in the rear right up between the frame members, just like on a pickup truck. Otherwise, I highly recommend carrying it on a front carrier.

- We use the dead space within the coach's interior cabinet and furniture construction to carry spare parts and things like extra water filters, etc..

- Our Class C is a basement model so it's outside storage bins are tall ones. Two of these outside storage bins have two more long storage bins with their access concealed that go laterally across and under the coach's floor for long items such as fishing poles, kayak oars, beach umbrellas, etc..

- Our cabover bed has storage on both of it's ends. We use this for two lawn chairs and a foldup outside table.

- The enclosed outside access cabinet for sewage and electrical hookup items is large enough to carry spare sewage hoses, two of our three fresh water hoses, a heavy duty extension cord in addition to the stock 30 amp one for hookups, and other spare parts.

- We have the underseat areas for the driver and cab passenger loaded up with all sorts of stuff.

- We have the area under the lounge chair's swivel pedestal loaded up.

- We have the area behind the lounge chair and the wall loaded up.

- We have the overhead cabinet intended for the old style non-flat TV loaded up with stuff (the RV didn't come with a TV).

- We have a bunch of interior cabinets, all loaded to the hilt ... plus extension rods across their openings so stuff doesn't fall out when we open them .... plus double latches or bungy cords on some of them so their doors don't fly open when going over curbs, roadway dips, or when traveling off-highway on dirt/gravel roads.

- The two large coach batteries are mounted right under the coach step ... accessible from the inside or outside and thus not taking up any valuable outside storage volume.

We carry no camping gear or equipment strapped on the outside ... including nothing on the roof, or exterior roof access ladder. We like a clean looking machine from the outside, and even on the inside (other than the shower stall!) we try to maintain an open, non-cluttered look.

All the above being given .... I have no idea where I would put inflatable or non-inflatable kayaks!

Wow Phil... no wonder you needed an E-450 :S

LMAO and you've got to know I'm just kidding. We toss stuff {backpack, small cooler, extra clothes etc.}, into our shower stall as well. Like you said it is easy enough to just move it to the bed since we both shower every other day, usually one right after the other. The under dinette storage isn't half full and we still have lots of cabinets that are less than half full so I don't see us running out of space anytime soon.

I do carry a lot of tools {two full tool bags, jack, jack stand, tire wrench, compressor/jump starter, splitter & 5# maul, hatchet, portable fire pit with a 20# lp cylinder, BBQ etc., and toys but everything seems to fit with lots of room to spare. We load to about 11,000# {mas y memos}, on a GVWR of 11,500 so all is well.

:C