Water and Power Cord Storage

Bag those troublesome cords and hoses
by Russ and Tiña De Maris, Your RV Podcast

Of all the gear RVers have to struggle with, some of the most unruly in terms of storage are coils of hose and electrical cords. They all seem to have a marvelous ability to unravel and get scrambled in your basement storage compartment, making it a real mess when it comes time to set up camp.

Sure, there are cord reels and hose reels — they work to a limited degree. We once tried a "flat hose" and reel combination that proved most unsatisfactory when the packaging didn't warn users that the hose had to be completely unreeled before water pressure was applied. We had an interesting "experience" with an exploding hose reel on that occasion. Cord reels are rarely designed for the large-size cables needed for carrying lots of juice to an RV. They're best kept around for "normal" yard tool extension cords.

We've finally found the ticket for keeping cords and hoses put together while they bump around in your storage area: reusable grocery bags. The kind of bags that the stores are touting as an answer to paper versus plastic. Lightweight and durable, you can fit just about any size water hose or electrical cable common to RV use inside these critters. We coil our cords and hoses up first, then simply pop 'em in their respective bags. If there's enough room, you may be able to tie the handles together in a loose knot for further security.

If a storage bag gets a bit dirty, pop it in a wash load — they'll clean up and dry easily. If it gets completely out of hand, whistle on down to Walmart and pick up a new storage bag for a song.