Full time in TT?

I have full timed in a variety of travel trailers for over twelve years now. Usually alone, but not always. Got tired of paying eight hundred dollars a year to store a thousand dollars worth of stuff, so I get rid of it. Had enough tools to fill a three car garage and overhaul a tank, but really don't miss them now.

I recently spent 13 months in my TT at a RV Park. I stayed in it during the week and then went home on the weekends. My TT camps at 29', as it has a rear queen slide.

It had enough room for my stuff, but it would get crowded when my wife and daughter came up and stayed with me.

It worked really well as a studio apartment for 1 person. For more than 1, I would want a longer 5er with storage capacity underneath.

Here's some mod ideas I did to our camper to increase storage.



Here are three undeerbed full extension draweers. Our camper has painted cabinets so it was simple to make drawer fronts and paint them with computer matched paint.



I made a false bottom for the underbed storage area to create a shallow storage trunk above the three full extension drawers.



This is another full extension drawer installed under the sink. The original space was cramped and hard to access. The drawer makes access much more convenient.

If, interested, you can see more of my mods as this LINK

We have been FT for 8 1/2years now in a TT.

Two things to remember:

1.With a TT the back of the truck, with a toper gives you lots of flexible space for storage.

2. You only have to store what you decide to carry.

We have been doing it since 04 when we bought our Alpenlite Aspen 28RL. The decision point is how much do I really need. My collection of tools now fits in a plastic tote. Yes, we do have professionals do the maintenance that I can't with my limited tools.

TenOC wrote:
The classic question. When full timing, how many sets of bed sheets do you need? The correct answer is only 1. Take the set off, wash it and put it back on. OK keep 2 sets, one as a spare. By the way, I have 8 sets. Why, I do not know.

You can put all 8 sets on the bed and remove one set each week, exposing a clean sheet. I actually roomed with a guy that did this, lol. :B

In one of my TT I raised the bed about 8 inches by adding a 1 X 12 to the existing frame. Simple. The hardest part was reinstalling the gas lifters.

Every potentially available cubic inch of storage space is like gold. Look around and see what might be available. You can also make existing spaces more efficient like installing drawers in cubby holes beside the bed. You might under-utilized space in dinette seating. 'Course, this will require some carpentry skills and tools.

Often the waste and water piping under sinks is installed at the factory in a way that prevents good use of the space and you can re-route the piping out of the way.

TTs often have blank panels in cabinetry with no access. You can simply pop the panels off as they are just stapled in place, then install a new door(s). A door could be from another model of your TT so the finish matches, or you could get custom ones made to fit the openings or you might be able to buy something off the shelf at a big box store.

In our current TT there was a big empty space between the shower and bedroom wall. I cut the wall open and created new cabinets using doors from other models of our TT (first 2 pics). Pic 3 shows a custom door I had made up at a shop to go where there was originally a blank panel. Pic 4 is drawers I built for the original cubby hole beside the bed. Pic 5 is a pair of drawers I made up for behind a dinette seat and I raised the existing surface about 6".

It seems to me after going to a number of RV shows that TT manufacturers don't put much thought into efficient use of cabinets and storage spaces and it's more about the lovely wood finishes. I think there are a couple of brands/models that do a better job.

Some ideas:

We full time in a 31' TT (Pic in profile). We did remove the couch as it was just not comfortable and only the dog used it and he was PO...lol. We replaced with two recliners. We are outside folks and use our patio area as a room (weather permitting). we also added a kitchen cart for more counter/drawer space. we also carry a small dorm fridge for outside use. We have to have out truck bed to carry kayaks.

Pira 114, that is what we are working on. Trying to buy the metal shed for DH tools. Will put camper pad and utilities to have a summer spot near family. Lot is large enough to build a tiny house if we want. If we have to quit ft-img, we won't be able to take care of anything larger. I like the minimalist way of living.