how do you carry your stuff in the TC

I would say you have just about everything one would need!!!!

Like this:

Darn, there's always somebody with a scale to spoil all my plans :-)

Lots of great IDEAS, but I just weighed my truck and camper and I am 680 pounds over weight in a DRY state of loaded, so I will be bringing nothing with me except my thoughts, sorry honey and kids.

lol

realter wrote:
Goin--I wish I was as handy as you. Why the holes in the shelf? Is that a skylight in the last picture? Nice sized.

The holes in the bottom shelf of the overcab wardrobe are for two reasons. These shelves sit flush with the top of the adjoining bin so I need to be able to lift the shelf to access the storage space underneath. The holes allow for both air circulation and a way to lift the boards. I was amazed at how much stuff I can keep in this space. In this space under the bottom shelf on just one side of the bed I store 4 rolls of paper towels, 3 boxes of tissues, and 6 rolls of toilet paper.

That is a skylight you see over the table in the last photo. It adds a lot of light but if I had ordered the camper I would not have gotten it. It is right at the top of the stairs so makes getting on top of the camper a bit more difficult. Of course this wouldn't be a problem if they'd put the ladder on the other side over the less visible kitchen window where it should be. But that's another story!

About the only tools I have for my woodworking projects is a ruler, a square, a couple clamps, a miter saw, and a 12V drill. Almost everything I've built can be removed without leaving visible holes. That way if it doesn't work out the way I think it should the first time or if I just change my mind on how it should be I can try again.

Its possible to gain alot of extra storage space in most TCs by using a little ingenuity. My TC came with some pretty nice storage but I was able to gain even more by utilizing areas that I felt were just wasted space or not adequate. Here are a few things that I added over time. None of them cost very much money, since I did them myself.

Shelf unit built in where it was just empty wall space to the left side of bathroom door

Factory pantry shelving on slide out rack

New wider shelving on slide out rack increased can storage 3-fold

Factory wardrobe without shelving

Added shelving which we like much better

Headboard area before:

Headboard area after:

Sliding double doors. Great place to store bed linens and pillows

Built rack along side of kitchen cabinet to hold just the pan lids. Its out of the way and hidden from view.

Goin--I wish I was as handy as you. Why the holes in the shelf? Is that a skylight in the last picture? Nice sized.

wnjj wrote:

JumboJet wrote:
Here is how I carry some extra items:

You probably want to roll the awning up while travelling, though. :B

And I'll bet that red ladder used to be tall enough to reach the top of the camper :B

Getting creative about how to pack it all in is part of the fun of a TC. Add shelves to the cabinets, a shoe holder pocket thingy in the closet (for small items), plastic bins for organization, etc. To make use of unused space I even replaced the decorative panel over the entry door with some plywood onto which I attached a paper towel holder, spice rack, hat/glove bin, & book/magazine rack. On the outside I use a hitch haul under the rear overhang of the camper that can carry my wood leveling blocks, a bin with my sewer hose & fittings, and a bin of firewood. (I only carry kiln-dried lumber fragments that can be gathered from just about any construction site, after asking for permission of course.) I've also added a small 2' wide deck across the back of my TC on which I could fasten extra gear if needed ... but haven't needed it yet. Two of my main objectives are to minimize how much stuff I need to put away before I can hit the road and to keep stuff out of my way so I can use the TC facilities enroute without moving or climbing over things.

Shelf added to kitchen cabinet.


Dividers added to bedside bins.


Shelves added to bedside wardrobe.


Back wall before modification.


Back wall after modification.

I just finished loading up my 21' TH for a 3 day trip to the beach. This allows the use of the p/u bed for firewood, chairs, etc.
Because small THs don't have a great deal of storage, I also make use of the plastic storage containers. You can separate items based on useage and they are easier to store, tie down and have access to.
To answer your question, when I'm "travelling" I much prefer the Lance to towing a trailer, even a small one.
I have as much storage in my Lance 981 as my Ragen 21FB, minus the "Toy" area.
There are numerous areas to store items in the Lance that you don't realize until you clean it out.
What works well for me is towing my Jeep Cherokee. I have a large storage rack on top, can carry a lot of stuff inside and if I feel like taking my dual sport M/C, I can carry that on the hitch of the Jeep.
The best part is that I have a smaller off-road capable veh to drive when I set up camp.
It also provides another place for the dogs to hang out or sleep.

I envy you folks with the nice big trailers behind your truck campers. I've been on a diet all summer, so meals consist of powdered meal replacement, plus a cup of veg and a cup of fruit. All this fits in a cooler along with drinking water. I have a canvas bag purch from LLbean, with a change of clothes and a bathroom kit, all packed and ready to put into the camper. I'm usually by myself, so don't have a fire, so no wood necessary. So I have the cooler under one arm, and the canvas bag under the other. I just leave a few clothes in the camper along with a sleeping bag and light weight blanket, plus some silverware and dishes. My nice chair is always on the floor of the camper. I feel bad that nothing is in the overhead cabinets. What wasted space!!! The freedom of traveling light is xlr8ng! The only thing missing is my WIFE.