Counter Space!! Where is it?? 15 1/4"??

[BobsYourUncle]

Is it just me? Or are there others that have next to sweet nothing for counter real estate?

My TT is 27 feet long. You'd think they could give me a little more than just room to butter a slice of bread!

I have next to .... struggling for a polite term here....
Next to nothing for counter space.

From my stove to my sink is 15 1/4 inches. Thats it!

I mean sure I can use the fold down thing on my stove top, but not when I'm cooking. Or my table top, but I don't want to use that for food preparation either. My laptop sits there and the current paperwork, leaving room for a dinner plate and a cold one!

And I don't have one of those counter top things that fits in the sink hole either

Yup! 15 1/4" of countertop space, thats it!

Is it just me? Or do you guys have 4/5ths of nothing there too?

Oh, and there is a 2 inch strip to the left of my stove. What do I do with that besides wipe it when I wash dishes?

[BobsYourUncle]

janegowest wrote:
Thank you, but for some reason, I can't see any of the attached photos.... : (

Check your own settings here. You may have pics turned off.
I can see them no problem.

Click on My Forums, then click on My Preferences. Make sure the check box Show images that are part of posts is checked

[janegowest]

Thank you, but for some reason, I can't see any of the attached photos.... : (

[Jim_Shoe]

I found a 21" x 15" x 1/2" plastic cutting board (probably at Wally World) that's the same size as the stove top. For prepping, that's where it sits, and it fits vertically between the stove and couch when I'm cooking or headed down the road.

[dannytas]

This is what I did to help with lack of counters...

[NYCgrrl]

I've lived and occasionally worked in kitchens with hardly any counter space most of my life. I think carefully before buying any mini appliance that will use up valuable counter space and reject most of them as well just a way to spend money cause certainly I can make burgers, egg muffins, franks, cook a single egg with a regular ol'pot/pan. I expect to take that mindset into my RV. Already found 2 spots to add additional counter space in my coming TT though. One slide out counter will be added 2.5" above a base counter and below the existing counter. No plumbing or structure in my way. 2nd idea is playing with the other base cabinet. Thinking the coffee machine or a mini food processor can be placed within the rimmed top slide out shelf of the base cabinet and retrofitted with a pop up mechanism similar to those found on this page:

http://www.bellmont1900.com/solutions.html

[toedtoes]

I have no counter space. There is a small 6 inch wide strip between the stove and outside wall (not visible in photo) and the small vanity counter. In addition, the dinette is too far away to be convenient.



On the small strip, I have a kitchen utensil organizer holding spatulas, can opener, etc. and because it's right by the exit, I keep my walkie talkies there also - that leaves a space of about 6" x 6" for other stuff.

I have the sink covers, but I hate having to move them constantly. So, I picked up an over the sink strainer:

sink strainer

That sits in the sink by the wall. I use it to hold veggies, utensils, etc. as I cook. And I can still put dirty utensils, etc. in the sink underneath it.

Then I got a stainless steel wall shelf:
wall shelf

This is placed on the wall above the sink with strainer. It's up high enough that I can still use the sink for its normal purpose. I use the shelf to hold ingredients while I cook which I put away as soon as I'm finished cooking.

Then I got this standing double shelf:
double shelf

Using velcro, I've attached this to the vanity counter. Now, the counter not only holds all those little odds and ends (keys, flashlight, phone, etc.), but holds additional ingredients.

I'm not a big foodie or cook, so it works for me. I have a small cutting board that sits nicely on top of a stove burner. My teapot is always on the stovetop (or in the sink during travel). I velcro'd a dish drying mat to the stove cover for doing dishes after meals.

When I have guests with me, I use my handy folding basket. I fill it with fixings for salad, condiments, etc. and send it out to the picnic table for someone to do non-cooking food prep.

I may add another shelf above the small space next to the stove, but haven't completely decided yet.

[rhagfo]

fj12ryder wrote:

ChopperBill wrote:
(snip) No offense but lot of pics I see of folks counter space it's covered with krap.

Uh, I think that's why they want the counterspace: so they'll have someplace to put it.

We have a few appliances the stay out when we are out, coffee maker and hot pot for two, plus a place for the dish drainer.
As stated before DW's first requirement was enough counter space to cook!! We are four season NW campers so an outside kitchen is not an option.

[Opie431]

I probably have the same amount of space you do. Plan ahead. Clean off your counter of extra stuff before you begin. Dirty dishes go into a dishpan as they are used. Dishpan could sit on the table and be moved off when meal is ready.
At the end of my counter is a small fold down shelf. I have never used it but it would be there to use if I needed it.
I do have something to fit over the stove top when I need the extra space for mixing and preparing. And I bake from scratch so I am not just heating up food.

[Opie431]

I probably have the same amount of space you do. Plan ahead. Clean off your counter of extra stuff before you begin. Dirty dishes go into a dishpan as they are used. Dishpan could sit on the table and be moved off when meal is ready.
At the end of my counter is a small fold down shelf. I have never used it but it would be there to use if I needed it.
I do have something to fit over the stove top when I need the extra space for mixing and preparing. And I bake from scratch so I am not just heating up food.

[DanKirk]

The counter space is one reason that we love our rear kitchen travel trailer. It seems that side kitchens have much less counter space.

[janegowest]

rondeb wrote:
Heavy duty hinges

When we had our Travel trailer there wasn't much counter space and we used 2 of these and ordered a 2.5 foot cutting board to use as a counter extension. Installed it at the end of the counter and when up I had tons of room. These hinges provided enough support that you could sit on that counter if you wanted. I didn't like the flimsy ones that come in the RV's. I wanted something really solid that I could have a really big extension.

Sounds wonderful!

[janegowest]

ChopperBill wrote:
We had a 40' with acres of counter space. Now we have little counter space but a huge living area that is used much more. Asked wife if she wanted a portable island. Nope wouldn't trade the living space for it. She has made do with no complaint. No offense but lot of pics I see of folks counter space it's covered with krap.

Does your wife cook every day from scratch?

[janegowest]

cdlaine wrote:
Bob...

Our solution ... Google Target "T.V. Tray" ...sold in 4 packs.
Able to instantly expand your countertops to any needed dimension. And, serve
double duty for dinner while watching Hockey ! Fold and store under our sofa. $60 +/-.
Easy, I'm lazy.

Charles

Are the TV trays tall enough or sturdy enough to serve as a prep counter?

[jalichty]

Our Eagle HT 26.5 RLS has a mid-kitchen and not a lot of counter space. We bought a cutting board from Camping World and sits on top of the stove and we use that for dinner preparation a lot of the time. Then, when it's time to cook we move it out of the way. We also have a way to attach a little "table" at the end of the counter but have never used it. We store the "table" in the passthrough storage in the front. We cook the large majority of meals in the FW and have found that it's doable, you just need to make it work. My biggest complaint is the small stove, it's really hard to get three regular size pans on the stove at the same time. However, it's better than our old one that had four burners and you had to work hard to get two pans on and cooking at the same time, let alone four.

[fj12ryder]

ChopperBill wrote:
(snip) No offense but lot of pics I see of folks counter space it's covered with krap.

Uh, I think that's why they want the counterspace: so they'll have someplace to put it.