What prompted the idea of getting them in the first place, was the fact that if we ever do get to go anywhere, the first half mile of our travel will be up a steep grade. From my experience driving up this bit of road with a fully loaded van on my way to art shows, I know EVERYTHING will shift no mater how it is packed.
I also know that we will not be filling up the cabinets of the Alfa. At least not until we are fulltimers.
I have bought a COSTCO package of paper towels that I thought I might use along the back. I can always use the paper towels and they don't weigh much.
For now I haven't decided what I want to put in there, so packing it is theoretical at the best.
The top edge of the valance on the large slide is open, creating a long, deep, narrow space. It is said to be a great place to store fishing rods or other long thin items.
I thought it would be a place to store some noodles.
Yesterday I set out for the Dollar Store in San Jose, but as I was driving I decided on another solution. I know some RVers use bubble wrap to keep things in place. I use it all of the time for shipping my sculptures, and usually get it for free from friends or by raiding dumpsters behind retail stores. I never buy boxes.
I did the other errands on my list and went back home. I took a good size roll of bubble wrap up to the Alfa and cut it up into sections. I rolled them to about the diameter of a noodle and stowed them in the valance.
Someday when I'm packing I will have the bubble wrap available to use. If not, I can always retrieve it and use it to pack a sculpture.
Right now, I just wish I could be packing for a short trip. I have only taken a few things up to the Alfa. Most things that we will need are things I use every day at the house, and I don't want to start doubling "stuff." I have also bought a few things for her.
Craig has been in contact with the county. As of today he is playing tag with his contact and the word is they are still looking at the problem. .... ERG!
Merikay, I can't wait for your blog posts from the road! You are so ready for the life! Take care and talk with you soon. I'm beginning to come out of my travel/family/cold coma.
ReplyDeleteSounds like government speak - doesn't matter if it's Federal, State or County. So frustrating. Pillows also work well as filler in empty cabinets. We don't have any of those (empty cabinets) but I have extra pillows in case somebody comes to visit and then of course, the ones on the couch.
ReplyDeleteI also used my linens and spare throw pillows for padding in cabinets.
ReplyDeleteI understand about not wanting to "double" up on stuff, especially since my house is now for sale. After my trip in June, I had to bring some things back into the house, and now I am moving some stuff back out to the coach.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry too much, I'm sure you will get out on a trip soon enough, I wrote some negative things on my blog when I wasn't feeling good and went back and edited those posts now - to put a more positive spin on things. I want to send out "Good Vibes".
Bubble wrap is a great idea. I put most of my things in various sized containers, and keep in place with those expandable curtain rod things.
ReplyDeleteJust make sure any heavy things are REALLy secure if in an upper area. We were driving along and the top half of my Boise, the radio part, suddenly flew out of the upper cupboard over the dinette, and landed nicely with a plop on the seat. It was fine and works fine, but that's a place Katie sometimes lays on when we're traveling. Thank God she wasn't there when it fell, or she probably would have been hurt, maybe even killed. It REALLY scared me, for days afterward I thought about it.
I put the Boise somewhere else and keep my upper cupboards very secure. I thought the radio WAS secure. It was plugged in, there was a lip on the shelf, and it had never shifted.
Yep, we all have stories of things moving around on us. :( My worst was when I first got Emma, and her crate with her in it fell down the stairwell up side down in transit! It's all a learning curve. :)
ReplyDeleteJust make sure your refrigerator is closed tightly! We closed ours but it didn't latch tightly and when Mike turned a corner the door flew open and of all things the cranberry juice fell out. We stopped, soaked, cleaned and dried...several times. To this day you can't tell it ever happened. I was totally surprised. I figured we were on our way for new carpeting. I guess we got it quick enough. We got lucky!!
ReplyDeleteWe just pack regular towels in the cabinets to keep everything from moving around.
ReplyDeleteheavy stuff in the lower cabinets and lighter stuff up high is what we have been told!..makes sense to me!!
ReplyDeleteBecause we travel for 5 or 6 months at a stretch our cupboards usually do not need any extra fill or packing. Everything is snugly in place. Heavy stuff high up is a definate 'no-no' just as the others have said. And be sure fridge and freezer doors are secure. Can get mighty messy if they aren't:((
ReplyDeleteMy friends have an Alfa and I was amazed at how deep those upper cabinets are. She was packing for the summer trip and she had this huge plastic container the kind that will hold rolls of wrapping paper, that she put up there and then loads it with what ever so they don' roll around or rattle. Alfas have great storage.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for you and Craig to be able to head out and blog about it.
We use towels in the cabinets to keep everything snug so we can clean them once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't use the top of the slide to store anything, forget to take them off when you deploy the slide and when you hear the crunching of the poles and slide material you'll remember why nothing should go up there. :)~
Things are going quickly aren't they!
Have fun,
Erik
I just got it, the valance is open, so it doesn't touch anything when you deploy the slide, doh! Sometimes I'm slow... :)
ReplyDeleteErik
Merikay..you might be right on the long comment theory..it does seem to work when I post short ones...the last thing that came up was about my cookies...ugh!!..
ReplyDeleteRight after I read this post, I saw some noodles in the grocery store. They were $4.99 each though! We had thought of getting one of them to put under our kayaks when we put them on the roof of the truck.
ReplyDeleteMy cabinets are full, nothing slides! It can't!! ;-) But as other's have said, light stuff in top cabinets, heavy on bottom. When I first got my RV, I put my canned goods in the cabinet above my sink. Not a good idea. Hit brakes, cabinets popped open, cans crashed down, putting two dents in my sink :-(
ReplyDeleteI do use the non slip rubber mats on the bottom of the shelves. I also use one under my cutting board that rests on the stove top. It has never moved. However, having said that, I don't think I've driven any big steep grades either...
Noodles are handy for other things though! I'll have to do a blog on them for what I use them for. Get them at the 99 cent store or the Dollar General store.