Information/pictures about organizing Bighorn basement

I am interested in how to organize my huge basement when I take delivery of a 3055 BH. I would like ideas on how to store stuff efficiently (including tools) in the two sections of the basement.

Besides the numerous plastic boxes I plan to have a Coleman AC/DC cooler and Porter Cable pancake compressor.

I did a search for basement organization and found pages of threads which did not help.

Any suggestions or information?

Patrick; I use clear plastic fliptop containers and then organize everything by weight to minimize tounge weight as much as possible. I carry two tool boxes ,one in the camper one in the truck. I carry my generator, ladder,blocking, and firewood on the back on a rack. JON

I think Jim Beletti has some pics in the photo gallery of his storage setup. We use the plastic boxes, but we have yet to take our maiden voyage with our new LM so I don't have any great tips yet.

Yes Jim did a great job on his rig. I think he even installed a sliding drawer inside the storage area.

No matter how you organize your basement as time goes on you will re-organize it again and again and again etc. Somday I hope to be organized. We do have the Slidemaster with the plastic boxes on it, two folding bikes, one compressor, grill, four folding chairs and various other things in the basement and all needed of course.

We use plastic boxes. The two folding bikes go in the very front (it is lower) and the plastic boxes on the upper part of the basement. The stuff we use regularly is on the outside and other stuff on the inside. The cleaners and rags on the doorside and sewer stuff on the non-doorside. We are constantly moving stuff around and adding and subtracting stuff. Hey, don't worry you will find that you will do whatever works for you as there is no right or wrong way. Just don't overload by carrying unnecessary things. The tool box in in the truck bed.

Hi Patrick,

You won't find a road map here on this. Each must find his own way as to what works best for them. So reading through this forum, including the feedback you are getting here, you will gain some valuable insight and like some have said, you'll start out one way and refine it over time.

Some observations I have made by seeing hundreds of RVers storage is that they fall into maybe 3 categories:

1. Unorganized - everything just tossed in wherever
2. Organized chaos - it looks cluttered to me, but they know where everything is
3. Tidy Organized - A place for everything and everything in its place

Most people use Rubbermaid and other brands of large containers to store items. Myself and others use those clear keeps with the blue flip-top lids. You can "sort of" see into them and they stack very well.

A small percentage use sliding trays. Mostly commercial (Kwikee, Lippert, Slidemaster etc.) and a few homebrew. I have found 3 camps on sliding trays.

1. Some love them and believe in them
2. Some want them but are not in a financial position to obtain them
3. Some loathe them and feel they are space wasters

I am in camp 1. When you can organize your stuff in such a way that it is all accessible and you use the entire "cubic" volume of a sliding tray, then you have really achieved something. In my opinion.

I've put my storage trays to one side, closest to the front of the coach. This way, I have left a good amount of open floor storage between the sliding tray and the rearward bulkhead. In that open space, I store a cooler and various other items that I may want to access more readily. I also have a flat screen TV mounted flat against the bulkhead on an articulating arm that allows it to swing out of the storage bay.

All this said about sliding trays, certainly, excellent organization can and is obtained by a good many by using containers, labeling them, stacking them and in some cases, possibly even strapping them down. I think stacking the right size containers is one of the keys to efficient use of the space. There's a lot of cubic volume down there. If one only uses the square footage of the floor due to no way to stack items/containers, then there's a lot of space left on the table

With regard to your compressor - I most often see these up front, in the generator compartment between the front landing gear legs. The cooler would be able to be stored there as well as lawn chairs. Maybe even a gas grill. I tend to put things there that I don't have to access as often as it's not as pleasant to get the stuff out of that area as it is through the side baggage doors.

Have fun Patrick,

Jim

Jim did you have to but additional support boards behind the plywood of the storage area ,to support your flat screen. Also how large a TV would fit on a swing arm in the basement area.

Rick,

Yes, three 2x4s were sandwiched together to provide the strength needed. The wall itself is nothing more than 1/8" luan with carpet. So it will not hold anything more than a wall plate. We snaked a long HDMI cable from the bedroom satellite receiver on the front closet, down into the basement and connected it to an HDMI pass-through wall plate. This is how the TV gets its satellite feed. I use two RF (UHF) remotes for the bedroom satellite receiver - one for the bedroom and one for the basement - both controlling the same receiver to feed two TVs.

Jim

Thanks

Your always very helpful. Really looking forward to being able to start work on the new rig.

Rick,

If you end up getting a sliding tray, consider either the SlideMaster by Innovation Industries or the one Mor-ryde makes. I saw Mor-ryde's brochure on their slides at the Chicago RV show on Sunday.

Jim

In the front compartment. we used plastic slatwall and adjustable wire hooks and baskets. Got tired the first trip out having to move everything as it seemed what we wanted was always on the bottom of the heap. We used a Sterlite three drawer unit at the edge of the big copmpartment. Good for things you have to get out all the time. Tablecloths, lights, awning flappers. etc. The drawers face out, and the big door keeps them from coming open in transit. Another shelf that the icemaker sits on and baskets under that the small propane bottles and extra water and soda fit in. I hate having to dig for anything. On the connection side, mounted a couple wire baskets for sanitizer, bleach water and a paper towel holder. Thats also where the elec cords, hoses and cables are mounted on hooks. We moved the original one and added more.
I'll try to find the pics and post them.

Thank you all - this is great.

Jim - the white pvc tube on the ceiling of your basement

Jim,

What do you store there, where did you get it, how is it attached and what should I expect to pay for it?

I see something similar on the jobsite on electricians and plumbers work vehicles for conduit and pipe.

Thanks

Pat

Slatwell

slmayor said:

In the front compartment. we used plastic slatwall and adjustable wire hooks and baskets. Got tired the first trip out having to move everything as it seemed what we wanted was always on the bottom of the heap. We used a Sterlite three drawer unit at the edge of the big copmpartment. Good for things you have to get out all the time. Tablecloths, lights, awning flappers. etc. The drawers face out, and the big door keeps them from coming open in transit. Another shelf that the icemaker sits on and baskets under that the small propane bottles and extra water and soda fit in. I hate having to dig for anything. On the connection side, mounted a couple wire baskets for sanitizer, bleach water and a paper towel holder. Thats also where the elec cords, hoses and cables are mounted on hooks. We moved the original one and added more.
I'll try to find the pics and post them.

Click to expand...

Pardon my ignorance but what is a slatwall? If it is a typo I am not trying to be a smart ***.

Patrick,

That was in my 2005 Landmark. I mounted 1 PVC tube on the basement ceiling for an extra length of sewer hose. I rarely had to use that super long length but I don't recommend story sewer hose at ceiling height. Even after rinsing it out, it still drips unless you have the time to totally dry it out before stowing.

In the other PVC tube, I stored the legs for a cooking tripod as well as other poles and such.

Both tubes are Valterra brand from Camping World and are sold in various lengths. Not sure on the price but look for them at www.campingworld.com for pricing and ordering.

Jim

patrick1945 said:

Pardon my ignorance but what is a slatwall? If it is a typo I am not trying to be a smart ***.

Click to expand...

Patrick,

Check out this site: (http://www.slatwall-display-store-fixtures.com/).

Has pictures of the panels and the fixtures.

Thanks I see it now and have seen them before.

The plastic slate wall works good for light objects. Any objects that are heavy need the wooden slate wall. You would not be able to put you 50Amp cord hanging form it.

Let me chime in here on what I did for my storage areas in my new Bighorn 3370. I use the front storage for outdoor equipment, folding lawnchairs, rugs and fishing rods and reels.

My large storage area holds everything else, mostly in a Kwikee sliding tray. I bought one that pretty well covers the entire width of the storage compartment and has a depth of 51 inches. This area holds my portable icemaker and three plastic boxes containing my gear. This gives me plenty of room on the off door side for three plastic boxes to hold my house utilities water hoses and cables, including my sewer hoses.

It is pretty well organized and I will never have another trailer without the sliding tray.