All geared up: my all-seasons all-purpose T6 Ocean interior & organisation :

[CarrieCali]

@Auberg-ine - thanks for this! Some useful inspiration. I, too, sometimes struggle to find something to hang the hammock ends on... (yup, first world problems) I'm a bit hesitant to put my weight on one of the awning rails like you have though. May I ask how you're so confident in them?

 

[Auberg-ine]

Fantastic! But don't you raise the roof or use the top bed?

I indeed rarely use the upper bed. I do raise the ceiling of course for cooking etc.
Mostly I use the van on my own, to go to my office, to sites, afternoon breaks, painting or fishing sessions... I prefer to do wild camping, beach camping, love to wake up early in historic city centers,... So therefore my 'stealth' solutions. Ready to take off at each moment.

 

[Auberg-ine]

@Auberg-ine - thanks for this! Some useful inspiration. I, too, sometimes struggle to find something to hang the hammock ends on... (yup, first world problems) I'm a bit hesitant to put my weight on one of the awning rails like you have though. May I ask how you're so confident in them?

Indeed. Check this :
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/when-only-one-tree-for-the-hammock.24364/

 

[sapto]

@Auberg-ine
Great idea with silicon trayAnd again: awesome to see how some of us customize their van

 

[Anthony1]

After 6 months of daily use, in all kinds of settings (as mobile office, as camper,...) and weathers, I made me a summary of all the extra tunings, DIY's, extra equipment,... that grew onto the Auberg-ine. Might be useful for the so many new newbies around here, even if of course very personal and specific. What I still carry around now might be crazy for most people, but to me it's my favourite omni-toy. Fridge, water, gaz, all permanently topped, ready to fly out at whatever spur of the moment. The way I dreamed it for years. (H)Yippie !

View attachment 34189
Auberg-ine Front Part mods

1. Jump leads storage besides main battery
2. DIY Ceiling storage made out of our famous safety net (for scarfs, hats, caps...)
3. Storage of Reimo door top ventilation (double grille) in small net above roof shutter
4. Hooks to fix Kelty Bestie Blanket (hung at hidden tube above shutter) at B-pillars in case of stealth camping
5. Mobile ventilator hung in front of towel (no vibrations)
6. Ikea colander/ herbs garden (can also be hung at glass cover above the sink).
7. DIY slide-in phone dock in cubby hole (no more cable fuzz to connect with CarNet)
8. VW coat hanger/ drying rack (passes Brandrup pockets)
9. Warning triangle strapped in front of driver chair
10. Fire extinguisher strapped in front of passenger chair
11. Brandrup pockets for small stuff needed while driving
12. DIY cup&can holder, incl. small mod. to also hang it at sliding door
13. Fishing gear
14. VW Campershop Multi-box /dustbin
15. DIY storage for magnetic blinds
16. Umbrella storage
17. Sunware multibox/paper towel dispenser/candy tray (when cover reversed)
18. DIY library (Sunware)
19. Brandrup mosquito screen
20. Rotan stool (prefer not to rotate driver seat)/container for roaming stuff (can be fixed at the bench drawer)

View attachment 34190
Auberg-ine Middle Part mods

1. Sliding Ikea stainless steel hooks (to hang wet coats off the bench/pockets)
2. DIY Ceiling storage made out of unused safety net (shirts&socks&slips pockets, …)
3. Ikea led light for cabinets
4. DIY bronze colour filter in front of existing white led lights (except for main central light); at lounging mode
5. Sliding mosquito screen
6. Wardrobe for costume, jogging outfit, raincoat, swimsuit, two stacked flat clothes bags, hammocks at the bottom.
7. DIY vanity basket (made from Woolite box)
8. DIY newspaper rack
9. Exploration Pillar (magnifying glass, binoculars, harmonica)
10. Brandrup mosquito screen
11. DIY cow skin protection (100€ in stead of 500€ for classic cover)
12. DIY table print (high definition European road map, for whiteboard markers
13. Coffee&tea, hot&cold drink glasses, compact cooking set, (led-)candles, cookies& chocolates (permanently accessible)
14. Apero-snacks, cutlery,… , Ikea tray cutting board on top of cutlery drawer (permanently accessible)
15. Food&drinks provisions (not accessible when bed installed) Ikea Skubb zipper boxes
16. Deep dishes (omni-functional), cans, pasta, … Ikea Kuggis boxes
17. Maintenance&Hygiene, petanque sets, frisbees; Ikea Skubb
18. Flexible ‘empty hole’
19. Elastic (bike) fastener, holding loose items or container (reversed rotan stool) while driving
20. Dille&Kamille candle lampion for awning/ slippers storage

View attachment 34191
Auberg-ine Back Part mods

1. Outwell Baffin stools/footrests/tables, installed in between the chairs, can together with the towel become Cali chair comfort headrests.
2. DIY i-Pad holder against ceiling roof cabinet, to watch movie in bed. Cabinet=drawing/painting equipment
3. Foldable water container, tapes,… Ikea Skubb zipper box
4. Straps, velcro, rope, towing,… Ikea Skubb zipper box
5. Toolbox, Ikea Skubb zipper box
6. Board games box
7. Reimo Airvent (sliding window) storage
8. Ikea Skâdis magazines bag (can stay in place after turning bench to bed)
9. Folding boxes (cloths, blankets…), fits kitchen counter when positioning bed
10. Awning floor/pick-nick mat
11. Fiamma leveling ramps
12. Outwell 2-persons sleeping bag/blanket fitting into Luggable Loo bucket (+ Care-bags), accessible from inside
13. BBQ and coconut coal
14. Hook-up cable
15. 2 Outwell folding relax chairs
16. Brandrup pocket with shower hose
17. Collapsible shopping baskets
18. Curver with boots, jogging shoes, mudscraper floormat…+ clean curver for (dish-)washing, reversed serving as step
19. VW shower&toilet tailgate tent
20. Outwell Baffin table tops / bbq ash trays (reverse side covered with thick aluminium sheet)

Hello
Impressed of Worthing here.
Did you cut the 'safety' net up to make the roof netting?

 

[Anthony1]

I totally agree about 'justify the space it takes up'. Therefore my selection criteria is that each item should at least have two functions. Blanket=fleece=curtain=pick-nick, stool=footrest=table=container, folding stools and towels serve as headrest for calichair, herbs basket=colander, glasses serve for beer, wine ànd tea, coat hanger= dry rack, curvers serve for muddy stuff, washing and as step, toilet bucket serves also to get water out of the river, etc...
I admit I have the Swiss knife syndrome. You should know that I suffer from loosing the integrated toothpick in them
Tell me, besides the books, plants and fishing gear, what you would take out?

I still have the toothpick after 42 years!

 

[Auberg-ine]

Hello
Impressed of Worthing here.
Did you cut the 'safety' net up to make the roof netting?

Yes, where the joint between horizontal and vertical was. I put the large piece in front and the short at the back.


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[Lorri]

Derr you may think I’m dumb - please explain the “kiss” principle.

 

[Auberg-ine]

Derr you may think I’m dumb - please explain the “kiss” principle.

"keep it short and simple", "keep it simple and straightforward", "keep it small and simple", "keep it stupid simple". Just hoping WG was not taking the "keep it simple, stupid!"
All while my version would be more "Smooth and Sensual", getting out of that Spartan Seriousness

 

[Velma's Dad]

"keep it short and simple", "keep it simple and straightforward", "keep it small and simple", "keep it stupid simple". Just hoping WG was not taking the "keep it simple, stupid!"
All while my version would be more "Smooth and Sensual", getting out of that Spartan Seriousness

The inside of our van is quite frequently FUBAR.

 

[motacyclist]

The inside of our van is quite frequently FUBAR.

Full up with beer and rosé?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Full up with beer and rosé?

Yes that too.

 

[Auberg-ine]

I always keep a two-way spirit level (from our shop) stuck on top of the lid above the dash, being apparently the only level position (?).
Just a peculiar thing I found out now after my return back to hot summer here: it turned from fluo-green to red.
(the black plastic is my own magic)

A moment later, while opening the wardrobe I got this:
Shutter tape can't stand a summer of 30°C, with the car in the shade?
Any other failures known from heated conditions?

Edit: (I now think the green-yellow dye got somehow dissolved by the warmth, and the original red plastic underneath the tubes is reflecting in the water. So not our famous Belgium Red Devils Hocus Pocus. )

 

[Auberg-ine]

Got 3 plastic jars left over from lunch; perfect containers for cables, medicine, sewing kit, earplugs,.... screwed them in the last unused 0,02m2 space at the ceiling of the wardrobe.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Sewing kit? What's wrong with a stapler??

 

[Auberg-ine]

Sewing kit? What's wrong with a stapler??

Nothing, just that the stapler is for the cloths; the needles for the flesh of course....

Preparing for next trip 'Into the wild'. Thought I should look for a way to enlarge the 'bar':

(less air between bottles = more booze)

 

[Auberg-ine]

(In an attempt to forget about football ) I jumped again to my previous kitchen worktop alternative. Took 3 heat resistant cutting boards (HDF) and a grey tube, and cut them to fit under the lid. This way I have a decent and flexible work tablet. The middle part can slide over the right panel but only when the glass top is in open position, so not while driving. The right board handle just fits over the tap. It can be flipped over to fit on top of the left board. The tube is just to keep the distance in front of the hinges.
And now I can close the glass top immediately after making a cup of tea and enjoy the landscape, which was my very first question here at this forum! :thefinger.

 

[Iron Van]

Another great idea,

 

[Auberg-ine]

" ...We started with a simple plan..."

 

[Auberg-ine]

Having no access to a water tap (wild mountain camping) I come back to my AdBlue funnel-and-bottles solution. The vacuum problem raised before is solved by not cutting the front of the funnel, as I used to do in order to fix it through the cap and inside the water bottle, but to just hold it over the bottleneck while pouring. This way there's enough air coming through without spilling. The base is also still wide enough to be used with a classic water container.

Nobody eager to develop a slightly modified (3D printed?) closing cap which allows the funnel to stay in and be retracted when needed? This way I could use the space taken by the old big funnel for some other essential element.

 

[Steve&Bev]

Superb post, thank you. One thing i am interested in is your cable storage beside the main battery. Can you show me how you have managed this please. Also, I assume the cable is OK with the heat of the engine?

 

[Auberg-ine]

Superb post, thank you. One thing i am interested in is your cable storage beside the main battery. Can you show me how you have managed this please. Also, I assume the cable is OK with the heat of the engine?

Here you are. Jump cables are underneath. Compressor in the middle.

In fact, I used to keep the main cables in the original cover here, but I removed it for the same fear of overheating, where I think the cables on themselves are ok.


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[Steve&Bev]

Here you are. Jump cables are underneath.
View attachment 35907
In fact, I used to keep the main cables in the original cover here, but I removed it for the same fear of overheating, where I think the cables on themselves are ok.


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Thanks, this looks like an excellent spot for the cables. I am still waiting for my Cali, have you thought about using the space behind the panels below the rear tail lights or would this be a difficult modification?

 

[Loz]

Having no access to a water tap (wild mountain camping) I come back to my AdBlue funnel-and-bottles solution. The vacuum problem raised before is solved by not cutting the front of the funnel, as I used to do in order to fix it through the cap and inside the water bottle, but to just hold it over the bottleneck while pouring. This way there's enough air coming through without spilling. The base is also still wide enough to be used with a classic water container.
View attachment 35469 View attachment 35470
Nobody eager to develop a slightly modified (3D printed?) closing cap which allows the funnel to stay in and be retracted when needed? This way I could use the space taken by the old big funnel for some other essential element.

View attachment 35471 View attachment 35472

I gave up with my blue funnel as it takes too long to pour and made this pot-noodle funnel instead, super fast and universal.

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

I'd hazard a guess 50% or so of all VW campers have a supply of 'herbs' on board....

Right on brother. Morocco is my country of choice!