Wardrobe Organisation

[SilentRunning]

Ok, I’ve read the thread from 2017 … but 7 years later is there anything that can make use of all that space in the main wardrobe?
We use packing cubes but they just sit at the bottom of the available space.
The shelves available (YesCampervan?) look like they aren’t actually very practical - only giving you some L-shaped shelves that are quite narrow. Why don’t they follow the shape of the wardrobe?
I’m not handy enough to make anything myself, so just wondered if anyone has come up with a cunning solution in the last 7 years?


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[RockinNRollin]

We throw net bags in. Cheapo versions of packing cubes, but it's less than optimal. It doesn't help there's a fair old step down from the bottom of the door opening to the bottom of the wardrobe, which I assume is why the aftermarket shelves have the L shape to give some space to reach down into the depths.

Wild and probably totally impractical idea; velco-able packing cubes with velcro on the inner walls of the wardrobe so you can "stick" your packing cubes wherever you want them. Just don't put any loose clothing in there . . .

 

[CaliKatt]

We use a shelve system and fill it with food, books and games. Together with the ikea besta box which i cut to 5cm height its rock solid.
Clothes go in the bench drawer in 2 bags exactly made to size.

 

[KevH]

We use a shelve system and fill it with food, books and games. Together with the ikea besta box which i cut to 5cm height its rock solid.
Clothes go in the bench drawer in 2 bags exactly made to size.

Interested to know which Besta box and how you use it.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

We each have 4 packing cubes, Amazon specials. Mine sit at the bottom in grey bags, hers rest on the L shape shelf in blue bags.

Good access for both, great use of the space.

Laundry bag also takes up spare space in wardrobe. Obvs as the bag grows the packing cubes shrink.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Have to put squishy packing cubes in as they're the thing that keeps the half-drunk wine and gin bottle standing up.

 

[CaliKatt]

Interested to know which Besta box and how you use it.

These boxes https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/besta-box-grey-00307552/

I cut them to 5cm height. Exactly 2 fit next to eachother and they dont move at all. Just came back from a week in france and it held all our fed for a week and even space left

 

[Velma's Dad]

Very neat. We store various non-clothes, non-food stuff in the bench drawer but your setup would work better for us and we could then dedicate the drawer to clothes, much easier to get at.

 

[SilentRunning]

These boxes https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/besta-box-grey-00307552/

I cut them to 5cm height. Exactly 2 fit next to eachother and they dont move at all. Just came back from a week in france and it held all our fed for a week and even space left

View attachment 129357

This looks perfect. Thanks!


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[mattpartridge]

We use our wardrobe to store our bedding, it takes a double duvet, sheet and four pillows. We use a blue Ikea bag each to store folded clothes in the drawer under the rear seat.

 

[66tim99]

The shelves available (YesCampervan?) look like they aren’t actually very practical

They work very well for the three of us, each with a different coloured set of these packing cubes. The smaller ones fit on the shelves, the larger ones fit in the bottom and up the centre if you take 2 big ones out you can access everything else.

 

[CaliforniaCylus]

Despite the price we bought the yes campervan shelves. We were unsure how well they would work but they've been brilliant on our trip to Spain.

On the lower of the two shelves which I claimed I can store 1 pair of jeans two pairs of shorts, socks, pants and T-shirts for 12 days. And the misses has encroached with a couple of extra t shirts from the top shelf.

Means in the morning you just grab what you need without juggling packing cubes. We still took some but they just have some overflow items in them.

I think they're great.

 

[acer]

Although the thread is ostensibly about the wardrobe, it brings into question how you pack the rest of the van too.

In our 5.1 SE we had hats, gloves and a few medical bits on the top shelf in the wardrobe. The remainder housed food mainly stored in recycled shoe boxes and cereal boxes - cardboard doesn’t squeak.

We have around 4 days of clothes in the overhead locker, which are resupplied from packing cubes held in a large box under the bed extension. I wonder if we are unusual rejecting the wardrobe for clothes and using the overhead locker instead?

 

[Blackbrogue1962]

Are we the only people to hang clothes in the wardrobe on hangars? Seems like the ideal place to store clothing, though my wife does like to remain fashionable even when camping!

 

[JuanVecino2023]

Are we the only people to hang clothes in the wardrobe on hangars? Seems like the ideal place to store clothing, though my wife does like to remain fashionable even when camping!

Very sensible. We have a windbreaker each, some of my polo shirts etc on hangers. A packing cube or two still drops in the bottom.

Overhead locker - PJs towels & washkit.

Then the three of us have a grey plastic drawer each on top of the rear shelf for clothes. Easily takes enough for a weeks worth of clothes.

Beach kit and whichever else in the rear cupboard.

Military precision. And hard drills for anyone (including the youngster), who breaks packing protocol.

 

[Polomint]

In the bottom of the main wardrobe I have a large orange cheese biscuit box then on this I have an open soft sided storage box into which we put 2 pillows, 2 sleeping bags and our wash bag. The medical supplies in a thin bag slot over the rail at the top.
Rear wardrobe, husbands clothes, overhead locker, wife’s clothes. Pans, steamer, heater and hook up lead in bed drawer.

 

[GillianC]

I just chuck packing cubes in the wardrobe. One for trousers/shorts, another for tee shirts/ fleeces and the third for underwear, night clothes and socks. Oh and my wonderful dressing gown and shower bag on top.
I travel on my own though so plenty of space

 

[California Dreamer]

We use our wardrobe to store our bedding, it takes a double duvet, sheet and four pillows. We use a blue Ikea bag each to store folded clothes in the drawer under the rear seat.

Same - all the bedding lives in there and then the boot shelf is free as a daily driver. When camping we just take normal holdalls or cases with our clothes in, neat and tidy in the boot. For longer trips we would put the cases in a pop up tent and use as a dressing room. Managed like this with 4 of us no problem!


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[acer]

In the bottom of the main wardrobe I have a large orange cheese biscuit box then on this I have an open soft sided storage box into which we put 2 pillows, 2 sleeping bags and our wash bag. The medical supplies in a thin bag slot over the rail at the top.
Rear wardrobe, husbands clothes, overhead locker, wife’s clothes. Pans, steamer, heater and hook up lead in bed drawer.

That’ll be Jacob’s crackers. We use them in the kitchen at home. Two side by side fill the top shelf perfectly. Good boxes because they are square without tapering and therefore have no loss of space. Unfortunately, they seem to be moving over to cardboard, so look after them.

 

[66tim99]

a grey plastic drawer each on top of the rear shelf for clothes.

I can’t picture this.
Drawers that sit on the rear shelf aka bed?

 

[66tim99]

Are we the only people to hang clothes in the wardrobe on hangars? Seems like the ideal place to store clothing, though my wife does like to remain fashionable even when camping!

Yes, the hanging rail has never been used in ours.
I couldn’t see how I could hang clothes enough for 3, and get everything else in accessibly.

 

[acer]

Very sensible. We have a windbreaker each, some of my polo shirts etc on hangers. A packing cube or two still drops in the bottom.

Overhead locker - PJs towels & washkit.

Then the three of us have a grey plastic drawer each on top of the rear shelf for clothes. Easily takes enough for a weeks worth of clothes.

Beach kit and whichever else in the rear cupboard.

Military precision. And hard drills for anyone (including the youngster), who breaks packing protocol.

Drills for anyone breaking packing protocol. Love it!
Of course, you’re ALL packing wrongly and would have wrath visited upon you by this particular sergent major.

 

[SilentRunning]

So in summary, as far as the wardrobe goes, the options seem to be:
1. Use as the designers intended, to hang DJ, ball gown, coats etc on the hanging rail.
2. Use it to stuff bedding into (I prefer mine on the back shelf - very easy to deploy.
3. Install shelves then add boxes etc to allow them to be used.
4. Install shelves and use them for other stuff.
All of the above with the option of chucking a few packing cubes into the void of nothingness at the bottom of the wardrobe. (My current mo).

Great to hear what other people do with the space though - thank you.

So far I’m very much of the mindset that “what I might need in the living area gets stored in the living area”. The back is for other stuff.


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[acer]

So in summary, as far as the wardrobe goes, the options seem to be:
1. Use as the designers intended, to hang DJ, ball gown, coats etc on the hanging rail.
2. Use it to stuff bedding into (I prefer mine on the back shelf - very easy to deploy.
3. Install shelves then add boxes etc to allow them to be used.
4. Install shelves and use them for other stuff.
All of the above with the option of chucking a few packing cubes into the void of nothingness at the bottom of the wardrobe. (My current mo).

Great to hear what other people do with the space though - thank you.

So far I’m very much of the mindset that “what I might need in the living area gets stored in the living area”. The back is for other stuff.


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Agree. Keep ‘storage’ and ‘use’ areas close.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Although the thread is ostensibly about the wardrobe, it brings into question how you pack the rest of the van too.

In our 5.1 SE we had hats, gloves and a few medical bits on the top shelf in the wardrobe. The remainder housed food mainly stored in recycled shoe boxes and cereal boxes - cardboard doesn’t squeak.

We have around 4 days of clothes in the overhead locker, which are resupplied from packing cubes held in a large box under the bed extension. I wonder if we are unusual rejecting the wardrobe for clothes and using the overhead locker instead?

I suspect our use is more out of habit these days, but we pack our van like this:

Overhead locker: games/books/toys for the kid, as well as two whisky glasses, each in a sock for cushioning, as I don't trust them not to get clattered anywhere else!

Main wardrobe: clothes and whisky (just because there's nowhere else inside the main living area I have found where a bottle can stand upright and still be "journey secure")

Underseat drawer: camping type accessories, so headtorches, battery hanging light for outside, doormat, washing line, pegs, collapsable washing up bowl, tie-down straps, wind break, "breakfast rug" for the kid to eat on if it's naff weather outside etc.. (used to have the EHU in there too, but can't remember the last time it was taken away with us since we've had solar)

Kitchen cupboards: pots/pans/crocks/mugs/teapot etc.. in the left cupboard plus sometimes "food overflow" at the start of a trip, e.g. multipacks of crisps. Right cupboard is mainly food, but with an ikea box full of "domestic" accessories, so washing powder, hand gel, soap, bin bags etc.. (I also have a "kitchen box" with a selection of herbs, white wine and balsamic vinegars, olive oil, stock cubes, salt, pepper, normal flour and cornflour - the theory goes with some basic ingredients can knock up various dishes with it)

Rear wardrobe: short water hose for filling the tank, rechargeable tyre inflator, outside toys, pack-away pillows, first aid kit, wine glasses (again, another "anti smash" location).

All the other luggage (walking boots, rucksacks etc.) go in the boot, while bedding, wrap and windscreen cover go on top of the boot divider.

There's probably some refinement to have and I really ought to do a bit of a "what haven't we used in the last few trips" type leaning exercise to remove things that aren't really needed, but it does work for us as a small family pretty well and did on our 2.5 week trip around France.