Wardrobe Organisation

[Hotel du van]

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 also use packing cubes in the overhead locker for my clothes. It works great for me.

 

[.Billy Ocean.]

We tried hanging a shoe rack from the wardrobe pole (similar to picture below), with the plan being to store packing cubes on each shelf, but it still didn’t really work very well.

 

[BeeBee]

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!

We use it as a wardrobe too, seems like a ‘no brainer’ to us, built for hanging items.
Jackets , trousers, fleeces on hangers, in our case 3 each. A hanging net over 2 hangers housing underwear, t shirts and socks. An IKEA box on the bottom that all worn clothes ( T-shirts, socks , underwear, are placed into.) Boots and sandals are in the boot area.
The overhead drawer is used for PJ’s, towels and wash bags ( we use swim bags for carrying towels/ toiletries to shower facilities)
Under bed drawer we have IKEA boxes housing miscellaneous books, games, radio, washing line, awning peg boxes, mallet, dog spike out, side window blinds and mosquito nets. And a few other bits n bobs !
Our kitchen ‘stuff’ is as it were, in the kitchen and that includes a Porta potti ( still unused after 5 years! ) taking up one side !!!
Other side, boxed are crockery, cafetière, kettle, Ridge monkey, pots,CO 2 monitor, collapsable bin, basin, colander, wee brush set , washing up cloths n liquids, two external anti mosquito lights.
We have a drivers side seat back hanging Brandup storage container, good for all sorts…. torches, power packs, tablets ( fit in largest pocket) wallets, keys, spectacles etc.
I know I must have forgotten some things ….. oh yes the collapsable dog bowls and two portable water bottles…. lol.
I think I’ll leave what we pack in the boot till a later date …. Lol

 

[JuanVecino2023]

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

Like this - stolen with glee from this forum.

Dimensions etc here https://www.johnlewis.com/like-it-stacking-plastic-storage-drawer-h21cm-grey/p5499718

 

[.Billy Ocean.]

I also use packing cubes in the overhead locker for my clothes. It works great for me.

I like the idea of using the overhead locker for packing cubes (currently we store towels and washbags there). Is there a weight limit for the overhead locker?

 

[WelshGas]

I like the idea of using the overhead locker for packing cubes (currently we store towels and washbags there). Is there a weight limit for the overhead locker?

Yes, about 5kgms.

 

[Hotel du van]

I like the idea of using the overhead locker for packing cubes (currently we store towels and washbags there). Is there a weight limit for the overhead locker?

I keep my towels and wash bag on a shelf in the wardrobe.
I’m not aware of a weight limit for overhead locker. I find it’s ideal for my clothes.

 

[CraigD]

We use something similar to this, I think we got it from Lidl a couple of years ago but I can't remember.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BrilliantJo-Hanging-Storage-Wardrobe-Organiser/dp/B07K35SHYP/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

 

[KevH]

Another vote for maximising the space as intended by the designers.
All clothes that hang are hung in the wardrobe, with a sealable ‘laundry bag’ in the void. The nasty ridged rail is no longer ridged.
Food in RHS cupboard (in three boxes, for breakfast, ingredients and larder items), pots etc in LHS.
Rear wardrobe has three stiff felt boxes for all clothes that don’t hang.
Top locker for nightwear, toilet bags, towels.
Bedding on the bed board except pillows which double up as cushions on the back seat.
Under bed drawer for camping paraphernalia (thank goodness for predictive text).
Between the front seats goes a low close fitting Really Useful box for all the tat that gets mislaid, eg pegs, food bags, spare batteries, tablets, etc.
We haven’t quite fathomed what the heck fits in the ‘spice rack’ above the fridge. Suggestions welcome.

 

[mattpartridge]

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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Agree, I drive my van a few times a week and want it to be uncluttered, whilst having most things we need in situ in case we suddenly decide to go away

 

[Baldrick]

We bought a pack of Higher Hangers whilst in the US after reading a recommendation on here years ago. Really good use of space as they save four inches + at the hanger. My Wife expertly packs a complete change of clothes per hanger in order of likely waring which really helps us bring nearly all of them back home unworn.
Postage is prohibitive internationally, but if you’re there and can get them delivered somewhere whilst travelling…

 

[Hotel du van]

We bought a pack of Higher Hangers whilst in the US after reading a recommendation on here years ago. Really good use of space as they save four inches + at the hanger. My Wife expertly packs a complete change of clothes per hanger in order of likely waring which really helps us bring nearly all of them back home unworn.
Postage is prohibitive internationally, but if you’re there and can get them delivered somewhere whilst travelling

We bought a pack of Higher Hangers whilst in the US after reading a recommendation on here years ago. Really good use of space as they save four inches + at the hanger. My Wife expertly packs a complete change of clothes per hanger in order of likely waring which really helps us bring nearly all of them back home unworn.
Postage is prohibitive internationally, but if you’re there and can get them delivered somewhere whilst travelling…

Thanks for the tip re higher hangers. I’ve just ordered some from a UK company called Well Hung.

 

[acer]

Like this - stolen with glee from this forum.

Dimensions etc here https://www.johnlewis.com/like-it-stacking-plastic-storage-drawer-h21cm-grey/p5499718

View attachment 129375

When you go to sleep do you transfer the boxes to the kitchen worktop?

 

[JuanVecino2023]

When you go to sleep do you transfer the boxes to the kitchen worktop?

Either worktop, or they stack happily on the passenger chair if swivelled.

If we are camping in a site for 2-3 days, I pop them in the Quecha Arepnaz shelter. Works as a dressing room and a breakout area for the little gremlin. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/6-man...NuG_kpfw8C0GmeMWCDDndz2R-pupyswgaAk12EALw_wcB

 

[M88GAV]

I have home made shelves in the wardrobe for packing cubes, which work well.
I sometimes use one of these drawer units if we need additional clothes storage. It fits in multiple places, including under the rear bed extension (laying flat).

 

[DessyParkerWigWam]

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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Great summary ….. I do wonder why I seem to carry so much less stuff than others ….. maybe because I’ve only had my van for 14 months … but I imagine that people are carrying stuff that they used once and have not used for over 12 months but reluctant to ditch …. The cupboard in danger of becoming the can version of an attic ! Be interesting to see how much pointless stuff is being carted round Europe …

 

[laeli]

I’m a fan of using IKEA equipment in the van, it’s cheap and functional. I use this STUK item hanging in the wardrobe:

STUK Rangement 7 compartiments, blanc/gris, 30x30x90 cm - IKEA Belgique

STUK Rangement 7 compartiments, blanc/gris, 30x30x90 cm. Se replie à plat pour un gain de place.

www.ikea.com

I cut it to the top 4 shelves and fill with packing cubes or directly some clothes. In my experience it works better when the opening faces the side, rather than the front of the van, so you’d need an old belt or anything in a ring shape to hang it in that direction. The bottom shelf that I cut out is now standing upright next to the bench, mostly holding flip flops.
SKUBB organizers for the drawer, storing PJs, underwear, toiletries, games, mini items that are often used and never found, like pegs, led lights strings, hooks, charging cables, shopping bags, etc. The large box also fits perfectly in the openings of the hanging item above and works wonderfully as a drawer.

SKUBB bak, set van 6, donkergrijs - IKEA België

SKUBB bak, set van 6, donkergrijs Deze doosjes scheppen orde in de chaos en helpen je sokken, ondergoed en accessoires te sorteren. Ze zijn ook te gebruiken in de badkamer; gebruik er een of meer in elke lade. Dit product is gemaakt van polyester, waarvan ten minste 90% gerecycled is.

www.ikea.com

Also a SKUBB shoe box (or 2) to hold dirty clothes and they flatten when not in use, i keep it on the bed, behind the bench, pillows and duvet also there.
https://www.ikea.com/be/nl/p/skubb-schoenendoos-donkergrijs-80400004/.
Various other IKEA boxes for kitchen, space between kitchen and front seat, and back wardrobe (but also recycled cardboard boxes, thanks Amazon).

 

[erlingnkindem]

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

Hi where can I get these shelves for the mail wardrobe?, I do not have them, in my 2023 model 6.1 Ocean

 

[Velma's Dad]

Great summary ….. I do wonder why I seem to carry so much less stuff than others ….. maybe because I’ve only had my van for 14 months … but I imagine that people are carrying stuff that they used once and have not used for over 12 months but reluctant to ditch …. The cupboard in danger of becoming the can version of an attic ! Be interesting to see how much pointless stuff is being carted round Europe …

I think you're a rarity. Most people I suspect start with too much stuff and gradually realise with experience that they can do without much of it. I can't stand clutter, in a small van. But it's a personal thing obviously - we've read on here of folks who carry vacuum cleaners in their van, which I'm sure makes them very happy, good for them.

Also, some people use an awning (the devil's work, as far as I am concerned) and I guess they then decant a lot of stuff out into that when they park up.

 

[CaliKatt]

Hi where can I get these shelves for the mail wardrobe?, I do not have them, in my 2023 model 6.1 Ocean

They are custom aftermarket products.
I got mine from calitop: https://calitop.eu/product-13-14-15-135-141.html

 

[Perrythecalivan]

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!

We also hang clothes using those thin velour covered hangers, we hang as much as poss including coats and its surprising how much fits in, undies etc go in a box in the drawer under the bench - tbh I love the wardrobe, it was a selling point for me and helps to make clothes easily accessible

 

[Tindaly]

Being a newbie we tried a hanging shelf system it was ok but we have just purchased 3 shelves with the idea of packing cubes and using the bottom of wardrobe with a box for fleeces jumpers etc and spare towels. Spare sheets etc I put into cushion covers instead of the cushion. Works well.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I think you're a rarity. Most people I suspect start with too much stuff and gradually realise with experience that they can do without much of it. I can't stand clutter, in a small van. But it's a personal thing obviously - we've read on here of folks who carry vacuum cleaners in their van, which I'm sure makes them very happy, good for them.

Also, some people use an awning (the devil's work, as far as I am concerned) and I guess they then decant a lot of stuff out into that when they park up.

A drive away awning is indeed the spawn of Satan (I borrowed one twice for weekend trips).

I'm not sure I get the point of lugging air fryers and less so microwaves. Ditto portable loos.

I confess to having an Arepnaz shelter on the basis that it takes up little space in the van. And acts as a changing room for the wife and somewhere for the 5 year old to disappear to if we are in one place for a few days.

A van's size can shrink when you combine the alchemy of rain, soggy clothes and a young child. It's something to do with folding the space/time continuum. I'm sure Hawking wrote a formula for this phenomenon.

Our small underseat drawer is empty. The large one is largely full of things I might one day need, but have never used - hard ground pegs, a mallet, fold up stools, Peggy Peg (?) awning feet things (I've never even opened the awning in anger yet.). Mostly from a job lot of kit I bought.

I concur that less is more in the van. Travel light, smile bright (just made that up).

 

[JuanVecino2023]

NB - on topic - I have a set of Yes Campervan shelves for the wardrobe that will be listed here shortly.

DM me if interested.