Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

After my wife and I had our first trip in the new (to us) tear, I found myself wishing there was a little more inside storage. The galley has full size upper cabinets which is great but it doesn't allow enough room in the cabin for cabinets to store things like clothes. Building cabinets in the usual spot would intrude too much into the cabin

I had a storage mod idea that I haven't seen before but will describe it in case someone has done it and can provide some feedback.

It would involve cutting off one end of the mattress 10" -12" at the head. Build a storage box a little shorter than mattress height and the full width of the cabin that sits on the floor at the head. Your pillows would sit on top of the storage box and when you wanted to change clothes, you just move the pillow over and access via hinged top panels.

Since people rarely sleep with their heads all the way at the top end of the bed, I am guessing that a foot or so deep cabinet would not intrude on the shoulder while sleeping...and that would be a fair amount of space - 12" deep x 7 1/2" high and 5' wide. You could even pad the top of it with some foam and fabric, like a chair seat.

Anyone tried this?

Bill,
Hope you both enjoyed your trip!

I used the space above the cabinets for some clothing but mostly I left the clothes in the car and stuffed the pj's in the pillow case.





Your idea sounds like a good plan. Something I'm actually doing in my ct build. I have an extra foot on the lower bed that is the same as the upper bunk. I plan something like your idea for additional storage. Thanks for sharing .

All the best,
Barb

b.bodemer wrote:Bill,
Hope you both enjoyed your trip!

I used the space above the cabinets for some clothing but mostly I left the clothes in the car and stuffed the pj's in the pillow case.





Your idea sounds like a good plan. Something I'm actually doing in my ct build. I have an extra foot on the lower bed that is the same as the upper bunk. I plan something like your idea for additional storage. Thanks for sharing .

All the best,
Barb

Barb,
The trip was great! You can see pics posted here:
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=44942

We had several come by to check the tear out. They were all very impressed with the craftsmanship. The maintenance manager stopped by said it was the best little camper he had seen in the 30 years he has worked for the campground.

We also enjoyed being able to cook things that were previously too difficult to attempt with nothing but a tent and a fire.

Hi BillZ,

Your idea sounds quite ingenious! I see no reason why it wouldn't
work. I'd just make sure that you do pad the top and also make sure the
top surface of the storage box/bin is even with the attenuated mattress's
top.

I would suggest you build a mockup and try it out at home by scooching
your regular bed's mattress down from the headboard the estimated
distance and and then insert the mockup in the space made available
and then try it out one night. No better way to prove it works and you'd
save work and materials if you decide it wasn't to your liking. And if you
do like it, you can make any adjustments if needed and retest or if it is
just fine as mocked up, you can them go ahead with the real modification.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

mezmo wrote:Hi BillZ,

Your idea sounds quite ingenious! I see no reason why it wouldn't
work. I'd just make sure that you do pad the top and also make sure the
top surface of the storage box/bin is even with the attenuated mattress's
top.

I would suggest you build a mockup and try it out at home by scooching
your regular bed's mattress down from the headboard the estimated
distance and and then insert the mockup in the space made available
and then try it out one night. No better way to prove it works and you'd
save work and materials if you decide it wasn't to your liking. And if you
do like it, you can make any adjustments if needed and retest or if it is
just fine as mocked up, you can them go ahead with the real modification.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

Yes, that's exactly what I planned to do. I think the trick will be getting the height right so that it is even with the mattress while one is laying on it. It should be easy to mock up.

just my .o2c here... but why the 'head' end of the mattress? I'd bet that your feet are 'less sensitive' to the change in surface (soft mattress to 'hard' storage cubby).... but if you're putting pillow atop the cubby... I guess it doesn't matter as much. Will follow the thread though, hope it works for you!

Ned B wrote:just my .o2c here... but why the 'head' end of the mattress? I'd bet that your feet are 'less sensitive' to the change in surface (soft mattress to 'hard' storage cubby).... but if you're putting pillow atop the cubby... I guess it doesn't matter as much. Will follow the thread though, hope it works for you!

I agree that the other end would be less likely to be felt but it would be very difficult to access storage at the foot because of the protruding backside of the galley. It sits about a foot above the top of the mattress and comes out to your knees.

If it is done right, I'm willing to bet that storage at the head will not be noticeable. It would also be a very convenient place to grab your clothes

I may have misunerstood your idea, but I think for it to work, you need to be totally unaware there's any difference in the part of the bed where your head is.

Would you have the headroom in your tear to raise the entire bed on a platform, even say just 9" high? You could then cut the slice off the mattress as you suggest, but then use it as a "padded lid" for your storage box.

Sorry, that's a lousy explanation! Here's what I mean...

Hi Bill,

I have such a box in mine.
Sorry, no pictures though...

Mt bed is run across the width of the trailer.
My bed is 8" shorter than the space, so I built a hinged top box level with the mattress that is 8" wide and 54 or so inches long.
It isn't quite what you describe, but it is similar in that our pillows end up on top of the box.

It works well.

Rob

It's like the inside of my van. Bed cross wise above wheel wells. Frame around wheel wells and bingo - storage abounds. I just bought my trailer today from HF and I'll need all the hints you guys have for storage techniques and tiny hidey holes. I am single after 30 yrs and 2 days. an amiable divorce. still best buds(medical and financial help for her) and divorce has solved almost all her problems.

John the Vanner

Sounds like a useable idea...I'll throw another one out for consideration, too.

I basically need space to put the day's clothes that are taken off when going to bed? I've been thinking about netting attached to the ceiling that I could stuff my jeans, shirt, socks, etc., into overnight. Wouldn't require quite so much moving around to access it, and if you stretched the netting tight when installing it shouldn't sag a whole lot. Thoughts on that?

I've got a thin enough mattress that I doubt that I could build a compartment like Bill suggested, and as a newly-married man , I have to figure out how to get two of us in there.

David

Kid's toy storage net? I've seen them in trailers. Cup hooks and hang up when needed, take down and stash in storage areas.

john H