Do you really need a front closet?

[fornesto]

I'm building my teardrop without a front closet for now, since I don't really see much utility in it and it will make the tear feel smaller. Does anyone really love their front closet or can you live without it? Has anyone intentionally excluded a closet for similar reasons?

[asianflava]

I'm not one whose word you should take as gospel since mine is not finished yet. I've found that the front closet adds stiffness to the front portion of the cabin.

[Woody]

I built closets in both of mine, It does stiffen up the front. I like the closet and shelf area. You could probally get away with maybe a upper cabinet instead of the closet. You will find that any space to put stuff is a good thing. I found more areas to stuff with gear in the trailer and the hatch area. You have to be resouceful Of course it helps to be 10 foot long as well. Build how ever you want to suit your needs

[Denny Unfried]

Because mine's an 8 footer I skipped the front closet and placed the side doors far forward which makes room for deeper shelves at the foot end. There must be a zillion ways to build one of these.

Denny

[SteveH]

The tear that I'm building will only have a small shelf in the front for glasses, keys, flashlight, 9mm, you know, stuff you take out of your pockets.

I added a larger storage in the rear and hope it will be enough.

[Q]

I did the same.... just a shelf, well sort of. My shelf consists of a 1X2 about 6 or 8 inches out from the front wall with 1/2 inch plastic mesh (sold in garden supply stores) stapled to it and to one of the beams. That way I can look up from bed and see through the bottom of the shelf to see exactly where my glasses, keys, etc., are without feeling around. Not elegent like a mahogany shelf but it works great. My tear is all about function.

Q

[Georgeandpat]

I just started on the cabinets using the Cubby layout. I think the front cabinet is practical and gives the cabin some balance.

[Arne]

We sleep head to the back... I have a front shelf about 8 inches deep, wall to wall.... will be making a 2 shelf unit to replace the single, and it will be 12 inches deep.. with a lip on the front.... very handy for clothes, books, etc... We don't keep enough stuff inside to require doors, but clothes take up a lot of room.....

[Joseph]

Has anyone intentionally excluded a closet for similar reasons?

Yes - all I have up front is a pair of reading lamps. I do plan to build some small shelves over the doors so at night I can have a place to put whatever book I'm reading plus a glass of water, but I really don't see any need for the front closet. In fact, I can't imagine what I'd put in it.

Joseph

[len19070]

Theres no doubt about it a front bulkhead, created by a closet or what ever makes the trailer stronger. But this area of the trailer is already strong enough. The roof material when secured to the sides combined with any interior material, on a curve triangulates this area very well.
I just used a wire shelf as a front shelf. I did this so that from a laying down position you could see what's up there on the shelf. There's nothing like having to get out from under the covers on a chilly morning, sitting up in bed, waking up my wife (a bad thing when done before its time) just to see where you put something that is 12-18" away is.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/len19070/ ... pg&.src=ph

Happy Trails

Len

[Chip]

I have an 8" wide lower bulkhead/headboard/storage unit with a shelf on top,, great place for the first or last cup of coffee of the day. there is also a overhead cabinet up high for clothes, towels etc. sure is nice to have stuff inside rather than getting out to get something out of the car,,

chip