Date:         Thu, 6 Mar 2003 14:41:40 -0800
Reply-To:     Nolan Hester <waywest@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Nolan Hester <waywest@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Westy cabinet use
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>   I could really use some good input on how other people organize their
>westies for camping/living.
>
>John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery

Hi John,

I don't know anything about Tiico conversions, but here's my
obsessively reorganized cabinet storage system. This from a thread
some months ago, to which not that many folks replied. I'd love to
hear from others since I'm always curious how others organize all
that great Westy space.


Nolan
87 Westy "El Oeste"

==========================
>DRAWER
>
>Utensils

+ pens, matches, spare AA batteries, key to water tank

>SINK CABINET
>
>food, solar charge controler

top shelf has two cardboard box "drawers" for food; bottom shelf has
dinner food box, camp cookset, lunchbag-sized nylon cool bag for
fruits & veggies

>FRIDGE
>
>Food, Baily's, Mumm, Beer (home brew only)

+ exposed and backup film rolls, wireless remote thermometer (main
unit that displays temp on corner of front dash)

>LITTLE DOOR (by floor)
>
>pots, pans, duct tape, tiny cutting board

We call it the wine cellar and use a cardboard wine-bottle divider to
store wine, bottled water, canned goods, white gas cylinder for
backpacking(&backup) stove; ziplock bags & tp

>HORIZONTAL CABINETS - under table
>
>paper products (cups, bowls, plates, towles) camera, Margarita glasses,
>blender, fire starters, binocs, Ham HTs, GMRS HTs, Spock Ears, sometimes
>bread

We call 'em the Book Bins because they're stuffed with camping,
regional, field guides relevant to current trip or season; forest
service maps for all of california & southwest; plus current
magazines, novels, outdoor & environmental nonfiction; Scrabble set;
journals; water-color kit; reading glasses

>CLOSET
>heaters both a/c and propane, spare oil cooler, clothes, emergency
>rations, dish drain rack, 2 LPs, space blankets, propane,  "police line,
>do not cross" tape (one never knows..)

All colder weather clothes (synchilla jackets, rain & snow jackets);
sleeping bags; 2 daypacks always packed with trail first-aid kit,
cactus tweezers, sunscreen, insect repellant; dirty clothes bag;
laptop computer in padded case; 2 empty backpacks & dog saddle pack
for away-from-van camping

>BACK CABINET
>
>spares, oil, oil, oil, cleaning products, rear screen, table clothes,
>coleman rebuild kits, party lights (variety changes each trip) hand
>wipes, diagnostic tools, flares, barbie doll head

his clothes; fly fishing waders, boots & vest; Bentley manual; road
tool bag; more spare oil (hmmm...kind of a guys garage in minature I
guess)

>TRAY ABOVE WINDOW
>
>TV (2"), Weather radio, AA batts, lighters, bug spray, pens, string,
>Budah, Peace Bear, Piglett, Devil Ducky, 2 elm leaves.
>

*table cloth, napkins, hand and dish towels, hotpad, headlamp,
first-aid kit, small container with ear plugs, sunscreen, insect
repellant, nylon organizer bag with most spices, tiny pepper grinder,
cooking oils & utensils (hooked to poptop strut)

>CABINET ABOVE BED:
>
>toilet paper, towles, front and side curtain, bed sheets.

her clothes; joint toiletry kit

>
>UNDER THE BED:
>
>2) 72Ah batts, inverter, tools (complete), bently (bible!), more spares,
>jumper cables, 120v lamps, extention cords, power strip, jack etc,
>climbing harness, Asolo high top climbing shoes (foot torture devices),
>50m dynamic rope, 25m trashed tow only rope, touch-up paint, 1 emergency
>cigarette.

*"custom-cut" cardboard box atop rear heater: extra food, spare
batteries, office\computer supplies;
* box in largest part of bench seat holds spare gallon of coolant,
SLR camera & lenses (in cases), shoes & boots (only when traveling
because long-term heat can delaminate expensive hiking boot soles-as
experience showed us)

>
>SMALL SHELF ABOVE BED IN BACK:
>
>2 light rain jackets, parakite, floppy frisbee, dog lead, string, SVEA
>123 stove (back-up), folded barbie kite, beaners, ATC, rap-8, asenders,
>misc pro

*tire jack, backpack tent & groundcloth, flyrod in case (only when
traveling, otherwise in house because of heat built up)


BUILT-IN ROOF CARRIER:
* waterproof rafting bag: jumper cables, spare gas can, water hose,
extension cord, tow rope, flares, solar shower bag when empty, chains
(in season)
* solar shower bag when full is bungeed in place next to rafting bag
where it can heat up all day while driving or parked

SHALLOW SPACE in POPTOP REARWARD of TOP BED CUSHION:
* 2 towels & shower supplies, screens for back hatch & sliding door,
front windshield curtain, easily breakable trip purchases & anything
you really don't want stolen like laptop when away from van

TINY HORIZONTAL SPACE BEHIND POPTOP LATCH:
*foldable 3-legged stool used by cook\bottle washer when top popped

BACK of CAR SEAT ORGANIZERS:
*Driver-side seat organizer: dish brushes & soap for sink, power
converter with extension cord (threads to cig lighter when in use for
laptop, cell phone carger, etc)
*passenger-side seat organizer: dog's leashes, treats, toys &
medicines; dog-hair roller (for the hair we don't store on our
clothes instead of the floor)

2 CARDBOARD MAGAZINE ORGANIZERS BEHIND DRIVER's SEAT:
*door-side facing one: current spare oil quart, oil wipe, small glass
cleaner spray bottle, half roll of paper towels, squeegee, halogen
spot light (plugs into cig lighter) for reading campground direction
signs at night.
*aisle-side facing one: statewide campground guide, small plastic
cutting board, bicyle-style water bottle (hydrate or die)