MH Kitchen - how to store dishes help-suggestions?

[Scampers]

Hi all,

Well we up-sized from a 19' Escape fiberglass TT to a new Holiday Rambler Invicta.

Wife is trying to figure out best way to have dishes (Corning ware)  set for travel  In the TT they  were in a cabinet under the sink in a corrugated box with cardboard dividers between the varied plate sizes and bowls.  There are only 2 of us so the set of 4 works well.

We are not used to this much space. Nice cabinet over the sink with a movable shelf.  Clearly we  do not want dishes rattling around. Under the sink is another cabinet.  More than enough space for the  Instant Pot and blender/food processor.  Pots and pans will go under the stove easily.

So any suggestions for coffee cups, dishes and bowls welcomed.  We have about a week before our first short shakedown trip here in Mich.  Then in mid Nov we head to the SW from Michigan and will not return likely until  the end of May.  We are planing on a combination of boondocking (Death Valley and Quartzsite) and commercial campgrounds.  Likely a SKP park or two.

We know small trailers very well but this big rig... will take us some time.

Aslo what do most find useful for the "basement" storage?  Milk crates or something to keep stuff in place.

 

Cheers all,

Bat Dude

 

 

 

 

 

[Tee Jay]

Rubberized shelf liner.  Most cabinets have a positive lock to keep the contents imprisoned.  With a Mid kitchen, we keep plates and cups and bowls over the sink.  Never lost one yet, but we only have about 80,000 miles in  trailers and 40,000 in motorhomes over 13 years.   Others may have more experience.  The one to watch is the silverware drawer, as worn catches can allow that drawer to go on a wild ride on some corners.   Enjoy your new home.  

[sandsys]

Yes, to the rubberized shelf liner but then we just stacked our Corelle with no dividers and it rode just fine in our motorhomes.

Linda Sand

[Chad Heiser]

Shelf liner in the bottom of the cabinet and dishes stacked normally for us.  No issues in many years and several 5th wheels.  Coffee mugs just sit on the shelf in the cabinet with the shelf liner also, but not stacked.  I do keep expansion bars in the door openings behind the closed doors to keep things from pushing up against the doors and trying to fall out when you open them, but they probably aren’t a necessity.  Something like these in the appropriate size for the opening.

Camco 28" Double RV Refrigerator Bar, Holds Food and Drinks in Place During Travel, Prevents Messy Spills, Spring Loaded and Extends Between 16" and 28" - White (44073) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX7WY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5KmpFb2CEQQBK

[SWharton]

We just put them in a cabinet, nothing in between. There is so much other noise in a MH you will never notice plates rattling.

[2gypsies]

As others stated.... rubberized shelf lining and then just put the dishes on it .... no dividers needed.  Having dishes eye level is a lot easier than putting them in a low cabinet.  Cups/glasses - not stacked and just on the shelf.  Even our wine glasses rode well when turned upside down.

If you find you have a lot of excess space in a cabinet and worry about things sliding around during travel you could always store some rolls of paper towels or toilet paper in there to use up the space.  .  or perhaps even some linens.  We never had excess space while full-timing. 😅

Enjoy your new home!

[sandsys]

In my van I stored Corning pie plates in a drawer below the counter because they were too wide to fit in an upper cupboard. Again with rubberized shelf paper lining the drawer but no other cushioning. For knives I found knife-safes that clamped over the blades so I could put my sharps in with the other silverware. Like these: https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Forschner-BladeSafe-8-Inch-10-InchKnife/dp/B000MF47B6/ref=sr_1_4?crid=5KSIT6BQES42&dchild=1&keywords=knife+safe+storage&qid=1597868454&sprefix=knife+safe%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-4

Linda Sand

[Scampers]

Tnx all,

 

Great suggestions.  We added the rubberized shelf liner and seems good.

 

Now we need to figure out what to do with all the extra space. 😉

Mostly the "basement" will be empty, aside from my plein air easel, panels and p;painting supplies.

Moved from our travel trailer were a patio mat, 2 chairs and small table and tools.

 

Based on the safety seminars at the Tucson Escapade years back best not to overload these area and increase weight.

[Kirk W]

As long as you keep weight in mind there is no problem in using the basement storage and you will probably be surprised by how quickly that space gets used. You also need to keep weight distribution and proper balance in mind as you fill that storage space. You probably used to keep a lot of things in your Ford Explorer that could now move into that basement storage space. I suggest that you take the motorhome to the nearest truck stop and get it weighed so that you know the weight on each axle before you put too much into the basement as the axle weights will help you to know where the extra weight carrying capacity is. Your RV should have a decal that lists the GVWR, GCWR, and axle weights to use in your planning and loading. In most gas chassis there is a lot of large basement storage at the rear, but much of the extra weight carrying capacity is on the front axle, so keep that in mind as you choose what to put in which storage bay. I found that my tools needed to be in the storage bays nearest the front and things that were large and bulky but light in weight were put into the storage located behind the rear axle. At the first opportunity you should get the RV weighed on all 4 corners (individual wheel weights) so that you can make sure it is close to the same weight from side to side. As I look at the floorplans for your RV, I note that the kitchen is all on the driver's side so be careful to balance that as the coach is probably a bit heavier on that side, as ours was. If so you can usually offset that by putting heavier things on the passenger side in your storage spaces. The location of your potable water and waste tanks will play into the load balance as will the location of your propane tank. 

[LindaH]

On 8/18/2020 at 7:21 PM, sandsys said:

Yes, to the rubberized shelf liner but then we just stacked our Corelle with no dividers and it rode just fine in our motorhomes.

X2.

[Ray,IN]

On 8/22/2020 at 6:35 AM, Scampers said:

Tnx all,

 

Great suggestions.  We added the rubberized shelf liner and seems good.

 

Now we need to figure out what to do with all the extra space. 😉

Mostly the "basement" will be empty, aside from my plein air easel, panels and p;painting supplies.

Moved from our travel trailer were a patio mat, 2 chairs and small table and tools.

 

Based on the safety seminars at the Tucson Escapade years back best not to overload these area and increase weight.

Give it time, you'll soon be asking; where did all this stuff come from? Many  long-time RVers must put their MH on a diet(house cleaning)  every year to get rid of stuff they haven't  used in a year or two.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Ray,IN

[Scampers]

Having lived int eh "jungle" in Central America for 25 years we did not have TV or anything beyond what we needed for our conservation work and daily needs.  So we will not likely fill the new MH with over the top "Stuff.  As it is this thing came with 2 more TVs than we wanted/needed but no option NOT to have them. We may remove the one in the bedroom and use that space for something else.

Always amazed seeing the pile of "toys" some rigs have piled outside their rigs, many seem never to be used.  OTH if folks are full-timing they do need to carry everything with them even if they only use it infrequently.

Tnx again for all of the good tips.

 

[2gypsies]

10 hours ago, Scampers said:

 

Always amazed seeing the pile of "toys" some rigs have piled outside their rigs, many seem never to be used.  OTH if folks are full-timing they do need to carry everything with them even if they only use it infrequently.

 

We once saw a RV in the desert pulling a large sailboat; loaded with lobster traps and other misc. stuff.  We talked to him and it was a "just in case" thing.  He hadn't had it in the water in over 7 years!!!

[Jinx & Wayne]

37' fiver.  I stack the dishes by type (bowls, small plates and plates) in a cabinet over the sink with pieces of thin rubberized mat between each type.  We only keep plates for four plus extra bowls.  I put extendable shelf rods between sections of the shelf.  I put the U-shaped child-cabinet locks on the doors.  So far nothing has broken or popped out during the 9.7 travel earthquake.

[Jinx & Wayne]

On 8/31/2020 at 11:09 AM, Ray,IN said:

Give it time, you'll soon be asking; where did all this stuff come from? Many  long-time RVers must put their MH on a diet(house cleaning)  every year to get rid of stuff they haven't  used in a year or two.

We too try to reduce every year (at the end of the winter layover)  We also do a Smart Weigh each year.  We seem to be narrowing down the don't need stuff and keeping the gold.  I finally found a grill that I like!!!  This year COVID, together with Amazon, are stressing that system and crap is building up.😂

[Solo18]

You could also try wicker baskets big enough for plates.  Small ones for cups and saucers.

Frankly, I started out with dishes, but soon dumped them for paper plates and paper bowls.  Much easier and don't break if they fall.  Also do not need to be washed.

[Boutdone]

I lined my drawers with rug matting and in between the pots and dishes. keeps everting in it's place and prevents breakage and clanging. 

https://www.wayfair.com/Symple-Stuff--Gardiner-NonSlip-Rug-Pad-0.25--WOUH2111-L197-K~W002100484.html?refid=GX444280957852-W002100484_1844826820&device=c&ptid=837082746196&network=g&targetid=pla-837082746196&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=13285703&fdid=1817&PiID[]=1844826820&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8JjTz-7R6wIVEb7ACh3rvA3-EAQYBSABEgLMafD_BwE