How do you organize your kitchen?

[LynnAllen02]

We have just picked up our Jay Flight SLX 212 QB. I am packing my kitchen with the things I used in my Tear Drop camper. I have the pantry! So now that I have room I am afraid I will bring TOO MUCH stuff!

Do you put your dishes over the sink, that's where they go back to after dish washing, or do you put them over the Dinette, that's where you need them?

Do you keep your pots and pans under the sink? Or is that where you keep your garbage pail? If not under the sink, where do you keep your pots and pans?

Is your pantry for dried foods? What dried foods do you bring? Seasonings?

Where do you keep your broom?

And is there more I need to be worrying about or asking?

Thanks again for your suggestions!

Lynn

[Camping Grandpa]

There's no right or wrong answer.
You'll figure it out after you've got it all packed and gone out a few times.
That's half the fun of a new rig.

[oldmanAZ]

Congratulations on your Jay Flight.

DW is in charge of the kitchen. Our floorplan is different, but in bold is what she did last season:

Originally Posted by LynnAllen02

Snip...
Do you put your dishes over the sink (yes) that's where they go back to after dish washing ...snip... (and is where the paper plates and cups are)

Do you keep your pots and pans under the sink? (yes, plus dish soap, toaster. some pans are in the oven, 'cause oven seldom used) Or is that where you keep your garbage pail? (our garbage is in a W*mart-bag in a small plastic can that sits on floor, near sink) ...snip...

Is your pantry for dried foods? (pantry holds virtually ALL food that isn't in fridge) What dried foods do you bring? (some) Seasonings? (lots!)
(very bottom of pantry: small step-stool, canned and dry dog food)

Where do you keep your broom? (standing in a corner somewhere, usually the bathroom)

And is there more I need to be worrying about or asking?
(we have drawers that hold silverware, spatulas, etc. and a junk drawer
DW bought a selection of plastic 'baskets' from a 'dollar' store to help organize the pantry. One of them holds salt, pepper, etc. that we always need on the table.)

Thanks again for your suggestions!

Lynn

[North of 49°]

Since every trailer is different, you'll have to find out what works for you. Don't be afraid to pack everything, and then tear it all apart and start from fresh. Basically, stuff that we use quite often is in easy reach, and stuff that gets taken out at the beginning of a trip and put away at the end is in lesser accessible cabinets.

This is what we have:
Big cupboard over the sink with 1 shelf: dishes and dry goods
Three drawers under sink: cutlery, spices/seasonings, cooking utensils, misc items
Big cabinet under stove: pots & pans
Cabinet under television: cutting boards, misc items
Big cabinet on other side of sink: coffee maker, tea kettle, toaster, misc items
Wardrobe in bathroom (with added shelves): Towels & linens

We still haven't found a good place for the broom, so we just keep it under the bed for now. In our old hybrid, I attached a broom holder clip to the wall in the bathroom and we kept it there. Stuff like dishcloths, scrubby brushes and dishsoap either sit on the counter while we're camping, or ride in the sink itself during travel. That way it won't make a mess if it tips over and leaks. We keep the dog food and dishes under one of the dinette seats. We have a small wastepaper basket in the corner by the television that we use for garbage, and it gets emptied every day; we just use plastic grocery bags in it.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Organize?

[MzLiz]

I've rearranged about half a dozen times. Might have things where they'll stay (till next trip anyway )).

[Swampy]

I had access to a stack of those black plastic crates used to hold water bottles at the grocery store. I tied a 6 ft length of rope to one and put the canned goods in the tr, then slid the tray under the bench seat storage with the rope hanging near the door around a second crate/tray which holds the 2 liter drinks. I did the same thing for the storage under the other seat to hold the bottled water. This frees up the pantry for the boxed & bagged items. BTW, the rope allows you to simply pull the trays out onto the floor to see want you need and you can slide them right back in there when you are done. I keep the toaster oven,electric skillet, electric griddle, Coffee pot, portable Ice Maker, crock pot, & electric popcorn popper in the bottom of the wardrobe next to the pantry.

A good rule of thumb is to carry the heavy stuff down low to the floor and the lighter stuff everywhere else. That way, if you get into a sway situation or very bumpy road, you won't find your stuff scattered and broken from falling out of the cub bards. This has worked well for me since 1980 when I first started RV camping. My new 2014 287BHBE has lots of storage space, so I continued the tradition. I keep the mop in a pail in the shower and the short broom with dust pan and stick vacuum near the front door. Pots & pans go under the sink and in the oven I use a tall kitchen trash can lined with both tall kitchen bags & Walmart bags. I keep the tools, power cable & plumbing items in the rear belly storage. I keep the leveling boards, camp shovel & Electric Bar-B-Que Pit in the front belly storage.-

I do leave the kitchen sink at home! lol
Enjoy your camping....... Swampy

[LynnAllen02]

Thanks all! I had some of it figured out, but love the suggestions! I do have the broom in the bathroom, was planning to put under the bed for travel! I did put my dishes, glasses and paper plates over the sink! I put my pots and pans on the bottom shelf of the pantry, garbage and recyclable container under the sink. Our two Aussie's love the trash, so that can't be left out! I'm going to keep the coffee pot and tea kettle over the dinette. It will pretty MH live on the stove while we camp! Dog food over the couch at the end of camper where I plan to feed them! Towels in the cubby in the bathroom, Chems for toilet and first aid kit under the bathroom sink! Silverware and utensils top drawer, and junk drawer underneath!

I can see myself arranging and rearranging for just forever! First real trip in May so I have time!

Thanks all for the ideas, and if anyone else has any other suggestions, I can always rearrange again! What I want is very little setup and breakdown!

[SmokerBill]

Just stick things where it makes sense, and as time passes, you'll rearrange a few times. Eventually, the organization you end with will just seem right. And if you like to accumulate new stuff, try to leave some empty space for those things.

Also, it's easy to over stock your trailer with supplies, thinking ahead (in the "new trailer excitement") for all the possible scenarios you'll encounter. Best, for me anyway, is to pack minimally as possible. And if there's something not used for a few trips, remove it. After 4 years, whenever I make it back to my home base, I still pull stuff out that's just become extra baggage..

[Kim Gass]

There is always Wal Mart. I figure they sometimes let us park in their lot for a reason.

[bear1951]

Congrats on the new 212. We picked ours up march 30. We had everything boxed from the PUP and our DD helped me load for the first trip that weekend. She's camped with us since she was 3 months old (@38 years) so she knows what to do. We basically found a likely spot and put things there. I have a lot of mods in mind to make things better, but have determined only time and camping in the new TT will will dictate where everything will wind up. There's just myself and SWMBO (she who must be obeyed), so her input will determine the final resting pace of most items. Dishes are over the sink along with the coffee maker, pots & pans And chemicals are under the sink, Top drawer is silverware, bottom is junk. We mounted a 32" Sony in the rear along with a DVD player on the shelf. Pantries will get additional shelves along with the other cabinets at some point. Just not in a hurry as some thought is needed on each area. Load up and enjoy...Organizing, to be done properly, needs time and thought.

BEAR