For most caravanners, once the habitation door is locked and the van is on the road, they have no idea what is accidently left loose or rolling around in the caravan. In a motorhome (even the old hands do this occasionally), the clue that something is wrong usually happens when you go around the first corner.
An unlatched cupboard, drawer or even worse, the fridge door, fly open with resulting chaos. That’s annoying in caravans but in a motorhome something loose or not stored properly can easily become a forward firing missile in the event of an accident.
Let’s backtrack a little here. Prior to purchasing a motorhome, it’s an idea to consider the external storage bins. I realise it’s simply not possible on some models because of their size or cab chassis design, but the ideal is decent sized bins that sit long and low along the sides or perhaps across the rear under an internal seat. The thinking being that all large and heavy items can be stored externally and as low down as possible, thus giving a good centre of gravity.
Inside the motorhome, the same principal of a low centre of gravity applies. All heavy items down low, with lighter items in the higher cupboards and lockers. One other simple rule applies here; everything, but everything, should be packed away.
That’s the safety bit, now to comfort. Unlike a caravan, motorhome travellers can hear everything shaking and rattling as they drive along. That’s easily solved in many cases with a few simple steps. In cupboards and lockers with plates, cups, saucepans and even food cans, non-slip cupboard liners, purchased by the roll and cut to size, will keep the noise level and movement down. This does depend a bit on the age of a motorhome, but a few obvious offenders in the noise department are stove and sink lids, oven grill trays and large cupboards with air space. A few cushions and towels in all the appropriate places sort those issue very nicely.
Some motorhomes come with large cupboards that have plenty of air space, which are difficult to use for small items. Plastic bins with lids are available in all shapes in sizes from supermarkets, hardware emporiums and even two-dollar shops. Spend time looking around and be creative!
Particularly for newcomers, don’t expect to get things right the first time. More from a convenience factor, rather than anything else, it’s good to develop habits such that items used regularly, needed in an emergency or needing to be located quickly at night for example are stored in an appropriate place, not buried under something else.
Happy packing!
