Using bunk beds as storage?

[ciditad]

With only the wife and baby we don't need the bunk beds (for now until more are delivered by storks). I'm looking at removing the useless mattresses and using the bunk area (both top and bottom) for storage. Any ideas aside from just using plastic storage bins?

[Thomas ho]

i keep my solar panel in my upper bunk.

[ciditad]

Originally Posted by Thomas ho

i keep my solar panel in my upper bunk.

I guess the question I should have asked is whether anyone got some ideas of how to best convert the bunks into storage, aside from using plastic bins and stacking them.

[Eddie and Catherine]

Originally Posted by ciditad

With only the wife and baby we don't need the bunk beds (for now until more are delivered by storks). I'm looking at removing the useless mattresses and using the bunk area (both top and bottom) for storage. Any ideas aside from just using plastic storage bins?

I use my bunks for storage as well. My sone prefers to sleep on the jack-knife sofa. This is my first year with the TT and I’ve never thought of doing anything else other than using rubber made totes to put stuff in and stick in a bunk. They are cheap and easy to use and if the bunks are needed, simple to remove and put away elsewhere.

[Villagerjjm]

The bunks work great for storage as long as you are able to balance your load.

[geneandjan]

Don't know about bunk beds, but I use the bed over the cab in my Dynamax class C to store many things. I try to store lighter things there in case of emergencies and have installed a restraint bar to keep things from sliding back into living area.

[BigH]

We don't have kids and bought a trailer with bunks for the storage space...so glad we did.

I thought about making shelves but then I thought about how are we going to get the goods to the shelves?... and what do we do with those carriers? I measured and bought totes that we could stack two high. We fill the labeled totes in the house and slide them in the bunks. I don't know how it could be any easier.

[adrienbaker]

Originally Posted by Villagerjjm

The bunks work great for storage as long as you are able to balance your load.

Definitley need to pay attention to this. My 2509s has a bunk that folds up for storage and you can definitley overload the back end of the trailer if you aren't careful.

Adrien

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Villagerjjm

The bunks work great for storage as long as you are able to balance your load.

Originally Posted by adrienbaker

Definitley need to pay attention to this. My 2509s has a bunk that folds up for storage and you can definitley overload the back end of the trailer if you aren't careful.

Adrien

What on earth are you guys putting in these bunks?

[adrienbaker]

Originally Posted by BigH

What on earth are you guys putting in these bunks?

In my case, the Outdoor Kitchen is under half of the bottom bunk with a fridge, griddle and accessories. While travelling we usually have all of the bedding and kids clothes on the bunks, and with the bottom bunk folded up we keep chairs, tables and a dog pen.

Adjacent to the bunkroom is the bathroom so if you are travelling with fluid in grey or black tanks there's going to be a lot of rear weight.

On the way home from our last trip I went ahead and put the dog pen and the tables in the bed of my truck which was probably close to 50 lbs. combined. Didn't have much on the FW tank and ice chest was empy which I usually keep at the front of the trailer so my tongue weight was a lot less than usual.

My trailer can get a little bouncy on bumpy roads, the better I have the weight distributed the quicker it recovers. Smooth highways are no problem.

Adrien

[BigH]

Originally Posted by adrienbaker

In my case, the Outdoor Kitchen is under half of the bottom bunk with a fridge, griddle and accessories. While travelling we usually have all of the bedding and kids clothes on the bunks, and with the bottom bunk folded up we keep chairs, tables and a dog pen.

Adjacent to the bunkroom is the bathroom so if you are travelling with fluid in grey or black tanks there's going to be a lot of rear weight.

On the way home from our last trip I went ahead and put the dog pen and the tables in the bed of my truck which was probably close to 50 lbs. combined. Didn't have much on the FW tank and ice chest was empy which I usually keep at the front of the trailer so my tongue weight was a lot less than usual.

My trailer can get a little bouncy on bumpy roads, the better I have the weight distributed the quicker it recovers. Smooth highways are no problem.

Adrien

Yeah, if yours is in the tail section one should be mindful. Mine are midship in front of both axles.

[ChrisAndGarren]

We did this in our bunks - on the upper bunk, we removed the mattress and added some short metal rack shelves that are about half the width of the bunk - I bought some of those black folding cubes and they fit perfectly, plus we also have some plastic bins (slightly larger than shoebox size) that also fit.

We secured them down to the bunk with some adjustable nylon straps I made, and some small d-rings than are screwed into the base. The straps and shelves are easily removed, and we can put the mattress back if it's necessary (if my niece and nephew are with us, for example)

Nothing has ever moved off the racks, nor have the racks moved even when we were in an accident back in March.

We use the area in front of the racks for large item storage when parked.

I don't have any current photos to show unfortunately, and not sure when we'll be back out to the RV to take some, as it's currently awaiting repairs.

We thought about just using bins, but I hate having to move them around every time I want to get something, so this solution worked great for us.

Thanks
Garren

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by ciditad

With only the wife and baby we don't need the bunk beds (for now until more are delivered by storks). I'm looking at removing the useless mattresses and using the bunk area (both top and bottom) for storage. Any ideas aside from just using plastic storage bins?

We use them all the time with the mattress still in place. Helps stop any movement of the "stuff". Plastic bins or not

[raaems605]

I bought a travel trailer with bunk beds thinking my grandchildren might go camping with us. That has not happened.

We, too, use the bunk beds for storage. My wife said she would like to put some sort of couch or sofa in the space. Haven't thought that out yet.

Any comments?

Dick and Avon Adams
Tyler, Texas