During a few short trips breaking in our new RV, we discovered, like all new RVers, a few needed improvements that would make our lives easier on the road. I thought I would share a few of our organizational hacks and tips, as well as the new Internet system Jeff installed for work and school. I hope you find it useful!
One of the first issues we found was the lack of insulation in our pantry and cabinet areas. When you open the cabinet to grab all the S’mores stuff and your marshmallows are a big sticky mess, you know there’s a problem! Nothing a little Reflectix, a pair of scissors, and a staple gun couldn’t fix!
The next issue that needed some attention was our dinette benches. The seat was made of 2 pieces of plywood, one roughly 8 inches wide and the other about 18 inches wide. The small strip of plywood that the manufacturer installed was inadequate, as it had broken and the bench had begun to sag. Jeff simply removed the defective plywood and replaced it with a sturdier 1 x 8 board, attaching it to the larger plywood seat with a piano hinge.
What’s more important than a comfy bed? I can’t think of anything, and our bed just wasn’t cutting it. With zero braces under our mattress, the plywood had begun to sag terribly. As you can imagine, we were not getting the most comfortable sleep! Jeff popped in five 2 x 3s for reinforcement, creating a much more solid platform to sleep on. Add a memory foam topper, and our nights are much more restful!
One thing we love about our Jayco Greyhawk 29MV is all the outside storage compartments. After our shakedown trips, we realized the large compartments on the back could be much better utilized if we could maximize the space. Jeff cut a couple of 1 x 10s the length of the compartment, and slid them in to create a nifty shelf to hold more stuff. Simple solution!
Before hitting the road for 3 months, it was crucial to find a way to connect to the internet for the boys’ school and our work, or else this grand adventure wouldn’t happen! We decided to use the same technology that was installed on our mobile dental clinics, which is a MIMO (multi-in, multi-out) system that uses AT&T and Verizon services. There are algorithms set up within the system to determine the stronger signal, giving us a 50-foot Wi-Fi perimeter. Jeff was able to install everything himself with a little help from the boys.
Mobile Mark White 9-in-1 LTM Thru Roof Antenna
Cradlepoint NCE IBR1700-600 M
We ordered these parts through 5G Store.
www.5GStore.com
As with a sticks & bricks home, our home on wheels needed some organizational tools to make our lives more manageable on the road! I’ve provided links below to some of the products we’ve purchased to solve a few problems we were having.
Hanging Mail Organizers
Under Cabinet Paper Towel Holder
Magnetic Knife Holder
Entryway Basket & Dry Erase Board
Spice & Condiments Rack
Soap & Shower Dispenser
Body Spa Shower Kit
https://www.campingworld.com/bodyspa-adventure-shower-kit-brushed-nickel-122353.html
For more detailed information about our preparations for our Westward Expansion roadtrip, check out our YouTube video!
