How do you pack to reduce clutter? (packing accessories)

[bjrogers86auto]

Hey Bill,

Maybe that's the answer! How do you pack to reduce clutter? Camp next to Tim!

I plan on camping next to him at some point! While he set's up, I'll have time for at least 3 beer! Then I'll just borrow stuff.

Brian
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86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[vanagonjr]

[Timwhy]

[BillM]

[Nachtfalter]

We travel light. Wetsuits and beach gear in plastic rubbermaid boxes. Propane stove, easy up, sleeping bags, pillows, and campfire wood in rocket box on roof. Food and beer inside. Van is empty as if we arent even on a surf trip... Rocket box rules!

[Kejidog]

Tim, i always say better be looking at it than for it.....well maybe not always. Thats why i pack 2 MSR stoves and 4 fuel bottles....Along with my propane stove. Usually we puke stuff out of the van for at least 1/2 hour. Kinda like a clown car but with gear.
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85 Westy Camper "Jeebus"
"new" rebuilt 2.1 with a ten cent stainless exhaust- lovin all the power!!!!

[bjrogers86auto]

Tim, the only problem with the drinking will be if you only brought 12!

I managed to adjust the rear seat thingy and the smarter half of this relationship organized it. It's all good.

The roof box makes a huge difference and now that I have the ladder, super easy.

We are heading out here in a few to test this weeks improvements. Hopefully there will be well stocked people around us.

Oh and Tim, I'm only taking 6. No problem.

Brian
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86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[dangerbus]

reduce clutter in a westy?
im not sure thats possible

thats why we built our camper from scratch...
less bed, more storage!

oh, and we also threw out all of our belongings...that didnt hurt
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driving our bus through mexico/central america-
the blog: www.thedangerz.com
trip forum: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=530204

[Hallvalla]

We use pop-up tents now, something similar to this, works awesome even can fit a port-o-potty in one of these. Great for car seats if you have kids, dry goods, cases of beer, dirty clothes, whatever. Keeps your campsite looking clean too.

http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Up-Tent-size-inner/dp/B0...op+up+tent

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85 Westy
Subaru EJ22

[photogdave]

Check out these duffel bags and luggage inserts:
http://www.riseandhang.com/
Saw this on Dragons Den. The shelves pull straight out of the bag with all your clothes nicely folded and packed and you can just hang it on your poptop bar. The empty bottom of the duffel is your dirty laundry hamper!

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89 Syncro GL Westfalia 2.1 WBX/WBXaustSS

My Westy Movies:
photogdave On Vimeo
photogdave On YouTube

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[jerrydog411]

[timichango]

I'm a big fan of milk-crates—pack'em conservatively, and they can be configured in any stacking or side-by-side cluster you need. Nice to be able to stack and not have the 2nd/3rd crates in the stack slide around due to the lip on the bottom. We use those thin rubber non-slip sheets under the bottom ones so that they don't scuttle around the van when it's in motion.
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Vroomhilde-San: Our 1991 Silver Vanagon Westy automatic + Subie EJ25

[vwmaniaman]

We have a little trailer thats made from a 4X4 trailer from Harbor Freight and a Big Sears X-Cargo roof top box. Bottom of the box is bolted to the trailer base. Haul bins in it with charcoal and coats and dirty laundry and chairs and all the stuff that I don't want to move to go to bed. Also holds your first come first served campsite very well. Carrys my floor jack and spares that we need for camping. Thought it would change my mileage, but not one bit.
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Working on a VW is like fun with a friend!
65 Beetle
75 Westy "Pumpkin Van"
86 Westy "Brown Betty"
87 Cabrio

[BCE56]

In my tintop Syncro I have a wooden crate behind the drivers seat that contains a fat .50 ammo box with a fairly complete set of tools. Also a tow strap, jumper cables, hatchet, saw, oil, first aid kit, tarp, paracord etc. And a tool roll with the commonly needed stuff for quick repairs. This rides in the van at all times.

For camping, I use 3 milk crates: One contains a CampChef butane stove, plastic dish pan, and a 2 1/2 gal. water jug.
Another carries non perishable food-coffee, nuts raisins jerky etc. Also condiments, and utensils, thermos, coffee pot, skillet etc.
The last contains misc. camping gear, fishing tackle, spare fuel, led lantern, and a small rollup table from GSI.
These ride on the floor against the D.S. wall in front of the Z bed.

Clothing is stored in two 24" duffels that ride on top of the milk crates.
One has everyday clothes, jeans, socks t shirts etc, and the other for foul weather clothing.
Jacket, Parka, etc on hangers, on peg at driver's side wall.
Clothes hamper is a pillowcase, fits under the Z bed.
Shoes fit aft of the milk crates, in front of the kick panel.
I travel with the bed extended, and sleeping bag/pillow on the bed. This to minimize setup time at camp.

Ice chest rides behind pass. seat. The drain is near the sliding door, and I find that is a good supply of water for a quick washup.
I do some food prep at home: fried chicken, boiled eggs and such. Indiv. string cheese travels well. Milk travels well in a 2 liter soda bottle.
There is room for a folding beach chair along the side wall.
A daypack with the usual gear rounds out my equipment.

Stowed thusly, there is adequate open floor space . the gear is mostly at floor level, and doesn't slide around on the carpeted floor. Packing goes quickly, simply a matter of moving crates and duffels to the van.
A bit of planning and practice will optimize accessibility. I try to keep the most-used items nearest to hand. (Even so, it seems the item I need is always buried!)

I have been using variations of this method on many vehicles over the last 30 years or so. Seems to work fine- versatile, modular, and I can easily tailor the gear I pack for the type/duration of the trip.

[madspaniard]

Shoe organizer (thanks Shaun!) It fits big shoes!

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1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD

"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali

[VWOCD]

This does it for us, but it also just gives me an excuse to bring more along.

[kamzcab86]

I was asked via PM to post pics of my bin setup, mentioned in this http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597694 topic (that thread is specifically about the Modular Hauler, hence posting here).

Three Rubbermaid-type bins behind the rear seat that hold:
Window blankets
Memory foam pad (if more bin space is needed, this gets moved to the rear on top of personal gear bag)
O2 Cool fan (may get moved to under rear seat, where its battery packs are)
Portable toilet and bags
Lynx Levelers
Mat for sliding door
Mr. Heater (winter trips)
Shower curtain (summer trips)
5-pound propane tank (if the Little Red Campfire goes)
Bike gear (if bike goes)

Behind the bins:
Personal gear bag
Zodi shower (summer)
Little Red Campfire (depends on trip)

The right-most bin is never overfilled. If I'm sleeping downstairs: The right bin goes under the rear bench; the other two bins line up against the cabinets and the gear bag usually goes on the driver's seat (but can be turned parallel to the cabinet; all three fit no problem). All three bins can be put on the ground (wet or dry), in a tent, or on a table.

When not on the road, the left bin is emptied (pad and window blankets float around the back of the van) and the center bin goes inside the left bin; both then get put on a shelf in the garage next to the right bin. Time for a trip? Pull the pre-packed (for the most part) bins off the shelf and put 'em in the van.

I don't have kids, nor a dog, so I don't haul as much as some of you guys do.
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~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子

[goffoz]

[goffoz]

[madspaniard]

[quote="goffoz"]