# Tips and ideas for organising a motorhome garage!



## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

We are soon to be owners of a Burstner Elegance i810G with a fairly large double entry garage. This will be our first MH with a garage and we are trying to plan ways to make the most of all the extra space. What tips can anyone who owns a MH with a garage suggest for organising it to its best advantage? I thought about such things as a folding camping wardrobe, for those trips abroad when you need to carry more clothes than the built in wardrobe allows or maybe something like a hanging organiser of some kind, one that has lots of pockets for storing smaller items? Obviously, you would only probaly use things like the wardrobe on longer trips but I guess something like that would be very handy - what do you think?

I could do with some suggestions or ingenious ideas that others use in theirs in order to make the most of their garage space and any help would be greatly received! 

Thanks.  

Sue


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Typical woman - I've got a new wardrobe, how can I fill it?


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## Dukeham (Feb 3, 2009)

Hi.
I have an Aviano & there is a large shelf at the front bulkhead over the boiler. What I did was to make some extra shelves & box's out of white chip board & used thin plastic to put a lip on the edge just to stop things falling out. On the back wall I screwed some cup hooks & Araldited them. I bought about 4-5 motorcycle cargo nets & this secure's all the weird & odd shaped items.
Hope this may help.
GC.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

My husband has the idea of open the door and shove it in! Then when I open it it all falls out.

We neatly now have folding chairs, wellies, cadac, and dome shoved in.

We do empty it out on a regular basis. Varies due seasons. We don't over load though as its like a bottomless pit otherwise.

For France though did buy some of those drawers with wheels on can then shove it to the back and as it has wheels its easy. We also had a pop up laundry tub in there too which was fab.

Also has chocks, front door map and silverscreen. In summer the parasol, table and buckets we got loads of buckets.

ooh its stuffed already ...!

Greenie


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## Fairportgoer (Jun 24, 2008)

Hi Sue,

First let me wish you good luck and lots of enjoyment with your new Mhm  

We have a rather large garage and I have (since January 2009) changed the layout many times 8O 

I think it comes down to three main points, (IMO)

1) What items do you need to get to on a regular basis?
2) What is your weight limit in the garage (I suspect about 150kg)
3) Weight distribution.

We full time so we carry everything bar the kitchen sink so to speak!

I seem to be tidying mine up on a fairly regular basis 8O but the advantage of this is that it keeps me out of the way of (Angela my Wife) when she does the housework :wink: 

Rather like having a garden shed.

Hope this helps

Dean


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

TIP #1 - picking up on Dean's point #2 above - don't overload the garage - too easily done. 

Colin


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Bugger the wardrobe! The garage is a totally male domain and make sure you guard it well. I made a wooden cradle to take our motorbikes. Its quite crude but in essence the bikes are supported under the drivers footpegs and strapped down with ratchet straps.
Then there are ones tools and spares etc.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Garage*

Sue

Does the Burstner garage have fitted shelves etc like mine?

Also, for a wardrobe, go to Ikea and buy what is a bit like a Wendy house - basically leighweight poles with a material cover and zipper doors. Cheap as chips and weighs next to nothing.

I use a couple of those elastic type thing with hooks on the end to secure deck chairs and so on in place.

Russell


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

tonyt said:


> Typical woman - I've got a new wardrobe, how can I fill it?





CliveMott said:


> Bugger the wardrobe! The garage is a totally male domain and make sure you guard it well. I made a wooden cradle to take our motorbikes. Its quite crude but in essence the bikes are supported under the drivers footpegs and strapped down with ratchet straps.
> Then there are ones tools and spares etc.


Very funny you two!!!!!!! Hee hee! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sue


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Fairportgoer said:


> Hi Sue,
> 
> First let me wish you good luck and lots of enjoyment with your new Mhm
> 
> ...


Thank you Dean ................. and don't worry your secret's safe with me! :wink:

Sue


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Garage*



Rapide561 said:


> Sue
> 
> Does the Burstner garage have fitted shelves etc like mine?
> 
> ...


Hi Russell,

As far as I am aware the garage in the Burstner does NOT come fitted out with shelves, which is a great pity cos your garage looks very well planned out!

Thanks for all the tips though - they will be very useful.

Thanks again.

Sue

PS By the way ............... what about the Bessecar, was you tempted then?????????? :wink:


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Garage*

First of all the motorbike has to be positioned, then if required the bicycles followed by crash helmets, model boats or aircraft.

If sufficient room the Lafuma's, Cadac, microwave, Bravoska, satellite kit, drive away awning, awning groundsheet, folding tables 2 off, laundry rack,peg bucket, waste bucket, silver screen, walking boots,waterproofs, cordless drill, extending brush, torque wrench, bike ramps, 2 off 25M HU cables, folding water container, spare pumps, toolkit and beer.

I think that is just about what goes in our boot.

Steve


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Garage*



pneumatician said:


> First of all the motorbike has to be positioned, then if required the bicycles followed by crash helmets, model boats or aircraft.
> 
> If sufficient room the Lafuma's, Cadac, microwave, Bravoska, satellite kit, drive away awning, awning groundsheet, folding tables 2 off, laundry rack,peg bucket, waste bucket, silver screen, walking boots,waterproofs, cordless drill, extending brush, torque wrench, bike ramps, 2 off 25M HU cables, folding water container, spare pumps, toolkit and beer.
> 
> ...


Hi Steve,

Sounds more like you've got a worhshop fitted to your mh than a garage lol. :lol:

Sue


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

We may be small (just under 6m) but the transverse rear double bed means the garage underneath is the same size as those found on much larger vans.

Just inside the nearside door is home for the EHU cable (needs to be handy) and on the floor are two folding crates (Argos) with a third folded and ready for when one croaks. They sit on top of each other and interlock so they don't slide about. They contain - folded door step, hose, lump hammer, CADAC, hook up adaptor and walking boots. Forward of these crates is a folding table which fits upright against the front bulkead. 

On the other side of the garage we slide the folded metal puppy pen up against the back wall and it's retained in place by the grooming trolley on edge and the Motordome slid in on the floor with silver screens on top. Whilst travelling the dinette table goes on top of the slverscreens with plenty of dog towel padding. The dogs occupy the table space behind our seats in their fabric folding crate. The folded Lafumas slide on top of the table, hence the padding.

Forward of all that there's a floor shelf with awning handle and golf umbrellas and the bucket, normally filled with dog towels. We also slot in a rectangular plastic washing up bowl which is just the right size for the Remoska to fit.

We're glad we haven't fitted out the garage with fixed shelves etc because we were able to clear the space when we moved house and transported masses of plants and later some pieces of furniture we picked up via eBay.

SDA


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

If you take bikes with you there is a fiamma bike rack for inside the garage, it beats having to cover and secure them on the outside of a van.


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Jezport said:


> If you take bikes with you there is a fiamma bike rack for inside the garage, it beats having to cover and secure them on the outside of a van.


We've occasionally fitted my bike in which means things have to be shuffled/limited. However we've given up taking the bike as we found it was rarely used with two beardies to walk and control. For the same reason we gave up the idea of buying two Bromptons which would've been ideal for fitting in the garage.

SDA


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Thanks everyone - some great ideas!  

Sue


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

In our garage aka the shed, I have screwed brackets used for securing downpipes to houses to the ceiling (underside of bed). These are used for sliding in long stuff, brushes, wind breaker, walking poles, umbrellas, etc. etc..


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

Jean-Luc said:


> In our garage aka the shed, I have screwed brackets used for securing downpipes to houses to the ceiling (underside of bed). These are used for sliding in long stuff, brushes, wind breaker, walking poles, umbrellas, etc. etc..


Now that's what I call a good idea JL

Thanks

SDA

PS there'll be a run on plastic downpipe brackets at our B&Q shortly.


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## Sonesta (May 10, 2005)

Thanks jean-luc and my hubby said exactly the same as SDA and thought your idea was a really ingenious one! I bet he was thinking great place to store his fishing rods lol 

Sue


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## monkton (Dec 10, 2007)

Jean-Luc said:


> In our garage aka the shed, I have screwed brackets used for securing downpipes to houses to the ceiling (underside of bed). These are used for sliding in long stuff, brushes, wind breaker, walking poles, umbrellas, etc. etc..


I've adopted a similar idea but using a 110mm soil pipe with screw caps at each end and mounted as per J-L's suggestion. You will often see this arrangement fitted to the roof rack of plumbers vans and can in fact purchase ready made-up units.


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