Best Methods for Organizing and Upgrading RV Pass Through Storage

[Montie]

Looking for ideas and pictures of your pass through and front storage areas. I want to straighten up and organize. I got brackets for my Starlink power and router. Also thinking of some sort of hooks, hangers or shelves for things like power cords and surge protectors. Wondering what the best/safest way to mount thing like that. Is it ok to drill through and mount the the aluminum studs behind the walls? Or should I make backers on the wood walls to support hangers and shelves? I have 3 totes 1 for black tank “stuff”, 1 for fresh water, 1 for kind of random things that I don’t want loose. Everything else is just in there currently. Thanks friends.

 

[klassic]

I’ll answer to your thread here instead of mine.
The shelf bracket’s in the front are screwed with 3/4 #10 into the wall. The wall is 1/2 aspinite basically. So it was either 3/4 or 5/8 screws, I forget. I used so many brakets cause the shelf was so bouncy.
The bottom shelf/lid is attached to a piano hinge and screwed to the metal on the bottom of the wall. It was at the perfect height. This is so much better keeping all the unused things underneath out of the way. Although it’s not so easy if it’s something need while the truck is hooked up, that’s harder to get.

I have hooks screwed to the wall where the water filter was, that got moved.
The top 6” or so is solid steel beam behind so heavy duty self drillers were required.
The little clear plastic bins that can be seen in the picture, are the bins from the Furrion fridge that I threw in the dump after three months. They are attached to the back of the bump out wall that was made for the outdoor tv cubby I built. (In other pics of my thread)

I put this three drawer Rubbermaid rack where the round wall was after I removed everything behind the round wall and it made the area much bigger. I have all the little nic naks in the drawers

If you are talking about screwing into the removable basement wall and into the aluminum studs behind…they are very thin. They will hold, but you might find the screws get loose, but going through the 1/8” wall first then into the studs will hold pretty good. My Starlink bracket is just screwed to the wood and it holds pretty good.

I can’t take any new pictures because the trailer is still at the dealer (3 months now)

 

[Montie]

Thanks. What is the shelf made of. Looks like diamond plate?I like your shelf in the front compartment I’m thinking if I use the aluminum studs I would drill completely through the square tube and use bolts/nuts and washers. I just don’t want cause any problems structurally. My last fifth wheel had frame flex issues so I’m wearying of messing with the frame. I found this stuff on amazon might get me started. I like the folding shelf if I can make that work. Not sure if it will stay up in travel.

 

[klassic]

3/4 ply with diamond plate rubber mat glued to it. Similar to the pass through flooring. The front edge is 3/16 abs that I had left over from making runners for the Schwintek rollers to ride on. On my previous NorthPoint. Glad I don’t have a Schwintek slide again.

 

[Daryles]

I have some things hanging (frequently used). Pretty much everything else in Sterlite (see through) totes by category. Tools, Hardware, plumbing, electrical, suspension, tie down stuff (ropes/bungie cords/velcro straps/wrachet straps).
Sewer stuff goes in the pull out drawer (5x5 vinyl fence post and 4" vinyl down spout).
Two 2000W generators go on the rear hitch carrier (hefty cable lock).
E-bikes (folding) go in the truck bed forward of the hitch. Blackstone grill, truck bed. 20lb propane bottle for the grill and 12' hose goes in the forward battery compartment. I have two wire shelves installed there. The wall is about 3/4" Thick wood, covered in carpet, so it will hold pretty good.

 

[nzak]

I made a removable shelf for the storage compartment out 2x2’s with a piece of 3/4 plywood on top. Put 1x2’s along edges so nothing would slide off of top shelf. Our lawn chairs fit under the shelf on passenger side, drivers side I keep all hookup supplies and tool box. Front compartment I built a wire rack to hold fresh water hoses and collapsible trash cans. It sits over the top of an air compressor and battery

 

[twindman]

I built my own shelves out of plywood. Sides and back with some cross members. Used angle iron brackets on corners. Bottom shelf has about a foot above it and only 2 inch sides to keep things in. Top shelf is 8-12 inches deep and keeps the 'junk' stuff. Bottom shelf has my tool box, etc. It could use a little better bracing to keep it square, but for the minimal cost it does the job.
OH, I forgot to say it is about 2 feet wide leaving another 2 feet or so for folding chairs (which I also built some vertical 'posts' to keep them in place.

 

[Montie]

Got started today. Installed brackets for Starlink power supply and router. Added a hook next to it for the antenna cord so I can leave it all wired up. Just have to plug it into the 110v and put the antenna out. A mesh hanging bag for vacuum hose/ accessories. On the front wall hooks to hang the flagpole, hook for the surge protector and a net( car trunk net) for keeping loose stuff. I may put another hook for the power cord but it’s pretty heavy so not sure that is what I want. In the front compartment folding shelf brackets. Need to get plywood for the shelf. I have been collecting trunk nets from work. For some reason our detail department throws them away when they find them in used cars so I take them lol. So I put one under the shelf brackets.

 

[Montie]

Got the shelf up. The first picture is it folded down second is up. Plan is to store cords and dog bone connections I don’t really use but want to have just in case. Our local campground opens this weekend it’s about a 30 mile drive so I will see if stuff stays where it’s supposed to.

 

[klassic]

Perfect!

 

[DutchmenSport]

Any time anything is added to the pass through, space becomes even more limited. My pass through is narrow, it's not wide like some. Adding anything that attaches to the walls or hangs from the ceiling rafters reduces precious usable space.

I have found that using straight clear plastic containers with snapping lids to be the most effective for my use. Anything container with a taper or a rounded edge reduces storage space. Square and straight utilizes the most space.

I have several containers that stack on top of each other. They are clear and each container is dedicated for a different function.

On the other end of the pass through I keep my folding lawn chairs and outdoor end tables and such. Again, my choice of lawn furniture was a careful selection, to ensure as much as possible, every item nests inside another item as much as possible.

Yes, once everything is loaded, my pass through is jammed packed, and things are stowed away tight. It is a challenge to dig for a specific item when needed, but having everything of like functionality in their own dedicated container helps eliminate the guess work. And using clear containers helps see what each container actually holds, making it easier to find that one specific item I'm needing. And yes, things have to be removed, and then repacked. This is another reason to review how much stuff is actually being stowed away, and every trip (which mine are 3 to 6 months at a time) is adjusted.

That's how I do it.

 

[AZMont]

Any time anything is added to the pass through, space becomes even more limited. My pass through is narrow, it's not wide like some. Adding anything that attaches to the walls or hangs from the ceiling rafters reduces precious usable space.

I have found that using straight clear plastic containers with snapping lids to be the most effective for my use. Anything container with a taper or a rounded edge reduces storage space. Square and straight utilizes the most space.

I have several containers that stack on top of each other. They are clear and each container is dedicated for a different function.

On the other end of the pass through I keep my folding lawn chairs and outdoor end tables and such. Again, my choice of lawn furniture was a careful selection, to ensure as much as possible, every item nests inside another item as much as possible.

Yes, once everything is loaded, my pass through is jammed packed, and things are stowed away tight. It is a challenge to dig for a specific item when needed, but having everything of like functionality in their own dedicated container helps eliminate the guess work. And using clear containers helps see what each container actually holds, making it easier to find that one specific item I'm needing. And yes, things have to be removed, and then repacked. This is another reason to review how much stuff is actually being stowed away, and every trip (which mine are 3 to 6 months at a time) is adjusted.

That's how I do it.

 

[AZMont]

Sounds like we both have a similar system. I also use clear plastic containers for most of my storage and then have an area for tables, chairs, etc. Agreed it can be a bit involved when you need something. But, I always put the containers in the same way so I know where everything is.