Under the bed storage - RV-Dreams Community Forum

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Under the bed storage

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use ours for extra bedding, seasonal clothes rotation and other things that are not frequently used. The bed hinges up and isn't too difficult to lift for me, but the wife has problems with it.

lmcallis · RV-Dreams Family Member

We put a memory foam mattress on ours. It's now a two person lift to get it up and we've got a board to hold it open so we can get to our stuff. We keep the 2 extra dining rooming folding chairs, extra bedding, seasonal clothes and other small things in there. We open it a few times a month so no big deal. One of the better things we did was cover the plywood board that the mattress sits on with contact paper. That allows the mattress to slide around easily when we're putting the fitted sheet on the mattress.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

We like the others store little used items under the bed. As the bedding gets heavier (we added a sleep number mattress and a down filled mattress topper) you may need two people to lift and a board to prop it up.

I've seen others who have gotten plastic bins that fit in the compartment and use the bins for craft items, canned goods, extra shoes.....etc.

Note: use a grabber stick to reach the items that are at the back of the compartment unless you have good access from the side.

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you put a much heavier mattress on and struggle with llifting it, just put in stronger lift arms. They come in different "pound" boosts. Just don't overdo it.

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for a great suggestion, Jack. We have no place but under the bed to keep shoes and dirty laundry, so we have to get in there a lot.

Laura and Bunk · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lift Arms?? NEAT! Mine doesnt have them, will start looking to add them. DH is starting to get behind on "honeydos" and he hasn't been on a overnight trip yet! smile

Tom and Debbie · RV-Dreams Community Member

We put out of season clothes and extra pillow and blankets in those vacuum bags. They work pretty good and when flattened we put them toward the back. Our bed does have lifters, but I still get nervous putting my head in there, so I have a stick I prop the board up with.

jbarrett72 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We don't have one yet....but when we do, we're planning on keeping our firearms in there for storage.

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

On our queen size sealy orthopedic, we use 2 110lb struts/shocks to lift it.

kimbrellsf · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jim, Is the Sealy a conventional home bed mattress?

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm not Jim, but here are some possibilities to consider. Some RV's won't take a full-sized home mattress, sometimes because of it's length and it's height.

That will depend on where the bed sits in the bedroom. Our bed sits cross-ways across the bedroom and the mattress slips a little bit under part of the dresser on the opposite wall when the bedroom slide is brought in. Because of that, one has to watch the thickness of the mattress so that there is room for it to clear the dresser.

Terry

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

kimbrellsf wrote:
Jim, Is the Sealy a conventional home bed mattress?

Yes it is!

It is was a royal pain to get into our bedroom, but it sleeps great.

Jo And Craig · RV-Dreams Family Member

I am a newbie and will introducing myself shortly. However, I have doing my research in preparation for full-timing. I have learned so much on this website and, believe it or not, this was one of my questions! What do people store under their bed? Unbelievable, but here's my sign! I was also thinking about covering the bed platform so the mattress would not rub on the wood, and here I read that someone else had the same idea. I, however, was thinking about stapling felt (or something similar) to the platform. I'm in awe at how informative this site is, and how so many of you think like I do!! Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I will introduce myself shortly.

Dream, dream, dreaming, of R, RVing

Mary Sunshine

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think Sherri keeps the overages from Big Lots under ours? I dare not lift it up in fear that something will jump out and I will not be able to get it back in before she returns home. Every once in a while I check down in the bays to see if some of it is seeping down. We don't have too much space that is not being used for I M P O R T A N T things that we cannot live without.

Don't tell Sherri I said that...

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speedhitch wrote:
I We don't have too much space that is not being used for I M P O R T A N T things that we cannot live without.

Don't tell Sherri I said that...

Don't worry speedy, I won't tell her. However, I will ask her if she knows. (unless of course, some silver crosses my palm) evileye

laurly · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mary..

We have some of our seasonal clothing in space bags under our bed. Ours also has a safe in one corner where we store some valuables.

victorianlady51 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mary Sunshine--- I think I need to see your notes!

Jo And Craig · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, good morning, Victorianlady! I was wondering where you've been. If you were to see my notes, you would do one of three things. Laugh, cry, or go into shock! Not sure which.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

laurly wrote:
Mary..

We have some of our seasonal clothing in space bags under our bed. Ours also has a safe in one corner where we store some valuables.

Make sure that safe is welded to the RV frame and not bolted through plywood. The thieves know safes are under the bed and plywood is no match for a crowbar.

Soody · RV-Dreams Family Member

I feel lifting the mattress is a pain and thought of modifying the storage area with cabinet doors that swing open so I don't have to deal with the awkward lifting thing. Maybe that would help you?

Hdrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

We keep electric heater there during the summer, extra pillow, our plastic file folder for paperwork, I think there is a couple extra bottles of wine down there, extra bedding and I would have to look to see what else.

Jubral · RV-Dreams Community Member

We attended the Houston RV Show yesterday and only saw twin beds on the smallest Class A, a Vegas 24.1, and in numerous Class Bs. I'd have to think that since twins appear more space-efficient, that they are more likely to be used when space for larger beds isn't as practical or available.

I recall in the distant past seeing more twins at RV shows, but as RVs got larger and larger, and also roomier with addition of slides, twins have become almost extinct -- except in trailers that have bunk bedrooms for the kids.

I also think that since most couples have queen or king beds at home that they probably prefer that size bed when available to make the RV as "residential" as possible. We have a king at home but would prefer the twin beds like in 24.1 10restbest.com/best-storage-beds in an RV. But we don't want a motorhome to feel like our house -- we're probably unusual in that sense. We started out in a tent with separate sleeping bags so separate beds creates a little more of a "roughing it" atmosphere without actually roughing it.

By the way, at the RV show we saw a trailer that had a storage compartment under a standard-size twin bed that caught my eye. In Europe many motorhomes have twin beds (due to smaller size?) and normally elevate them to create a huge mega-storage compartment below. This trailer used the "entire" size of the bed (39 X 74) plus a full-length door to create a compartment large enough for a tandem bike laying on its side. I would still prefer a Euro style mini garage under twin beds, but this arrangement (typical on many rear corner bed motorhomes) made it much more useable by lengthening the door to nearly the length of the bed. I think details can make a big difference to buyers. Granted, in motorhomes like an Axis/Vegas 24.1 there is usually stuff under twin beds that would preclude this much storage for large items like a tandem bike anyway.