You could add a low box in between the front seats that would store shoes. The lid could act as a tray to store items as you are travelling. Just check that it is low enough not to interfere with the turning of the front seats ;) For the rear doors you can get some door organizers with storage pockets, made out of fabric, to optimize your storage!
I have that in my van when I do long roadtrip and it is convenient ! It was low too so I could easily pass over it and when I wanted to swivel the seats I just grab it and put it somewhere meanwhile. ✌️So great Idea 😉
I have that in my van when I do long roadtrip and it is convenient ! It was low too so I could easily pass over it and when I wanted to swivel the seats I just grab it and put it somewhere meanwhile. ✌️So great Idea 😉
Two things came to mind while watching: 1. Perhaps there could be shoe pockets strapped to the back of driver and passenger seats? 2. For the driver's seat work station... you might consider having a flip up table for more space? Y'all are so playful, its nice to watch :)
I was also going to suggest the flip-up for work station. Then you just have to put in the swivel for the seat and it can be more counter space when you need it.
What about installing a Lagun swivel table on the side of the cooking area, behind the drivers seat??. That way, you don’t have to change the cooking area at all, you would just turn your passenger seat around and pull out the swivel table to use with the passenger seat for your workstation.
Yep! We own a 1984 Westfalia and the thin matresses are the only thing I don't like about it ( and the fact that I can't ne bothered to learn how to drive with the manual transmission so my paterner is the only one driving but that's another story)😉
I am a year late, but in our last RV we put a closet fabric shoe storage behind the driver's seat. You could put shoes in it from three doors. It worked great and just enough room.
I think you can add table with laguna mount and use it: 1) from passenger seat for late night work 2) like additional table between seats while driving 3) like additional space for cooking And I think you don't need a swivel seat on driver side, because you would need to change a lot, only if you want to seat together.
I live in my Winnebago which is built on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis as well, so I have that same gap between the front seats. I've put a collapsible woven basket there to catch the wrappers, etc as the basket starts out flat so doesn't so doesn't take up space, and then expands as required. I'm really enjoying your channel and I LOVE that you're Canadian so I don't have to switch over all your links from US Amazon to Canadian, lol. Happy New Year!🥰
Ohhh that's such a good idea. A woven basket. Brilliant! Thanks for the recommendation. Just added another item to my list! Stay safe Michelle! Looking forward to seeing you on the road 🥰
So we are building our first van and I have been searching RUclips like most people and have come across a lot of couples. You 2 are by far my new favorites!
It’s just an idea but on the subject of shoes: maybe have a small rack inside with the mist used shoes fit run around like those slippers you wear. But then store the rest like Sandals and long distance hikers (the stuff your kinda preparing to go do) store them outside in a closed weatherproof cabinet. Ooooo ..no you won’t smell dirty feet. Make it a closed cabinet
Over the years I have found so many uses for my simple, folding TV table. Folded flat, it would fit behind the driver's seat. Opened, it could be a laptop table or, when driving, to hold your Mélange Fiesta et un Pepsi.
Two wicker baskets, one upside down ( cut back out) with a material flap and one right side up..Put it in-between the seats you can put shoes under it and your goodies in the top basket while driving...All you need is a kind of holding clip or two on it to hold in place while driving, move it back and forth when parked..
Best approach, and Maybe a light ply pigeon holed insert in the bottom basket to seperate the pairs of shoes to optimize..Top basket could be shallow, and glue two cup holders in the front of it to hold drinks properly while driving...👍
@@wakantanka802 Yep, and just join baskets solidly together with strong velcro ( same colour as basket ) or clips, incase of thinking of a using top basket someplace else when parked if it's too high to swivel seats......All light and can match the baskets to suit the van...
@@Namdor2012 Haa we got it down now..Velcro is good as you could shift the top basket forwards up against the dash and put the plant in it and seat would be clear to swivel, noticed by looking they have cup holders...
Hello - if you do try a side rack for your paddleboards keep in mind that it will seriously limit your visibility in the side mirror, purchasing a tow mirror will help a lot. I fabricated a side rack (the manufactured ones are $$$) on my Sprinter for my boards and it has been great, have driven thousands of kilometers and it is still solid. 🤙🏼
Oh Dang!!! I was seriously hoping there would be more posts about this!! Can you DM me your pics as well? IDK why you have FB and Insta pages with zero content on them as I know people would love to see this idea. 😊
I have an idea for your shoe problem and a table in between the two chairs at the front! Get a wood box to put your shoes in then get a pole and screw it in the middle of the box and put a table on top! 😊
I was going to suggest putting some type of removable/swivel table in between the front seats, which could be used as a workstation. Your idea is even better because it adds another dimension for use when driving. Excellent idea!
A hanging shoe rack, like a Mothers Apron with pockets would fit nicely on the left hand side when you come in the door. By hanging the apron by cup hooks you can easily remove it for cleaning, put the muddy shoes in the bottom pockets. The pockets are half shoe depth and only protrude 3" max into your doorway space. 😁 Cheers from Michael. Australia.
For the desk in the front- you can purchase a steering wheel laptop desk.. For your present counter- coat with an top clear coat- like an epoxy For extra portable storage look at getting one of those driving seat organizer with pockets and a back pack format For extra battery- you guys are growing like intensely- why not approach jackery for the 1000w portable battery that you can plug in and bring with you to your next van.. We tried to makes suggestions that you can bring with you to your next van- versus have to sell in october
Just an idea I saw on another van, he built space under the floor that was accessible by the sliding door and stored his kayaks underneath his kitchen and bed. That’s my plan for myself for my van
@@vanlifesagas you’d be able to have a small cubby area accessible from the back door... on one side. It would raise the heights of cabinets and bed/dining slightly, but not his walking area
6:46 leave the box style fridge... the front loading is a hassle: the cold air drops out the bottom when you open it and you will be on all fours when you need something from it... Just leave the cooler style fridge but put a longer slide mechanism...
Don’t move the cooktop, I would make a fold out over the swivel seat and then it could be extra space and good for working and chopping!!!! Love your guys van though 😍
Love you guys! You remind me of my son Pablo and his girlfriend Taya who just bought their first van. I am looking at videos to help give them advice! Thanks for your videos. They are very helpful. You make me laugh! Wish I could meet you!!!!
7:33 I made my countertops and table tops with a 1/2 inch plywood and some lamelar flooring glued on top of it (trimmed out with some left over oak strips I cut to width) Lamelar flooring is basically a low deform plywood construction with a 4-5mm layer of a nicer wood like bamboe, oak or the like. I would go for bamboe though, bamboe is tough, hard and easy to clean... The tabletops end up being about 32mm thick and not that heavy at all...
Hello! For the shoes, I saw some people creating an open space at the entrance under the floor. Those shoes stay at the entrance but are not all over the place and hidden. I though it was a great idea. For a 2nd spot to work, you could simply find a small table (table pliante) that you put on your laps. Can also be used in bed.
@@vanlifesagas I understand :-) They build a hole under the floor so when you open the side door (where there's your sink), you can see the shoes in the hole. If you want, you can add a door that opens upward or you can leave it without a door. Hard to explain in writing too. I could call you if you want... or you can call me. I'm not going to give my phone number here though. So, if you have an email, maybe we can see when we can call each other. Je parle français (québécois).
À l'entrée de ta van, à l'endroit où vous êtes assis lorsque vous filmez, juste sous le plancher, il y a peut-être une façon de faire un trou. Je ne sais pas si ce sera possible avec ta van par contre parce que les personnes que j'ai vu faire ça, ça s'est fait lors de la création du plancher. Quand on ouvre la porte, on voit ce trou où sont placé les chaussures, mais ils ne sont pas partout et ça n'enlève pas d'espace de passage non plus. J'ai pensé d'essayer de l'expliquer en français, peut-être plus simple. :-)
3:22 I build a drawer in the passanger seat colomb (the driver seat has all sort of wiring and relays and stuff in it a so I can not use that space) which runs through the seperating wall. It is about 60 cm deep, 25 cm tall,, and 30 cm wide... plent of storage for about 8 pairs of shoes...
Hi just had a net in between the seats... like a hammock u can remove it if not in use and u can use it to store your belongings. Plus, behind the driver seat you can u can put a removable wall mounted letter rack to place ur shoes
4:38 try a table that extends in that space you can keep it and take it out when you gonna work or some sort of extension that folds so it doesn't take up alot of room
Hey. Love your van! I’ll be embarking on this adventure in a couple of years and have watched many, many videos on van life, builds, do’s & don’ts, and found this video of your particularly helpful as I will only have 1 opportunity to get it right 👍🏼👍🏼 I saw an awesome idea 💡 for a work space on another channel (I would love to credit them but cannot remember 🙈🙈) - a pull out counter that sits flush under your main counter. This will allow you to utilise the seat when swivelled, and have a workspace ‘on’ your lap. You could easily do this especially since you mentioned that in your next build, you would move your cooktop more over to the left (when facing it). Also a shoe storage box in the bottom of the cabinet on the left as you enter. I’m a bit OCD so this is particularly important to me too. Thank you again for your valuable tips. I’m look it forward to this lifestyle but first, as I am in South Africa, and this is not popular here, the issue is to find someone who can do a build for me (or …. I will have to partner with Google tutorials and do it myself!)
You mentioned wanting to optimize the space between the two front seats. I have a 2004 Honda Cr-V, and it includes center console, down folding tray between the two front seats. You'd probably need something a little more customized to fit your van, but I think a design like that would work well for you guys. You could have the tray folded up while driving and folded down for ease of movement while not driving.
Thanks for sharing guys. Here are my suggestions to make your life easy in low cost. 1) Build a shoe box between the chairs which can be used as a seat too . Keep wheelers underneath the box so it's easy to move ( the wheelers which have lock to stay in 1 place) and have a extra seat or a feet rest when you use the swivel chair. Also can keep a tray over the seat when you drive which will keep your foods/snacks organized. 2) Make an small folding extension at the kitchen counter to use it as a table for night time when you swivel the driver's seat as you have some space there . And this way you don't have to move your stove around. Lots of love ❤️❣️💗. See you next week .
Maybe instead of putting the shoes right next to the entrance you could add some kind of shelving unit that slides out that also is level with the counter that would store shoes, and also give more room for counter space. I imagine like a spice rack that slides out, but for shoes 😂 For a work area maybe add some kind of flip table around the entrance to work on? I’m not sure how close the chair is to the entrance, but you could make the table fold down onto the side, the space where the sink is at 3:20 Just a few ideas love the video!! 💕
Oh man, oh man, if only that was possible. It would've been AMAZING! The only problem with that is the head space: Dom being 6'1, he wouldn't be able to stand in the van anymore. That idea is GOLD for short people. Good thinking.
All my other ideas were already suggested like the box for the shoes in between the seats with a nice little staying on top for drinks chips and low enough for swivel seat to still turn but if you want to put them on the back door in a net put a car Christmas tree air freshener next to them
I switched to a vertical fridge/ freezer, too. You sacrifice a little bit in efficiency but it's much much easier to find and get your food out. I also raised it off the floor (being of the older generation) so I don't have to bend down so far. As far as your battery box, don't make it too small because you need some air circulation in there regardless of the type of battery you have. When my lithium batteries are doing a full charge the cables can get warm. As far as your paddle boards on the side of your van, I would never do it. And that's because back in the day I had ladder racks on the side of my work van. The wind noise was atrocious and on long drives I could see it reduced my MPG. Besides that, I think it would look like crap on your beautiful van.
I'm sure someone said it already but if not you should add a little thing to the back of your driver's / passenger seat for your shoes. Like I think they sell these things that would drape over the seat pretty perfectly & hang down just fine. Not too bulky. Just something that has little pockets you can neatly put your shoes in to keep them up off the floor.
Can't really. There's a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been soooo perfect!
For the vanlifers out there that are looking for mattresses or cushions for sleeping on, or long seating I’d recommend 38/200 density foam, dunlop (tire/ rubber/ sporting goods manufacturer) and Joyce have good options. in comparison 36/160 is good for back cushions for seating but I wouldn’t recommend sleeping on it.. comfort is paramount in a van and seating/sleeping is where you will spend a lot of your time so invest in your comfort.. also you can have soft mattresses and hard cushions density/ rebound ratings dictate the application not wether it is a “mattress” or a “cushion”
Sorry, the cushion-mattress thing was lost in translation. We tend to separate the two based on how dense and/or useful they are for sleeping. Thanks for your advice!
HI, Here's a thought on the extra workspace for your late night work: Since the passenger seat swivels, how about a flip up table attached on the end of the counter where your sink is? Wouldn't that be doable in this van? I think there's an outlet or switch on that panel, but if in the way, maybe it can be lowered a couple of inches. When Marie was talking about the optimizing the back door, I also immediately thought of shoe rack net for your shoes. I'm impressed that the 2 of you can survive on only 7 gallons of fresh water. I was surprised that one of you changes was not a bigger fresh water tank with filter at sink for drinking water. Do you carry extra drinking water for you daily consumption?? Love your videos and enthusiasm. thanks
For some reason, we're really good with our 7-gallon. It can last us 4-5 days. But we do refill our water bottles and drink from that most of the time.
For the second workstation....if the drivers seat swivels, perhaps a folding moniter stand to sit in the drivers seat and a lap desk for the passenger seat? Shoe rack....behind the drivers seat, something custom with vertical cubbies for shoes?
Yup, that table would be gold. As for shoe rack, can't really do behind the seats as there is a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been perfect!
I ordered the mattress for my tiny house, now in my van, from Cotton Cloud Futons in Portland Oregon! Under $500 for 4” Hard foam, I need a hard mattress!
A top opening "frig" is cold on the bottom, and cooler on top. This is thermodynamics. If you choose a front opening "frig" you will have higher energy consumption with this choice. Decide. If you have two units, "refer" and "freezer" or try dry ice. Availability is an issue with dry ice.
How about a wheeled basket/cart for the centre console up front? Put locking wheels on it for driving and wheel it out of the way when parked. Plus, a fold down drop table by the stove would work if the driver seat could swivel.
Exactly what we'll be aiming for! Once we get back home and have access to a saw and some wood, we're building a box to put between the seats for sure! Thanks for the tip! :)
Even a flip-up countertop extension would add the desktop you need when the chair is turn around without compromising the counter space to the left of the cooktop. It would be useable counter space when driver is facing forward but it didn't sound as though you needed space then.
Space between seats closed cedar, (odor control), shoe carrier with a hard top to step on when accessing back of van. For snacks a divided hard sided cloth basket that can be hooked between seats during travel.
@@vanlifesagas thanks...I think out of the box ....or in your case inside the box...there are soooo many nips and corners that are waisted space in most van builds...I would love to rebuild a van and travel but alas.....not in the cards for me....3 types of cancer....I am doing ok but must stick close to home.....my heart is full of wanderlust....so I travel via you tube with all of you. I really love what the van culture has opened up for those who can move about and experience new places and things....please share some of those places with those of us who are home bound....we live vicariously through you windshields. Stay safe out there😎
Shoes: Put a hanging rack on the back of the driver's chair? Tiny Office: Folding TV tray. (Folds down to about 3" wide) Between the seats: Milkcrate on its side with flat plastic on one side. Storage AND table space. Tables: Seal with epoxy?
Can't really. There's a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been sooo perfect!
My suggestion for the front work station-- add a lagune table mount next to the passenger swivel seat. As far as the lithium batteries, you can actually use more of their capacity vs agm.
I was thinking the same thing, add a Lagun table mount, but mount it behind the driver seat, on the side of the kitchen cabinet. Then you can sit in the passenger seat and use the table for a workstation. It also might swivel right in between the seats when you are driving as well.
i'd add kind of a lagun table to the front of your fridge drawer as you just need to mount the plate and rest can be stored behind the drivers seat when u don't need it. it can be used as desk, counterspace between the seats when driving and also extra workspace when you cook.
Have you thought about a wood cover to put over the cook top when it's not in use? Although it would be raised, you could still set a laptop or camera gear on top of it, instead of setting on the cooking grates.
Keep your fridge. Get a separate top opening freezer that can fit between the front seats to double up as a mini snack table. Add hanging shoe storage pockets behind your seats in the cabin.
I know this was 4 months ago but for the workspace and table for objects when travelling you could build a collapsible swivel table that stores tight to the side or back of the seat. Ive seen many in minivans.
not sure if this was already mentioned but for the space in between the seats, maybe just have a collapsible crate/container/basket to throw ur snacks and whatnot during long trips. it would be foldable so it can be stored away, maybe under under the seat.
Flip out table behind the driver's seat, mounted to the kitchen cabinet? So you can work comfortably from the swiveled passenger seat and not have to move the stove. Also, there are dual-zone fridges that open at the top.
Do the office area. off of the passenger side. Mount a flip-up/down table from rear door. It would give extra table/office/kitchen prep space. And when not in use it would be out of the way.
13:30 With a dinette which has to morph into a bed and back twice a day you can't win on either front: Seating cushions make horrible matresses and good matresses make even worse seating cushions. If you can do a layout in the new van in which you have the dinette seperate from the bed that would be great... And a related tip: build for you two lovely people and not for those visitors which may or may not come over not that often...So a nice comfy bed with a real matress and nice bed bottom (slats which fold up maybe) and a two person dinette which drawers under the seats can be pulled out and covered to become a 2+2 person dinette in seconds...
Shoes... How about a rack on the back of the seat? Or on the inside of the door itself if there's room... Between the seats... One of those Tables that would fold down and swing back into the space behind the driver's seat. A Lagun table or swing arm table? The electronics cupboard... What about mounting some of the units onto the lid? It would save space and make it easier to see read outs.
Totally in for that table behind the seats! As for rack on back of the seats, they wouldn't swivel anymore, so that wouldn't be the best! About to get a Lagun table! woot woot!
For your paddle boards you can get a rack which you load on the side and then use a winch to take them to the roof and they fit on the roof rack with the carrier.
@@vanlifesagas customboatloaders.com.au was what I had in mind there australian but Iam sure there would be a company doing some thing similair nearer to you. There are also simple side extensions from the rack makers so that you can slide the board to the side and then lower it they are on ebay.
I totally saw myself in you, when you were saying "I want to be a strong, independent woman and want to be able to do this myself." I say the same all the time. Awesome response, too! We are already strong independent women, but everybody needs a strong independent young man to lift things from time to time. ;) Keep on doing you. You are (both) awesome! (And thanks for the helpful videos for my own van conversion of course ;) )
In our van we have a hanging shoe organizer that we have mounted at the back of our van. It makes it super easy to just open the back door and put your shoes on or take them off and slide them into the shoe pockets. The one we have holds 12 pairs of shoes. We also use it to hold other items that we frequently use like the stakes for our Fiamma awning
@@vanlifesagas The awning is one of the best purchases we made for the van. I would say that it is a definite "must have" item. We live in South Carolina where it can get quite hot so it is always nice to have a bit of shade in the summer months. We have been out during a few storms and have never had any issues. You can adjust the height of each side of the awning so if it is raining you can lower one side to get good drainage. We chose to have the option to stake the awning to the ground or to attach it to the side of the van. Both work great! I probably wouldn't put it out in a wind storm but other than that we use it every time we go out on an adventure.
Double hinged table between the front seats that folds backwards to be a “2nd” office. Then hinges sideways to stow behind the drivers seat when not in use in either position. Think airplane seat tray that folds up out of the arm-rest. Or, removable desktop surface that stows behind the drivers seat, and clips in place between the front seats, or onto the kitchen for a 2nd office.
Suggestion for storage. We have a Promaster (Travato 59K from Winnebago) - a lot of people have placed a wire rack above the slider door, attaching one end to the cabinet (passenger side), to the overhead cab area (commonly called the pizza oven). The rack can then have bins that hold shoes, and usually many other things because it’s a lot of room. The rack is the type for a clothes closet and has to be modified a tiny bit on the end that goes up in the over cab area. There is a small lip/edge on the shelf as well, so the bins don’t fall out. The only thing is, with Dom being so tall, he will have to remember to duck! BTW, I love you guys. You make me smile. 😁.
i use cloth hanging shoe organizer with pockets on the back of the passenger seat, covered with a coat or sweater. they can be cut to fit your space, and going vertically is always better if you can.
I wouldn’t want to look at a back-of-seat shoe holder all day. I’d put a compartment about 7 inches high, with a hinged lid for easy access. It doesn’t even have to have a bottom or sides. Just a front wall hinged to the lid, which rests on a back wall (which could have a couple short sides on with L brackets so it doesn’t fall over and fits in to look like a full box). Use a hole saw bit to drill holes in the lid to hold drink cups. To answer the question “why NOT a box with bottom and full sides”? Answer: the less material, the easier/cheaper to build, and the more space for storage. Also if the black wall pulls out easily, you can swivel the seat, as long as the shoes aren’t in the way.
Is there an inside slide in slot you can build for the paddle boards? Then you can build the bed and cabinet around it. Side board storage would make it hard to park in spots.
5:35 Maybe you can design a box which houses a cooler, a couple of cupholders, a snackdrawer/lid thing and even a table to use as the nighttime office???
You could use a hanging shoe rack and hang it behind the passenger seat. Cut it so it doesn’t cover up the heater. You can do the same thing for your back doors and that way you have little individual slots for storage. You could also put a retractable table attached to the cabin when you first walk in and use it as a desk when you turn the chair around. Also, for the driver side you could try a Steering Wheel Desk. Take a look at the Jackery portable battery as a back up solution for your electronics. It’s not cheap but it could be helpful
You don't need a swivel driver seat. I think you could put a swivel table in that space and when it's not in use you could put the top down. Also that space you could get a basket for your shoes. There's a lot of space behind that drivers seat.
Unfortunately, we can't put much behind the driver's seat because that's where we ventilate the refrigerator, but all in for that shoe box between the seats. That's an amazing idea for sure!
Regarding you paddle boards and your idea for a shower in the back Put a tow hitch with a luggage rack build a floor for the rack now when you open the doors and put a shower curtain you don’t need to go on the ground. In addition put your board on the back door in a diagonal way. It might stick a little bit from the top but it’s stick now as well.
Vanlife Sagas you have the van so measure out and see if at all or how much will stick out. And you tie it up against the rear door so the wind will not drug it in addition you can put on the back of the roof a luggage rack (additional storage) that will protect the tip that stick out if at all.
Top-open fridges keep the cold air inside when opening. Front opening ones will let the cold out the moment you open them. This impacts their efficiency and their over all energy consumption. Hope this helps!
shoe rack suggestion - put a wall tv mount on the side of the kitchen sink with a shoe rack on it ... that way you can rotate the shoe rack outside if the shoes are muddy etc
if you do a fixed bed with your nex build and have a swivel seat on the passenger side with a table for office work you could build a platform so your feet dont dangle that is also a place for shoes
The mattress! How about a mattress topper under your bed sheets ontop of the cushion/mattress? They fold up relatively small and could be stored in the space left between the back doors and bed/sofa maybe?
Ouhhh that sounds neat! People recommended another sort of mattress topper but then folding it and finding a spot for it is a nightmare. Do you have a link to share for that small one by chance?
In the electrical unit, you also have vertical space. You could add some 1"x1" and build a tray to sit in it. It would be good to thin things... books, laptop, etc.
Build cubby for shoe storage in between the two front seats opening to back and have top part have lip to holds snacks and phones and two cup holders that deep enough to fit most water bottles....
To the Brain, and the Dreamer. Your videos are fantastic! I learn so much from your videos, and I always leave with a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing your experiences, insights, and knowledge. Safe travels you two!
Installing an air deflector in the front roof top will decrease the amount of air getting underneath your solar and top storage. Less turbulence better gas mileage. Paddle boards on the side will be practical but will cause road noise and most definitely decrease your mpg. I think you can get hurt trying to get heavy things down from the roof. A storage light weight ottoman in between driver and passenger that can serve three or more purposes. Shoe storage, ottoman for swivel, laptop table, etc etc with Velcro so it’s easy to move but won’t move while driving. You can storage a good amount of shoes. Drill holes in the bottom of ottoman for ventilation.
put shoes in the door jam...if you will. The front seat door jams. its dead empty space quite often... What do you think?....not a solution for everyone but could work for you, maybe put some sort of mesh to corral the shoes for when you exit/enter van?... LOVE you two silly bugs
The lack of a shoe rack was a rookie error. Is there any space above the door to build something? In terms of getting the paddleboards down I think it could be done easily on your own. Simply rotate the board and tilt it down so that one end is touching the floor, release, climb down the ladder and then grab and go. Quite easy.
Oufff that paddleboarck trick wouldn't work. Learnt that the hard way on my first attempt alone when Dom wasn't there. Broke the entire nose of the board!!! (Nearly cried there).
The two of you are shoe-per cute together, the abundance of personality practically pours from the screen.
Ohhh that message is shoe-per sweet! Thanks!
perfectly said
You could add a low box in between the front seats that would store shoes. The lid could act as a tray to store items as you are travelling. Just check that it is low enough not to interfere with the turning of the front seats ;) For the rear doors you can get some door organizers with storage pockets, made out of fabric, to optimize your storage!
I was thinking about that but with wheels so you could roll it out of the way to walk or swivel.
I have that in my van when I do long roadtrip and it is convenient ! It was low too so I could easily pass over it and when I wanted to swivel the seats I just grab it and put it somewhere meanwhile. ✌️So great Idea 😉
I have that in my van when I do long roadtrip and it is convenient ! It was low too so I could easily pass over it and when I wanted to swivel the seats I just grab it and put it somewhere meanwhile. ✌️So great Idea 😉
That's exactly what will do! Brilliant idea! Now on the design team, Nigel.
That's so cool. We're on it.
Two things came to mind while watching:
1. Perhaps there could be shoe pockets strapped to the back of driver and passenger seats?
2. For the driver's seat work station... you might consider having a flip up table for more space?
Y'all are so playful, its nice to watch :)
1. Just scared it'll be in the way when swiveling the seat.
2. That's what we'll do.
3. Thanks for the tips.
4. Thanks again.
5. Okay, enough.
I was also going to suggest the flip-up for work station. Then you just have to put in the swivel for the seat and it can be more counter space when you need it.
I liked this shoe rack solution 9 months after you posted it.
What about installing a Lagun swivel table on the side of the cooking area, behind the drivers seat??. That way, you don’t have to change the cooking area at all, you would just turn your passenger seat around and pull out the swivel table to use with the passenger seat for your workstation.
www.lagunusa.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwsuP5BRCoARIsAPtX_wEFsvOxaJxxLmSNMT9vS2XJwWBq0eDYyQ6pe3f6eeZWzQgIePjn2t4aAr1KEALw_wcB
That was my initial thought as well
Yes, was about to suggest that too! It’s something you could do now ❤️
Oh that's really cool. We'd have the space behind the fridge to put it there as well. Smart!
Vanlife Sagas yay!
"Don't go cheap on what you sleep on!" Yessir!
Hell no. We learned that the hard way!
Yep! We own a 1984 Westfalia and the thin matresses are the only thing I don't like about it ( and the fact that I can't ne bothered to learn how to drive with the manual transmission so my paterner is the only one driving but that's another story)😉
I am a year late, but in our last RV we put a closet fabric shoe storage behind the driver's seat. You could put shoes in it from three doors. It worked great and just enough room.
That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing with us!
I think you can add table with laguna mount and use it:
1) from passenger seat for late night work
2) like additional table between seats while driving
3) like additional space for cooking
And I think you don't need a swivel seat on driver side, because you would need to change a lot, only if you want to seat together.
That is brilliant. Totally agree!
I live in my Winnebago which is built on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis as well, so I have that same gap between the front seats. I've put a collapsible woven basket there to catch the wrappers, etc as the basket starts out flat so doesn't so doesn't take up space, and then expands as required. I'm really enjoying your channel and I LOVE that you're Canadian so I don't have to switch over all your links from US Amazon to Canadian, lol. Happy New Year!🥰
Ohhh that's such a good idea. A woven basket. Brilliant! Thanks for the recommendation. Just added another item to my list! Stay safe Michelle! Looking forward to seeing you on the road 🥰
So we are building our first van and I have been searching RUclips like most people and have come across a lot of couples. You 2 are by far my new favorites!
Awe yay! Thanks for being here Richard! It means the world to us. If we can help, please don't hesitate!
It’s just an idea but on the subject of shoes: maybe have a small rack inside with the mist used shoes fit run around like those slippers you wear. But then store the rest like Sandals and long distance hikers (the stuff your kinda preparing to go do) store them outside in a closed weatherproof cabinet. Ooooo ..no you won’t smell dirty feet. Make it a closed cabinet
That's exactly what we do for boots: we have this storage box and it's been sooooooo amazing!
I LOVE our front loading fridge. It's super deep and holds a ton of food. Worth it.
Yeah. Since we've been talking to others about that front load, many people recommend not switching. Decisions, decisions.
Which one did you get? I have been searching for a front loading 12v fridge and I've had trouble finding any.
Over the years I have found so many uses for my simple, folding TV table. Folded flat, it would fit behind the driver's seat. Opened, it could be a laptop table or, when driving, to hold your Mélange Fiesta et un Pepsi.
I was thinking the same thing! Simple tv tray!
Oh damn, that's good!
Two wicker baskets, one upside down ( cut back out) with a material flap and one right side up..Put it in-between the seats you can put shoes under it and your goodies in the top basket while driving...All you need is a kind of holding clip or two on it to hold in place while driving, move it back and forth when parked..
Best approach, and Maybe a light ply pigeon holed insert in the bottom basket to seperate the pairs of shoes to optimize..Top basket could be shallow, and glue two cup holders in the front of it to hold drinks properly while driving...👍
@@wakantanka802 Yep, and just join baskets solidly together with strong velcro ( same colour as basket ) or clips, incase of thinking of a using top basket someplace else when parked if it's too high to swivel seats......All light and can match the baskets to suit the van...
@@Namdor2012 Haa we got it down now..Velcro is good as you could shift the top basket forwards up against the dash and put the plant in it and seat would be clear to swivel, noticed by looking they have cup holders...
Ohhh that ply pigeon is a good idea.
Yup! I think that's the winner! Thanks for the advice :)
Hello - if you do try a side rack for your paddleboards keep in mind that it will seriously limit your visibility in the side mirror, purchasing a tow mirror will help a lot. I fabricated a side rack (the manufactured ones are $$$) on my Sprinter for my boards and it has been great, have driven thousands of kilometers and it is still solid. 🤙🏼
Dude! Can you figure out a way to send a photo somehow? Looking forward to discussing this with you.
@@vanlifesagas sent an email to hello@vanlifesagas.com
Oh Dang!!! I was seriously hoping there would be more posts about this!! Can you DM me your pics as well? IDK why you have FB and Insta pages with zero content on them as I know people would love to see this idea. 😊
I have an idea for your shoe problem and a table in between the two chairs at the front! Get a wood box to put your shoes in then get a pole and screw it in the middle of the box and put a table on top! 😊
I was going to suggest putting some type of removable/swivel table in between the front seats, which could be used as a workstation. Your idea is even better because it adds another dimension for use when driving. Excellent idea!
That's a BRILLIANT idea. Might be doing just that!
Glad I could help!!😊😊
Like many of the other comments say, you guys are two peas in a pod. I'm smiling just watching how well-matched you are. Love it!
:)
A hanging shoe rack, like a Mothers Apron with pockets would fit nicely on the left hand side when you come in the door. By hanging the apron by cup hooks you can easily remove it for cleaning, put the muddy shoes in the bottom pockets. The pockets are half shoe depth and only protrude 3" max into your doorway space. 😁 Cheers from Michael. Australia.
that an awesome idea we'll definitely think about that ! Cheers from vanlife gatineau🧡
For the desk in the front- you can purchase a steering wheel laptop desk..
For your present counter- coat with an top clear coat- like an epoxy
For extra portable storage look at getting one of those driving seat organizer with pockets and a back pack format
For extra battery- you guys are growing like intensely- why not approach jackery for the 1000w portable battery that you can plug in and bring with you to your next van..
We tried to makes suggestions that you can bring with you to your next van- versus have to sell in october
You must be a witch! Jackery wrote to us yesterday! What are the odds !!!!
Vanlife Sagas haha ! Called it. Do I get a pop tart?
Loved the re-enactment of the bed cushions. 😂
It was THE SAME! Telling you! As hard!
Kush ins
Cuh shines
I’m a wedding DJ and I only just came across your videos. I don’t know if you’re married, but I’m telling you the happiest couples Ave this dynamic
That is seriously one of the kindest message one can send. That means a lot! You're the best. Thank you 😍
How have I not found this channel? This is literally the best vanlife channel on RUclips how do you not have millions of subs
Ohhh thanks Benjamin! That's a big motivation boost right here. Just started this Channel 14 weeks ago now. Glad you like it! See you next Sunday :)
Just an idea I saw on another van, he built space under the floor that was accessible by the sliding door and stored his kayaks underneath his kitchen and bed. That’s my plan for myself for my van
Yeah, we thought of that, but Dom being so tall, he wouldn't be able to stand in the van.
@@vanlifesagas you’d be able to have a small cubby area accessible from the back door... on one side. It would raise the heights of cabinets and bed/dining slightly, but not his walking area
You could add a fold down swivel table behind the driver’s seat that way you have extra counter space and you have a table for the office
Yaaassss! That’s definitely going in the next van.
6:46 leave the box style fridge... the front loading is a hassle: the cold air drops out the bottom when you open it and you will be on all fours when you need something from it... Just leave the cooler style fridge but put a longer slide mechanism...
Don’t move the cooktop, I would make a fold out over the swivel seat and then it could be extra space and good for working and chopping!!!! Love your guys van though 😍
Exactly, what we'll do! Thanks Max!
Love you guys! You remind me of my son Pablo and his girlfriend Taya who just bought their first van. I am looking at videos to help give them advice! Thanks for your videos. They are very helpful. You make me laugh! Wish I could meet you!!!!
7:33 I made my countertops and table tops with a 1/2 inch plywood and some lamelar flooring glued on top of it (trimmed out with some left over oak strips I cut to width) Lamelar flooring is basically a low deform plywood construction with a 4-5mm layer of a nicer wood like bamboe, oak or the like.
I would go for bamboe though, bamboe is tough, hard and easy to clean... The tabletops end up being about 32mm thick and not that heavy at all...
Hello! For the shoes, I saw some people creating an open space at the entrance under the floor. Those shoes stay at the entrance but are not all over the place and hidden. I though it was a great idea. For a 2nd spot to work, you could simply find a small table (table pliante) that you put on your laps. Can also be used in bed.
Open space at the entrance. That sounds neat. Do you know where exactly? Hard to picture where it would fit in our van.
@@vanlifesagas I understand :-) They build a hole under the floor so when you open the side door (where there's your sink), you can see the shoes in the hole. If you want, you can add a door that opens upward or you can leave it without a door. Hard to explain in writing too. I could call you if you want... or you can call me. I'm not going to give my phone number here though. So, if you have an email, maybe we can see when we can call each other. Je parle français (québécois).
À l'entrée de ta van, à l'endroit où vous êtes assis lorsque vous filmez, juste sous le plancher, il y a peut-être une façon de faire un trou. Je ne sais pas si ce sera possible avec ta van par contre parce que les personnes que j'ai vu faire ça, ça s'est fait lors de la création du plancher. Quand on ouvre la porte, on voit ce trou où sont placé les chaussures, mais ils ne sont pas partout et ça n'enlève pas d'espace de passage non plus. J'ai pensé d'essayer de l'expliquer en français, peut-être plus simple. :-)
3:22 I build a drawer in the passanger seat colomb (the driver seat has all sort of wiring and relays and stuff in it a so I can not use that space) which runs through the seperating wall. It is about 60 cm deep, 25 cm tall,, and 30 cm wide... plent of storage for about 8 pairs of shoes...
you can do removable table mount between the seats to use it when you need it and remove when you don't.
Exactly what we'll be doing! Thanks for the tip :)
Hi just had a net in between the seats... like a hammock u can remove it if not in use and u can use it to store your belongings. Plus, behind the driver seat you can u can put a removable wall mounted letter rack to place ur shoes
Exactly what we're aiming for!
4:38 try a table that extends in that space you can keep it and take it out when you gonna work or some sort of extension that folds so it doesn't take up alot of room
Oh totally! We are for sure doing this in NEXT the van!
Hey. Love your van! I’ll be embarking on this adventure in a couple of years and have watched many, many videos on van life, builds, do’s & don’ts, and found this video of your particularly helpful as I will only have 1 opportunity to get it right 👍🏼👍🏼
I saw an awesome idea 💡 for a work space on another channel (I would love to credit them but cannot remember 🙈🙈) - a pull out counter that sits flush under your main counter. This will allow you to utilise the seat when swivelled, and have a workspace ‘on’ your lap. You could easily do this especially since you mentioned that in your next build, you would move your cooktop more over to the left (when facing it).
Also a shoe storage box in the bottom of the cabinet on the left as you enter. I’m a bit OCD so this is particularly important to me too.
Thank you again for your valuable tips. I’m look it forward to this lifestyle but first, as I am in South Africa, and this is not popular here, the issue is to find someone who can do a build for me (or …. I will have to partner with Google tutorials and do it myself!)
You mentioned wanting to optimize the space between the two front seats. I have a 2004 Honda Cr-V, and it includes center console, down folding tray between the two front seats. You'd probably need something a little more customized to fit your van, but I think a design like that would work well for you guys. You could have the tray folded up while driving and folded down for ease of movement while not driving.
Oommg! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing with us!
Just love watching your antics, you are a perfect match and you just make me smile
Thanks Annette! You're amazing!
i’m using bungee cords attached to the lower cabinet for my shoes! just plop them in between the cord and the flat side and they stay pretty well
That’s probably the most easy solution!
Thanks for sharing guys. Here are my suggestions to make your life easy in low cost.
1) Build a shoe box between the chairs which can be used as a seat too . Keep wheelers underneath the box so it's easy to move ( the wheelers which have lock to stay in 1 place) and have a extra seat or a feet rest when you use the swivel chair. Also can keep a tray over the seat when you drive which will keep your foods/snacks organized.
2) Make an small folding extension at the kitchen counter to use it as a table for night time when you swivel the driver's seat as you have some space there . And this way you don't have to move your stove around.
Lots of love ❤️❣️💗. See you next week .
You, my friend are a genius. As recommended by others here as well, that's exactly what we'll be doing: a box between the 2 seats!
@@vanlifesagas It's a pleasure. I love your videos, attitude, and vibe. Looking forward to the updates. Lots of love from Bangladesh.
Maybe instead of putting the shoes right next to the entrance you could add some kind of shelving unit that slides out that also is level with the counter that would store shoes, and also give more room for counter space. I imagine like a spice rack that slides out, but for shoes 😂 For a work area maybe add some kind of flip table around the entrance to work on? I’m not sure how close the chair is to the entrance, but you could make the table fold down onto the side, the space where the sink is at 3:20
Just a few ideas love the video!! 💕
That flip table around the entrance is amazing. That's exactly what we'll be doing! Thanks Keri :)
How about an elevated "false" floor so you could store the paddle boards flat under it? They could then easily slide out the back doors.
Oh man, oh man, if only that was possible. It would've been AMAZING! The only problem with that is the head space: Dom being 6'1, he wouldn't be able to stand in the van anymore. That idea is GOLD for short people. Good thinking.
@@vanlifesagas I was afraid that was the case. Oh well.
You can hang an over the door organizer on the back of the passenger seat for your shoes. They are washable too!
We initially tried that, but then the seat didn't swivel anymore. Oups!
Be honest, Marie ... you only want a wee freezer in a new fridge to store your chocolate mint ice cream. LOL
hahahahahahah I laughed HARD! You know me too well! 😂
All my other ideas were already suggested like the box for the shoes in between the seats with a nice little staying on top for drinks chips and low enough for swivel seat to still turn but if you want to put them on the back door in a net put a car Christmas tree air freshener next to them
Yup, I'm sure that would do the job! Those Christmas tree air freshener always work like magic!
I absolutely love the energy and vibes from you guys.
Thanks Andrew! Means a lot! See you every Sunday! 😁
I switched to a vertical fridge/ freezer, too. You sacrifice a little bit in efficiency but it's much much easier to find and get your food out. I also raised it off the floor (being of the older generation) so I don't have to bend down so far.
As far as your battery box, don't make it too small because you need some air circulation in there regardless of the type of battery you have. When my lithium batteries are doing a full charge the cables can get warm.
As far as your paddle boards on the side of your van, I would never do it. And that's because back in the day I had ladder racks on the side of my work van. The wind noise was atrocious and on long drives I could see it reduced my MPG. Besides that, I think it would look like crap on your beautiful van.
Ohhhh that is great advice. Never thought of the sound of paddleboards on the side of the van, but that makes total sense. Thank you for sharing that!
I freaking love you guys.
That’s all, no helpful advice.
Hahahah thanks Rebecca!
I'm sure someone said it already but if not you should add a little thing to the back of your driver's / passenger seat for your shoes. Like I think they sell these things that would drape over the seat pretty perfectly & hang down just fine. Not too bulky. Just something that has little pockets you can neatly put your shoes in to keep them up off the floor.
Can't really. There's a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been soooo perfect!
9 and 10 shoe rack behind driver seat and pliable table on wall passenger seat
I feel that space between the driver's seat and the cooking unit isn't big enough! Urgh!
@@vanlifesagas you guys are like my ex-wife
to many shoes lol
For the vanlifers out there that are looking for mattresses or cushions for sleeping on, or long seating I’d recommend 38/200 density foam, dunlop (tire/ rubber/ sporting goods manufacturer) and Joyce have good options. in comparison 36/160 is good for back cushions for seating but I wouldn’t recommend sleeping on it.. comfort is paramount in a van and seating/sleeping is where you will spend a lot of your time so invest in your comfort.. also you can have soft mattresses and hard cushions density/ rebound ratings dictate the application not wether it is a “mattress” or a “cushion”
Sorry, the cushion-mattress thing was lost in translation. We tend to separate the two based on how dense and/or useful they are for sleeping. Thanks for your advice!
HI, Here's a thought on the extra workspace for your late night work: Since the passenger seat swivels, how about a flip up table attached on the end of the counter where your sink is? Wouldn't that be doable in this van? I think there's an outlet or switch on that panel, but if in the way, maybe it can be lowered a couple of inches.
When Marie was talking about the optimizing the back door, I also immediately thought of shoe rack net for your shoes.
I'm impressed that the 2 of you can survive on only 7 gallons of fresh water. I was surprised that one of you changes was not a bigger fresh water tank with filter at sink for drinking water. Do you carry extra drinking water for you daily consumption??
Love your videos and enthusiasm. thanks
For some reason, we're really good with our 7-gallon. It can last us 4-5 days. But we do refill our water bottles and drink from that most of the time.
For the second workstation....if the drivers seat swivels, perhaps a folding moniter stand to sit in the drivers seat and a lap desk for the passenger seat? Shoe rack....behind the drivers seat, something custom with vertical cubbies for shoes?
Yup, that table would be gold. As for shoe rack, can't really do behind the seats as there is a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been perfect!
I ordered the mattress for my tiny house, now in my van, from Cotton Cloud Futons in Portland Oregon! Under $500 for 4” Hard foam, I need a hard mattress!
Did that include the fabric to cover it up? That's way cheaper than back home!
So ~700cdn.
A top opening "frig" is cold on the bottom, and cooler on top. This is thermodynamics. If you choose a front opening "frig" you will have higher energy consumption with this choice. Decide. If you have two units, "refer" and "freezer" or try dry ice. Availability is an issue with dry ice.
Ahhhh so hard to pick from. We have seriously no clue what to do.
Hey! Why don't you get one of those hanging shoe storage things that normally go on the back of doors? You could hang it on the back of the seat :)
Exactly what I was gonna say! Great minds.... 😉
That's exactly what I was thinking!
And hang it on the back of the passenger seat right?
... But what happens with it when you want to swivel your seat around? I imaging you need to dismount it to swivel...
@@raphaelrosenhagen5624 then hang it on the hook about the door? It's that big of a deal
@@sassykat2000 exactly!
How about a wheeled basket/cart for the centre console up front? Put locking wheels on it for driving and wheel it out of the way when parked. Plus, a fold down drop table by the stove would work if the driver seat could swivel.
Exactly what we'll be aiming for! Once we get back home and have access to a saw and some wood, we're building a box to put between the seats for sure! Thanks for the tip! :)
SWEEVLE seat at the front: but do not change de cooking stuff: just insert removable table
Even a flip-up countertop extension would add the desktop you need when the chair is turn around without compromising the counter space to the left of the cooktop. It would be useable counter space when driver is facing forward but it didn't sound as though you needed space then.
That's what I was thinking Emily 👌
BRILLIANT! So smart.
Space between seats closed cedar, (odor control), shoe carrier with a hard top to step on when accessing back of van. For snacks a divided hard sided cloth basket that can be hooked between seats during travel.
Yoooo those are all too amazing. Linda, we might need you on the design team for our new van that we are building now.
@@vanlifesagas thanks...I think out of the box ....or in your case inside the box...there are soooo many nips and corners that are waisted space in most van builds...I would love to rebuild a van and travel but alas.....not in the cards for me....3 types of cancer....I am doing ok but must stick close to home.....my heart is full of wanderlust....so I travel via you tube with all of you. I really love what the van culture has opened up for those who can move about and experience new places and things....please share some of those places with those of us who are home bound....we live vicariously through you windshields. Stay safe out there😎
They make a steering wheel desk it's on Amazon
Oh damn. I need to Google that now.
Shoes: Put a hanging rack on the back of the driver's chair?
Tiny Office: Folding TV tray. (Folds down to about 3" wide)
Between the seats: Milkcrate on its side with flat plastic on one side. Storage AND table space.
Tables: Seal with epoxy?
Can't really. There's a refrigerator vent behind the driver's seat (kitchen unit) and the passenger seat won't be able to swivel anymore. It would've been sooo perfect!
I just wanted to say I appreciate the puns more than she seems to. I needed the laugh from shoeper nice today.
Hahah she's boring. 😂 have a shoeper wonderful week!
For between the seats: A lightweight box that holds shoes, is moveable for turning seats and walking between, and the top holds snacks and etc.
Ohhhh that's a good one! Totally adding that to the van!
My suggestion for the front work station-- add a lagune table mount next to the passenger swivel seat. As far as the lithium batteries, you can actually use more of their capacity vs agm.
Yeah, I think the next batteries will definitely be lithium. Can't wait to get those!
I was thinking the same thing, add a Lagun table mount, but mount it behind the driver seat, on the side of the kitchen cabinet. Then you can sit in the passenger seat and use the table for a workstation. It also might swivel right in between the seats when you are driving as well.
i'd add kind of a lagun table to the front of your fridge drawer as you just need to mount the plate and rest can be stored behind the drivers seat when u don't need it. it can be used as desk, counterspace between the seats when driving and also extra workspace when you cook.
Oh man. That's brilliant! We need you on the design team Claudia!
@@vanlifesagas would love to, just let me know where and when! :D
Marie and I had the same look when Dom said "shoeper nice." Except I shook my head. Hahaha
Hahah. That was the GREATEST PUN of all times!
Have you thought about a wood cover to put over the cook top when it's not in use? Although it would be raised, you could still set a laptop or camera gear on top of it, instead of setting on the cooking grates.
I think it would be a little too far from the seat. We would have our arms far in front. If it was just a few inches closer, it would've been perfect.
Hope you check snow and curt yt channel for ideas that you might want to copy or improved on.Their van was created to travel for 10 years
Thanks for the advice! On it!
Keep your fridge. Get a separate top opening freezer that can fit between the front seats to double up as a mini snack table. Add hanging shoe storage pockets behind your seats in the cabin.
Wow thank for sharing that with us Susan 🧡
Between the seats, a small box...the top is a table for your snacks and the bottom has a drawer that pulls out and holds your shoes! Voilà!
Exactly what we're going for! Thanks for the tip!
Hanging pocket that are used for tents for storage. With a little modification it could be put on the back of one of the seats.
Yup, we might put this in the entrance!
I know this was 4 months ago but for the workspace and table for objects when travelling you could build a collapsible swivel table that stores tight to the side or back of the seat. Ive seen many in minivans.
That is exactly what we had in mind, until we decided to sell the van. Big news coming next Sunday on our channel! 😃
not sure if this was already mentioned but for the space in between the seats, maybe just have a collapsible crate/container/basket to throw ur snacks and whatnot during long trips. it would be foldable so it can be stored away, maybe under under the seat.
Exactly what we'll be doing in the next build. Thanks Mary! You're the best!
Flip out table behind the driver's seat, mounted to the kitchen cabinet? So you can work comfortably from the swiveled passenger seat and not have to move the stove. Also, there are dual-zone fridges that open at the top.
Exactly what'll be doing! Thanks!!
Do the office area. off of the passenger side. Mount a flip-up/down table from rear door. It would give extra table/office/kitchen prep space. And when not in use it would be out of the way.
We're on it :) Thanks Jeremy!
13:30 With a dinette which has to morph into a bed and back twice a day you can't win on either front:
Seating cushions make horrible matresses and good matresses make even worse seating cushions.
If you can do a layout in the new van in which you have the dinette seperate from the bed that would be great...
And a related tip: build for you two lovely people and not for those visitors which may or may not come over not that often...So a nice comfy bed with a real matress and nice bed bottom (slats which fold up maybe) and a two person dinette which drawers under the seats can be pulled out and covered to become a 2+2 person dinette in seconds...
Shoes...
How about a rack on the back of the seat? Or on the inside of the door itself if there's room...
Between the seats...
One of those Tables that would fold down and swing back into the space behind the driver's seat. A Lagun table or swing arm table?
The electronics cupboard...
What about mounting some of the units onto the lid? It would save space and make it easier to see read outs.
Totally in for that table behind the seats! As for rack on back of the seats, they wouldn't swivel anymore, so that wouldn't be the best! About to get a Lagun table! woot woot!
For your paddle boards you can get a rack which you load on the side and then use a winch to take them to the roof and they fit on the roof rack with the carrier.
Oh snap. Would love that. Have you ever seen something like that? If you send a quick picture via email or Instagram, that would be gold!
@@vanlifesagas customboatloaders.com.au was what I had in mind there australian but Iam sure there would be a company doing some thing similair nearer to you. There are also simple side extensions from the rack makers so that you can slide the board to the side and then lower it they are on ebay.
I totally saw myself in you, when you were saying "I want to be a strong, independent woman and want to be able to do this myself." I say the same all the time. Awesome response, too! We are already strong independent women, but everybody needs a strong independent young man to lift things from time to time. ;)
Keep on doing you. You are (both) awesome!
(And thanks for the helpful videos for my own van conversion of course ;) )
Awe you are so kind! Thank you so much for the love! See you next time😁
In our van we have a hanging shoe organizer that we have mounted at the back of our van. It makes it super easy to just open the back door and put your shoes on or take them off and slide them into the shoe pockets. The one we have holds 12 pairs of shoes. We also use it to hold other items that we frequently use like the stakes for our Fiamma awning
How is that awning? Do you use it often? Just wondering if we'd use it a lot. Can it support a bit of rain/wind, or not at all?
@@vanlifesagas The awning is one of the best purchases we made for the van. I would say that it is a definite "must have" item. We live in South Carolina where it can get quite hot so it is always nice to have a bit of shade in the summer months. We have been out during a few storms and have never had any issues. You can adjust the height of each side of the awning so if it is raining you can lower one side to get good drainage. We chose to have the option to stake the awning to the ground or to attach it to the side of the van. Both work great! I probably wouldn't put it out in a wind storm but other than that we use it every time we go out on an adventure.
Double hinged table between the front seats that folds backwards to be a “2nd” office. Then hinges sideways to stow behind the drivers seat when not in use in either position. Think airplane seat tray that folds up out of the arm-rest. Or, removable desktop surface that stows behind the drivers seat, and clips in place between the front seats, or onto the kitchen for a 2nd office.
Yup, airplane seats. That would be sweet. Perhaps a Lagun (mentioned by a lot of people in the comments) would be a good idea for that!
Suggestion for storage. We have a Promaster (Travato 59K from Winnebago) - a lot of people have placed a wire rack above the slider door, attaching one end to the cabinet (passenger side), to the overhead cab area (commonly called the pizza oven). The rack can then have bins that hold shoes, and usually many other things because it’s a lot of room. The rack is the type for a clothes closet and has to be modified a tiny bit on the end that goes up in the over cab area. There is a small lip/edge on the shelf as well, so the bins don’t fall out. The only thing is, with Dom being so tall, he will have to remember to duck!
BTW, I love you guys. You make me smile. 😁.
Ouuuh. Would you mind sending us a picture of that? Either by email on Instagram. Curious to see what it would look like in our van!
Vanlife Sagas sure. Just took a bunch off Facebook. Sent through email. Let me know if you got it. I’m not as good with Instagram.
i use cloth hanging shoe organizer with pockets on the back of the passenger seat, covered with a coat or sweater. they can be cut to fit your space, and going vertically is always better if you can.
Oh, nice! We are working on Vanessanessa right now - We’ll incorporate all those.
I wouldn’t want to look at a back-of-seat shoe holder all day. I’d put a compartment about 7 inches high, with a hinged lid for easy access. It doesn’t even have to have a bottom or sides. Just a front wall hinged to the lid, which rests on a back wall (which could have a couple short sides on with L brackets so it doesn’t fall over and fits in to look like a full box). Use a hole saw bit to drill holes in the lid to hold drink cups. To answer the question “why NOT a box with bottom and full sides”? Answer: the less material, the easier/cheaper to build, and the more space for storage. Also if the black wall pulls out easily, you can swivel the seat, as long as the shoes aren’t in the way.
You, my friend, are a genius! Seriously. First time we get that idea and we LOVE it. Thanks for sharing.
Is there an inside slide in slot you can build for the paddle boards? Then you can build the bed and cabinet around it. Side board storage would make it hard to park in spots.
No, I wish. The boards are 10' long, it would take so much space! It's just impossible inside!
5:35 Maybe you can design a box which houses a cooler, a couple of cupholders, a snackdrawer/lid thing and even a table to use as the nighttime office???
You could use a hanging shoe rack and hang it behind the passenger seat. Cut it so it doesn’t cover up the heater. You can do the same thing for your back doors and that way you have little individual slots for storage.
You could also put a retractable table attached to the cabin when you first walk in and use it as a desk when you turn the chair around. Also, for the driver side you could try a Steering Wheel Desk.
Take a look at the Jackery portable battery as a back up solution for your electronics. It’s not cheap but it could be helpful
Can't, unfortunately. The seat wouldn't swivel anymore! Perhaps behind the driver's seat.
Put a box between the seats, with a tray on top for food and a drawer underneath for shoes
Exactly what we'll be doing!
Shoes... Use the cupboard in the sliding door area. Have door that opens to outside for walking boots and from inside to same space for indoor shoes.
Good idea we'll see if it can work❤️
For the shoe problem you could get a little shoe holder that’s just fabric with pockets and hang it off of the passenger seat!
We might be going for that for the next van!
You don't need a swivel driver seat. I think you could put a swivel table in that space and when it's not in use you could put the top down. Also that space you could get a basket for your shoes. There's a lot of space behind that drivers seat.
Unfortunately, we can't put much behind the driver's seat because that's where we ventilate the refrigerator, but all in for that shoe box between the seats. That's an amazing idea for sure!
Regarding you paddle boards and your idea for a shower in the back
Put a tow hitch with a luggage rack build a floor for the rack now when you open the doors and put a shower curtain you don’t need to go on the ground.
In addition put your board on the back door in a diagonal way.
It might stick a little bit from the top but it’s stick now as well.
Aren’t you afraid the wind would drag the tip of those 10 feet paddleboards? (The piece that sticks out on top?)
Vanlife Sagas you have the van so measure out and see if at all or how much will stick out. And you tie it up against the rear door so the wind will not drug it in addition you can put on the back of the roof a luggage rack (additional storage) that will protect the tip that stick out if at all.
Top-open fridges keep the cold air inside when opening. Front opening ones will let the cold out the moment you open them. This impacts their efficiency and their over all energy consumption. Hope this helps!
FWIW there's also drawer-like fridges, so you can fit a number of them in a space instead of having one big one. Probably more expensive, but 🤷🏽♂️
Thanks we'll look it up😁
Thanks for sharing this information with us, we'll think about it😊
Get a folding or collapsible basket for between the seats. Can store behind drivers. They are cheap and handy.
Yes, Marie was looking at those earlier this week.
You can have a thing hanging off the ceiling behind your drivers seat where it has many sections to put shoes in
Yes you could 😀
shoe rack suggestion - put a wall tv mount on the side of the kitchen sink with a shoe rack on it ... that way you can rotate the shoe rack outside if the shoes are muddy etc
Ohhhh that's amazing. We might actually do that for the new build. It's an amazing idea!
if you do a fixed bed with your nex build and have a swivel seat on the passenger side with a table for office work you could build a platform so your feet dont dangle that is also a place for shoes
Ohhh that's clever! Abigail, you are hired on the design team. congratulations!
The mattress! How about a mattress topper under your bed sheets ontop of the cushion/mattress? They fold up relatively small and could be stored in the space left between the back doors and bed/sofa maybe?
Ouhhh that sounds neat! People recommended another sort of mattress topper but then folding it and finding a spot for it is a nightmare. Do you have a link to share for that small one by chance?
In the electrical unit, you also have vertical space. You could add some 1"x1" and build a tray to sit in it. It would be good to thin things... books, laptop, etc.
Ohhh snap. That’s brilliant !!
If you build something for munchies you can’t spin chits. Just use a cute basket to hold stuff. A catch all spot that can move around.
Yup! Working on that!
Build cubby for shoe storage in between the two front seats opening to back and have top part have lip to holds snacks and phones and two cup holders that deep enough to fit most water bottles....
Exactly the plan !! Yeeeha! Thanks for sharing :)
To the Brain, and the Dreamer. Your videos are fantastic! I learn so much from your videos, and I always leave with a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing your experiences, insights, and knowledge. Safe travels you two!
Thanks Jim! You're amazing. Thank you so much for the love.
Installing an air deflector in the front roof top will decrease the amount of air getting underneath your solar and top storage. Less turbulence better gas mileage. Paddle boards on the side will be practical but will cause road noise and most definitely decrease your mpg. I think you can get hurt trying to get heavy things down from the roof. A storage light weight ottoman in between driver and passenger that can serve three or more purposes. Shoe storage, ottoman for swivel, laptop table, etc etc with Velcro so it’s easy to move but won’t move while driving. You can storage a good amount of shoes. Drill holes in the bottom of ottoman for ventilation.
Thanks Bobbie! That ottoman is certainly something we'll be doing, but didn't think of that ventilation. Brilliant, thank you!
👌🏼🤙🏻 🚐
put shoes in the door jam...if you will. The front seat door jams. its dead empty space quite often... What do you think?....not a solution for everyone but could work for you, maybe put some sort of mesh to corral the shoes for when you exit/enter van?... LOVE you two silly bugs
Yeah, that's exactly what we do. Often, our sandals will go there! Thank you, silly bug yourself :)
The lack of a shoe rack was a rookie error. Is there any space above the door to build something? In terms of getting the paddleboards down I think it could be done easily on your own. Simply rotate the board and tilt it down so that one end is touching the floor, release, climb down the ladder and then grab and go. Quite easy.
Oufff that paddleboarck trick wouldn't work. Learnt that the hard way on my first attempt alone when Dom wasn't there. Broke the entire nose of the board!!! (Nearly cried there).