Tech & Travel Tips: January 2007

Compact Nightstand

Compact nightstandWe have narrow wardrobes on either side of the island bed in our RV. We use plastic folding cup holders, attached to the lower inside of the wardrobe door, to act as our “nightstands” where we can keep a glass of water or cup of coffee close at hand while in bed. With the wardrobe door open, the holder acts as our nightstand in the evening. The holder can be folded out of the way when the door is closed during the day.

Joanne Farrell
Irvine, California

Windshield wiper protectorsWindshield wiper blades can be protected and have their life extended whenever the coach is in storage or not being used. Go to a hardware or home improvement store and purchase a length of foam rubber tubing that typically is used to insulate outdoor pipes. This type of tubing usually comes in 3-foot lengths. Measure the length of the wiper blades and cut the appropriate amount of tubing to cover the wiper blade. Slip the open side of the tubing over the wiper and allow the blade to rest on the windshield. The wiper blade is then protected from sun, dirt, etc. Remove the covers when using the coach and store them for future use.

Edward Edelstein, F345960
St. George, Utah

Manuals organizerInstruction manuals for the various components in an RV tend to be supplied in a wide assortment of sizes and formats by the different manufacturers. Unless one is careful, these manuals can become lost or damaged. To prevent this, I copied each one onto standard letter-size paper, hole-punched the edges, and inserted the pages into a standard loose-leaf binder. The binder travels in the coach while the originals stay at home in a file.

The binder is also a good place to keep instructions for electronic devices such as cameras, digital watches, etc. I also include some first-aid references in my binder.

Herbert A. Sutton
Sun City West, Arizona

Toilet tissue dispenserSome motorhome bathrooms are very tight, making it difficult to maneuver when using the toilet. To help save some room and make things a little easier, we installed the toilet tissue dispenser on the inside of the sink cabinet door. The tissue can be used with the cabinet door open or it can be pulled over the top of the door. The dispenser is inexpensive and glues right to the door.

Stephen Samrov, F130975
Pompano Beach, Florida

With all the traveling we do, and with all types of water our RV is subjected to, the result is that our shower and sinks always have spots and scum. To clean this mess, we add warm water to baking soda to make a paste. We liberally apply the paste to the inside walls of the shower stall and let it stand for a few minutes. We then remove the baking soda from the wall with a clean cloth, rinse the rest away with hot water, and dry it. Voila! No more spots or scum.

Leona E. Doherty, F152581
Arcata, California

Storage compartment shelfHere’s a way to maximize the square footage in an RV basement storage area. The storage compartments in my coach have divider walls between each storage bay that stop about 1 foot from the ceiling of each compartment. I purchased standard wire closet shelving and notched the shelving to allow it to extend from the left wall of one compartment to the right wall of the next compartment. I secured the shelf with self-tapping sheet-metal screws and large washers. I use the shelves to store all types of small items that normally would sit on the compartment floor. To keep these items in place, I tie down the objects with hook-and-loop fastening material straps that are strung around the wiring on the shelf. Now my basement compartments are organized and hold more items than ever before.

Steve Tuggle, F339657
Boulder City, Nevada