While the items might seem random, we keep the box near our campsite picnic table and access at least one thing during each camping trip. It helps with the "Honey, where is the...?" questions.
Showing posts with label items. Show all posts
Showing posts with label items. Show all posts
Teardrop Miscellaneous Box
While the items might seem random, we keep the box near our campsite picnic table and access at least one thing during each camping trip. It helps with the "Honey, where is the...?" questions.
What do we keep in the teardrop galley?
The galley of a teardrop is what sets this type of trailer apart from every other trailer. The galley is usually small, but can be extremely efficient and well designed. While the Sunflower is a commercial trailer, I really like the galley. It's open and clean and I can see nearly everything. We don't keep very much in it as you can see below.
Our stove is a Coleman grill with one burner. We've cooked everything from steak and fish to pancakes and eggs. The little legs keep it wedged under the galley shelf during transportation. I do put little rubber skids under the legs to keep it from sliding.
This little sunflower is a wooden trivet that we use to put hot pans or pots on. Hot cast iron will burn or melt wood and plastic picnic tables.
Our cutting boards fit perfectly into the galley shelf. I've mentioned this before, but the smaller one is actually a divider that goes into a spiral binder.
Our various cups, plates and crockery are all plastic for travel reasons. Most of them I got from a thrift store, and we have enough to feed four to five people. The fish plates are used as serving plates, and they don't fit the Sunflower theme very well (I won them during a contest at a picnic).
In two blue toy boxes we carry olive oil, spray oil, salt, pepper, spices and some hot sauces.
Hot coffee on a cold morning while camping is very important to us. This French press by Thermos makes at least four small cups of coffee.
Two essential items on the shelf are paper towels and aluminum foil....
...and two spatulas—one plastic and one metal.
In our two red dishpans, we carry everyday kitchen items like...
This little sunflower is a wooden trivet that we use to put hot pans or pots on. Hot cast iron will burn or melt wood and plastic picnic tables.
Our cutting boards fit perfectly into the galley shelf. I've mentioned this before, but the smaller one is actually a divider that goes into a spiral binder.
Our various cups, plates and crockery are all plastic for travel reasons. Most of them I got from a thrift store, and we have enough to feed four to five people. The fish plates are used as serving plates, and they don't fit the Sunflower theme very well (I won them during a contest at a picnic).
We also carry a small spray bottle filled with soap and water to do quick dish washes while eating on the road.
Hot coffee on a cold morning while camping is very important to us. This French press by Thermos makes at least four small cups of coffee.
Two essential items on the shelf are paper towels and aluminum foil....
...and two spatulas—one plastic and one metal.
In our two red dishpans, we carry everyday kitchen items like...
...our cast iron pan which I rescued from a rust-covered life in someone's yard,
a small bag that holds plastic grocery bags for garbage,
our two oven mitts,
an extra bottle of propane,
and some dish towels and rags for cleaning up.
The only (and very small) drawer holds not only our cutlery, but a few tools and odds and ends like...
...the dish soap and sponge,
various kitchen tools like a good knife, peeler, can opener, bottle opener and tongs.
Of course, we have enough spoons, forks and knives for several people including two grapefruit spoons.
We've also crammed in some lighters with fuel, scissors, a mesh strainer and a pen.
We also have some emergency matches, and a clothespin always seems to come in handy.
In our one cabinet (along with the battery) we have our various pots. Personally, I think we have too many, but they all serve different needs. This one is usually reserved for our shower setup.
This pot has a locking lid and holes for draining pasta and vegetables. We carry a measuring cup inside of it.
This pot has two lips for pouring out water or hot milk into coffee and hot chocolate.
This is a bowl we use for mixing breads and eggs or for holding a salad. It was left behind in a campground bear box.
This pot is primarily used for heating up water on the campfire. It's become a little black.
Last of all is our open storage area. This area holds the two dishpans, the main propane tank, a 2.5 gallon water container and a plastic bin for dry goods. The plastic bin is handy in that it can be taken out of the galley and moved to a picnic table for quick access.
The plastic bin (which we've had for nearly 13 years) usually carries coffee, hot chocolate, a container of sugar, honey, plastic bags, creamer, rice or pasta and some storage containers. On a short or long trip—this thing is stocked full.
Looking back at the photos—it seems like a lot of stuff! However, when they are neatly organized and stored away, all the items don't seem like too much to carry around in your own mobile kitchen.
Our Teardrop Toiletries Box
Because of the lack of storage space in our teardrop trailer, we have to keep similar items together in one place or in one container. Our toiletry kit is one such container and it not only keeps our daily toiletries, but extra shampoo and personal items and our first aid kit. The container, a 6x9 inch three-tier box made by Snapware keeps all of our items contained in their own separate compartments. The container also has a handle so we can carry it to campground showers. On the handle, I've attached a loofah sponge—in bright yellow, of course.
The top compartment holds our daily toiletries: shampoos, conditioners, Dr. Bronner's Soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, hand and face lotion. The second compartment holds extra items like additional shampoo, lotion, Q-Tips and deodorant. We keep these extra items for longer trips and just so we don't have to shop all the time for small toiletry items. It's also nice to have extra items for friends or campground guest who may have forgotten something.
The bottom compartment contains our first aid items: Aspirin, Advil, antihistamines, wound cleaning cloths, Band-Aids, wound cream, Pepto-Bismol tablets, and throat lozenges.
Finding this type of toiletry kit has taken some practice and experiementation. We've tried several different storage devices from baskets to Ziploc bags and this solution seems to be the easiest and most sanitary way to contain our toiletries. Plus, it fits perfectly into the cabinets above our teardrop bed.
The top compartment holds our daily toiletries: shampoos, conditioners, Dr. Bronner's Soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, hand and face lotion. The second compartment holds extra items like additional shampoo, lotion, Q-Tips and deodorant. We keep these extra items for longer trips and just so we don't have to shop all the time for small toiletry items. It's also nice to have extra items for friends or campground guest who may have forgotten something.
The bottom compartment contains our first aid items: Aspirin, Advil, antihistamines, wound cleaning cloths, Band-Aids, wound cream, Pepto-Bismol tablets, and throat lozenges.
Five Things You Never Thought You Needed in a Teardrop
We try to keep the items in the teardrop trailer down to a minimum. You have a small trailer so that you can keep life simple, right? However, once in a while I find an item stashed in the teardrop that has really come in handy on our camping trips.
1. Cleaning Rags
I throw a couple of clean rags into our storage area with the dish towels. These are useful to have for wiping up spills on the tablecloth and doing some quick cleaning of the galley area after cooking. They are better than using paper towels (which tend to run out quickly) and I just wash them out and and hang them up on a clothesline.
2. Temperature gauge
I have a small temperature gauge that sticks to the window. It's nice to know the outdoor temperature before getting out of a warm bed in the morning. A smart phone with a weather app is useful, but we usually camp where we can't get cell service.
3. Wind-up Radio and a Pair of Two-way Radios
We have an emergency wind-up radio that has come in handy a few times for local news, weather and some off-beat music stations. The batteries in this radio are charged with few cranks of a manual handle and they last for about 45 minutes. We've also used two-way radios in a few situations when we've been separated from our friends while hiking.
4. Notebook
I always keep a notebook in the teardrop for jotting down recipes, notes on camping trips, hiking trail directions, to-do lists and a myriad of other informational tidbits.
5. Extra earplugs
Even though we usually camp in pretty quiet areas, there will be times when other people in a campground want to get up earlier than you. Since we also tend to sleep with the windows open, I always keep extra earplugs in several places around the bed: in the toiletry kit, the first aid kit and at the foot of the bed with my books and notebook.
1. Cleaning Rags
I throw a couple of clean rags into our storage area with the dish towels. These are useful to have for wiping up spills on the tablecloth and doing some quick cleaning of the galley area after cooking. They are better than using paper towels (which tend to run out quickly) and I just wash them out and and hang them up on a clothesline.
I have a small temperature gauge that sticks to the window. It's nice to know the outdoor temperature before getting out of a warm bed in the morning. A smart phone with a weather app is useful, but we usually camp where we can't get cell service.
We have an emergency wind-up radio that has come in handy a few times for local news, weather and some off-beat music stations. The batteries in this radio are charged with few cranks of a manual handle and they last for about 45 minutes. We've also used two-way radios in a few situations when we've been separated from our friends while hiking.
4. Notebook
I always keep a notebook in the teardrop for jotting down recipes, notes on camping trips, hiking trail directions, to-do lists and a myriad of other informational tidbits.
Even though we usually camp in pretty quiet areas, there will be times when other people in a campground want to get up earlier than you. Since we also tend to sleep with the windows open, I always keep extra earplugs in several places around the bed: in the toiletry kit, the first aid kit and at the foot of the bed with my books and notebook.
What do you carry in your teardrop?
Teardrops are great, little trailers where you can carry everything that you need in a small space. However, it's best not to carry too much or you will find yourself constantly reorganizing or re-arranging your tiny trailer. Teardrops are also great because you are always packed up. We don't spend too much time packing or unpacking the teardrop trailer when we go on a camping trip. It takes us about 15-30 minutes to grab everything we need before we hit the road.
When we are out camping, people will ask me what I carry around in my teardrop. Here's a comprehensive list of what I usually keep in my teardrop all the time:
In the bed space:
fleece sheets
2 fleece blankets
1 12 volt electric car blanket
2 pillows each
1 sunflower pillow (I like to sit on this pillow on hard picnic table seats)
1 small 12 volt heater
sunscreen
bug spray
games (dice and UNO)
hairbrush
small notebook (for writing down lists and details about each camping trip)
several paperback books
water bottle
toiletry box with shampoo, soap, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes, medical kit, aspirin and Advil
In the storage area under the bed:
clothesline and clothespins
12 volt sunflower string lights
extra medical supplies
campground plug
campground plug adapter
shovel and axe
bungee cords
camping hammock
extension cord
emergency tow light kit
Clothes (my husband and I keep a small supply of clothes in the teardrop):
2 fleece sweaters
down vest
two t-shirts
two tank tops
shorts
long johns and pajama bottoms
long john top
long sleeved top
4 pairs of underwear
4 pairs of socks
warm hat and gloves
In the galley (kitchen):
Coleman stove with grill
cast iron skillet
regular skillet
coleman grill pan
pots of various sizes
2 plastic dish washing containers
dry food box
propane tank, connector stick and 2 connector hoses
2.5 gallon water container
4 kitchen towels
2 rags
2 oven mitts
2 wine glasses
4 coffee cups
1 camping French Press
2 spatulas
1 paper towel roll
salt, pepper, sugar, Italian spices and BBQ spices
4 cereal bowls
2 mixing bowls
4 metal camping plates
2 appetizer/serving plates
5-6 forks, spoons, knives
lighter and matches
dish soap and dish scrubbies
sunflower trivet
2 cutting boards
On the front grill:
Ice chest with food, and most importantly, beer
What we carry in the car:
2 camping chairs
folding camp table
Dutch Oven, lid lifter and galvianized pan to hold the coals
extra water
foldable shower screen
folding REI shelter (in case of rain)
Photo by Christina Nellemann
When we are out camping, people will ask me what I carry around in my teardrop. Here's a comprehensive list of what I usually keep in my teardrop all the time:
In the bed space:
fleece sheets
2 fleece blankets
1 12 volt electric car blanket
2 pillows each
1 sunflower pillow (I like to sit on this pillow on hard picnic table seats)
1 small 12 volt heater
sunscreen
bug spray
games (dice and UNO)
hairbrush
small notebook (for writing down lists and details about each camping trip)
several paperback books
water bottle
toiletry box with shampoo, soap, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes, medical kit, aspirin and Advil
In the storage area under the bed:
clothesline and clothespins
12 volt sunflower string lights
extra medical supplies
campground plug
campground plug adapter
shovel and axe
bungee cords
camping hammock
extension cord
emergency tow light kit
Clothes (my husband and I keep a small supply of clothes in the teardrop):
2 fleece sweaters
down vest
two t-shirts
two tank tops
shorts
long johns and pajama bottoms
long john top
long sleeved top
4 pairs of underwear
4 pairs of socks
warm hat and gloves
In the galley (kitchen):
Coleman stove with grill
cast iron skillet
regular skillet
coleman grill pan
pots of various sizes
2 plastic dish washing containers
dry food box
propane tank, connector stick and 2 connector hoses
2.5 gallon water container
4 kitchen towels
2 rags
2 oven mitts
2 wine glasses
4 coffee cups
1 camping French Press
2 spatulas
1 paper towel roll
salt, pepper, sugar, Italian spices and BBQ spices
4 cereal bowls
2 mixing bowls
4 metal camping plates
2 appetizer/serving plates
5-6 forks, spoons, knives
lighter and matches
dish soap and dish scrubbies
sunflower trivet
2 cutting boards
On the front grill:
Ice chest with food, and most importantly, beer
What we carry in the car:
2 camping chairs
folding camp table
Dutch Oven, lid lifter and galvianized pan to hold the coals
extra water
foldable shower screen
folding REI shelter (in case of rain)
Photo by Christina Nellemann
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