tonyishuk Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 A few printouts from the tips and 'ints page http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=4486&start=1 rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I would like to add a few things I would always take a doormat - perhaps those washable rubber backed cotton ones. I use an old bathmat, not very pretty (its candlewick) but it was very very useful over the Christmas period, the mud was dreadful and it saved the carpet (or your vinyl floor). A little bit of double sided tape should help keep it in place. On a previous motorhome we had a proper doormat - rubber backing and margin, but could not keep it in place, it kept riding up the cabinet on one side of the narrow entrance. As I like real coffee I take coffee pods (made for those fancy machines but a godsend when camping and disposing of the grounds). Can be used in a teapot if liked as well as a mug. Recently mug sized pods are now on sale. Another useful item is a cloth cylinder elasticated at both ends that holds polythene shopping bags. small at bottom and usual size at top - they help keep rubbish bin clean. A few bags already stored are essential. I use the shopping bags to keep my dirty washing in, it is more flexible this way and only takes up the space of the items, not a basket or laundry bag size. The final items I have are two dark brown towels - for emergency mopping situations, they will not show chocolate or other horrid stains after washing. They are quite useful for preventing noises, wrapped around the pressure cooker or remoska. A useful adage to remember is that all items in the motorhome should have at least two uses or even more. I try to remember KISS - keep it simple, stupid. We keep a large plastic box with handle - "Lock & Lock" into which all the bits and pieces are somehow crammed, our maintenance box. On a slightly different slant, BEWARE OF FLYING OBJECTS - ie take care that everything is locked down. chopping boards over the sink can be lethal in an emergency stop situation, as can spice jars, coffee jars and god forbid - knives not stored safely. The washing up liquid and fresh fruit makes an awful mess. [i have not done this but have read about it and wondered about commonsense.] Also be sure to lock all cupboards, DRAWERS and THE FRIDGE, eggs decorating the carpet and milk everwhere leave a smelly reminder! Storing heavy things low, ie tins in lower cupboards are just sensible precautions. Another useful thing is to have spare teatowels to stuff into lockers as items are used up, to prevent items shifting and rattling/banging. Organising and reorganising everything into lockers and finding it again can be a trial at first, but soon becomes familiar. Enjoy, Enjoy. Bye the bye, did I see any scissors for cutting all that tape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Tracker - 2008-01-05 1:36 PM malc d - 2008-01-04 7:00 PM I notice that Tracker takes invisible tape. I've never seen that in the shops. ;-) That's because it's - er - invisible! So how do you know you've got any with you ?? ;-) ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Anyone mention levelling ramps and the all important plastis bread tray bottoms to stop that sinking feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Instead of rigid plastic boxes, I have started using the large, strong bags that some supermarkets are selling for about £1 - Sainsbury, Ikea & Wilkinson do them, not sure about others. They last forever and are more flexible to fit into lockers and wardrobes with clothes, electric appliances, hook-up cables, levelling chocks, hosepipes etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Early warning intruder alarm, Cosh & CS spray. >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 malc d - 2008-01-05 2:45 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 1:36 PM malc d - 2008-01-04 7:00 PM I notice that Tracker takes invisible tape. I've never seen that in the shops. ;-) That's because it's - er - invisible! So how do you know you've got any with you ?? ;-) ;-) It gets worse - how do you know where to stick it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike P Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 How about a large yellow plastic hand on a spring attached to the top of the dashboard; just give it a flick now and then, saves "wave fatigue" Mike p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Tracker - 2008-01-05 5:06 PM malc d - 2008-01-05 2:45 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 1:36 PM malc d - 2008-01-04 7:00 PM I notice that Tracker takes invisible tape. I've never seen that in the shops. ;-) That's because it's - er - invisible! So how do you know you've got any with you ?? ;-) ;-) It gets worse - how do you know where to stick it? Even if you do know where to stick it, you won't be able to find it, and if you do find it you may well find that your wife has already done the job, because she got fed up with waiting for you to find it. ( ...and NO, I don't know how she found it). ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Mike P - 2008-01-05 5:15 PM How about a large yellow plastic hand on a spring attached to the top of the dashboard; just give it a flick now and then, saves "wave fatigue" Mike p Brilliant Mike ! I look forward to seeing you on ' Dragons Den' with that one. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Mike P - 2008-01-05 5:15 PM How about a large yellow plastic hand on a spring attached to the top of the dashboard; just give it a flick now and then, saves "wave fatigue" Mike p Very handy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughmer Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 We wild camp a lot and to avoid special journies to empty a full cassette we carry an airtight 20 litre container which allows us to deal with the matter... .. er... so to speak, - and extend the inter dump period by a few days. We found the container dumped in a Marina skip. It's an empty flare pack. Substantial with a wide neck and screw top. We also carry 2 x 10 litre fresh water containers so we can carry water if the hose won't reach. On the subject of hoses, a little drop of Milton added to the last few drops before draining it keeps the inside sweet. I used to have an ordinary cassette hose but have upgraded to a "food quality" cassette. Quite dear, but the water doesn't taste so plasticky. OTHER FLUIDS: I carry small quantities of Meths, White Spirit, Acetone, and Dry cleaning fluid. If (with that lot) I can't shift a mark or residue on clothing or the van, - it probably can't be done. Did somebody say WD40? I also carry an aerosol of White grease and a leak detector spray. I expect some might think my fluid kit a bit OTT but if you're away for several moths with a motorbike on board, there's always something to fix or clean. Folding shovel and more duct tape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob b Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 I once got stuck on a sandy pitch in Portugal. A tractor duly arrived and the driver dismounted holding a piece of "string" !! Ever since then, I have carried a substantial tow rope, a folding shovel, plus a small hand winch ! Just because I'm paranoid, it don't mean there's no one after me ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadjo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 hey thanks guys (lol) thats a well good list loads of stuff I'd never even thought about seems tape is very important *-) intersting how a lot of these things are just born out of necessity and experience Thanks agian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cronkle Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 But if you can avoid the red tape so much the better!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puerto Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 never forget to leave home without a packet of spagetti knots, so that when you are cooking your spaghetti, you can tie all the ends together. That way you can eat it in one long suck, eliminating the drudgery of washing up knives and forks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puerto Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 also another must before you get onto the motorway, Always have a hot pie ready for heavy traffic. Each time the traffic grinds to a halt, just reach for the pie. The instant you place it to your lips the traffic begins to move. This works especially well with the molten lava apple pies from Mcdonalds. You will reach the camp site in record time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 malc d - 2008-01-05 5:51 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 5:06 PM malc d - 2008-01-05 2:45 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 1:36 PM malc d - 2008-01-04 7:00 PM I notice that Tracker takes invisible tape. I've never seen that in the shops. ;-) That's because it's - er - invisible! So how do you know you've got any with you ?? ;-) ;-) It gets worse - how do you know where to stick it? Even if you do know where to stick it, you won't be able to find it, and if you do find it you may well find that your wife has already done the job, because she got fed up with waiting for you to find it. ( ...and NO, I don't know how she found it). ;-) how do you find the start / end of the tape to begin with 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Corky 8 - 2008-01-07 5:39 PM malc d - 2008-01-05 5:51 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 5:06 PM malc d - 2008-01-05 2:45 PM Tracker - 2008-01-05 1:36 PM malc d - 2008-01-04 7:00 PM I notice that Tracker takes invisible tape. I've never seen that in the shops. ;-) That's because it's - er - invisible! So how do you know you've got any with you ?? ;-) ;-) It gets worse - how do you know where to stick it? Even if you do know where to stick it, you won't be able to find it, and if you do find it you may well find that your wife has already done the job, because she got fed up with waiting for you to find it. ( ...and NO, I don't know how she found it). ;-) how do you find the start / end of the tape to begin with 8-) With great difficulty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 puerto - 2008-01-07 6:36 PM also another must before you get onto the motorway, Always have a hot pie ready for heavy traffic. Each time the traffic grinds to a halt, just reach for the pie. The instant you place it to your lips the traffic begins to move. This works especially well with the molten lava apple pies from Mcdonalds. You will reach the camp site in record time!!! Your post made me laugh, I had quite forgotten about those b****y awful apple pies from McDonalds, remembering the one and only time I bought one and got a burned mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philman Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Usually on a reel of tape ( invisible or otherwise ) the start is on the outside and the end is on the inside, although I once bought a reel that was the other way round. Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark lambert Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 BARBECUE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 mark lambert - 2008-01-07 8:59 PM BARBECUE!!! A large bucket of water to extinguish next door's BARBEQUE!!! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totallyidle Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 TOM TOM, it has saved the marriage on a number of occassions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myshell Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 So has duct tape if applied correctly. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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