Storing Bedding In A Panel Van Conversion

[SueMS]

Just purchased an IH 600 RL N class. Where do other van conversion owners store their bedding? Room under seats very limited. Previously had Hymer A class & all bedding was stored in pull down bed. We have a mattress topper, duvet & pillows. Don’t really want sleeping bags.
Sensible suggestions only please!

 

[ROCHESB]

We stored our bedding under the rear bench seat (Autocruise Rhythm). It had to be rolled tight to squeeze it in. There is a lot of air in a duvet & pillows that can be squeezed out.

 

[BillandHelen]

We used to keep the 2 duvalays with low tog duvets in the empty rear seat locker, other was full of boiler and pump etc! Pillows went in the front over seat locker. Was all a bit of a squeeze.

 

[Nirvanauk]

We have a 630 RL and there is tons of space under the rear lounge seats, although we have a raised floor which gives us more space and also gives us more room in the garage.

 

[Otter Spotter]

We use 2 Duvalays and just either roll up and stuff in isle between bench seats or lay them out along bench’s.

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[Bobby-gg]

We have a ih 600 and really struggled with our bedding until we saw on the Facebook ih group that someone, can't remember who, placed their bedding inside the ih throw cushions.
Absolute game changer, and released the space under the sofa for more wine....

 

[Innkeeper]

Just purchased an IH 600 RL N class. Where do other van conversion owners store their bedding? Room under seats very limited. Previously had Hymer A class & all bedding was stored in pull down bed. We have a mattress topper, duvet & pillows. Don’t really want sleeping bags.
Sensible suggestions only please!

Bit off topic but why from A class to pcv?

 

[SueMS]

Bit off topic but why from A class to pcv?

Our Hymer was old, wanted something newer that would need less maintenance (hopefully). I found the A class far too big to drive although it was only 5.7m, it seemed a lot bigger. I also found the gear box difficult, just not happy attempting to drive this van. New van is automatic and feels a lot smaller, even though at 6m it is longer (I know that sounds mad). Being a modern van it is so much easier to drive for me. We wanted a rear lounge and looked at Elddis Accordo, they also looked big, again only 6m. Husband didn't want a sliding door, so we went for the N class.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Our Hymer was old, wanted something newer that would need less maintenance (hopefully). I found the A class far too big to drive although it was only 5.7m, it seemed a lot bigger. I also found the gear box difficult, just not happy attempting to drive this van. New van is automatic and feels a lot smaller, even though at 6m it is longer (I know that sounds mad). Being a modern van it is so much easier to drive for me. We wanted a rear lounge and looked at Elddis Accordo, they also looked big, again only 6m. Husband didn't want a sliding door, so we went for the N class.

Is it based on the Crafter?

 

[Tonks]

I've got a VW. My bedding folds into 3 and is stored on the back 'parcel shelf' during the day. It works very well and means I can make the bed up in about a minute, and pack it away in about 2 minutes! When travelling various other bits and pieces get stored on top of it. Everything always in the same place so I know where everything is.

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[PP Bear]

You need one of them there microwave beds, they’re all the rage and will revolutionise the market in so many ways.

A full 6 hours sleep in 30 seconds

 

[MandP]

Sue, we have an N630 RL. We have two fairly bulky quilts and four pillows and they all fit in the above cab locker no problem. We roll the quilts up before we put them in.
Enjoy your van.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Just purchased an IH 600 RL N class. Where do other van conversion owners store their bedding? Room under seats very limited. Previously had Hymer A class & all bedding was stored in pull down bed. We have a mattress topper, duvet & pillows. Don’t really want sleeping bags.
Sensible suggestions only please!

Welcome to the club. We have feather filled duvets. We can push a pillow into each top rear corner and then the thin mattress topper, the sheets and the duvet get rolled up and go in the rear top cupboards. Ours not N class but I think the top cupboards are the same - wraparound.
It is surprising how much you can store right back in those corner cupboards!
There is a good Facebook group for owners and an online IH Owners club and regular meets.

 

[TheMachMan]

Not being helpful but that’s why we decided on a fixed rear bed and sacrificed having a rear lounge as we couldn’t figure out where to store everything.

 

[SueMS]

Is it based on the Crafter?

No, it's a 3L Fiat Ducato.

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[SueMS]

Thank you for your suggestions, we are just not used to squeezing bedding into small spaces and being careful with storage space! We will make it work for us! Having looked round the van, husband thinks location of water pump on one side and gas regulator on the other side are good for maintenance but a waste of space under the seats. But then again, no van is perfect! I think the more vans you have had the more critical you become, certainly true in our case.

 

[carolyn]

We have the IH630RD so keep our bedding in the overhead cab space. We always make up a double bed and found a double duvet on the bottom just as comfy as a duvalay mattress and much easier to store. Really thought Duvalays overrated. Made my hips ache for some reason. As soon as I hopped out of bed it was gone.

May try the idea of storing pillows in the cushion covers if I can be bothered. We use the wrap around top cupboards for clothes. I do find that rear little cupboard annoying though with it’s door that doesn’t stay open on its own.

In our latest 630RD which is an automatic the cupboards above the cooker aren’t quite as deep as in our previous one. Also the shelf in the cupboard behind the cooker is now central so is pretty useless. You used to be able to fit dinner plates in it nicely but you can’t now. It’s so narrow that it’s ended up as a drug cupboard haha! Minor details I know, we like them as we’re on our 2nd.

 

[chaser]

Ours just rolls up at the back, memory foam mattress and a duvee and pillows, takes about thirty seconds to roll up or unroll slats slide out in the middle.

 

[Stonemags76]

We use a double duvet as a mattress topper/bottom sheet, pillows as cushions, & the duvets are under the seat. We made a divider so that the chairs & bedding are at the front under the seat, & the hook up etc are at the back. We used to access those from the back doors, but we just lift the seat now. The divider was a good idea to keep things clean!

 

[DBK]

In our Murvi there is a shelf above the driving compartment, behind a little curtain. Pillows and duvets go in when not needed. You can see it in the photo below like a wide letter box. The table which fits between the seats goes in here too.

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[ChrisSue]

The You Tubers Poshcats store theirs, rolled tightly, in the back locker of theirs.

 

[Riverbankannie]

We have the IH630RD so keep our bedding in the overhead cab space. We always make up a double bed and found a double duvet on the bottom just as comfy as a duvalay mattress and much easier to store. Really thought Duvalays overrated. Made my hips ache for some reason. As soon as I hopped out of bed it was gone.

May try the idea of storing pillows in the cushion covers if I can be bothered. We use the wrap around top cupboards for clothes. I do find that rear little cupboard annoying though with it’s door that doesn’t stay open on its own.

In our latest 630RD which is an automatic the cupboards above the cooker aren’t quite as deep as in our previous one. Also the shelf in the cupboard behind the cooker is now central so is pretty useless. You used to be able to fit dinner plates in it nicely but you can’t now. It’s so narrow that it’s ended up as a drug cupboard haha! Minor details I know, we like them as we’re on our 2nd.

Clothes go in the wardrobe ! I find the lift up beds too heavy unless the back cushions have been removed. Spare stock of medication goes in the one over water pump and outside chairs under the other. We don’t use the cupboard over the battery or the floor cupboard there. I suppose it would make a good hidey hole as I have replaced carpets with mats so not obvious that there is a cupboard under there.
The central one at top rear for dvds - cannot remember the last time we watched one - and medical kit.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Have just discovered the fitting of the Truma pressure release hose ! Worth checking yours carolyn
You need to unclip the warm air hose to see it.
We have had a big clean up job after discharging the powder extinguisher into the oven - don’t ask and yes it did get into the Truma compartment too and everywhere else

 

[panda]

I have adapted our small campervan,and have taken backs out and replaced with cushions which have the divan and pillows in and the memory foam with bottom sheet in situ,stay on the bench seats with a throw to hide them

 

[golly]

our van has transverse bed so all bedding gets stuffed behind the lift up section of the bed

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[carolyn]

Clothes go in the wardrobe ! I find the lift up beds too heavy unless the back cushions have been removed. Spare stock of medication goes in the one over water pump and outside chairs under the other. We don’t use the cupboard over the battery or the floor cupboard there. I suppose it would make a good hidey hole as I have replaced carpets with mats so not obvious that there is a cupboard under there.
The central one at top rear for dvds - cannot remember the last time we watched one - and medical kit.

Obviously I put clothes in the wardrobe but we must take more clothes than you if we go away for a few weeks! I do use the cupboard over the battery for a few tins, spare tea and coffee.
I will check that pipe now, yours must have been like it for years, how did you manage to straighten it? Actually I’ve looked at ours and it is a bit pinched but not like yours but I can’t really see how to sort it without getting a much longer piece of pipe as the hole in floor is almost directly below the valve bit, it looks like it needs a decent loop to stop the kink really.

 

[Minxy]

Instead of pillows use the existing cushions and just make a bespoke pillow cases for them or if they're too big remove them completely and use some smaller cushions instead - you can buy loads of mini-pillow sized ones now which you can just make a cover for, that's what we used to do when we had our first PVC.

For the duvet/bedding you could get some of the large storage roll bags that expel air (not requiring a vacuum cleaner to suck it out), once the duvet is in just roll it to get the air out and it will be much easier to store somewhere as its surprising how small they will go once deflated. Mattress topper - if singles I'd just leave them on the seats with a nice throw (as previously suggested) but if it's a double maybe just fold or roll it up tightly?

 

[berni109]

carolyn " I can’t really see how to sort it "
2x straight pipe connectors and a length of pipe. Cut where kinked and insert new pipe with a nice gentle bend.

Back to the original topic - we have a nice big base cupboard under the side seat that takes all the beding with room for spare sheets and duvet covers when away for a while. Pillows get put in a different pillow case and used for daytime lounging if we can be bothered.

 

[cliffanger]

I have adapted our small campervan,and have taken backs out and replaced with cushions which have the divan and pillows in and the memory foam with bottom sheet in situ,stay on the bench seats with a throw to hide themView attachment 618031

Ann, I was just going to put a post on this thread, telling the OP what you do, and what a clever idea it is. You (and others) beat me to it!

 

[Coolcats]

our van has transverse bed so all bedding gets stuffed behind the lift up section of the bed
View attachment 618034

Same as our’s quilt pillows and a couple of cushions neatly packed away, no mess no fuss