Drawer out, kitchen in. How do you pack your crockery?

[The Cone of Silence]

The time has come, the pop-top is going in soon and the pull-out kitchen is going to replace the drawer system that I spent a few wonderful weekends putting together.

Quite where I'm going to store all of my current drawer items I'm not sure but I'll work something out; it's half the fun I think! If anyone has any good ideas about how they store all their 'kitchen' stuff, that'd be a great start. I've only ever taken all my camping cookware and crockery in a box so I'm very keen to see what people use off road and how they pack it.

Re the drawer, given that it's made-to-measure for a Defender 110 Wagon with a cargo barrier, I figured I'd see if anybody is keen on getting their hands on it. The cargo barrier is also up for grabs as it fits the drawer system with its tunnel for long tools.

Location is North Sydney so I'm happy for people to come and view anytime and I've placed an ad in the marketplace as per the link below.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/internal-accessories-sale/191934-drawer-system-defender.html

Cheers

Bobby

[jerryd]

I keep all mine in the kitchen unit under the sink and the "dinner service" above in a locker. Pots and pans go under the wardrobe ;)

What pop top are you fitting ??

[DeanoH]

Our 'crockery' is Melamine so it's clatter and crash free and is kept in a suitable sized plastic box to keep them together and the dust out. Packing rolled up tea towels in the box corners also helps here in limiting movement and efficiently using space. Woolys/Safeway have a good (cheap) line in various complementary sizes though you may have to look around a bit for the 'perfect' fit for your installation.
Cutlery is held in a zip up type kids pencil case (lots of sizes available and also cheap) which works very well. Pots and pans are those ones that pack inside each other with clip on/fold out handles from Anaconda/BFC/Rays etc. Normal pots and pans are a pain to pack, noisy and take way too much room, IMO these ones that pack up like those Russian dolls :) are way better for camping/touring/packing. All of the above packs up into a small space and the plastic 'crockery' box doubles as the wash up sink. :D

For breakables like jam/pickle that don't seem to come in tins, carrying them in stubby holders works very well and if the top does pop off the mess is contained.:)

After many years of touring/outback travel we've finally given the full size gas stove the flick. I've lost count of the number of stoves and stove/regulator/jet/hose/gas bottle issues we've had over this time. It's been replaced with a two burner metho (non pressurised) stove of a type commonly found in boats. Simple and well built in stainless steel it simplifies things greatly. Not as quick to boil the billy for those roadside morning tea stops (so use a smaller billy), for which we have one of those (again cheap) disposable butane cylinder stoves.


Deano :)

[The Cone of Silence]

I keep all mine in the kitchen unit under the sink and the "dinner service" above in a locker. Pots and pans go under the wardrobe ;)

What pop top are you fitting ??

Going for the Mulgo Pop-top. SWMNOBOBFAR only had to see it once before she started getting on my case.

[camel_landy]

Here's mie:

Cutlery is stored in the plastic pot it all originally came in.
Plates stacked on each other.
Colander is home for smaller items and stacked inside washing bowl.
Bowls stacked and stored in saucepan, which lives on the frying pan.

All of this is then stored in the pull-out drawer, with the knives, cups, stoves, etc... and packed in such away to minimise movement. Then, a couple of towels placed on the top to damp any movement.

I work on the basis that whatever you do, it's going to move around. I just want to minimise it and prevent damage.

HTH

M

[Vin Rouge]

Plates stack with a collapsible silicone colander between the sizes to reduce crashing about. A circle of carpet does the same job in the frying pan, stackable saucepans on top. Glasses (hate the plastic things) go in stubby holders and cutlery in a sealed plastic box.

We've found that Lock 'n' Lock, although a bit pricey, is the best of the plastic boxes. They don't leak and are easy to keep clean. We're experimenting with a collapsible washing up bowl - so far so good.

Everything goes into a drawer with tea-towels as extra padding.

[Drover]

Hey Bobby

This is a pic of crockery draw from my new UEV440 camper. The pic is bit ordinary but it will give you the idea.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/02/72.jpg

Oh, those 3 vacant holes are for shot glasses, but we already used them....lol

[The Cone of Silence]

That's a great looking set-up Drover. If I've got enough room I'm thinking something like that for glasses at least. Easy enough to make.

Thanks for uploading the picture.

[Dopey]

SWMNOBOBFAR???

That ones got me stuffed.....
Please explain:)
Mike.

[The Cone of Silence]

She Who Must Not Only Be Obeyed But Also Feared And Respected.

SWMNOBOBAFAR

(I got it a tad wrong….which is typical of me so I keep getting told) :p

[cewilson]

I set up a drawer as well as side cabinets in the back of my Defender. Still carry our cutlery/crockery in a plastic box.

Reason: drawer has recovery gear and associated heavy items. Side cabinets carry oils/fluids, spare parts, tools etc.

I always know that stuff is in the vehicle, so it's just a matter of putting in the fridge and boxes when its time to do a day trip (we have a camper trailer for extended trips).

Re: stove. Use a single burner for small trips - one of those $20 ones (run on Butane from memory). Had it for years and its fantastic. Only time I've found it lacking is at higher altitudes.

[mfc]

"Corelle" unbreakable , think I've broken only one in 30 yrs . It's always nice to have proper crockery..... Should be able to pick them up in opshops , either semi clear brown or white . No need to look after them unless you're trying to stop rattles,
Regards mark

[n plus one]

How about an update on the conversion? Any pics?

[The Cone of Silence]

None as yet mate! Daniel posted a couple of before and after shots but that was just taking the roof off - they're on the Expedition Centre Facebook page.

I should be able to pick Monty up on Tuesday - we've been waiting for a supplier in Brisbane to send down an awning and it's taken a week longer than expected.

Rest assured I'll take a bunch of pics when I get him back and have completed the pre-trip service. Due to the delay I only have one weekend between picking him up and heading off so I won't have long to get used to where everything is stowed....but we can figure a lot of it out on the way I suppose...

Bobby

[n plus one]

None as yet mate! Daniel posted a couple of before and after shots but that was just taking the roof off - they're on the Expedition Centre Facebook page.

I should be able to pick Monty up on Tuesday - we've been waiting for a supplier in Brisbane to send down an awning and it's taken a week longer than expected.

Rest assured I'll take a bunch of pics when I get him back and have completed the pre-trip service. Due to the delay I only have one weekend between picking him up and heading off so I won't have long to get used to where everything is stowed....but we can figure a lot of it out on the way I suppose...

Bobby

You going the standard conversion or the chequer plate?

[The Cone of Silence]

There's a chequerplate conversion? Not sure I follow...

Bobby

[n plus one]

There's a chequerplate conversion? Not sure I follow...

Bobby

Yeah, Mulgo did a straight chequer plate Deefer pop top a while back - looks the same as the LC ones (ie not as pretty as the Deefer convo).

Not even sure if he still does them for Deefers - I'm thinking about going the Mulgo convo myself, but still undecided.

Keen to see pics of yours!