Pre-Vanlife Shenanigans: Sub-Hammock Storage
I can stare at scale models for hours, build 3-d diagrams in modelling software, and lay tape measures on the floor all the live-long day.
But none of that measures up (pun intended) to building 1:1 scale models.
Can it really be called a model if I'm building on a one-to-one scale? One inch in the "model" equals one inch IRL... it's not really a model anymore, is it? I'm "sketching it out" in three dimensions, using wireframe-style modelling tools...
Kidding, it's just K'nex.
Regardless, building a true-to-scale representation of the space changes everything.
hanging cabinetry
In the first place, I didn't want to have any hanging cabinets.Zero.
Zilch.
Nada.
None.
I still don't.
That's a stress and a worry I didn't want to deal with. And I still don't. None of that has changed.
angled cabinets
To compensate for the lack of storage hanging from the interior roof, I thought I was going to need to build a tall cabinet on one or both sides, with a weird angled front to compensate for the footprint of my hammock....But I don't think that's necessary anymore.
sub-hammock storage
Furthermore, in addition to the tall cabinet (at the very least, on the driver's side), I was going to cover the entire floor with storage, sacrificing the ability to stand up altogether, leaving just enough headroom for the minimum verticality needed for the hammock (which is about 40-inches).but now...
Now I know that would be excessive.Here's what I'm working with now:
- The only vertical storage I really need is the housing for the fridge.
- I don't need a passenger-side angled cabinet at all. Straight will be just fine as long as I keep it under 24-inches tall.
- I don't need to cover the entire floor with storage. Roughly half should be sufficient.
- My clothing only takes up about 7 cubic feet.
- My TTRPGs take up about 2.5 cubic feet.
- My camping gear takes up about 7 cubic feet.
- My current physical "Van Library" is less than a quarter of a cubic foot.
- Half of the length of the 118WB Promaster at 24 inches tall is about 36 cubic feet, and that's after subtracting the cut-outs for the wheel wells.
- That leaves me with a little over 19 cubic feet to spare, to spend on:
- Water storage
- Gas storage
- Power storage
- Kitchenware (gas stove and sink, spices, dishes and cookware, kettle and tea collection...)
- Toilet and toiletries
I think I'll be just fine, while still being able to stand (most of the way) up in a decent portion of my van, assuming I don't go overboard on floor and ceiling insulation. (I'm only about 67 inches tall, after all.)
Leave a comment or continue reading: more of my mobilization journey.
