Raven’s RV
The ongoing education and adventures of two rank newbie RVers

Oct 25, 2007

On Target

We’ve been to Target a lot lately, kitting out our home. I have this fascination with storage “solutions.” Luckily, it’s tempered by a make-do personality, a frugality that while it might admire a chrome-plated dish washing brush holder for $15, realizes that a $1 plastic tray would do exactly the same job.

Mostly we’ve been buying storage containers. We’re finding that having everything contained, whether in a little lidded tote or a simple plastic basket, makes it easier to keep on top of the clutter and mess. You can sweep a table full of papers and bits into a cute little wicker basket (lined with fabric as is the fashion this Fall) and voilà, you have a tidy table, so pristine and shiny that it’s almost scary.

Not only does the mess look unmessy, it makes cleaning a whole lot easier. Of course, overuse of this technique simply means that in a while you’ll be hunting through piles contained in baskets as opposed to just piles, but it’s a lot better than nothing.

Choices need to be made based on weight and practicality. RVs are rated only for a certain number of pounds, including both passengers and all available cats, so it really makes a difference. I bought a nice set of solid plastic (melamine?) tableware that can be reused over and over. Ceramic plates will weigh the place down and have a good chance of breaking. The closets are smaller than in a house so everything is always a gamble. I gave my newly purchased baking tray away to a friend when I found, to my disappointment, that it wouldn’t fit in the little teensy oven. Neither did all of the pieces in the nine-piece “fits any drawer” drawer organizer trays, though those have at least found uses in the bathroom and kitchen.

And, since we’re on the frugal side, I chose bright yellow and hot pink storage cubes for my closet–strangely enough, on a 50% clearance sale for those two colors only. Now, I have a cube for my socks and knickers, another for jeans and pants (I have all of three pairs right now), one for logo t-shirts and one for plain colored ones, and while I do have a lingering liking for purple or even turquoise, I liked the $3 vs. $6 price tag better.