Bugging out? Here's how to pack the most stuff into your vehicle

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Preparation Forum : One Thread

A lot of folks are getting ready to hit the road soon. Let's share some tips on how to pack the absolute maximum amount of stuff into a vehicle. No hint is too minor or too silly. Every cubic inch counts.

Here's a few ideas:

Bungee cords are your friends. So are compression stuff sacks.

Repackage foods in ziplock bags, and put bags of food in between cans and in every inacessable space. Someday some future owner of my truck is going to wonder how in the world beans got inside the doors and tailgate ! If you have the kind of spare tire that winches up underneath the bed, put stuff on top of the rim.

Square containers good, round containers bad. So much for the stereotypical 5 gallon buckets of food unless the spaces between them are filled w/ baggies of food,clothes, etc.

Stuff socks into your spare boots.

It seems absolutely instinctive to pack your tools first, but dont pack things you might need on the road in the front of the truck bed or undeneath everything else.

When you think your toolbox is full, open boxes of screws, nails etc. and dump into the toolbox.

Leave the wheels on your rollaway (tieing it down as necessary !) and stuff something underneath.

If your truck does not have tiedowns, you can get all sorts of cool cleats & chocks at a boating supply store.

On many vehicles there's room to mount a small toolbox under the hood.

-- biker (y2kbiker@hotmail.com), November 28, 1999

Answers

I got a few 20 gal plastic containers that can be packed vertically and very tightly inside the container. Outside any openings between then can be stuffed with cans, baggies of stuff, etc. I find it very compact and protected, things aren't rolling out of alignment all over the vehicle.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), November 28, 1999.

Camoflauge your belongings. I once barried a cd player under my dirty laundry in my back seat (college days) and some full still thought breakin' into my car and diggin through my nasties was worth the risk. Understand in some scenarios a moving vehicle may be a target.

-- The Paranoid One (youll@never.know), November 28, 1999.

pour those stylish bottles of lamp oil into a rectangular gas can AND LABEL IT.

Take a piece of netting (a hammock or fish net is ideal) and attach it (duct tape?) to the ceiling of a van or pickup cap. Good for clothes, maps, snacks etc. that you might want to get to easily. Also its a safe place to stick a fishing rod.

-- Just call me Mr. Joad (california@or.bust), November 28, 1999.


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