Plans, plans & more plans

[LadyJo]

2006 Honda Element 93K miles, in good shape.

Where the back seats are now will be my bed, (i'm only 5ft tall)
Under the bed will be a battery box - 2  6volts to get 12 volts. Not sure yet how to wire it in. Really thinking two 100 watt solar panals i can keep in the sun even if i park in the shade. Wires running out the side vent window. The bed will be a plywood board, winter bedding on top, then foam matteress, then current use bedding. Under the bed, battery box at one end and storage box for out of season clothes / stash items. Space in the center to slide in an easy up when traveling.

Back of the Element, two stack draws for clothes, dry food etc with a table top set on them for a table, computer desk, work space etc. The draws will face out the back so i can open the back hatch and get to the draws. Center space will be for my feet/legs as i sit on the bed. Next to the bed will be a lower plastic draws for personal items, this will be moved from next to the door to the center during the day so I can get in and out easily. I can also put the porta potty in the center for late night needs. Porta potty will live in the easy up during the day, maybe just stay there if I feel ok to get out of the Element at night. Little Buddy heater has to fit in there someplace.

At the other back door, facing out will be a water jug rack that can hold 3 - 3 to 5 gallon water jugs. I will also have a holder so I can set it on a table to pour from. Easy to get the water out, enough water for a couple of weeks if I am careful.

Easy up will be next to the Element. Either on one side or with one wall open and the wall over the top of the Element - easy for rain days. In the easy up will be another table for cooking. There will be a shower tent thing inside the easy up too. The door to the easy up will face away from the Element. May put the one wall up on the car and use mesh to create shade and keep the bugs out. Guess it will depend on where I am.

Other items, jug for pee so I can dump it, porta potty for poop only. Everything into compactor bags and then zip locks. In a trash bags to dump when I can.

Will use an extension platform off the back to hold the cooler and the propane tank.  Easier to get on and off, easier to take the cooler to the store and load with ice and food. I can take it off when parked if needed. The back drop down part of the back door might clear it -not sure until I use it.

Front seat area will be used for dirty laundry or ??? After several months I may take the front seat out, but maybe someone would like a trip to town with me for laundry, groceries etc.

The Element will have the easy up in the center under the bed for travel. Other boxes and the one table can be stacked on the bed. My goal is to move only every 2 weeks, or less is possible. Can I leave the easy up safely and go to town?

Window covering and drapes for insulation. 12x12 tarp for the floor of the 10 x 10 easy up (set up with bath walls to keep water out), 6 very heavy duty stakes & heavy hammer thing, and para cord to lock down the easy up. The easy up I will get has 14" over lap from the roof over the walls.

Ok, please tell me where I am messing up or doing ok. I am probably over doing something for forgetting something.

 

[highdesertranger]

wow an easy up will fit in there. everything else sounds doable. highdesertranger

 

[LadyJo]

What I forgot above. The boxes holding the kitchen cooking items will travel on the bed and be in the easy up when I am set up. Along with a box of t-paper, soap, etc. I should be able to get 2 to 3 boxes up there.

 

[LadyJo]

wow an easy up will fit in there.  everything else sounds doable.   highdesertranger

Once a carried home a 7 ft patio heater - went from the front window to the back. And once got an entire pallet of tile in the back. Home Depot loaded it in with a fork lift. Elements are larger on the inside than on the outside.

 

[Almost There]

One thing I would caution against is carrying things and packing them so that you can ONLY sleep when you're set up outside.

There WILL be the times (more often than you think) where you will need to be able to spend at least the night with nothing set up outside.

If that Easy-Up and all the things you figure on putting under it is traveling in the space where you need to walk/crawl to get in and out of bed, it's going to wear out its' welcome in short order.

The only other choice will be that you will never, ever be able to just pull in some place and park for the night before moving on. This may mean paying for campgrounds just to have a place to sleep for the night.

 

[LadyJo]

Thanks Almost There. Good advise. The easy up will slide under the bed, going from back to front in the Element, so no sleeping space taken up. A couple of the boxes, solar set up might be an issue. I will make sure I set things up so I don't have to set up if I get in a jam or decide to drive for a couple of days to ..... who knows where ...... Fortunately I am on the small side at 5 ft tall and can curl up most anyplace, but my back would not be happy with me. LOL

Thinking .... if I put the water stack on the passenger side and the shorter stuff on the driver side, the shorter stuff could be moved / plied up and I can lean the driver's seat all the way back. It will go flat if nothing is in the way. Details, important details.

 

[rvpopeye]

That's quite the detailed plan, you must have spent a lot of time figuring it all out!
Have fun setting it all up and post pics .
I bet you're excited !

Some places will be OK to leave the easy up and others won't , you'll develop esp about that .

 

[LadyJo]

That's quite the detailed plan, you must have spent a lot of time figuring it all out!
Have fun setting it all up and post pics .
I bet you're excited !

Some places will be OK to leave the easy up and others won't , you'll develop esp about that .

I am excited and nervous in turns. Always been a planner, and then remade the plans, then think about option B. There has been so much help here and so many good ideas. Several pieces of advice that will keep me out of trouble or make life easier. I have 6 pages of plans and lists. :blush: As I learn more the lists change, as I measure more the lists change. As I compare items for value, cost and usefulness ... the list changes. All the while knowing the lists aren't set in stone and will change some once I am doing and not planning.

 

[JJPDX]

Sounds Great!  What's the brand/ model of the easy up your describing?  Sounds very flexible...
Thx, jj