To prepare for a year on the road in our 1999 VW Eurovan Camper, we spent many months
making modifications and improvements to make it as efficient, comfortable, and
reliable as possible. Below I've documented most of these changes.
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Satellite radio. To ensure constant access to National
Public Radio, I installed a Sirius satellite radio system.
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Indoor/outdoor temperature. Easily see the indoor and outdoor
temperature, and keep track of the maximum and minimum temps for for any interval.
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Console storage basket. We bought a wicker storage basket
from Pier 1 that fits perfectly under the console.
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Flashlight clip. I installed a mini flashlight next
to the sliding door for easy access during those late night bathroom runs.
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GPS for the Pocket PC. Quickly find any address by following
the onscreen directions and voice prompts. Very useful if you don't know where you're
going!
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Laptop, cell phone, internet and television. There are
hundreds of combinations of laptops, cell phones, and internet access plans available.
Here's the story of how we sorted through the mess and chose our system. Includes
info on watching television on our laptop.
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Quickie table. Not much more than a flat board,
it still is a must-have for holding your lunch or your laptop when you don't feel
like setting up the regular tables.
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Garbage holder. This isn't a modification so much as
figuring out how to store our garbage. We found a great place!
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Medicine cabinet. I added a mirror and extra racks
to make the most out of the awkardly shaped standard medicine cabinet.
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Bonus drawer. I added a drawer in what was previously
unusable space. Now I can store my laptop, keyboard, and all the cables.
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Bonus shelf. You can never have too many shelves,
and this one is one of the handiest and biggest. This was one of the most useful
mods.
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Closet changes. The stock closet was not very useful,
so I got rid of the doors, added a couple shelves, and strung elastic to keep everything
from falling out.
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Tissue and shoe holders. In my ongoing effort to make the
most out of every square inch, I added a tissue holder and shoe holders for up to
three pairs of shoes along the interior sides near the roof.
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Seatback pocket. Our Eurovan didn't come with seatback
pockets, so we picked up one from Target.
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Rear hatch extender. A few pieces from the hardware store
allowed us to wedge open the rear hatch by a few inches to add ventilation, while
still being burglar proof.
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Wheel ramps. Rather than spending our hard-earned money
on those expensive RV ramps, I built our own from a 2 x 12 plank.
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Roof storage. We stored uncommonly used items in a
Rocket Box mounted to the roof.
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Storage philosophy. A brief overview of our storage philosophy.
We needed to pick and choose carefully due to the limited storage space.
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Rugs. Our van came with three non-matchings rugs, but we
liked 'em so much we kept them. They made the inside more comfortable and a bit
easier to clean.
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