BEST OF "SMALL SPACE LIVING", PART 1: PRODUCTS

There's a thread on Sprinter and B-Van Forum that pools reader ideas for maximizing the efficiency of the very small space in an Airstream Interstate.  Unfortunately, forum threads can grow to become mighty cumbersome over time, and products originally featured can be discontinued.  As of this writing, the thread had 376 replies, many of which were engaging in debate and conversation.  That's natural for the simple reason that it's a thread, but it can make for some inefficient reading.

This post will attempt to summarize those ideas that were still "live" as of the date of publication.  No attempt was made by this blogger to vet these ideas, nor is it our intention to endorse specific manufacturers.  This post summarizes products, and a forthcoming Part 2 will summarize suggested procedures.

SUGGESTED PRODUCTS

• Miniature clocks that stick on walls with velcro (link expired but Formotion reportedly makes some).
• Ring binder for recipe storage (no room for cookbooks; personally I carry a laptop while traveling and have all my recipes uploaded in PDF format; other users report using iPad for this purpose).
• FOOD:  a 12-volt picnic cooler (brand not specified) for expanding refrigerator capacity, although there is a separate thread that makes a good argument for going low-tech and using a Yeti cooler instead, perhaps on a hitch platform with dry ice.  The refrigerator in general garners a lot of complaints for its small size.  If you don't use some sort of auxiliary cooler such as those mentioned above, you might want to consider packing food in zipper bags, especially for freezing, as this saves space (zipper bags can be thawed in a pot of warm water, eliminating the need to use the microwave).  Some readers use the Foodsaver vacuum sealing system.  Squeeze tubes were also mentioned, but I'd hate to have to clean the danged things.  Single-serve condiment packs are also good.  The vendor Minimus sells products in individual sizes.  Spices can be stored in old Tic-Tac containers (I would worry about leakage and moisture penetration and I'd use the tiny air-tight Nalgene bottles instead; see URL for liquid laundry detergent below). This Umbra Cylindra spice rack is tiny and was also recommended.  
• Stick-on product pockets similar to this one pictured below (I can't find a live link).  Also Mobos small bins are stylistically consistent with the Interstate.  Camco cup holders were also recommended but require the drilling of holes.  

Wherefore art thou, product?  I will back-link if I find it later.  

• Collapsible silicone products such as this colander.  That one is large and fairly expensive - I recently bought a small one at HEB grocery store in Texas for about four dollars.  It has a clip-on bottom so that you can place it on the table without having water leak out (e.g., for serving washed fruit).  Also utility tubs that are collapsible were recommended (I will link to a good one if I find it).  
• Some Interstate lay-outs have room to accept a safe such as this one.  Check the position of your coach battery before ordering.
• Hanging closest organizers such as this one.

• Cedar lining for closets.
• Anything that pops up, including mesh laundry hampers and small trash cans, particularly those that come with the built-in elastic loop that serves to both hang the can and keep it flat when not popped up.  We have two of those in different sizes.  The smaller one can receive trash with food residues and placed up high so that the dog won't get hold of it.  
• Paper atlases can be valuable, especially while traveling in areas with no cell coverage (thus no live maps).  We have one that covers all roads of west Texas.  
• The Duluth Cab Commander for small-item organization and to hold ladies' purses and cameras (large center pocket).  Here is what mine looks like, unfilled.  I may need to use a Velcro strap on the bottom to keep it from swinging around while full.

• Mercedes Benz Sprinter coat hanger, which fits onto the back of the headrest (may compete with the Duluth).
• Inverters for use in the dash, especially for older Interstates which lack USB ports.  I am still shopping for a good one and will edit this post when I find what I want.
• Always have a roll of Velcro on hand.  It's the duct tape analog for small-space living.
• Depending on your vehicle config, hanging bags can be very efficient for clothing storage.

• Depending on Interstate config, there may be a narrow but highly valuable space behind the drivers seat (this is especially true of mid-bath T1N models).  We use that for storage of our outdoor table, sun visor, and the owners manuals kit supplied by Airstream.  Another owner had a custom magazine rack built for this area.
• Magnetic products that attach to the protective steel plate over the stove.  Paper towel rack, for instance (watch for fire hazard).
• Bleach tablets, safer and lighter than hauling around a liquid product.
• LUSH personal care products.
• Wall-mounted liquid soap dispensers, one with Dawn dish soap.
• Aluminum folding table, very light and compact.  We bought ours from PPL, and LL Bean reportedly also has one, although it is giving me a "not available" message as of this post. My suggestion is that you get a PPL catalog and guard it with your life, because not every product is listed on the internet.  I can't find a PPL table link right now, but I will try to back-post a pic of our table.

Get 'em while you can, because they are very popular.  Screengrabbed from the PPL site in November 2014.  

• Battery powered LED lanterns.  I haven't found a good one yet (the common ones for sale are way too dim for many applications).  The Nebo Larry 8 LED Work Light was recommended by one reader.  At least it is tiny!
• Collapsible clothes drying rack (I find the IKEA Pressa to be ideal).  I use these in my home-without-wheels as well.
• Minwax wood finish stain marker for fixing the inevitable dings in the narrow space (probably most suitable for T1N models; newer Interstates appear to have epoxy-coated wood).
• A reader reported obtaining a suitable rear cargo door screen from bugoffscreen.com.  There is also a custom-made screen for the Sprinter that is scandalously expensive (I'm not even going to link to it).
• Beds in the Interstate seem to garner a lot of complaints both in terms of comfort and convenience (sheets and blankets are hard to tuck in and impossible to keep in place).  Some readers suggest using mattress pads, but I wonder about how those could be efficiently stored.  One reader folds up her mattress pad, inserts it into a washable pillow cover, and uses it as a dog bed during the day.
• Strybuc clothes hooks, which have the small-space advantage of being retractable.  Other readers cite the Scotch Command removable hooks because they won't mark the walls of the vehicle.  Suction cup hooks were also mentioned but I myself have never found them to be reliable.  
• The Duluthpack hanging wine bottle holder.  What a cool product!  Readers recommended their products in general for the quality they represent.  
• A reader mentioned that her mother used a 5-gallon lidded bucket for clothes washing while on the road.  Add water and detergent and motion of the vehicle will do the agitation.
• 12-volt mini-vacs seem to be popular, but I use a collapsible broom.
• Some readers recommend laundry detergent pods. I typically use liquid detergent stored in a Nalgene HDPE bottle (the original lab-ware, not the trendy drinking bottles) because they don't leak.  Pods are good for set sized loads.  With the Nalgene you can measure out as much as you need.  
• Outdoor cooking:  The Camp Chef one-burner stove and the Cobb kitchen in a box were both mentioned.  I myself am a fan of the Jetboil and never travel anywhere without it, even if I have other cooking options (I'm an old backcountry camper).  
• Dishes:  The Coleman All-N-1 Dining Set was recommended.  Corelle ware has been generally recommended on a number of RV threads because it is durable and light-weight.  I got a plain set at Walmart for about $30; many fancier sets are twice that cost (and stylistically do not fit the modern appearance of an Interstate).  Note that the cups are ceramic, not Corelle.  Cups can be stored for travel in clean athletic socks, and I used scraps of shelf liners between plates and bowls so they won't rattle on rough roads.  I also use non-slip shelf liner on my table to prevent dishes from skidding around, and also on my counter to prevent the tempered glass covers for my sink and stove from getting scratched while working on top of them.    
• Silicone pot holders - easier to keep clean and odor-free.  Also double as trivets.  Any brand (IKEA had some excellent ones but always seem to be sold out).  Or the "Ove Glove" as long as you don't let them get wet, at which point they cease to work (I'll go with pot holders).  
• Folding ottomans might be useful as both footstools and for storage; we have jack-knife longitudinal couches and so footstools are not an issue for us.  
• One reader IKEA-hacked a Billy bookcase into a computer desk in a four-front-seater Interstate.  Check the thread for details.

  

  Absolutely brilliant!!

• Duraflame ceramic desktop heater to supplement the Interstate furnace in cold weather.  Small, light, and with a tip-over shut-off.  
• Sprinter custom sun shade.  To heck with the included privacy curtain.  It hangs down in the middle of the front seats.  

A few of the products mentioned in this post.  The custom dog bed, sized to fit the Interstate, is described here.  

• The Steele Canvas Basket Company's "wide" tote bag, which wasn't pulling up on their website as of this blog post.  It is one of the last (if not THE last) remaining jumbo totes on the American market - most were discontinued because of the fear of spinal injury lawsuits.  It is great for moving your pillows, towels, blankets, and other light, bulky items between your house and your Interstate.  Once inside, it can be folded flat and stowed, or used as a laundry holder or for general storage.  

Hiking boot for scale.  I store this in my master closet with most of my Interstate linens in it so that I can just grab it and go.

You'll also notice that I have a Steele laundry truck in the background - their products are superb.  

In addition to those specific suggestions, I will reserve this space for third-party space-saving summaries:

• Buzzfeed's "44 Cheap and Easy Ways To Organize Your RV/Camper".