Kitchen to Crate
Homemade Camp Kitchen
In my initial setup, I built a very nice wood kitchen box or chuck box. It stored everything I needed for cooking. After a test camping trip it became obvious that more organization was needed. There were several problems:
1. Weight: The kitchen box was so heavy, it was difficult to carry. The cast iron skillet, Dutch oven and a grill were too much.
2. Size: Due to its large size, I couldn’t use my Hest Sleep System mattress in the back of the outback for a quick snooze.
3. Accessibility: If I wanted to quickly setup the stove to make coffee, it took too long. Everything was too awkward.
Round Two
During my second round of organization, I realized that I had to address the limitations of the kitchen box for car and tent camping. The solution had to involve the following:
1. Stacking: I needed to stack storage boxes. Each box needed to be light enough that I didn’t strain my back.
2. Size: The container needed to be narrow enough that I could fit my mattress in the back of the car comfortably.
3. Quick Access: I need to know where various camping supplies are located to limit time searching for items.
4. Compartmentalizing: Within each crate, I wanted to be able to get to things without emptying the entire crate to get to something at the bottom.
5. Cost: I didn’t want to spend a lot for my storage.
The solution
After a lot of searching on Amazon, REI and many other sites, I found the following crate at Lowe’s:
Kobalt Medium 8.5-Gallon (34-Quart) Grey Heavy Duty Tote Lidless
Item #3710850
Model #3710850
Compared to other solutions, this crate is ½ to ¼ to cost of other solutions.
The sides of this crate are slotted (I assume to provide strength) and the added advantage is that you can make dividers (I used 1/4" plywood) to organize the different compartments. In the food preparation crate, I store my spices on the bottom, and I have another small piece of plywood on top to allow for other items to be stored.
The dimensions of the box (18.34”L x 14.59”W x 9.88”H or 46.56cm x 37.05cm x 25.09cm) are perfect for car camping:
1. Stacking: The clearance in the Outback is 22+ inches. So I can stack them two high on one side of the outback and still have room on top to store some loose clothing or a pillow.
2. Thule: They are low enough that I can even store them in the Thule rack. I could probably store 6 in my unit. I have two for smaller items.
3. Width: They are 14 inches wide allowing me to open my mattress in the Outback.
I use the handle openings on the sides with a strap (from Lowes) to anchor the crates during travel. I don’t want all those boxes shifting if I slam on the breaks.
The only downside is that they don't have a lid for the top crate. I'll probably make something out of ¼" plywood.