Trash Can and Recycling under the sink

[jxnbbl]

Well we bought our first trailer last fall. We really love our trailer but after a long(er) 5 week trip that included Fort Wilderness with the grandchildren started looking at other options. Something as simple as trash can/recycling placement is driving us crazy. So looking for ideas.

We currently have a 'bunk house' layout, but just the curtain for privacy. The key components of our upgrade is a bunk room, with door, that will have 4+ sleeping spots. You have to be able to get to the bathroom and kitchen when stopped without putting out slides. (for those quick pitstops when traveling).

We've looked at probably 5 options and found 2 that do work (they are 4-5 ft longer than our current Bullet) but in each where the heck do you put a small trash barrel and grocery bag (or something to collect cans/bottles). We are use to placing these both under the sink.

In one unit there are not cabinets that has the height to place a small trash barrel (except in the bathroom). In the other the bank of draws is in the sink cabinet...with no other location. Making the sink cabinet useless as you open it to stare at a space occupied by draws (not enclosed).

So the question - are there some ideas on where to put trash in the kitchen area with some of these floorplans that seemingly didn't have it on their list to consider?

Thanks
Jay

[jasin1]

I would get something like this if I liked a camper and it didn’t have a place for trash cans. I’d probably get a smaller can but this one has two sections for recycling..they aren’t cheap but I’ve had this brand for over 10 years and they are a quality product

[flybouy]

As you have discovered all trailers are a comprimise. Space is the limiting factor so if uou have a longer list of "must haves" you'll most likely be dissapointed if you try to check all the boxes. We use a small foot operated trash can fits between the slide out dinette and the pantry. There are also hooks that go over a caninet door designed to hold trashbags. Start cruising the websites like Amazon, Wayfair, Simplehuman, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

[tompd]

We ended up using a wrapping paper stand-up storage bin. Cut a hole in the top, and it fits perfectly between the pantry and the dinette slide-out. Also tall enough to use with normal trash bags.

[dutchmensport]

Ha! Want a REAL challenge? Try to figure out where to put a cat litter pan in any RV. What's the REAL challenge with that? Our 2 dogs think cat litter pan surprises are a delicacy!

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Ha! Want a REAL challenge? Try to figure out where to put a cat litter pan in any RV. What's the REAL challenge with that? Our 2 dogs think cat litter pan surprises are a delicacy!

Now that gives recycling a "whole new twist" !!!!!

[Jimmy240]

I wish my trailer had room underneath the sink for my trash can, but it doesn't. So I just put a cheap plastic one with a lid in the corner between the bathroom and the U-dinette. I like the simple human trash can, but not for that price. I'm not a full-timer so I can't justify the cost.

[jxnbbl]

Thanks for the ideas. Taking a look at the bag holders that hang on the cabinet door as trying to minimize the floor space used.

[wiredgeorge]

Learned long ago that if you don't have a covered trash can you will get gnats here where we camp in Texas. We store our trash can under the sink but pull it out and set it in front of the cabinets in our rear kitchen layout. We don't recycle at home or in the camper. Our very rural disposal company does give us two bins; one for trash and the other for recycle but then dumps them in the same truck.

[Weldon]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Learned long ago that if you don't have a covered trash can you will get gnats here where we camp in Texas. We store our trash can under the sink but pull it out and set it in front of the cabinets in our rear kitchen layout. We don't recycle at home or in the camper. Our very rural disposal company does give us two bins; one for trash and the other for recycle but then dumps them in the same truck.

Kinda defeats the purpose. Our company did the same at our old house. The city finally opened up one of the nicest recycling centers in GA a mile from our house, we we got our kids involved and made weekend trips to recycling. This was in Smyrna, GA

[Alberto S]

My kitchen disposal can is a normal beige bin that was left there when I bought my condo. As I worked on optimizing the kitchen space, I felt bad about placing a beige bin there. What do you normally do for kitchen trash? I'm living in a second-story condo without any facility for composting, and my city does not offer any recycling. My friends have suggested opting for a disposal bin service. What is your option? Should I seek options for concealing a smaller trash can?

[JRTJH]

The link you posted is for a "commercial dumpster rental agency". The smallest bin they offer is 4 cubic yards. That's 1 cubic yard larger than the average dump truck filled with 3 cubic yards of top soil or gravel and weighs in around 7500 pounds.... That's quite a bit more than will fit under the sink in any RV and likely is 3 or 4 times the payload capacity of any RV.

You'd be much better off with a small plastic canister closer to the size an a small oatmeal box for "wet kitchen waste" and a small plastic trash can (in the 10-20 gallon size range) for paper/metal waste.

[Javi]

My Avalanche came with two trashcans under the island sinks.. They might be 12-14 gallons each..

[sourdough]

Watched this thread but just had to respond;

Trying to "recycle" things in an RV? With one trash can and zero places to put "recycled" stuff? Makes no sense to me. Now Javi has 2 but even if used for separate items then where do they go?

I've never, ever been to a RV campground/resort that has separate containers for waste, plastic, metal etc. - never seen it - maybe in a city? The ones I like most come to my site and pick up my trash; no, they don't want separate containers for various recycling materials - probably throw it back at me and they certainly don't try to distinguish what's what when they throw it in the big dumpster.

Maybe recycling is a thing in cities. In some places remote towns have some procedure for it, but, where I live, and have lived...or travel, it's a waste of time. At our house here I can "recycle" batteries, refrigerators, tires etc. Plastic, aluminum etc.? No. And no, we're not backward or "insensitive" to the environment....we just don't have cities, shores, highways etc. completely covered with a million folks litter. Not anti environment, just live in the "real world". Let the comments begin...(it's Friday evening and I'm headed to bed so wanted to live up the evening)

[notanlines]

Of all the things we have to worry about living in any size RV, the last thing I'm concerned about is recycling items. I am not going to save beer/soda cans, tin cans, plastic......and attract more insects and smells. If this is as important as some might believe, put more R and D money into plastic bottles/diapers that will actually decompose and go back to a deposit on aluminum cans/glass bottles. I know of more than a few states that do just this. I have no problem with this, but we need to make all this worthwhile.
I suppose saving pop-tops to pay for a kidney/heart transplant might be a good cause. I'll never know how that one got started.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by sourdough

...

I've never, ever been to a RV campground/resort that has separate containers for waste, plastic, metal etc. - never seen it - maybe in a city? The ones I like most come to my site and pick up my trash; no, they don't want separate containers for various recycling materials - probably throw it back at me and they certainly don't try to distinguish what's what when they throw it in the big dumpster.

....

Somehow this thread was highlighted in email today (a post,then delete??) anyways I never saw most of these responses. I'm new to all of this during the past year and I actually have had the opposite experience most campgounds we have gone to have recycling. Its mandatory were we live...even though not a city. The real problem is that places like China that use to purchase our recycling now do not and more of the recycling is becoming trash (certain type #1 plastics are now trash...where they use to be recyclable).


Anyways recycling aside in our hunt for our new trailer, we found one with enough room to put the trash in the cabinet next to the sink.