Winter storage removal/ indoor storage

[vampress_me]

Ok. The curiosity question first - does anyone know why some places with indoor storage won't allow fifth wheel campers in but they do allow TT and boats? Have been trying to find a place to store ours indoors so it isn't sitting out in the cold all winter, and some places won't allow fifth wheels, but do allow everything else. And if you ask, the people working there don't even know why they aren't allowed. So, of course that made me wonder why!

And then, I've been reading some of the older posts on what to do for winter storage, but haven't come across this. Does everyone take everything out of their camper for the winter, including the basement storage stuff such as water hoses, poo accessories, chairs, etc? Do you worry about mice trying to eat/nest in that?

[GaryWT]

We take all food items out. We wash bedding and place back in trailer in plastic bags. We leave towels, chairs cookware etc etc inside. We also remove most toiletries and cleaning products as well as any paper product (plates, napkins, TP etc.)

As for indoor storage, have never looked into it but maybe it is a height issue as most 5th wheels are higher than the rest.

[Festus2]

Perhaps there is some kind of height restrictions or limitations at the storage facility. You've no doubt discovered that 5th wheels are somewhat higher than TT and boats.

The only things I remove from our 5th wheel are any food items, including staples- including cans and bottles. We missed a can of coke one year .....not pretty. Bedding and the like is also taken out. Prop your mattress up to allow air to get underneath.

Mice will usually want a place like bedding, pillows, mattresses, any kind of upholstery, insulation, loose carpeting, etc. to bed down over the winter. Storage areas are down on their list of places to hang out. Besides, the lawn chairs are too big.

You can do a forum search on "mice" and you'll find all sorts of posts/threads about what people do to keep these critters out of your unit.

If you do end up storing your RV in a barn or other similar facility, you'll need to be extra careful. Birds - swallows and the like can make a mess of your roof if stored in a barn.

[Hoojs12840]

Barbasol shaving cream, remove the can. Don't ask how I know, but I ended up with a "spray foamed" medicine cabinet.


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[bsmith0404]

My guess, as others have said is the height issue. Most 5ers will require at least a 14' high door and many places do not spend the money for that type of clearance.

As for removing stuff, we remove all food items and anything that will freeze. Most of out items in the basement are in Rubbermaid totes, so I don't worry about that stuff. One year we forgot to take our coffee K cups out, the mice got into them and we had coffee all over the counter. Thankfully that is all they did. No other signs of mice. My guess is they moved onto another target with food left inside. Dryer sheets will also keep them away.

[JRTJH]

Some indoor storage facilities don't have the equipment to shuffle fifth wheels. Most travel trailers/boat trailers use a conventional hitch and can be moved as needed with a small farm tractor and a hitch attached to the 3 point hitch. Fifth wheels with the heavier pin weight require bigger tractors or fork lifts with a specialized hitch assembly. The facility probably has enough trailer/boat storage customers that they haven't needed to invest in added equipment and lure the fifth wheel trade.

As for mice, we take everything edible out, all canned goods, all liquids. We leave the bedding, linens pillows etc in the trailer, but put them in the closet slide and under the bed. So far we've not had any damage. I do keep the pole barn "sprinkled" with Fresh Cab and place rat poison blocks in strategic places.

[vampress_me]

Thanks everyone! I found a place to keep our 5'er snug for the winter! Yay! Indoors in what amounts to a large warehouse-type building that's only a couple of years old with concrete floors. So I think I'm going to pack most stuff in Rubbermaid totes and empty out the camper into our house basement, but leave camper basement stuff in place. Luckily we don't have much "stuff" in the camper yet other than bedding, few pots and pans, and bathroom things.

Festus2- if the mice ever get big enough to fit in our chairs, I will walk away and buy a new camper.