Over the last few weeks I've been conducting a campaign to 'get some space in the garage'.

I've had some success, getting rid of stuff to the local tip and offloading a pile of empty, flattened removers boxes to somebody who is moving house. Today I put a small folding table and the CADAC into the van under the o/s front bench. I cast around for other stuff to go in there but could find little.

Except, except the big heavy awning bag, along with the pole bag. These normally travel in the van but are removed to the garage when home to improve access inside the van. However they're getting covered in leaves and dust on the garage floor and take up a fair bit of space and the garage in winter isn't the driest place around. I'm therefore wondering about putting those large items back in the caravan whilst it's out of action.

Do you fill or empty the van over the closed season?

Hi Andy, we tend to keep everything in our big shed and take it when it's needed. On the very rare occasion that our daughter has the dogs we leave the awning behind and just take the canopy. We usually travel really light and only take what we absolutely need. Have to confess to not even filling the water container under the sink, just use the superkettle and use the site facilities for pot wash etc. That's why we love our Eriba travels, it's just so quick and simple and we are usually having a cuppa within half an hour of arrival. We do leave the folding chairs under the fixed bed along with the other little bits that are needed. Ellen.

Not having had a tourer but a MH I can only go on what my in laws have done over the years....after they have drained down etc they fill their van with anything caravan related before they cover her up for the winter. Is there any reason why you might want access through the dormant months if she she empty of water etc. oh they do check for pipes every now and again but otherwise leave her to sleep as if she is in storage....and yes their van is more damp free than their garage!

Oh and their home contents insurance is covered both with the van insurance and the house insurance...

I was wondering about the folding chairs Ellen, ours are to wide to fit under any of the benches and usually travel in the car boot. However they do take up a bit of garage space when stored, so maybe they could go in the van too.

We're expecting to have to use the van for sleeping accommodation over Christmas as it looks like we might have ten people here on Christmas Night. So whatever large stuff we put inside now will have to come out again in 5 weeks or so.

Hi Andy we keep all Eriba stuff in the van over winter ,we had a spare bedroom until our son returned after his relationship broke up so now the van is full awning ,poles ,cadac the lot ,one good thing we did was make two bags for the poles they are steel and to much like hard work for one lift.

All our Isabella carbon fibre poles fit in one Isabella bag which is definitely lighter than the steels we had with the AL/NR Troll awning. There's less of them too, even though the Isabella awning is bigger. That's mainly because the Eriba awnings need more poles in order to raise the roof above gutter height.

We've had a returning son three times over the years and only got rid of him to Shrewsbury after he'd spent 18 months here finishing off his first computer game. When that launched he at last started getting income and could afford to move out. He's well on his way to his second game which will make him millions (oh yeah).

If you enjoy video games have a look at Rob's site http://www.squidinabox.com/ and you can download a free sample of his first game, it's frantic.

I used to put most of my large caravan paraphernalia in the spare room, we had the loft converted so it all goes in there now. I leave all the small bits in the locker under the seat.

I store the awning and poles in the loft over winter. They take the space of the cover which comes down for the same period. All other kit is stored in the van. When travelling the awning and spare wheel travel in the car. I took the spare wheel off to try and get some noseweight on the Triton 420.

Stewart

Never actually toured with our Triton 430 yet as we've only recently acquired it. However, we've adopted the same approach as we did for camping in so much as that hardware such as outside tables, chairs, Awning poles, Outwell cooking range (yes I know) etc get stored in the cellar which is well aired and dry. We then have three large hard plastic boxes into which go the dishes, stove, small gas bottles and other odds and sods which are stacked in a spare room. There's also a cupboard in here into which goes the bedding and chair cushions. The awning itself, as with the tent before it, poses the biggest problem. Here we've placed it in the guest bathroom shower tray, closed the curtain and are trying to forget all about it lol.
All soft furnishings from the van remain in the van over winter because our storage facility is airy, well ventilated and heated. We pay a premium for this of course - 55 Euros a month.
The trouble with us is that having a VW Touran, once the middle row of seats are taken out and the back row (7-seater) collapsed there's storage space half the size of Wembley Stadium - space that the OH seizes with both hands to take along just about everything. I think this is going to change next year with a bit more disciplined approach as to what's absolutely necessary and what's not.

Watch out for rodent damage if left on the floor of the garage,
as it gets colder they look for things like tents awnings protec
covers, just to chew up and make a mest (thats a messy nest)

That's a good point Rod.

When I was tidying up the garage in the Spring I found that a rodent had chewed some dust sheets that were stored in there and turned the bits into a nest. It had also chewed open a box of grass seed and removed 90% to the shelf below and eaten the seed, leaving just the husk. So they could be back this winter and I guess that's a very good reason to store the awning in the van instead.

Good point about rodents. We have had the same problem.
10 for Christmas night! Sounds like another party . It's worth loading the van even for 5 weeks until Xmas surely ...

That's the way I'm heading Lee, I'll be able to hold the party in the garage if I clear it into the van