We had the opportunity to chat with Airstreamer and professional organizer Traci Monroe, who also happens to be a ZARGES dealer. She knows that staying organized and keeping everything in its place is critical to enjoying a camping adventure. After all, it’s no fun to arrive at your destination hungry and find that you need to search through multiple bins to get your grilling gear ready!
- Make sure everything has a place. This is one of the organizing commandments, and for Traci, “ZARGES offers ‘that’ place for organizing things.” When she and her husband Chris arrive at a campsite, they want to get to the fun as quickly as possible. Having a system for knowing where things are is critical to a smooth campsite setup and breakdown.
- Keep outside things organized outside the Airstream. “ZARGES can reside outside of the camper on the ground unaffected by weather, inside the bed of your TV (tow vehicle), inside an exterior RV storage bin or in your garage in between travels.” This can include bike gear, dog accessories, RV hookup necessities, extension cords, and more.
- ZARGES is ideal for bike tools, particularly for e-bikes. E-bikes are the latest and greatest way to explore a new area or campground. They do require the use of a lithium ion battery, and storing a battery such as this is not merely plug-and-play. It is critical to store a lithium ion battery in a box that keeps you safe. The ZARGES BatterySafe case is ideal for storage and transportation of lithium ion batteries. Traci also uses her ZARGES for “charging cords, helmets, commuter bags, gloves, and all of the other fun things that accompany biking.”
- The iconic ZARGES K470 also doubles as a table. Our signature model is perfect for sitting in the center of a campsite among camp chairs. The really wonderful thing about using a ZARGES as a table is that it won’t blow over like typical camping tables will, meaning no spilled apres-adventure drinks!
- ZARGES is a perfect aesthetic complement to an Airstream. “We love shiny silver things and Zarges is the perfect fit for Airstreaming,” says Traci. “We love aluminum and rivets so much that we named our two dogs Rivet and aLUMInum!” Aside from the obvious artistic reasons for choosing a ZARGES, Traci finds that the components of a ZARGES also make it a perfect fit for Airstreaming (see below).
- ZARGES Cases are easy to lift. The aluminum composition mentioned above makes a ZARGES case significantly lighter than a steel one - about ⅓ the weight. And compared to a leading plastic case, a ZARGES is about 50% lighter (just 11 pounds for our 40678, compared to 19 pounds for a plastic case that is about 10% smaller!)
- Organize by frequency of use. Keep what you need closer, and what you don’t stowed away. Traci says “we layer our boxes with most used at the back of the truck slide, and least used deep into the bed at the back of the Cargo Glide.”
- Use vertical space wisely. Part of getting as much as you can into an RV is using vertical space, which means stacking things! “The stacking option is my most favorite feature because I love to find any use for storing items vertically,” says Traci. “The stackability of Zarges allows us to use all of the storage height in our truck setup, which includes a truck bed cab.”
- Use your ZARGES as a toolbox. Traci and Chris “use two small k470 boxes which resemble a briefcase to house smaller, necessary tools.” The concept of “everything has a place” is never more apparent than when you are scouring your gear for a specific wrench and have no idea where it lives. By identifying intuitive homes for your tools, you will be able to instinctively know where they live - meaning more stress-free camping adventures.
- Safe and efficient propane tank storage. Propane is an essential component of an expert camp kitchen setup. Working with a ZARGES case to hold your propane tanks (and yes, there are custom foam inserts that will ensure your tank doesn’t move) will help keep your gear safe.
- Keep the stink and mud contained. Traci uses a ZARGES case as a shoe bin and receptacle for a dog towel. When you’re active all day, your shoes are undoubtedly going to get sweaty, wet, or muddy. Those aren’t things you want to bring into the RV or the cab of a truck! A ZARGES is an ideal place to contain your shoes and ensure that the smells of wet dog and feet aren’t part of your dreams.
These are just several of the ways that an organization expert keeps her camping setup as efficient as possible. Got any ways you’re using your ZARGES to make your camping life easier? Drop us a line at info@zarges.com.
