Tell me about storing camping stuff in a trailer

[NorthumbrianGirl]

So, we are the new proud owners of a second-hand trailer. It is like a metal box with a metal lockable lid.

My dream is to be able to store out big camping stuff in it to minimize the pre-camping pack up, which is the part of camping I hate. But, I have the fear that my tent will go mouldy or get eaten by mice.

Does anyone else store things in their trailer? Ideally I'd like to keep the tent (bell tent, if being canvas matters), tent carpet, futons and stove there.

It won't be eaten by mice, they can't climb up into the trailer.

Stuff may get damp but generally it should be ok

Watching with interest as I would like to do the same. Which trailer did you go for?

Not sure of the make, it's an eBay buy. It is grey metal and ugly, but hopefully practical.

Thank you for the reassurance re the mice! Logically I can't see how my stuff could come to harm, but I am very attached to my camping things (they currently live under our bed).

We store our tent in the trailer in the garage. I read that mothballs and peppermint oil deter mice so have lots of those in the trailer. The first night in our tent has an interesting smell!

Thanks for the tip. I can put up with a funny smell better than I can a holey tent!

Oh, I keep tryinbto persuade DH to go for this. He keeps declining as "you can't fit a premier inn in a trailer" 🙄.
I would still like to do it though!

I would worry about the wet. Our trailer looked pretty dry but water is getting in somewhere. DH is planning on putting sealant on all the corners/edges and then we will do the same as you. I don't think I'd be brave enough to store a bell tent in it though. I prefer a warm loft for that. Chairs and tables and other furniture and plastic stuff should be fine though.

Gibble my tent is definitely nicer than a premier inn! We have a ridiculous glampy set up than would have me shunned on mn if I admitted to it.

DEmum I am thinking of doing a test run this winter with a pillow and see how it gets on. The tent normally lives under our bed.

Will the trailer be in a nice dry garage?

The pillow test sounds good.

We keep most of our stuff in a trailer in a dry locked barn. Everything is v organised in plastic boxes in the trailer other than the tents which are on the top of the plastic boxes.

We do put mouse traps in there and little poison traps and check it most months. Mice can run/climb vertically.

The trailer being somewhere dry inside is the main thing, think about trailer tents, the canvas is in a trailer.

We did used to store on a shelving unit but have too many swallows nesting and pooing in barn so everything is now in the trailer to avoid the poo!

Without getting paranoid, water, mice and other unwelcome creatures seem to be able to get into most things so may damage fabric of tents.
A trailer kept in the dry as previously posted is a good start.
Tables chairs and other stuff usually no problem.

Canvas tents too OP, well, we have got five , three canvas, two lightweight polyester.

The trailer will be in a locked garage, although one of wood construction of slightly questionable quality. It won't get rained on but it does seem to get a bit damp in there sometimes. There are definitely mice (we are rural, wood mice are a constant thing).

Barchester your suitable sounds like a thing of beauty!

Definitely tending towards leaving my plastic boxed kit in the trailer and keeping my precious tent/carpets/futons indoors still.

Suitable = storage, stupid fat fingers!

Not sure about that Northumbrian, very rural too, mice are part of life. When we had the barn roof repaired recently DH told the roofer to leave two of the holes for the swallows!!

Leaving holes for the swallows makes perfect sense to me!

we have a travel trailer and check it for waterproofing after each rainfall. after camping season we take the linens and pillows out but leave the camping chairs and mats inside. hubby puts desiccant in a container to help reduce the moisture. one year I put a chunk of cedar inside. will the items be placed in bins as well as being in the trailer?

Our kit will be in plastic boxes. It's the big items that don't fit in a box that I'm worried about.

Our stuff has lived in the trailer in the garage for years and has suffered no ill-effects whatsoever whether we've had the lid open or closed. Maybe we've just been lucky? We've got the tent, Annexe, readybeds, tent carpet, the lot in there and it's all fine. Doesn't even smell musty (obviously we make sure it's all dry before we store it!)