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cvbmom
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| Posted: Sept 12 2011 at 7:17am | IP Logged
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I have a question for moms with big vans...
We have a Chevy Express 15 passenger van. For the last 4 years, I have kept out the back row seat (so it's 11 passenger) and enjoyed my HUGE trunk. Now, it really is necessary to put in the back row seat. The problem: I have NO TRUNK SPACE! I can survive grocery shopping, as I often do the shopping in the evenings with just a few children. But my question is:
Where do you keep your stroller? We have (and use OFTEN) a double side to side stroller and a double front to back stroller. I only need one in the van at a time, but where does it fit? 
As a side question, we aren't traveling anytime soon, but I was just thinking, where do you put your luggage? With 11 family members and kids - all 9 - under the age of 13, we have LUGGAGE 
Thanks so much for your help with this one...
God bless,
Christine
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Pilgrim
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| Posted: Sept 12 2011 at 7:42am | IP Logged
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For the luggage we actually pull a small trailer behind, dh put a box on it with locks, so no one could steal our luggage. I know just wat you mean about all the luggage and where to store it!  We usually come back with more than what we left with too, especially if we're visiting family, who generously give us stuff. Another option if you can't get a trailer, then sell those metal racks that fit into the hitch receiver like this, or even a box on a rack like these that would protect luggage. We knew a family where the dad made a box to fit on a hitch rack that would hold luggage for their family. These I linked to are kind of expensive I've seen a lot cheaper when we were looking at them, it was just an example to show what they look like and are called for doing a seacrh in the search engine. We had found cargo racks for $60-80 that looked good.
My husband has looked at the little trailers they sell at Harbor Freight for luggage on vacation.
Hopefully other's who've had their big vans longer have some good ideas, I'm watching hopefully.
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JodieLyn
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I'm having some brackets put in so that I can put my 4 seat bench in the space that my last 3 seat bench is.. giving me a 12 passenger van instead of 11 and preservign cargo space.
that said.. I've found my double stroller will fit just inside the side doors and isn't too much trouble that way. Also makes it easier to get to if I have other cargo in the back.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Sept 12 2011 at 9:24am | IP Logged
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also i guess I'm confused.. why is the rear seat necessary if you have 11 people in the family and with the rear seat out you can seat 11. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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cvbmom
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| Posted: Sept 12 2011 at 10:40am | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| also i guess I'm confused.. why is the rear seat necessary if you have 11 people in the family and with the rear seat out you can seat 11. |
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Sorry to not be clear on that. We OFTEN have Grandma or Grandpa with us or another child or two from another family. Having an 11 seater was just enough before. So now with new baby coming any day, we needed another seat.
Thanks for the help so far, keep the good ideas coming!
God bless,
Christine
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Mary's daughter
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| Posted: Sept 12 2011 at 11:34am | IP Logged
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We shove things under the bench seats and put things like coolers at the feet of the wee ones. It is like a very complicated puzzle! Somehow we make it work for vacation. We also place our strollers just inside the door and we will use umbrella strollers if space is real tight.
Stephanie
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Question for moms with BIG vans...
