Articles on Premier Angler may contain affiliate links. Please see our Affiliate Disclosure for more information.
Storage and Organization Tips for Your RV
Packing for a trip in your RV can seem daunting at times. With down sized refrigerators, limited cabinetry and tiny bathrooms, space becomes a hot commodity.
Prioritizing what you need and what you don’t is key, especially if you are a full timer or going on an extended trip however, there are a multitude of tips and tricks to help you maximize your limited space and fit everything you need into your RV.
Keep it Simple
If there is one thing I have learned living in an RV full time, it’s that you don’t need nearly as much stuff as you think you do. You may think you need a full cookware set but in reality just one of everything will do. One pot, one pan, one spatula, one whisk, etc.
Not only does this save space but it also keeps your already too small sink from filling up with dishes.
If you’re traveling with kids, limit them to one small bag or bin of toys. You might be surprised how little they need to stay entertained, especially if you encourage them to play in nature!
Personally, I enjoy living minimally and getting rid of stuff so I may be a little biased in this process. You might find you have a harder time cutting back. If so, try being bold and only bring a few favorite board games, a few key spices and your one good knife on your next trip and see how it goes. If you find something you can’t live without, bring it next time.
Go Vertical
Your best friend for RV storage is vertical space. Anything that can be hung from a wall or over a door is a must do.
For bathroom storage, get an over the door hanging shoe organizer and use the pockets for cosmetics, ointments, personal items, jewelry, brushes etc. it essentially acts as your medicine / linen closet.
You can also build a charging station for electronics using a wall mounted file organizer. I did this in our rig using a file organizer similar to this one on Amazon. We had an open spot on the wall that was meant for a TV in the bedroom. Instead we hung a mesh file organizer on the wall and a powerstrip next to it.
The “pockets” serve as a secure place to store laptops, tablets and bluetooth speakers while charging and the hooks on the bottom are perfect for hanging headphones.
A note on hanging things on the walls in your rig: it can be tricky…
Using command hooks/strips is a great way to hang things without drilling holes into the walls; however, I have found that not all surfaces will adhere to command strips or adhesive tape.
You want to make sure whatever you hang is secure enough to hold up to the bumpiness of driving. In this case, drilling a hole or using a nail is totally fine – just make sure you don’t hit any wiring or plumbing if you do.
Baskets and Bins
Buy baskets and use them!
Baskets are so versatile and affordable and can make a cluttered cabinet organized in a snap.
We use baskets for organizing our clothes, in the fridge, for snacks, in the bathroom, for organizing toys and a billion other things. Specifically these suction cup mounted baskets from IKEA are super cool.
Mounted on the mirror in the bathroom they offer additional secure vertical storage space! Plastic bins with lids are also incredibly helpful for organizing items for storing in the basement compartment of your RV. They can easily be color coded and labeled to help you know what’s what.
For example, using a black heavy duty bin to store all your black tank supplies in and a white or clear bin for storing your fresh water hoses and filters.
Collapsible or Folding Items
The recent uptick in the creation of travel friendly collapsible/foldable items is an RVer’s dream come true!
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least 5 things we carry in our RV that are designed to fold flat when not in use: Our laundry basket, a set of mixing bowls, a colander, trash can, and a bucket.
I also have a set of collapsible measuring cups on my wish list because, awesome! Having a few items, especially bowls that collapse for storage, saves SO much space and makes organizing a breeze. Additionally, there are a lot of cool outdoor items that fold and pack away small for storage such as hammocks, picnic tables with chairs, and this really cool pop up corn hole game!
Organizing and storing items in your RV doesn’t have to be stressful, in fact it can actually be fun shopping for discovering all the innovative products that are meant to help save space in your rig. Don’t be afraid to embrace the challenge and maybe you’ll come up with your own storage idea to help others!
Comments are closed.