Whether you’re new to RV life or are a seasoned vet, you know they don’t call it a “home away from home” for nothing. However, just like your regular home, an RV living space can get cluttered and messy – only it seems to happen much faster.
The lack of extra space means that maximizing what you have and getting creative with organization is imperative if you want to avoid ending up on an episode of Hoarders. Keep reading for some creative, practical and genius organizational hacks to get the most out of your RV’s space and keep that clutter to a minimum.
From clever storage solutions to space-saving tips, these tricks will have you kissing chaos goodbye and embracing relaxation and peace of mind on your next RV trip.
Kitchen
One of the most used and, often, most poorly-designed spaces in your RV is the kitchen. It’s also one of the first spaces that visitors see when they climb aboard, so it makes sense that you would want to keep it clean and clutter-free.
Depending on how much time you spend in your RV, this can also be the space with the most storage and organizational challenges. Try one these clever hacks:
Bins: Since most RV cabinets have a lot of wasted space that travels upwards, stackable bins can help you make the most of your storage capacity, whether it’s in a cabinet or your refrigerator. One trick is to use plastic cracker containers to store utensils upright and keep them separated and organized if you don’t have a well-laid out utensil drawer.
Collapsible Containers: Investing in some collapsible kitchen accessories, such as strainers, food storage containers, dish-drying racks, measuring cups and mixing bowls allows you to keep these otherwise bulky bits stored flat or upright without taking up a ton of space.
Temporary Shelves: Inexpensive and easy to install, temporary shelves can double the storage space of one cabinet, allowing you to keep plates, bowls, cups and glasses possibly all in one space, freeing up other cabinets and drawers for food storage or other cooking amenities.
Flat-Pack Spice Storage: If you love to showcase your chef skills while RVing, you know what a conundrum spice storage can be. Those little jars add up quickly and take up a lot of valuable real estate. Instead of sacrificing your spices and leaving a bunch behind, invest in some small zip lock bags (like the kind they use for jewelry at craft shows). Empty those bulky spice jars into individually-labeled baggies and keep them in an airtight bin in alphabetical order for quick and compact access so you can cook or bake with abandon.
Wall-Mounted Baskets: Walls are great spaces to add cute mesh or wire baskets to store and organize a plethora of items from important papers and extra food, to hats and outdoor gear, or even toiletries.
Smart Storage: If you’re limited on food storage options, remove bagged foods that come in a box (i.e., crackers, popcorn, cereal, etc.) and discard the bulky cardboard. Most of your food items will stay fresh inside the bag long enough to be consumed, and you’ll save a lot of extra space in the process.
Bathroom
The bathroom is another area in your RV where chaos reigns supreme if you’re not careful. Try one of these organization hacks to bring it back under control:
Over-the-Door Holders: The back of your bathroom door offers a large amount of untapped storage potential. An over-the-door shoe holder is capable of holding at least 6 pairs of shoes…or use those pockets for storing shampoo, conditioner, lotions, combs, brushes, styling tools and other bathroom necessities in an organized and accessible manner.
Wall-Mounted Organizers: There are plenty of wall-mounted toothbrush holders and vanity organizers available to help keep your RV’s bathroom counter free of clutter.
Hide Your Hamper: The shower or bathtub may or may not get used every day on your RV. Either way, it’s the perfect place to store your dirty clothes hamper when you’re not getting clean from a long hike, swim or day of exploring.
Sleeping Spaces
Most bedrooms on an RV feature a small hanging closet or locker and a few sets of drawers for aaaallll your clothes, coats and shoes. Fitting your entire wardrobe into these spaces can seem impossible, and depending on how many Hawaiian shirts or souvenir t-shirts you own, it may very well be.
Use these organization hacks to help keep your sleeping space centered on rest and relaxation:
Clean Up Your Act: Embrace your inner minimalist. Sort through your clothes and try to be pragmatic. If you haven’t worn something in a full year, chances are high that you don’t need it on your RV.
Use Existing Space Wisely: Consider keeping hanging lockers or closets only for those items that absolutely cannot be folded. Adding shelves, racks and/or rods will also increase your capacity for clothing storage in these tight spaces.
Fold and Roll: To create more compact bundles for storage, fold your clothing longways and then roll it tightly from the bottom to the top. You’ll fit more items into those tiny RV drawers.
Under-Table Storage Drawers: These easyto-mount plastic drawers are great for any room with a table, not just your bedroom. Self-adhesive shallow drawers are perfect for organizing papers, pens, utensils, toiletries and anything else you might want to hide discreetly but keep close at hand.
Bonus Tips
There is no shortage of clever and functional organizational hacks to help keep your RV clean and pristine. That said, some of the best pieces of advice we’ve ever received were this:
You don’t need all that crap: Before loading up your RV with all the comforts of home, take the time to thoughtfully and carefully select only those items that you will really need or use frequently. Get ready to make a few sacrifices. And as you spend more time in your RV, you’ll find that you can pare down even further, removing items you expected to require more often than you actually did.
Organize items based on frequency of use: RVs have a lot of “underneath storage” -- underneath the RV itself, but also underneath sitting areas, beds and bunks. Unfortunately, these spaces can be a real pain to access, so store the items that you use the least at the bottom or in the back.
Deep clean quarterly: Stuff and clutter accumulate sneakily and almost imperceptibly over time, so take some time once a quarter to clean out cabinets, drawers and bins. Toss old papers, food, clothing, books, etc. that you’ve started overlooking, but no longer need. Like any home, keeping your RV clean takes diligence.