Andy and Kris live full-time in their RV, exploring the United States with their two boys and a baby on the way. Andy works a remote job in software while Kris roadschools the kids. The Murphy family loves taking pictures and writing about their adventures as they go.
Let’s face it, space in an RV is fairly limited. You likely won’t be able to pack everything you want inside of your RV, but there are some easy and affordable ways to utilize your storage to get the most space and still bring all of your home comforts. Here are five tips for maximizing the storage space inside your RV, while keeping everything clean and organized.
Define Storage Zones
Dedicate specific spaces inside of your RV for specific items. This will not only help you find these items easily and quickly but it will also help you keep things organized should you need to add more items down the road. Think both big and small when defining zones. For example, your bedroom might be reserved for just clothing and shoes, while the cabinet under your sink might be reserved for any and all cleaning supplies. You can even label cabinets and drawers for efficiency and convenience.
Measure Everything
RV cabinets and drawers often come in custom sizes, and are frequently built in ways to help maximize limited or narrow spaces. This means that things like typical cabinet risers or utensil holders might not fit exactly as you like. Before you start buying organizers and bins, make sure you take detailed measurements of every cabinet, drawer and cupboard in your RV. You should also measure the height and width of your outside storage bays to ensure any bigger, bulkier items can fit.
Use Vertical Space
Oftentimes when we’re organizing, we tend to think horizontally or left to right. This is a great place to start but you should also consider vertical or up and down space in an RV. This includes things like doors, walls and corners. When you can stack bins or install wall shelves, this will really help you maximize your space and keep things off the ground. Use hooks and over-door hangers to hang jackets, towels, hats, dog leashes, even musical instruments and workout equipment. And don’t forget to look inside of your cabinets—this is a great place to hang measuring cups and cooking utensils.
The Three Bs: Bins, Buckets and Baskets
Bins, buckets and baskets are three must-haves when it comes to organizing your RV. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and are great for keeping similar items together and contained—especially in your kitchen. The three Bs can be used pretty much anywhere and everywhere inside of your RV, and are perfect for stacking to utilize even more vertical space.
Overstock and Seasonal Items
If you RV regularly or even full-time, you’ll likely have some overstock or seasonal items with you. This includes things like extra toilet paper, winter coats, beach towels, and blankets. For these types of items, we recommend storing them in a place that you won’t have to access regularly, such as under the bed, in the outside storage bay or in any ceiling loft space. We also recommend using vacuum bags for any soft, bulky items to help compress them down and save even more space.
Toy Haulers
Many people think of toy haulers as the wild-child of the RV world. Sometimes that’s true. While the toy hauler originated as a mobile man-cave complete with diamond plate walls, this popular RV type has evolved into much more. Today you might want to think of toy haulers as open-concept living spaces with multi-purpose utility.
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