It’s one of the understood rules of RVing that you have to downsize your life if you’re transitioning to full-time RV life, or even taking short weekend trips in your rig. The more you bring along, the more clutter you’ll have in your RV. Sometimes though, there are just some items you can’t part with, and you need to figure out how to make space in your RV to fit all of it. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can maximize the space you have in your vehicle. Here are some of our favorite tips to tidy up your storage and make room for more on the road.

 

Removable drawer units in your cabinets

Turns out plastic drawer units are good for more than just storing kids toys or adding extra space to a college dorm. If you can find one that’s the right size, placing them inside your RV cabinets can maximize your storage space. It’s easy, affordable, and means you no longer have to dig through cabinets to find what you’re looking for.

Install shelves in cabinets

For a more permanent and customizable option, install your own shelves in your cabinets with wire closet shelving or wood if you’re particularly handy. While the shelf contents won’t slide like they will with removable drawers, you’ve still created extra space to stack things in your cabinets and you can adjust them to be whatever height works best for the items you’re storing in that space.

 

Baskets in kitchen cabinets

Shelves or not, RVers often cram cabinets full because you only have so much space. Have you ever gone searching for a certain can of beans or jar of peanut butter, only to end up pulling everything out of the cabinet because it was all the way in the back? Organizing your kitchen contents into baskets or trays that you can slide out of the cabinet easily will allow you to access even the items at the very back of the cabinet quickly and easily, without all the re-packing the cabinet when you’re done. This is a great solution if you’ve built your own shelves inside your cabinets.

Utilize the inside of cabinet doors

Most people wouldn’t think twice about modifying a cabinet door for storage, but RVers are pros at finding every possible inch of extra space. There are so many ways you can customize the insides of your cabinets to create the space you need. Invest in a slim door-hanging trash can to save floor space – bonus: this way your trash can won’t slide around when you’re on the go. You can buy spice gripper clips online to organize your spices along a cabinet door for easy access. In your basement, hang RV hoses on the inside of storage doors using velcro tape, and use magnetic tape inside the bathroom mirror door to store nail clippers and tweezers. There are a million ways to take advantage of the inside of cabinet doors. You just have to figure out what needs storing and what makes sense for you.

Take advantage of command hooks and broom clips

RVers keep command hooks in business. They’re one of the easiest ways to create new space to store things. Hang towels on them, hang hanging organizers on them, hang keys on them – the options are endless. You can also use broom clips in a similar way. Try using them to organize your tools in the basement of your RV.

 

Vacuum sealed bags

This is obviously not very practical for everyday items, but for items you only break out everyone once in a while, it can work. Vacuum seal large items like extra pillows and comforters, or winter gear when you live on the road and it’s out of season.

File folder organizers

These are another staple of RV organization. Use them for files, or remotes, or cutting boards, or toilet paper, or… you get the picture. They’re good for just about anything.

Roll up dish drying rack

Chances are your counter top has absolutely no room for a permanent dish drying rack. One popular tool to solve this problem is to buy a roll up dish drying rack that can spread out over your sink as your dishes dry.

Collapsible pots and stackable bowls

Instead of finding better ways to store things, you can look for things that are better to store! One easy swap is trading in your kitchen pots and bowls for collapsible items, or buying cookware that stacks easily or bowls that nest into each other. It’s an up front investment, but it will save you a headache down the road.

 

Stackable plastic canisters for dry goods

Do you ever have a hard time finding the best way to fit together the puzzle of cereal boxes, pasta boxes, chip bags and flour bags? One easy solution is to ditch the boxes these dry goods came in at the store and store them in your own square plastic canisters. Label each canister with a label maker, or write on it with sharpie. Be sure to buy the canisters from a matching set so they are easily stackable inside your cabinet for easy access.

Hang baskets from your bathroom towel rods

Instead of using your bathroom towel rods for towels, try hanging narrow horizontal baskets off of them with ribbon. this creates extra space for dry towels, fresh toilet paper and bathroom necessities. See “command hooks” for what to do with your towels instead.

Plastic grocery bags in an empty wipe container

Plastic grocery bags are a nifty tool to have handy in your RV. They’re easy to obtain and have about a million uses. But instead of letting them pile up inside a cabinet in a messy glob, stuff them inside an empty wipe container for easy access and a cleaner cabinet.

Awesome RV Space Saving Ideas

 

The space inside your RV is limited, but thankfully the solutions to maximize it are pretty much limitless. Use these space-saving tips and your rig will be clutter-free in no time!