Hitting the road in your RV should be liberating and relaxing. But if you’re short on space, you may be feeling more frustration than freedom.
Even the most organized people can use some additional help when it comes to finding creative RV space-saving ideas. It’s time to get creative and start evaluating ways you can make the most of your RV—in big ways and small.
Check Your Weight
Before you add heavy items to your RV like a freezer or rear platform, you need to check the scale. Drive your RV to the nearest truck weigh station with your water and propane tanks filled and get your number. If you’re close to the Gross Vehicle Rating—or worse, exceeding it—it’s time to declutter. Get rid of things you haven’t used in over a year. Scale back on clothing and shoes you don’t wear often. Leave unneeded bedding and blankets at home. Clean out extra food and beverages you don’t need.
Put It Behind You
If you have some weight to play with, consider a rear platform for those large outdoor items that don’t fit anywhere. The grill, lawn chairs, and even a portable freezer can be put here. If you’re towing a vehicle, get a hitch extender so you can put some items between your RV and the vehicle.
Organize the Space You Already Have
Your RV basement can hold a lot, but if it’s stuffed haphazardly, you’re not making the most of it. Purchase large clear plastic bins that can be packed up and tucked inside neatly. Use this space for items you don’t need every day but can’t leave behind. For dresser storage, roll—don’t fold—your garments. You’ll avoid wrinkles, fit more in shallow drawers, and be able to see everything easily.
Make Your Furniture Work for You
Is the space under your bed sitting empty? Can you reconfigure it to make it accessible from the sides? It’s another place you could tuck large plastic containers with clothes or bedding inside. Even if you have to raise the mattress a few inches, it can give you several feet of valuable space.
Instead of a regular coffee table, try a storage bench that allows you to put items inside and use it as seating space.
Think Vertical
Floor and counter space may be at a minimum in an RV, but you’ve probably got some wall space to spare. Just make sure you choose shelves and holders that fully secure the items—you don’t want things swinging around or falling as you drive.
Search for small apartment hacks or tiny house solutions online for some inspiration. Some ideas include:
- Putting garbage bags on a paper towel roll
- Mount spices in small baskets to the wall
- Use extra sliding shelves inside your cupboards
- Stack towel racks on the backs of doors.
Don’t forget about the inside of your cupboard doors too—that’s often wasted space that can be used to hang kitchen utensils, pot holders, and other small items.
Get Rid of Excess Packaging
Instead of keeping frozen food in its box from the store, put the food in baggies and cut out the cooking instructions and tuck them inside. If you don’t need a whole bottle of laundry detergent, pour some in an old shampoo bottle and leave the rest at home. Put DVDs in slim cases that hold multiple disks, and leave the original cases behind.
Make sure you label bottles and items with permanent marker and/or invest in a small label maker.
Maximizing your RV’s storage and space will eliminate “mess stress” and enable you to focus on what’s truly important: exploring the country and taking on new adventures!
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