The Complete Guide to Organizing Your RV

All RV enthusiasts know the heavenly feel of the open road. Tall trees and endless miles stretching as far as the eye can see, the horizon begging you to explore further, and all your favorite people along for the ride.

Perhaps the only thing that makes being on the road even more carefree is having an organized RV from top to bottom. Not sure where to begin as you give your RV a clean out? No worries. Here is our complete guide to organizing your RV.

An Organized RV Improves Your Camping Experience

It’s no secret that RV camping comes with a lot of gear to corral. In fact, one of the best things about RVing is not having to rent gear when you reach your destination. That said, a little organization can go a long way in improving your camping experience.

It starts with making the most of limited space. Your drawers and cabinets have to pack a punch since they’re few and far between, but keeping items inside bins or divided into separate drawers organized by use ensures everything has a place.

Here are five products to help keep your RV organized:

1. Cabinet Organizer
2. Nested Storage Baskets
3. Storage Baskets with Handles
4. Fridge Holder
5. Dish Organizer

An Organized RV Leads to a Cleaner RV

Whether it’s during your spring cleaning or fall winterization efforts, thorough cleaning of your RV is recommended at least once a year. It’s also the perfect time to organize all the nooks, crannies, drawers, and closets! In doing so, your RV will not only be organized and clean but keeping it that way will be much easier.

Doing the little things every day is imperative to keeping an organized RV. Here are a few of our favorite tips for organizing your RV in a way that helps you keep it clean trip after trip.

• Keep counters and tables clear
• Use walls and cabinets to mount storage units, hooks, and shelves
• Utilize baskets, boxes, and bins inside cabinets
• Keep your most-used items in the most accessible areas
• Store less-used gear under the bed or dinette
• Dedicate pass-through and underneath storage compartments to outdoor gear

Organization Hacks and Tips to Maximize Space in Your RV

Your home-away-from-home should give you the same relaxing, comfortable feeling that your primary home does. What is the best way to achieve that? Cut down on the clutter and make sure everything has a designated place. This is even more crucial if you’re traveling with children and pets.

When it comes to RV hacks, you can find them all over the internet or by asking other RVers, or take a look through our 50 hacks and tips you haven’t tried. To make things easier, check out these six RV organization hacks you need to try.

Pro Tip: Find items that can serve multiple purposes.

Beyond double-duty items are tips to truly maximize the space in your RV. Since the real estate is limited inside your camper, you have no choice but to make sure every single item is in a place that makes sense and keeps it out of the way during traveling.

Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

• Use camping-specific household items. Since you’re in an RV, make sure the items you take with you are designed to be used within that space. Kitchenware, toiletry items, trash cans – they all come in smaller sizes specifically for RV use.
• Install drawers under tables. Need a little extra storage for your placemats, utensils, or board games you’re saving for a rainy day? Add a custom drawer to the underside of your table to keep those items out of the way but still within reach.
• Use your wall space. With space being limited side-to-side and front-to-back, make use of the vertical space instead. Use hooks, shelves, or magnetic strips to get items off the floor and organized on the wall. Bonus points if you can make it look like art in the process!

Organizing Your RV’s Kitchen

The kitchen in your RV just doesn’t have as much space as your residential kitchen, but that’s okay. Where do you store your food? Where do you store your must-have kitchen items? Valid questions. A few tips to make the most of your food storage space in an RV include organizing pantry space by adding shelves or risers that take advantage of every inch available.

A few other ways to improve your RV kitchen storage space:

• Meal plan. Avoid stocking items and ingredients that you aren’t actively using or will need to use in the immediate future. Make a meal plan for a few days, maybe a week, at a time and only buy what you’ll need for those meals. Not only will you maximize the storage space, but you’ll save money, time, and food waste as well!
• Remove packaging when possible. The packaging food comes in, especially cardboard boxes, takes up a lot of valuable space in your RV fridge. Transfer your food into designated food storage containers that already have a specific place in your pantry or refrigerator. You’ll be able to see immediately when you’re running low and never have to worry about bulky boxes taking up more space than they should.

It’s also important to make sure you’re using RV kitchen essentials and not simply doubling the items you’re familiar with using at home. Making delicious snacks and meals in an RV isn’t drastically different from cooking at home, but the available counter space can be limited. By using camping kitchen gear, you’ll find that cooking in your RV is easier and more enjoyable.

Organizing Your RV’s Bathroom

Another location in your RV that is low on space but big on purpose is the bathroom. Since they’re usually the smallest space in the coach, it can be tricky to keep them nice and tidy – but it’s not impossible.

Here are three storage ideas for your bathroom that will keep it clean and organized:

1. Hang pocket organizers on the back of your shower curtain.
2. Magnetic wall storage to hold toothbrushes, cotton balls, and more.
3. Use a collapsible laundry basket for a small footprint when it’s in use, and slide it into a cupboard when it’s not.

Interested in getting professional help to achieve the organized RV of your dreams? The Camping World Design Center exists for this very reason! Design Specialists are available with the products, resources, and installations you need to plan and execute your ideal interior design projects, including an organizational overhaul, with the latest products from exclusive brands.

Explore what options might be perfect for your interior setup today. With an organized RV, you’ll be able to focus on the journey as well as the destination while making time to enjoy them both.

What’s your favorite space to organize in your RV? Tell us in the comments below.