Organize Your RV

Ahh…the freedom to travel across the country in an RV!  I will never forget taking a trip in an RV when I was a kid.  We got everything loaded up and hit the road.  As we turned onto the entrance ramp of the expressway, we quickly discovered that the refrigerator door was not locked.  As the contents, including a large container of pasta sauce, spilled across the floor, we began to wonder if we should continue on with the trip.  This is just one of many challenges of traveling in an RV.  Keeping your RV organized to maximize the limited space is another challenge.  Here are some tips to help you organize your RV:

• Be Picky – Get rid of non-essential items. If you haven’t used it recently, consider donating it.
• Re-Purpose – Instead of stocking your RV with many specialty items, re-purpose some of the basics. For example, you probably don’t need a cookie spatula, a pancake spatula, and a metal spatula. Consider choosing one basic spatula for all three purposes.  Maybe your cooler can double as a table?



• Get Creative – Make every inch of storage space count.
• Go Vertical – Because you can’t spread out in an RV, look for space where you can use vertical space. Additional shelves, bins and under-shelf baskets can help prevent wasted vertical space.
• Divide and Conquer – Often times your cabinets, drawers and cubby areas aren’t much more than an open space with a door. If that is the case, purchase and install some wire shelving or solid shelving,  stackable drawers or stacking bins to make better use of your space and minimize shifting.
• Go Collapsible – If you need baskets and containers for use at the campsite, but you don’t need them for storage in your RV, consider purchasing collapsible versions which take up much less space.  Cubes, crates, baskets, bowls, dish racks, coolers and even dog bowls now come in a collapsible version.  If you can’t find the collapsible version, look for items that nest one inside the other.



• Use Liners – Drawer contents are likely to slide around during the trip. Prevent this by using non-slip liners in your drawers. Combine liners with unbreakable dishware and you’ll have no worries, at least not about what’s in your cabinets.
• Secure the RV – Everything in an RV is likely to move around and there are products out there to help them stay where they belong!  Prevent this by using braces non-slip liners in your drawers. Combine liners with unbreakable dishware and you’ll have no worries, at least not about what’s in your cabinets.
• Don’t Forget the Literature – When you travel, you often have maps, itineraries, travel guides, etc. This literature can take on a life of its own if you are not careful.  Consider a car seat organizer, portable file box or divided envelope to organize and contain these materials.

Traveling in an RV can be a wonderful adventure.  Implement some of these tips to reduce your stress and make your experience more enjoyable.

-Donna Lindley, Certified Professional Organizer and owner of Rochester Hills, MI-based Organize Your World, Inc.

How do you keep your RV organized? Share your story & inspire us!
Check out our RV Storage & Accessories collection for more ideas from Organize-It.