When traveling in an RV for extended periods of time, few things are more important than keeping your belongings organized so everything is accessible, easy to find, and free from clutter. Compact life quickly looses some of its luster if you are forever packing and unpacking cupboards and closets or digging through stacks of items. Here are a few of the tips and tricks I have picked up over the years to help keep everything conveniently in its place.
RV cupboards are typically very high, leaving a lot of wasted space between shelves. I add an extra adjustable shelf or undershelf basket (available at most all department stores) to my cupboards giving me two shelves instead of one. I also like to use the undershelf baskets as a bin in my pantry to hold all my canned goods in place. This way its easy to pull the whole thing out to find something instead of removing all the cans individually. A small shelf also works great if your freezer doesn’t come with shelves.
An empty wine box with all the dividers is a great organization tool. And better yet — they’re free! These boxes fit nicely under the dinette bench, under the bed, or in the back of a closet. They work great for safely storing breakables bottles like vinegars, oils, and even pickle jars. They also work great as a shoe organizer!
- I found the best way to keep bread and other baked goods fresher longer is to store them in either the microwave or the oven. The added bonus is that this keeps them from getting crushed while traveling, and keeps the oven shelf from rattling.
For women that like to wear jewelry, packing earrings and necklaces can be a challenge. One tip I discovered was to install a cork board on the back of a closet door and then add push pins to hang necklaces and bracelets. A simple kitchen splatter screen works great as an earring organizer, and you can hang it from its handle from one of the push pins.
- Magazines and large road atlases tuck neatly away under couch or dinette cushions when not in use.
I keep a narrow desktop file organizer beside the passenger seat to keep all my maps and travel guides organized and easy to find.
If you’ve picked up some handy storage tips and tricks along the way, I’d love to hear about them.