Space-saving ideas for your RV
We’ve all been there, the dreaded feeling associated with the utter lack of space in your RV. Even with a great deal of effort to prioritize and minimize what you pack, it somehow still doesn’t all fit. Obviously, you can’t lug around a trailer from place to place just to store the extra stuff, and throwing it away is out of the question – so what are you to do when your camper is full?
Luckily (or maybe not so much), I’ve been in this position; my RV cabinets were filled to the brim and the drawers over-flowing with miscellaneous items, there was absolutely no more room! That’s when I started getting crafty and began thinking outside the box, quite literally! So, from my experiences, I’ve put together a shortlist of all the space-saving hacks that changed my life. Hopefully at least one of these just might help you too!
The Bed Lift System
Have empty space underneath your bed but it’s too difficult to access? Say no more. My queen-sized bed had massive storage capabilities, but because of the weight of the bed and frame, it was impossible to utilize it. Luckily, my father is an engineer and walked me through an easy installation of a hydraulic system. I know what you’re probably thinking, “that sounds really difficult,” and contrary to your belief (trust me, I thought so too at first) it was quite simple! All you need is a second person to hold the frame during installation, two trunk door hydraulic bars (which can be purchased at any auto store), and a bar latch to secure the bed when it’s down (like you see in restrooms). This trick gave me ample space and ease of use. All I had to do was unlatch the lock and raise the frame. Poof, instant storage, endless opportunities!
Stackable Food Containers
Nothing is worse than the tiniest wobble of your camper and everything comes crashing down in your kitchen. Luckily, Tupperware got smart and made stackable containers! I would store my flour, sugar, breadcrumbs, etc. in individual containers and stack them to make one large tower – the same goes for my rice or various kinds of pasta. That way, you’re not having to move your flour out of the way and readjust your whole cabinet when all you needed was a cup of rice. This way also helps reduce bugs and other unwanted guests from getting into your food because most of these containers come equipped with airtight seals.
Level Up Your Cabinets
In my RV, there were no “closets” to hang items. Everything was folded and went in one long cabinet over the bed. Well, when all your clothes are folded into large piles and you need a shirt that’s towards the bottom of that pile … you can probably guess it causes quite the mess coupled with frustration. Enter plate racks! Plate racks (also referred to as stackable kitchen shelves) are used to stack smaller sections of plates atop one another to maximize storage while decreasing the probability of breakage.
Well, the same method can help with your clothes. I used the plate racks as separators for my t-shirts, blouses, hoodies, etc. which allowed me easy access to each item without the need to take out and refold every piece of laundry. You can buy these plate racks at Home Depot or Lowe’s and even Home Goods! They’re an affordable and easy tool to help keep your cabinets tidy without the hassle of large, messy stacks!