How To Organize Your RV And Maximize Any Space

Do you have an RV camping trip planned and find yourself anxious to pare down everything you want to bring? Don’t sweat it! With the right equipment and a resourceful mind, you won’t have to sacrifice any of your belongings to free up space. 

In order to completely optimize your RV’s space, you’ll have to use the golden role of organization: see every space as multifunctional. In the article below, we’re going to totally break down how to organize your RV to make the most of your space with a number of cool tricks. Plus, we’ll include the best travel accessories for you to bring to make sure your RV rental is as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Let’s begin!

What To Bring On Your Trip: Camping Essentials

For our camping essential MVPs, the only items that we’re not going to list are food and water. For detailed information on how much food and water you should bring on any hiking trip, check out this article here.

Layers Of Clothing + Extra Shoes

Pretty standard, but you’ll need an appropriate amount of clothing that can cover you for any occasion. Even if you think that you’re going somewhere really hot or really cold, it’s good to have an emergency sweater or lighter clothes just in case. This is particularly relevant if you’re camping somewhere that hovers around 75° during the day. Chances are, it’ll cool off enough during the evenings and early mornings that you’ll be glad of some layers if you’re outside.

When it comes to shoes, cater what you bring to not only what you’ll be doing, but what’s most appropriate. If you’re camping in nature you’ll probably need a pair of hiking boots for the day or comfortable sneakers for less intensive walks. Then, a pair of flip flops or slippers that you’ll wear around camp. Whichever you choose to bring, opt for whatever is most comfortable on your feet, since you’ll need to take good care of them on the road.

If everyone in your trip packing layers of clothing and multiple shoes sounds like a disaster for saving space, worry not! You’ll be able to organize your RV like a pro with some handy space saving accessories later.

Foldable Chairs

For sitting around the campfire, of course!

Plus, there’s not always a guarantee that your campsite will come with a picnic table (which you’ll want to confirm ahead of time). In that event, bringing collapsable chairs and even  tables ensures that your camping experience will go off without a hitch.

Although you can certainly spend up to whatever your comfort level is, Walmart sells perfectly good foldable chairs for less than $10. As for foldable tables, we recommend the models that come with built-in cup holders like these or these for extra stability. 

Pots, Pans, And Utensils

Just like with picnic tables at campsites, you shouldn’t assume that your RV rental will come with cookware. Always, always double check with the RVs owner first and save yourself some frustration. 

If you don’t want to bring dishes during your trip but you’re also trying to be eco-conscious, we strongly recommend investing in Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap for washing reusable plastic plates/utensils with. The brand is well known for the quality of their environmentally friendly soaps, and you won’t have to worry about something happening to any of your own dishes on the road with plastic plates. 

Hobby Gear

Now for the real fun to begin! Camping of all kinds, including RVs, is about being out in and enjoying nature. So bring activities that you know you’ll be able to enjoy on hikes or by the fire! Fishing gear, yoga mats, a volleyball net, or even just a good book after a long day are perfect add-ons for your camping adventure. 

Must Have Accessories For RV Storage And Organization

We’ve gathered a few of our favorite accessories so that you can organize your RV with any size of space or budget. 

Hanging Closet Shelf

If you’re an overpacker of any kind, hanging closet shelves are a godsend. Not only are they great for organizing all your clothes and shoes, but they’re free space for anything else you can fit in them!

One of the key components of optimizing space is to always look where you can find any first. Vertical closet shelves help you gain additional storage for things like cookware and hobby gear where you may not initially think to look for it. 

If your RV rental has a closet in the main living space, we highly suggest putting a hanging shelf there if you’re lacking space. Otherwise, keeping all your add-ons even in the bedroom closet is still a convenient way to maximize the square footage of your RV.

By using vertical shelves, you’ll be able to clear up additional closet space for bigger things like your foldable chairs and tables. 

Airtight Food Containers

Make the most out of your pantry space by doing two things: planning ahead and using an airtight food storage set. When it comes to planning ahead, think about the meals you’ll be eating during your trip. Meal prepping will save your time and space during your trip since you’re combining the ingredients you’ll need later and not bringing anything that you don’t. 

Similarly, using airtight food containers to store things like cereal or other dry items allows you to, once again, take advantage of the vertical space in your pantry. Arranging your pantry by stacking containers will save you tons of space. Plus, it looks nice too!

Magnetic Kitchen Racks

Whether you’re storing spices, cutlery, paper towels, or more, magnetic kitchen racks are another great way to maximize your kitchen’s space. They can be simple and just hold a few things, or if you’re bringing lots of supplies you can hang plenty of it up against your fridge or dishwasher if you have one. 

We tend to like racks that have hooks on the bottom, that way you can hang up coffee mugs or cooking utensils. Bonus points if has a rod for paper towels, like this one. Using a magnetic knife holder will also free up precious cabinet space. 

Kitchen Sink Workstation 

You’ve probably noticed a theme by now; the kitchen is a popular spot for space to become cluttered. Though many RV rentals have amazing, spacious kitchens for you to unleash your inner Gordon Ramsay on, sometimes other aspects of the layout get higher priority. If you’re planning on cooking in a small RV kitchen, having a kitchen sink workstation is an incredibly convenient way to optimize your work space.

To make the most of this space, opt for a kitchen sink workstation. These incredibly handy cutting boards are designed to fit in/over your kitchen sink, turning it into additional counter space to work on. 

Plus, you can also use a dish drying rack that goes over the sink when you’re done cooking. Both of these items are classic ways to honor the golden rule of organization: see every space as multi-functional. If you can organize your RV kitchen and living room, you’ll experience peace of mind and space.

 

What do you think of our travel tips for how to organize your RV rental? What’s worked for you in the past? Let us know in the comments below!