Best RV Storage Ideas (Tips & Design Ideas)

RV Storage Ideas – A recreational vehicle, or often abbreviated as RV, is a bus-like vehicle that includes living quarters for temporary accommodation. People often use it for road trips and traveling. There are several types of RVs. They include motorhomes, caravans, campervans, fifth-wheel trailers, truck campers, and pop up campers. Although most people use an RV as temporary accommodation, some people use it as their primary residence. These people will continuously move according to the climate.

As a mobile living space, RVs usually have typical amenities that we find in houses, such as beds, kitchen, and bathroom. However, because of its space limitations compared to a home, those amenities are usually smaller. However, the items to complement those amenities cannot be made smaller. Therefore, the right storage solution is needed to place these items.

An RV is very different than your day-to-day vehicles. You also need to bring all kinds of different stuff for various activities. Apart from the essential items like cooking equipment, clothes, and beds, you should also make rooms for recreational items. These recreational items include things like grills, bicycles, or even kayaks. They need to be stored properly so that every inch of space in the RV is efficiently used. With that in mind, we write this article to provide some space-saving ideas for you to make your RV cozier.

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Why you need RV storage?

Like a house, the room in an RV is not exactly abundant. Compared to a home, an RV has a very minimal space that we can use. Many RV owners struggle to fit all the equipment that they want to take on their road trips. Although most RVs already did a great job in making the most of their space, there’s always room for improvement to maximize the available space even more.

When it comes to RV space organization, storage becomes an essential part. It might not seem much, but the proper storage arrangement can make a difference. Because even the coziest RV can feel narrow and claustrophobic when different stuff is spewing out all over the place. To ensure you to get amazing experiences on your road trips, you should start to pay attention to the small things like storage space organization.

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Tips to make RV storage

Having a road trip with your RV feels like bringing your house everywhere. And, storing all the necessary items in an RV is much more challenging than in a home. To help you with RV organization ideas, here are our top RV storage tips that you can do to use the available storage of your RV properly.

1. Write down what you have

The first step to take before storing your items is to make a list. A list can keep everything under control. By making a list, you can see if there are any unnecessary items that you can remove or substitute. Moreover, making a list can also help you review the space usage before even storing them, so you can target specific areas that need to be maximized. Lastly, making a list allows you to keep track of your belongings to avoid losing them.

Prioritize what you need

Once you make a list, you can now decide your priority. In this part, you need to be honest with yourself and the ones that you’re going to be traveling with. Show them the list of all the items and start to make it as short as possible. Keep the important things, and eliminate the useless ones from the list. For example, avoid bringing extra dishes and cups to the RV trips. They might seem helpful, but they take up a lot of space.

Make space for everything

After eliminating the useless items, you can start deciding the place for each item. You need to cooperate with your travel buddies to make this easier. Because not all parts of the RV will get the same amount of items in them. For example, the bathroom items won’t be as many as the items in the kitchen. Therefore, you might need to maximize the less utilized area to store the items evenly.

Throw out the old, keep the new

Now, this step is necessary to keep your RV storage neat for the long-term. People might call it “One in, one out policy.” As it sounds, this step requires you to toss out the old items when the new ones come in. For example, if you bought a new towel and decided to bring them on your road trip, you can toss out the old one. This might sound simple, but most people don’t understand how important and useful this simple act is.

Utilize extra space

Extra storage is always possible in an RV. But, you should not always use them in advance. Use it only if you really need them. Additional storage can be inside of the car, the roof, or the rear of your RV. You can consider storing the items that might disturb your activities inside the RV, such as surfboards and bicycles, in those extra spaces.

RV Storage Design Ideas

Once you understand how vital an RV storage is and how can you maximize them, now you need some ideas to inspire you in creating the ideal RV storage design. We’ve already categorized our favorite RV storage designs into four different categories below.

1. RV kitchen storage Ideas

Kitchen storage is an essential part of an RV kitchen to keep things neat. Without a place to store cooking appliances, utensils, and all kinds of food and spices, the RV kitchen would be a mess every time the road gets bumpy. Here are our RV kitchen storage ideas for you to choose from.

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Modern RV Kitchen Storage

The combinations of white paint, metallic features, and glossy grey paint on this kitchen storage are remarkable. It accentuates the modern vibe of the interior. The rest of the room not only blends with the theme but also balances the tone very well.

Trendy RV kitchen storage

This storage design might not come from an RV kitchen, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t apply it. The use of a medium green tone can exude a warm feeling and create a positive mood. Moreover, combining it with contrasting colors such as white and stainless-steel appliances can enhance the effect.

Eclectic RV kitchen storage

The basic white color of this storage blends well with the interior. It makes the kitchen effortlessly looks clean. Furthermore, the glass panels on the cabinet doors help to see what’s inside without the need to open it.

Vintage RV kitchen storage

This kitchen storage is perfect for vintage style lovers. It perfectly combines the green color of the storage and the limestone backsplash. Also, the upward hinges on top side cabinets help the content of the storage to stay in place better using gravity.

Teak style RV kitchen storage

For people who love the natural vibe created by teak style furniture, this is the most viable option. The plenty number of drawers below the countertop is excellent for organizing things better. Also, the seamless design of the door makes the storage mix easily with any of the current interior designs.

2. RV bathroom storage Ideas

Same as the RV kitchen, an RV bathroom also needs to be carefully managed. It’s slightly different than the household bathroom because you can’t place the bathroom items wherever you want. Bumpy roads can also scatter them easily when there is not any storage to keep things orderly. Here are our RV bathroom storage recommendations.

Minimalist pocket-style RV bathroom storage

This bathroom storage utilizes the empty space of the bathroom door very well. It’s easy to make and offers plenty of extra space. However, this storage should not be near the shower, since it can be filled with water.

Minimalist metal basket RV bathroom storage

This bathroom offers not only extra storage but also durability. It’s quite easy to make, and with the right material, it will stay in good shape for a long time. Additionally, it’s easy to customize.

Cup hanger RV bathroom storage

The cup holder style is the perfect storage solution for the cabinet door. Because the items at the outer side of the cabinet tend to fall easily. Additionally, since it’s inside the cabinet, it won’t ruin the design of the bathroom.

Under-the-sink RV bathroom storage

This RV bathroom storage is the right solution for the unutilized space below the sink. The door-less design is an excellent option for people who thinks that functionality trumps aesthetics. It’s simple but efficient.

Magnetic RV bathroom storage

Although it might not be suitable for many kinds of items, it’s worth a look. A magnetic panel offers storage without harming the aesthetics of the room. Some cosmetics with the metallic material on the container can utilize this storage design.

3. RV shoe storage ideas

One pair of shoes might not be much, but if you’re traveling with many people, the shoes can be a mess if not stored properly. Messy shoe organization can take up much of your living area inside the RV. Here are our top picks for RV shoe storage ideas.

Simple rope-style RV shoe storage

Great space organizations can come from something so simple such as ropes, cords, or cables. This shoe caddy is cheap, easy to make, and useful to hold shoes in place when the RV is moving.

Pipe-style RV shoe storage

This type of shoe rack can be easily made using PVC pipes. It’s cheap, robust, and customizable. Moreover, you can quickly move the shoes altogether if you want to.

Minimalist pocket RV shoe storage

This shoe storage design is not only easy to make but also offers extra protection for the shoes. The only thing to decide is the material to use. It can vary from fabric to rubber

RV shoe hanger

A basic clothes hanger can also serve as shoe storage. It offers more flexibility to place it wherever possible. However, remember that not all shoes, boots, and slippers have straps to hang with.

Wicker basket RV shoe storage

A wicker basket can also be excellent storage for shoes. It not only serves as the place for your shoes, boots, and slippers but also be able to hide your shoes in plain sight. It’s useful if you want to keep everything clean and tidy.

4. RV basement storage ideas

Similar to the household basement, the RV basement also doesn’t take up the living area of the RV. However, since there are many necessary equipment and tools that need to be stored in it, the basement also needs the proper space arrangement. Here are our top RV basement storage ideas.

Vertical RV basement storage

Always go for the vertical arrangement if possible. Storing things vertically in the RV basement can save a lot of space. Moreover, having thin panels to separate different types of items can help to organize them neatly and hold them steadily.

RV basement ceiling utilization

The top part of the RV basement is usually left unused, even though you already store the items vertically. With help from some tapes and clips, the basement can fit more items inside. However, it needs to be firmly attached since the basement shakes a lot during road trips.

Hollow RV basement storage

Keeping the basement storage hollow can make it easier to move the items in and out. This will be useful, especially when there are some heavy items or equipment inside. You can push the heavy and hard to reach items from the other side of the RV basement.

RV basement storage drawer

This small modification of basic RV basement storage can help a lot. The slider will help to move heavy belongings more easily. Therefore, it can save time and energy when traveling.

Lit-up RV basement storage

This is another small modification to make your RV-living more fun. By adding lightings, the inside of the basement can be seen clearly without using your flashlight. This can be really helpful when you need to take something from the basement at night, and your flashlight ran out of battery.

5. RV storage organization ideas

Apart from choosing the design, an RV storage also needs to be appropriately used to maximize its potential. With the correct use and placement, you can double the space efficiency. Here are our favorite RV storage organization ideas.

Stainless steel nesting pots and pans

Instead of buying different kitchen utensils at different places, you can choose to buy one set of nesting pans and pots instead. It’s excellent to keep kitchen utensils and appliances organized in the limited storage space. It’s perfect for most RV storage sizes.

Collapsible dish tub

Every RV needs at least one dish tub to wash dishes or to put fruits. The standard dish tubs might take more space than the collapsible ones. The collapsible dish tubs can shrink as flat as 1.6 inches. Therefore, make sure to bring them to your road trips to save storage space.

Collapsible colanders

Similar to the collapsible dish tubs, this one can also shrink flat. If you plan to cook pasta or to wash vegetables, you might need to bring at least one of these collapsible colanders. They are handy and don’t need a lot of space.

Hang-able wastebasket

Compared to the standard wastebasket, this one will save the floor space. It can also be hung inside the cabinets to avoid the smelly RV kitchen. Not only it reduces clutter, but it also hides the smell.

Removable counter space

Some people feel that the space of an RV kitchen is not big enough to cook comfortably. This removable counter space can be an excellent idea for them to apply. It can be removed when it’s not needed to save space.

Under-the-sink space organizer

There is actually a thing called the adjustable under-sink storage system. This product will help to utilize the unused space under the RV kitchen sink. Although it’s beneficial, we encourage you to carefully choose the right items to put in that damp space.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, storage is an integral part of an RV to ensure the fun road trip experiences. We hope that all the RV storage tips we provided and the design ideas we recommended can help you create your ideal RV. Because, an ideal RV can make you feel at home wherever you travel.