As spring inches nearer, thoughts of weekend camping trips are filling our minds. Along with these early plans for upcoming trips come the thoughts of packing, planning, and the many items we need to fit into our travel trailer or RV. It doesn’t take long for the list to grow while the available space seemingly shrinks overnight. RVs are a great way to travel, but they come with limited space that can make packing a real hassle.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Check out a few of our favorite ways to maximize space when packing for your next adventure.
In the Kitchen
The kitchen can get easily cluttered with dishes, spices, pots and pans, and snacks. It can quickly feel like there’s enough counter or table space available, and often there isn’t room in the unit for an additional work surface.
To help solve that problem, we like to install a tabletop surface to an adjustable leg like our ITC MOD Leg. This leg allows you to swap in a variety of tabletop sizes for more counter or table space in your kitchen area. With the ability to adjust the position of the leg and tabletop, you can utilize surface space where it best fits your unit and needs from task to task. If you don’t already own a tabletop that’s compatible with our MOD Leg, stay tuned! We’re releasing a tabletop designed specifically for the MOD Leg system in a variety of finishes this spring!
Other options for additional counter space are sink covers. These are usually solid boards or wire racks that span over the kitchen sink, letting you easily use that area as counter space. The downside being that your sink will won’t be accessible when its covered.
Food can quickly lead to clutter in your RV fridge or cabinets. There are a few options to help keep those areas more organized and take more advantage of the space. Try a magnet fridge rack that attaches to the outside of the fridge (if your fridge is magnetic). These racks both organize and make space for items in your kitchen. They’re perfect for spices, a bag of coffee, smaller bags or containers of snacks, or anything that’s small and easily lost in a cabinet or pantry.
For the fridge we suggest getting a set of stackable containers. Take items out of their original packaging and store them in one of these containers for a more secure way to pack your food during travel. These containers also stack in the fridge without squishing more delicate items. Neatly stacking containers capitalizes on the vertical space in your fridge a lot more efficiently.
These types of containers are also useful in cabinets and closets. For another cabinet alternative, consider undershelf hangers—they hang from the shelf and add a compartment below. This helps eliminate the need to pile things on top of each other.
In the living area
Living spaces don’t require as much storage as the kitchen or bedroom, but there can always be improvements. In larger units, there are often matching recliners at the back or beside the couch, while smaller units often just come with a couch. There isn’t usually extra space for side tables to place your morning coffee or evening beverage of choice. This is another spot where the MOD Leg shines. There may not be floor space for an end table, but there’s usually open wall space to mount one. This offers surface space and it can be easily rotated for sitting or standing up.
Over arm sofa or chair organizers are another option to keep track of your TV remote, book, reading glasses, and other small items. A simple organizer compartment adds additional storage to your living area and helps you keep small items in a consistent location.
In the sleeping quarters
Closet and drawer space is often limited in an RV, too. Depending on the season, you might need warm clothes for a chilly morning or evening, but shorts and t shirts for a hot afternoon. This can quickly use up all the space you have available. There are some easy options to both add space and to use the space you have more efficiently.
An area often overlooked is on the back of the bedroom door. This can be a great area to hang hooks for coats and sweatshirts so they don’t take up too much space in the closet but are handy when you need to grab them in the morning or evening. The back of the door can also be used for hanging racks to keep the floors of your closet and room clear from shoes, socks, t-shirts, or hats.
Adding dividers to your drawers allows you to accomplish a few things. It will help you keep clutter in your drawers to a minimum while allowing you to better see what’s in the drawer for more efficient use. You’ll no longer have to dig through piles to find what you are looking for.
In the bathroom
RV bathrooms are particularly small areas. Much like with the back of the bedroom door, the back of the bathroom door is a space that can be used to add storage. There are plenty of toiletry bags options that offer a built-in method to hang on the back or the door or come with a loop to hang from a hook.
Adding a tension rod with wire racks in your shower is a really easy way to organize your various shower items. It can be quickly removed and placed on the shower floor when travelling and then reinstalled in a few seconds once your reach your destination. Plus, there’s no need to drill into the shower wall at all and risk hitting pipes or wires.
With all the new and optimized space you’ll have in your travel trailer or RV, we hope that you enjoy camping in your RV to the fullest this year! If you need help planning for a trip this summer check out our blog on Planning Your Next RV Trip. Or, if you’re taking your kids out for their first trip this year, explore A Beginner’s Guide to Camping With Kids to help you and them have a great time!
