We have a client who went recently left to east coast and headed west for two months in an RV with her family of 5. With her 3 boys doing virtual school, at least through the new year, they jumped at the chance for this once in a lifetime opportunity. What an amazing experience for her, her husband and kiddos to see the US and spend time together as a family! Now I know what you are thinking, 2 months in an RV with 5 people!?!? But just like with most things in life a little organization goes a long way!
Before they headed out on their adventure we helped the family pack and organize their lives. We helped them walk through the process of decluttering, whittling down what they needed and making the most of the new (smaller) space. Our ultimate goal was to maximize the storage and space in the RV. We evaluated the RV before anything was added and then helped them source organizing products to make the most of their new traveling home.
Now that the family has been on the road for a bit and we have been keeping in touch of how the organization systems are going, I have put together a list of our top tips for staying organized in an RV.
Tips for RV Organization
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Plan ahead and take stock of everything you have and will be bringing with you in the RV. Heading out an a road trip in an RV can’t be like heading to Miami in college – packing 5 minutes before you leave. You need to take stock of everything you have and need and make a plan for where it will go within the space. Our client created a detailed inventory of everything they would be bringing along and then a list of where it would be stored. This not only helped them be mindful of what they were packing but then allows them to quickly find items when they are on the road.
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Purge! RV living is different than your normal life. Do you really need 12 drinking cups? No! You are going to have to scale back and do dishes more often. Every piece that is brought on to the RV should have at least one purpose (more than one if possible) and be necessary for your daily life.
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Designate a home for everything! If something doesn’t have a home when the RV is stationary and when it is moving it doesn’t come along for the ride.
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Use the back of the doors and increase vertical space wherever possible. RVs might not have square footage going for them but they typically have a good amount of height. Get creative with how things are stored – hang towels on the back of doors (our client is using this rack here), don’t use valuable drawer space for toothbrushes but use a wall mounted holder (like this here) and accept that things are going to need to be stored high (bring a step stool).
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Get ready to store before you hit the road. Everything in an RV has to be able to be put away or secured before you start rolling so you can’t count on storing things on counters or in the open. Keeping items organized in bins (like these here and here) will allow you to quickly pack up before you head out to the next stop. And then unpack when you reach your next destination.
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Use turntables to maximize usable space. Our client is using turntables both in her cabinets and on her counter to help maximize storage. Not only does this allow her to more quickly access things but they are also easy to pop in a cabinet when they start moving again.
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Take things out of the packaging! Just like at home, packaging takes up so much space but that space is even more valuable in the RV. Removing items like granola bars or cereal from their outside packaging will help save space.
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Maximize space within cabinets. Don’t settle for one layer of storage but use things like this under sink shelf to double the space.
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Focus on multi-use items. Things like cubes that can be used as a stool but also store your kid’s’ toys or a wooden cutting board that can also be used as a platter.
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Once you are on the road use the one in, one out rule. Are you getting a new pair of shoes? Then one needs to be donated to keep the space from getting cluttered and overwhelmed.
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We traveled the US in a 34′ motorhome for a year – generally staying only a day or two before moving on to our next location. Lidded bins, clear pantry bins and 3M Command products were my salvation.
Keeping the refrigerator relatively full and using pantry bins to corral small items meant there was less room for things to shift around and spill or break when we were in motion. Bulky kitchen items (slow cooker, food processor, etc) were in a lidded bin under the bed as well as another bin full of containers for storing leftovers – we cooked mostly from scratch every day.
3M Command Bath items were extremely helpful in the shower. We could leave shampoo, conditioner and soap bottles in the shower in the bin on the wall – handy while bathing and no mess when traveling. A plastic grocery bag hanging on on a hook in a tight spot worked for trash (mostly toilet paper cores).
We used lidded bins in all the "basement" storage areas to organize and keep things cleaner (road dirt gets everywhere). Out of season clothes, tools, hobby supplies, travel mementos, extra paper goods – everything had a bin. Keeping all the RV utility supplies (sewer hoses, electrical cords and adapters, etc) together made setting up and tearing down easier (and kept that compartment cleaner).
It is amazing what you can fit into an RV if you measure carefully and spend time thinking about how to organize it all.
These are some great tips! What an amazing year it sounds like you have had!