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7 Ways To Optimize Space In Your New RV

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Storage in Your New RV

7 Ways To Optimize Space In Your New RV

Having a new RV is a pretty awesome thing. Not only does it allow you to travel quickly, easily, and on a budget, it also gives you the opportunity to take an entire home with you wherever you go. This means you have a kitchen, bathroom, and bed at your disposal no matter where you may wander. No wonder over 10 million US households own an RV!

Of course, if you want to use the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom in your new RV, you are going to need to carry some stuff with you too. After all, you can’t very well cook without pots and pans, or shower without soap, or sleep without PJs and bedding.

Unfortunately, because RVs are such tiny living spaces, many RV owners have a hard time finding enough space for all the things they need to travel with while still remaining comfortable in their space.

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Obviously, the first and most logical solution is to purge everything you possibly can from the storage area of your new RV. Minimize your clothing by trying out a capsule wardrobe, save only enough cups for each family member to have one, and toss out any big items that don’t get used often.

But what if this purging isn’t enough? What if you’re still left with too much stuff and too little space? Well, the next step is to optimize the space in your rig in such a way that everything and everyone fits nicely. Fortunately, this is easier to accomplish than you might think.

1. Look under everything

First, make sure you’re actually making use of all the storage space in your new RV. Some rigs have hidden storage areas that many RV owners never even find. Look under the couch and beds. Check under dinette seating as well. If one of these places doesn’t have storage built-in, consider adding it.

2. Remove unneeded furniture

We already discussed purging items you don’t need, but what about furniture? Some RVs come equipped with two couches when a family only actually needs one. Others might include a table that never gets used because the owners prefer dining outdoors.

Think about which pieces of furniture you’ll actually use and get rid of any that aren’t used regularly. You can then add cabinetry and other storage spaces in their place, or leave them open to give your family more room to spread out.

3. Install cabinet shelves

Nearly all RVs on the market have some sort of cabinet space. Unfortunately, not all cabinets are created equal. Many RV cabinets are incredibly tall, but without any shelving, they are awkward to organize or use effectively.

Installing cabinet shelves such as these can help tremendously with ensuring you’re making the best of the storage space in your new RV.

4. Invest in tubs, containers, and drawers

Besides cabinet shelves, you will also want to look for storage and organization solutions such as tubs, containers, and drawers.

  • Stackable containers for storing dry goods will help maximize the pantry space in your trailer or motorhome.
  • Meanwhile, placing a couple of sets of plastic drawers in the storage bay can help make finding tools much easier.
  • Flat tubs are perfect for sliding under beds and couches, and bigger tubs can hold seasonal items such as holiday decor and be pushed to the back of your storage area.

5. Make use of wall space

Many RVs have an abundance of completely unused wall space. This can make for some incredible storage space.

Try hanging a pocket organizer to hold important papers. A pegboard can be hung on the wall to hold containers for fruit, office supplies, bathroom items, and/or even kitchen gadgets. There is also the option of hanging shelves to hold items, as long as you’re willing to move those items down before each move.

Finally, you could choose to use something like these low-profile, wall-mountable TRONES containers from IKEA to hold items in place even while moving.

6. Consider the ceilings

Don’t have any available wall space? Look higher up! The ceilings almost certainly don’t have much of anything on them and can be used for some type of storage. For instance…

  • You might hang a fruit basket from the ceiling to keep your produce off the countertops.
  • A stuffed animal hammock can keep toys, pillows, and other items up and out of the way.
  • Scotch Command Hooks on the ceiling can be used to hang bags or jackets out of the way until it’s time for your next outing.

Command Hooks can also be used on the walls and around the RV in a variety of ways. Check out these Command Hook hacks from Camp Tiny:

7. Don’t forget the doors

Finally, you will definitely want to make use of the doors in your rig. These can be used in a variety of ways. An over-the-door pocket shoe organizer can be used to organize toiletries, small toys, kitchen items, or obviously, shoes.

Another option is to use a set of over-the-door hooks. These hooks can be used to hang bath towels, swimsuits, robes, or clothing you intend to wear again later. They’re also great for keeping bags and jackets up and out of the way.

Lastly, you could make use of the insides of cabinet doors. Do this by hanging a magnetic spice rack or magnetic knife rack on the interior of the door. A paper towel roll holder is also handy when hung on a cabinet door.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to optimize space in your new RV. Try out a few of these tricks today so you can fully enjoy your RV and all it has to offer during your adventures. Also check out these 5 Things You Can Expect As A New RVer.