15+ RV Storage Hacks For Better Pantry Organization
One of the main joys of RV camping is the ability to bring your favorite foods with you on the road. Sure, you can take snacks on a road trip, but campers provide a mobile kitchen that lets you take your whole pantry along for the ride.
However, sometimes space gets a little tight and you may need some RV storage hacks to help keep things organized and easy to access.
1. Mounted storage on cabinet doors
When you’re dealing with the limited storage space of an RV kitchen, every inch of space counts! Pantries and storage cabinets are the main places where you’ll keep larger items, but there is still space on the backsides of these doors.
Try using narrow plastic bins, or mounted wire racks. These are great for storing spices, bags, and disposable plates/silverware. Don’t make them too bulky, because you want to make sure you can still close the door!
2. Use shoe organizers for small item storage
Another option for door storage is a shoe organizer. These hang fairly flat against the back of the door and are great if you have a pantry with a full-size door. This is one of our lowest-budget RV storage hacks, but it’s quite versatile!
You can store lots of things in the pockets of a shoe organizer. Granola bars, cooking utensils, and pre-packaged snack bags are all some small, easy-access items you could keep in here.
3. Add pull-out containers in cabinet shelves
One of the biggest problems with RV pantries is that the shelves are very deep. Although this might sound like a good thing, this design can make it quite hard to reach items in the back.
Pull-out shelves are a good solution to this issue. You can either install them on rolling runners or buy a set of plastic tubs that slide forward easily. These stackable shelves are a great option. They’re deep enough to stretch into your pantry but are still easy to slide out when you need them.
4. Move new food items into shelf-ready containers
Food packaging comes in all shapes and sizes. This can make it hard to organize a cohesive pantry when you need to juggle all the different boxes, jars, and bags. To make things easier on yourself, think about transferring all your RV food into compact, easy-to-organize containers.
Tupperware sets are great for this purpose, but there are lots of other methods you could use. When you stock up on groceries, just empty the contents into labeled jars, boxes, or bins. This will make it easier to organize and save a lot of space and hassle.
5. Vacuum seal food to save space
Some food won’t be eaten immediately and will be more of a long-term storage item. If you’ve got a lot of this type of food, think about vacuum-sealing the containers to compress them and save space.
After that, all you need to do is tuck them in the pantry, refrigerator, or other storage spaces of your RV. This method won’t work for all types of food, but if you’re a fan of dehydrated fruit or jerky, this could be one of the perfect RV storage hacks for you!
6. More bags, less boxes
Speaking of bags, try to use a lot more of them in your storage strategy! It’s easy to clutter up your limited space with a bunch of half-empty boxes. Dry ingredients such as flour, salt, baking soda, etc. are very easy to store in sturdy Ziploc bags.
You can also keep your main storage at home and refill bags before you leave on trips. There’s no need to bring your whole food storage on the road. Bags are useful because they’re smaller, more flexile, and easy to fit into cramped spaces.
7. Organize your shelving accordingly
Another step that can make pantry organization easier is by tailoring it to your needs! Everyone likes to organize in a different way, and there are some foods that you’ll use much more frequently than others.
RV pantries can be quite tall, so it’s hard to reach the top shelves sometimes. To make everything easier, try to put your less-used items on the top shelf, and organize things with the most important items at the front and the least important at the rear.
8. Use nesting bowls, measuring cups, etc.
Pantries are most often used for food storage, but sometimes you’ll need to add a few utensils, dishes, or other kitchen items in there as well. When you’re living in an RV, all your equipment needs to be as compact as possible.
To maximize the available space in your cabinets, try to use collapsible or nesting kitchen equipment. This set of mixing bowls and measuring cups takes up a very small amount of space in the cabinet. There are also items like collapsible colanders and nesting pan sets that are perfect for RV campers.
9. Add tension rods for stability
It’s no secret that traveling in an RV can be a bit unstable. When you’re hauling a bunch of loose food and drinks with you, you don’t want to worry about finding a mess in your pantry once you’ve parked for the day.
Tension rods are extendable poles that can be used to brace your food storage during travel. Think about installing a few of these on each of your cabinet shelves, and in your refrigerator as well. They will help prevent items from being knocked over or spilling.
10. Try a Lazy Susan
Lazy Susans are a great way to organize your pantry while maximizing space. These are small rounded shelves that spin in a circle, giving you access to every item with no need to take everything out.
There are a variety of Lazy Susan spinners you can buy, but they’re also fairly easy to make yourself! Check out this guide of 14 ways to make a Lazy Susan spinner.
11. Buy perishables as you go
Most perishable items will be stored in your refrigerator. Refrigerator space is a precious commodity when you’re in an RV, so you want to make sure that nothing goes to waste or gets spilled.
In order to preserve your storage space and the lifespan of the food, you should plan on buying perishables as you travel. If you’re taking a long trip, don’t overload the fridge with your entire trip’s food storage. Food that’s stored in overcrowded refrigerators is more likely to rot, so make stops as you go to keep your fridge clear and your food fresh.
12. Mounted wall baskets
On a similar note, you can also use wall baskets and bins to increase your RV’s storage capacity. There are lots of classy-looking baskets that won’t detract from the decoration style of your camper.
Baskets like this one are perfect for storing fruit, spices, cleaning supplies, and anything else you need. If you prefer to keep them out of sight, you can also install thin baskets on the inside of your cabinet doors.
13. Make use of your counter space
Sometimes it just isn’t possible or practical to fit everything inside of a cabinet. When you need to expand your storage space a bit, think about using the counter space of your RV.
There are lots of storage bins or jars you can tuck into a corner (with nonslip pads to prevent movement). You can also try using a wire can rack to store your cans in a compact and easy-to-access way.
14. Magnetic strips
Magnetic strips are good storage options for both the inside and outside of your pantry. These are the perfect storage shelves for metal items and utensils. Magnets are perfect for RV storage hacks because they keep things neat, organized, and out of the way, but they also prevent movement when the RV is being driven.
One of my favorite items are these magnetic spice racks. You can keep everything on hand without worrying about anything falling out or coming loose.
15. Install wall hooks for easy access to tools
One of my favorite RV storage hacks is to install hooks around your camper for extra storage space. I’ve used hooks for key storage, pot holders, and cooking utensils. It’s very convenient to just reach up and grab something with no need to rummage around in a drawer.
Hooks are very easy to install, and a lot of kitchen items have loops, holes, or other handles to hang them from.
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