Organization and secure storage are the keys to having an enjoyable RV camping experience.  The question is HOW.

RV CAMPING – STORAGE & ORGANIZATION IS REQUIRED

Things tend to move around when an RV is moved, and storage space is always limited.  Ineffectively securing things can and will result in damage to the items and the inside of an RV.  Further, storing things haphazardly and inefficiently may mean leaving something behind or not being able to figure out where it was stuffed.  These problems are real, but the solutions are simple.  Lets take a look at the options.

Secure RV Shelves

Non Slip Shelf Liners:  First and foremost, line all RV cabinets with non-slip shelf liners to help minimize things sliding around inside your cabinets.  This is your best first line of defense.  Since they are not 100% effective at keeping things from being tossed around, only from slipping around when your RV is moved, additional measures are needed.

Bins & Baskets:  Plastic bins and baskets are easy and cheap ways to organize and stow items in an RV.  Measure the cabinet interior dimensions, and don’t forget to measure the openings.  Do this to ensure your purchases will fit and can be accessed.  Additionally, look for those with straight sides rather than those with sloping or angular sides to maximize every inch of space.  Likewise, rectangular low sided clear bins organize and secure items in the refrigerator.

RV Organizers

Turned on their side, tiered shelf and cabinet organizers store and secure anything from plates to cutting boards and sheet pans.  Likewise, magazine holders also organize and store “flat” items.  When dealing with shoes and other “stuff-able” items, pocket organizers are the ticket.  Self adhesive hooks work well for hanging them wherever you have available vertical space.  Lastly, use “behind the door” wire shelves for increasing storage space if you have doors on which these can be installed.

RV Shelf Security Bars

Protect things from lurching forward when underway with tension rods or cupboard bars. A simple café curtain tension rod may work for lightweight items, but specialty cupboard bars made for RV’s may be preferable for heavier items.  We use tension rods to secure things from falling forward during transport.  Since these bars work by “locking” items securely to the back wall of cabinets, things are prevented from falling forward and leaning against the door.  Even though items may fall over sideways, they don’t fall out when the door is opened.

RV Self-Adhesive Solutions

Self-adhesive hooks and other non damaging removable items are fantastic for organizing your RV space.  For example, in the kitchen they are perfect for our kitchen towels, potholders, and utensils.  Likewise, we use them in the bathroom for our towels.  We use them for our day packs, our jackets, and our wet/damp gear.  In other words, we use them to keep all of these things from taking up other precious storage or floor space.  They are perfect for anything that can be hung.  Additionally, we also use self-adhesive shower organizers and small shelves to in our RV bathroom and swear by them.

RV CAMPING – STORAGE & ORGANIZATION FINAL THOUGHTS

With a little forethought and appropriate preventative measures, damage need not occur to an RV under transport.  We cannot emphasize strongly enough that literally everything inside the RV must be secure, or at some point damage inside the unit will occur.  In this regard, we would like to encourage you to ensure you have not overlooked anything.

Miscellaneous Things We Missed

For example, frosted glass cabinet panels are gorgeous in an RV, but they get bare spots if things vibrate or rub against them.  It happened to us, and had we known of the possibility we could have avoided it.  Further, the glass turntable in our RV microwave oven was jostled horribly out of place one day.  A big bump in the road was all it took, so now it is stowed securely elsewhere when we are moving.  Additionally, we enclose a place a piece of paper towel at the top of the microwave door to keep the vibrating door from marring the body of the microwave.  Finally, stow hanging paper towels and toilet paper so they don’t unfurl during your move, or loop something around them.

Check Before Departing

Finally, although bins and organizers generally stay put with non-slip shelf liners, a big bump in the road often sends lighter items flying.  As such, check all cabinets and counter tops carefully before you go to make sure your stuff is secure.  Create a checklist if you need to, but be sure to check thoroughly because it is easy to forget something.