RV Organization and Storage Ideas

Updated on August 12, 2024

RV Organization Ideas. Tips and tricks for organizing your RV or travel trailer. These tips work well for all types of small spaces.

My family has always loved camping. When my husband and I first started dating, we went camping in a small tent with minimal supplies.

Then, we got married and had kids. We upgraded to a much larger tent and built our camping supplies to make it more comfortable.

A few years after my youngest was born, we upgraded to a pop-up camper. It had a toilet, sink, and shower, which was convenient for our longer trips. We almost always dry camp (also known as boondocking), so we rarely have hookups for water and sewer.

We upgraded even further this spring to a Pacific Coachworks SandSport toy hauler. Although our tent trailer had many camping conveniences, it was cramped as our kids grew.

I never thought I would be a trailer or RV person, and I even used to tell my husband it wasn’t “real” camping. But alas, here we are. And I love it!

How to Organize an RV or Trailer

I was already pretty good at organizing camping supplies, from having everything in totes for tent camping to storing much more in the actual tent trailer. We now have a ton of storage space, but keeping things organized and not rolling around can be challenging.

These tips can be used in any small space, not just a camper or trailer.

Use Shelf Liner

To help combat the problem of things shifting while moving, you can install EasyLiner Grip Shelf Liner in the cabinets. I didn’t add this to all the cabinets, but after taking the trailer out a few times, we now know which things move the most in the trailer.

I use the Duck Brand liner in taupe. It makes it easy to see things inside the cabinet but doesn’t show dirt as much as white would.

It is easy to use. You cut it to fit with scissors and then lay it in the cabinet.

There is no adhesive to worry about getting just right; you can take it out to shake or wash it as needed. It provides just enough grip to keep things in place.

Cabinet Under the Sink

This is the cabinet under the sink. There are pipes and other things in the way, so I fit the liner as best I could. Under the sink, we store all of our plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

We also store our Ziploc bags and garbage bags under the sink. I keep everything in place in a plastic basket from Dollar Tree.

Instead of bringing a huge box of trash bags, I take some from our larger supply from Sam’s Club and put them in a gallon-size bag. I also keep a gallon-size bag full of grocery bags. These are perfect for our small trash cans.

Cleaning Supplies

I purchased a small divided tote from Dollar Tree to keep cleaning supplies corralled and easy to grab. This houses a bottle of all-purpose cleaner, a dish scrub brush, dish soap, a sponge, a Magic Eraser, and antibacterial wipes. 

We also keep the hand soap here until we reach our destination. I keep the counters completely cleared off while traveling.

I also purchased a large box of disposable silverware from Sam’s Club to keep in the trailer. I usually wash real silverware, but sometimes we need disposables when we camp in a big group.

Hanging Storage

We keep a small trash can on the cabinet under the kitchen sink. It perfectly fits a grocery-size bag.

We have a large pop-up trash can we keep outside at camp, but this saves me from having to go in and out of the trailer all the time. My friend gave me a crocheted towel hanger to hang our dish towels from the oven door.

Make the Most of Limited Drawer Space

Most trailers and RVs have limited drawer space. We have three in the kitchen and two more in the main bedroom.

We keep all our smaller items, such as silverware, kitchen shears, small knives, measuring cups, and spoons, in the top drawer. I used a small tray to keep all the silverware together. Since the drawer is so small, a traditional silverware sorter won’t fit.

The next drawer holds all our large kitchen utensils. I purchased large knives with sheaths so no one gets cut while fishing in the drawer.

Again, I would love to add drawer dividers, but this drawer is so small that traditional storage solutions don’t fit.

The bottom drawer holds miscellaneous odds and ends too small to store in plastic storage bins. We keep long lighters, matches, clips, a small sewing kit, and more in this drawer.

Use Bins to Corral Similar Items Together

Pretty much everything else in the trailer is organized into plastic bins. I purchased all the bins from Dollar Tree. They are inexpensive and come in many colors, shapes, and sizes.

I try to store similar items together in the most convenient location. Baskets keep small items together and allow for easy access.

We have several cabinets above the sink. We store plates, bowls, cups, and travel mugs on one side. All the cups are in a bin to prevent them from rolling.

In the other cabinet, we have another bin with water bottles, cozies, and a pitcher. We also keep our large cutting board, dish drainer, dish mat, and a plastic bin of dish towels and pot holders.

The cabinet is deep, so this makes the best use of the space. I can pull the entire bin out to make finding what I am looking for easy.

I keep the things I use most often on the lower shelves within easy reach. I have to stand on the couch or chairs to get into the top shelves.

RELATED: More Camping Ideas

Keep Counters Clear of Clutter

Because I dislike having anything on the counters while traveling, I purchased a small clear Command container that attaches to the wall. It holds a small notebook, pens, and pencils. A clear Command hook hangs in the corner to hang our trailer keys when we get to camp.

Food Storage

I add most of our food to the refrigerator, freezer, and shelves right before camping, but I leave certain dry goods in the trailer year-round.

We keep a bin for beverage items. We have a small basket for coffee, coffee filters, powder creamer, straws, packets of hot cocoa and hot cider, and a water flavor enhancer.

We have a taller bin for spices. We typically have salt, pepper, Montreal steak seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, celery salt, Tabasco, oil, sugar, and toothpicks.

Sometimes, my husband takes the trailer out to go hunting by himself. He does not pack as much food as I do when we all go.

I keep a bin of easy-to-make meals in the trailer for him. This is also great to have if there is an emergency and we must stay longer than expected.

I fill a couple of empty bins in the cabinet when it is time to camp. I usually have one with breakfast items and another with snacks. Most of the main meal foods are kept in a cooler or refrigerator.

Once a year, I go through everything in the trailer and replace anything that has been used or expired. I try to check the food when we camp, and if I know we won’t use it camping, I will bring it back into the house for use.

RV Kitchen Cabinet Storage

The cabinet next to this one holds our Coleman stovetop coffee pot. I love this thing. We used to use a percolator, but this was well worth the money if you love your morning coffee as we do!

We also have a tool bag with various odds and ends—zip ties, cables, battery chargers, etc. Below that, we have our pots, pans, and bowls, which we stack up to conserve space.

The opposite side of the trailer also has cabinet space. It houses lights and all the pet supplies. We have a bin with all the flashlights and headlamps.

We have a lantern that folds down to fit neatly in the cabinet. We also keep a couple of propane bottles for the lantern in there.

The bottom shelf holds the dog bowls, leash, brush, and treats.

The bin on the bottom shelf has a tablecloth with clips, more wet wipes for hands, an umbrella, and rubber gloves when going to the dump station.

Remote Storage

Our trailer came with a TV. I think this is a little extra, but snuggling up and watching DVDs when camping in bad weather has been nice.

We secure the remotes by using Command picture hanging strips and attaching them to the inner cabinet.

Battery Storage

You never know when you will run out of batteries, so I keep all the sizes in a fishing tackle box. This box stays in a drawer in the bedroom.

Toys and Games Storage

We have a designated shelf for the kids’ toys. They have a plastic bin filled with buckets, shovels, bubbles, bug catchers, and a frisbee.

I purchase items from Dollar Tree to easily replace them if they get lost or broken. The entire plastic bin goes right outside when we get to camp.

I also keep coloring supplies in the trailer. I love to color; it is a great rainy day activity for the whole family.

We always have games like Uno and Yahtzee in the trailer. I keep them all together in a Ziploc bag.

We also keep a large container of glow bracelets or necklaces in the trailer. We use these at night for the kids to play with and to keep track of where they are. They are also great to clip onto your dog’s collar.

RV Bathroom Organization

The bathroom in our new trailer is pretty big. Now that we have more room, I purchased duplicates of almost everything we use in our house for the trailer, so I don’t have to worry about stocking the trailer each time we camp.

I purchased smaller sizes as needed to fit everything in the bathroom cabinet.

I made sure to use the shelf liner on these shelves, and this stuff moves around a lot. When you arrive at your campsite, use caution when opening any cabinet!

Note: I have since added small tension rods in front of the items in the bathroom cabinets to keep them in place better.

I used adhesive hooks along the wall between the shower and the sink to hang bath towels.

I used another divided tote to keep all our shower supplies together.

When we are not camping, it goes in a cabinet in the main bedroom. When we get to camp, it goes in the shower or bathroom floor.

Under the bathroom sink, we keep towels, a first aid kit, and our toilet chemicals.

We used another Command hook to hang our shower poufs in the shower. These are special hooks where the adhesive is made to withstand moisture.

Command hooks are an easy way to use vertical space in the RV. They come in so many different sizes and styles.

I have had the best luck using the “bath” or “outdoor” command strips. If you use regular strips, the temperature fluctuations can sometimes cause the adhesive to come off.

Bedroom Camper Storage

We are very lucky to have a lot of storage space in the bedroom. We have two large closets, two drawers, and a cabinet above the bed.

We also have extra storage space under the bed. This is the perfect spot for storing our laundry basket and extra blankets.

Almost all the storage items were purchased from the dollar store. You can also check out my RV organization ideas in my Amazon shop for easy purchasing.

What is your best organization tip for keeping a well-organized RV? Let me know in the comments below.

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