In a motorhome, storage is gold. You have to fit clothes, food, kitchenware, tools, leisure gear and a thousand other things into very few square metres, and on top of that keep it from moving while driving and still be able to find it. A well-organised camper is infinitely nicer to live in than a chaotic one. Here are the tricks that genuinely work to make the most of every centimetre.
Make use of dead space
There's space where it doesn't look like it:
- Organisers behind doors and on walls for small items (toiletries, utensils).
- Under the bed (the "garage"): the great storage area; use boxes to keep it tidy.
- Under the seats and in the gaps in the benches.
- Vertical space: shelves, netting and hooks make use of the height.
Boxes, baskets and jars
The secret of camper order: group things by category into boxes or baskets that fit the cupboards. That way you pull out "the kitchen box" or "the bathroom box" whole, instead of rummaging. Clear jars for the pantry and labelled boxes let you find everything instantly (we look at this in organising the pantry).
Nothing moves while driving
Anything not secured ends up on the floor (and making a noise) at the first bend. Use:
- Tension bars and elastics on shelves.
- Non-slip mats under objects.
- Velcro and cable ties to fix down anything that always lives in the same place.
- Heavy items low down and centred (also good for stability and weight distribution; see maximum weight).
A place for everything
The rule that keeps the most order: give everything a fixed place and always put it back there. In such a small space, leaving things "about" creates chaos immediately. If everything has its slot, tidying up is quick and you always find what you're looking for.
Less is more
The best storage trick is not filling the camper with things you don't use. Before every trip, take the essentials; "just in case" takes up space, adds weight and gets in the way. We look at this in clothes and luggage.
In short
Making the most of camper storage means using dead space, grouping things into boxes and jars, securing everything for the road and giving each thing a fixed place, while taking only the essentials. The step you can take today: spend an afternoon putting your things into boxes by category with an assigned place; you'll gain space, order and time on every trip. More ideas in tricks and hacks.
