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5 RV Pantry Cabinet Problems & Solutions

August 3, 2018 by Ashley Mann 11 Comments

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Sometimes RV pantry cabinets aren't quite as functional as they need to be: too deep, too narrow, too tall, or altogether non-existent!  Fortunately these brilliant RV owners came up with clever solutions for those problems, so you can borrow their ideas to organize your own camper or motorhome!

Problem #1: Cabinet too deep

One of the most common problems with RV pantry cabinets is that they're so deep it's difficult to reach things toward the back, especially on the upper cabinets.  An excellent solution to this problem is the Rev-a-shelf cabinet system of pull-out wire racks, which is what RV owner Debra Jones used in her RV pantry pictured below.

Rev-a-shelf wire slide out baskets can help you reach the back of a deep kitchen pantry cabinet in your #RV. #motorhome #traveltrailer #camper

A much more budget-friendly option is to make something similar yourself, which is what these RV owners did:

DIY wooden pull out shelves made for an #RV kitchen pantry cabinet #motorhome #traveltrailer #camper

If you would like to try a DIY cabinet storage solution, check out Ana-White.com, as it's a great place to find plans for this type of project.  For example, this project or this one looks similar to what the McIntyres built.

Problem #2: Cabinet too narrow

Some campers and motorhomes have a pantry cabinet that's extremely narrow in addition to being deep.  The Rev-a-shelf system also comes in a narrower width that's ideal for a situation like this.  (This shelving system is sold at many home improvement stores in addition to being sold online.)

ALSO READ:
Easy Way to Add a Shelf to an RV Cabinet - No Tools Required!

Rev-a-shelf wire slide out baskets can help you reach the back of a deep kitchen pantry cabinet in your #RV. #motorhome #traveltrailer #camper

My favorite solution to the narrow cabinet problem is this beautiful pull-out shelf made custom by RV owner Karen Finch's son-in-law.  Here's a DIY plan that could probably be adapted to use drawer slides instead of wheels if you wanted to try building this yourself.

This DIY slide out shelf makes it easer to reach things in the back of a narrow, deep kitchen pantry cabinet. #RV #motorhome #traveltrailer #camper

Problem #4: Pantry too messy

I know this is closely related to the “too deep” problem, but what I noticed about these solutions is how by removing the original cabinet shelves and replacing them with something different altogether, these RV owners were able to really organize the space.

The white wire basket drawers in the photo below are a combination of Elfa brand baskets from The Container Store and Closet Maid shelf brackets from Lowe's.  RV owner Kathy Johnson explains the system in more detail in her Facebook photo album.

This storage solution helps things in this #RV #kitchen #pantry cabinet stay #organized.

The thing I like about this next idea is that it requires no DIY skill whatsoever, as the whole thing is a freestanding unit that just slides into the cabinet.  RV owner Cindy Martin said she chose this Elfa closet organizer from The Container Store after comparing multiple options because it fit perfectly and even left room that would allow her to hang small narrow baskets on the inside of the pantry door.

ALSO READ:
DIY: How to Add (Removable) Walls to Shower Shelves

Elfa brand closet drawers from the Container Store were used to organize this #RV kitchen pantry cabinet. #motorhome #traveltrailer #camper

Problem #4: Shelves too tall

Not only do tall, shallow shelves waste space at the top, they're also an avalanche waiting to happen when you open the cabinet doors at the end of a day of travel!

One RV owner solved this problem by adding a nail polish rack to a cabinet.  She bought hers at Marshall's, but you can also find racks that would work on Amazon, like this acrylic one or this wire one.

Rack added to #RV cabinet to make better use of a tall space

I have the same problem of tall, shallow cabinet shelves in my own RV pantry.  To make better use of the space, I made a magnetic wall for my spices and added wire shelves and used tension rods to hold some of the things in place.  You can order the wire shelves online, but they are usually cheaper at places like Dollar General.

Tension rods and wire shelves add storage to an #RV kitchen pantry cabinet and help things stay in place during travel. #camper #motorhome #traveltrailer

Later, after I'd already bought a bunch of wire shelves for my pantry, I found out about an easy way to add removable wood shelves to cabinets that doesn't require any tools, screws, or other hardware.  I used that method to add a shelf at the top of this cabinet, and even had the wood cut for me at Lowe's.  Personally I like this method even better than the wire shelves because it's sturdier and there are no bars for small things to fall through.

ALSO READ:
Ways to Make Coffee that Don't Take Much Space

Easy way to add a cheap, removable shelf to an RV

Problem #5: No pantry or not enough pantry space

If your RV doesn't have a pantry or you simply need more space, an organizer like one of these can be a good solution.  The one on the left is from the Container Store and while it's designed to hang on a door, it could be mounted on a wall as well.  It is kind of pricey, but there are cheaper alternatives.  You could also get one that hangs over a door like in the photo on the right.  I really like this woven basket style, and have actually thought about buying one myself to replace a cheaper door organizer I use in my bedroom for clothes storage.

Metal organizers can be hung on doors to add storage space to an #RV that doesn't have a pantry. #motorhome #camper #traveltrailer

Hopefully that gives you some ideas for pantry organization!

For more RV kitchen ideas, check out these other blog posts I've written:

25 Storage Tips & Ideas for Organizing Tiny Kitchens

7 Organization Hacks for RV Kitchen Cabinets

9 Space-Saving Spice Storage Ideas

8 Fruit and Root Vegetable Storage Ideas

 

Storage and organization ideas for #RV kitchen pantry cabinets | #motorhome #camper #traveltrailer

Storage and organization ideas for #RV kitchen pantry cabinets | #motorhome #camper #traveltrailer

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Filed Under: Kitchen Ideas, RV Storage and Organization Tagged With: kitchen, organization

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda says

    August 4, 2018 at 12:10 am

    Great ideas! Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Sharon says

    August 6, 2018 at 10:13 pm

    How clever!

    Reply
  3. Carrie says

    August 21, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    RVers are geniuses. I’ve got a serious case of problem #2 and #4… I didn’t even know those rev-a-shelf existed until now! I’m definitely going to look into getting some of those – Maybe then I’d be able to keep track of all my spices lol

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      August 21, 2018 at 4:58 pm

      The Rev-a-shelf system is definitely goals for my next house! Knowing me I’ll probably hack a DIY version though….

      Reply
  4. Tammy Rutherford says

    October 13, 2018 at 3:41 pm

    Any ideas for akward shaped cupboards? I have a triangular pantry, deep and lots of space between three shelves.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      October 17, 2018 at 8:14 am

      Hmm….well first of all I’d probably stick stuff I didn’t use as often in the back….or what about a Lazy Suzan? If a Lazy Susan would fit, you could get wedge shaped storage bins like these to keep stuff from falling off the back.

      Reply
  5. Cinzia says

    April 24, 2019 at 1:45 am

    Great tips! We are currently building an expedition truck and I’ve found your tips inspiring 🙂

    Reply
  6. Sharon says

    September 11, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Thank you for inviting us in and showing pictures of your home! Thank you for showing us your pantry space that reflects reality and a lived in kitchen!! I need functional and realistic, doable organizing tips.
    God bless 😊

    Reply
  7. TMott says

    February 24, 2021 at 1:22 am

    Thank you for the great ideas!
    We have the #2 sliding pantry that is between the refrigerator and the bedroom wall, by Karen Finch. When full the weight cashed it to slam open and hit the cabinet opposite cabinet causing a small crack. To remedy that a hole was drilled at the top, on the bedroom side, all the way through the side of the top shelf. A 3-4 inch “L” shaped pin was pushed through and we use a horizontal piece of Velcro over to hold it in. No more issues and the pin can be stored in between the Velcro pieces when not in use.

    Reply
    • Ashley Mann says

      February 24, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      I love that kind of problem solving! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  8. Christine says

    July 30, 2021 at 3:40 pm

    We use several of these ideas in our RV also, but I’ve picked up some more tips to try as well. Thanks!

    Reply

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