11 Clever Ideas for Organizing RV Cabinets
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There is never enough storage space in an RV! My RV kitchen cabinets are so full they would be at risk of an avalanche if I didn’t keep them organized. Organizing RV cabinets is an annoying but do-it-once-and-you’re-done kind of job—if you do it right.
In this article, I’ll share some of my favorite tips for organizing RV cabinets and adding extra storage to help you maximize the space you have in your RV.
1. Utilize RV cabinet doors as storage.
- Cabinet Door Organizers with Towel Bars: It is a great storage for cutting boards, foil, cookie sheets, bakeware, plastic food wrappers, external towel bar design, each basket holds 1 small towel Make good use of kitchen cabinet storage space.
Hanging organizers on RV cabinet doors is my favorite way to add extra storage space!
Just be sure to measure before you buy anything. Some over door organizers are made for doors, not cabinet doors, and they will be too big to fit.
I love baskets like this one because they are easily spray painted any color (I chose gold) to fit your interior design. Plus you can hang them anywhere you need! I’ve seen RV owners hang them over shower walls and even from the top of a slide-out.
I added a piece of removable acrylic mounting tape to the backs of the hooks to keep the basket from sliding around during travel.
Read Next: 10 Genius Ideas for Securing Your Stuff While Your RV is in Motion
2. Add a paper towel holder
I kept my paper towels on my RV countertops for ages—enduring them getting splashed and gross sitting next to the sink—before I finally upgraded to a paper towel holder. This one can be screwed onto the inside of a cabinet door if you want it tucked away. I mounted mine to the bottom of the cabinets near my stove for easy access!
- [Characteristic]: Paper towel holder under cabinet mount:Paper towel holder constructed of SUS 304 Stainless Steel,Strong and not easily deformed，Waterproof and Rustproof.It has good load-bearing and stickiness, and it is not easy to fall off
3. Holy Organized Cabinets!
RV organization genius Kathhy Johnson shared these photos showing off how she uses her cabinet doors to stay ultra-organized.
Here is everything she’s using (clockwise starting from the top right):
- Paper grocery bag organizer
- Cabinet door rack
- White plastic sponge caddy
- Over cabinet towel bar hanging from sponge caddy (I would mount an adhesive towel bar below the sponge caddy instead, but that’s just me!)
- Wrap & bag organizer
- Over cabinet door wire caddy
- Wrap & bag holder
4. Cork Board and Tacks
You can also add cork tiles to the inside of a cabinet door to hang items like measuring cups and spoons. Not only is this a great way for organizing RV cabinets, but it also makes commonly used items easy to grab when you need them for cooking.
5. Don’t waste the space at the top of a cabinet.
Hang items from the top of a cabinet to ensure no space goes unused.
One way to do that is by hanging a rack like this from the ceiling of the cabinet.
- Dimensions: 4.2''D x 12''W x 9''H (Depth 3-3/4'' is fitting for Ziploc boxes)
Another idea is to store your pot lids at the top of your cabinet. I hang mine with tool hooks that perfectly fit the handles on top of my pot lids.
I love this measuring cup holder, which Kathy’s husband made for her using latching cup hooks.
He also made this rack for hanging travel mugs using the same hooks. You could try buying one, but Kathy said the store-bought mug rack had trouble with the cups falling off on bumpy rides.
6. Use deli containers as food storage.
Do you have a cabinet in your camper that always seems to be overflowing with food storage containers?
Cut down on the space requirement for food storage containers by choosing to use just one, stackable type. I chose to use plastic deli containers because they come in three different sizes yet all share the same lid. No more searching for lids! ?
I love these since they are free when I buy bulk foods or with takeaway orders from certain restaurants. You can buy them cheaply online, too.
- 44 Plastic food storage containers and 44 lids in 3 convenient sizes. Clear - so you can easily see what's inside. Tight sealing lids for airtight leakproof storage.
These also work great for storing dry goods like sugar, flour, and beans. I labeled mine using chalkboard labels and a chalk marker.
Psst those hanging organizers are actually cardboard covered with fabric! I love to cut down on my waste and these were inexpensive and fun to make.
7. Install a slide-out cabinet rack for hard-to-reach areas.
RV owner Debra Jones found it difficult to access items in the back of the cabinet under her stove, so she installed a Rev-a-Shelf pull-out rack to solve the problem.
She attached the cabinet door directly to the front of the wire basket using the Rev-a-Shelf door mount kit.
8. Use tension rods to hold things in place during travel.
You can even purchase wood grain tension rods to match the color of wood cabinets.
9. Store pans, baking sheets, and plates vertically.
The tiny cabinets in my camper aren’t tall enough to do this, but I love the idea of using a rack like this one to store these items vertically to keep them separate during travel. This would also be a good idea for RV plate storage if you have plastic or melamine plates that don’t break easily.
10. Add extra shelves to RV cabinets
It bothered me to have so much wasted space in the cabinet under my kitchen sink! I added an extra shelf to make the space more efficient.
I used scrap wood to make my simple shelf, but wire options are cheap and easy to find. (They are usually cheapest at Dollar General!)
- 44 Plastic food storage containers and 44 lids in 3 convenient sizes. Clear - so you can easily see what's inside. Tight sealing lids for airtight leakproof storage.
I love a good DIY project, so while the wire shelves are fine, I prefer to make my own. The final look is cleaner and the shelves are sturdier and permanent. You can read more about how I added extra shelving to the cabinet shown below in this blog post.
Another option is an expandable tension shelf, which can be purchased in many styles and widths.
- EASY TO INSTALL: No tools needed, no damage to your decorative wall, adjustment to the length you need within the expandable range, then extend the suitable length, next tighten the screw, finally adjust fine-tuning feet, shake the product and confirm that it is fixed, just select strong sides ,such as tiles, walls, wardrobes, etc.
11. Build a Pantry
The pantry pictured below was actually an empty wall before RVer Suzanne started her renovation.
The renovators knew that the space could be much better utilized. They capped the end piece with a single sheet of wood, and then cut custom doors for easier access to the pantry (and the ability to store larger items!).
Ideas for Organizing RV Cabinets
From adding shelves to buying organizers, you can get your wild cabinets under control with these organization tips. Share what keeps your cabinets clean in the comments!
STAY ORGANIZED:
Ashley Mann founded RVinspiration.com in 2017. She handed off the website to new owners in 2022 to launch a new business as an online entrepreneur coach, but she still helps out as the blog editor. Ashley spent three years living full time in a 38-foot, 5th-wheel RV with her husband Josiah and their cat, Kitty. Her favorite thing about RV life is the challenge of finding the perfect way to organize a space, and she loves seeing all the creative and clever ways people come up with to customize their RVs.
So many great ideas to make use of such a small space!
Thank you for all the great idea’s. It is so helpful especially when you are just starting out. We are new to this as of March 2020. We go as often as we can. Both working but will retire in a couple of years as we have a high schooler. I will refer to this website often.
Thank you Ashley!
New to Rving
Wen-Bill Adventures
Wendi Falcone soon to be Wendi Borst-Falcone
So glad to help! Good luck on your new adventure! 🙂
The cork board has been the best thing ever for me-so cheap and gives me so much more room
#9 is from my even. It is the cabinet over my fridge. By standing things on end, I can still reach them without a stool to stand on.