Tips & Hacks to organise storage for Motorhomes
Campervan storage is a fine art no matter what the size of your van or motorhome is. So we thought it might be a good idea to outline our very favourite campervan storage ideas and motorhome packing hacks.
Storage and packing of your motorhome or campervan essentially boils down to being smart about not just what you’re bringing but how you’re bringing it.
Motorhome Packing Hacks
Everything should be multi functional
If one item can do two jobs. Then you’re onto a real winner. You’re saving space and payload.
For example, if you like candles, but think it might be frivolous to pack them. Then just make sure you bring citronella or any sort of bug repellent scented candle and it’s suddenly viable to bring with you. It’s serving two purposes.
Chuck out your cushions!?
Lots of people would argue that cushions are purely an aesthetic part of your van and if you’re really short on space then they should be one of the first items to go.
Wrong.
A great campervan packing hack is to stuff cushion covers with clothes (think pants and socks or big jumpers) and therefore you free up cupboard space, and your cushions look great but also serve a very useful purpose.
Get Vacuuming
Vacuum Packing
If you’re away for a long time, possibly even over several seasons or perhaps covering distances so great that right now you need summer clothes but in a week you’ll need to be wrapped up. Then vacuum packing is a great storage hack.
Using a vacuum packer you’ll be able to compress your clothes down into the smallest possible pack as well as keeping them fresh, dry and ready to go.
Use every ounce of space
Use your footwells!
After god knows how long and god knows how many campervan road trips we suddenly realised that some stuff that had no place to be stored properly (disklok, big coats, etc.) and tended to just get chucked around the van depending on what we were doing could get stowed away in the footwells when we are parked up.
And stay there until we next moved.
We went from moving coats from on top of the cooker, to in front of the door, to on the table, to the bed, and back, several times per evening to stowing them away until at the very earliest, the following morning.
Use wall space!
Anything that takes up valuable cupboard and drawer space needs to be carefully examined. If you’re familiar with the vanlife scene on YouTube then you’ll surely be aware of the vanlife magnetic spice rack rite of passage. And it is a brilliant, low cost idea to free up half a drawer.
But while your at it. Hang up your mugs, get a magnetic knife board. Anything that can get hung on the wall, then hang it up!
Telescopic hanging poles
These are brilliant to create temporary (or permanent) storage, almost anywhere in the van. We use them as towel holders in the bathroom predominantly.
Small Campervan Storage Ideas
There are tons of products out there promising to organise your life. Some good, some great and some absolute rubbish.
Here’s our pick of the bunch
Net Bags
Ideal for hanging up easy access clothes (pants and socks, t shirts, jumpers etc.) Just pop on some screw on or suction cup hooks and you’re good to go!
Also great for storing veg, shopping or even going for a shower.
Packing Cubes
Organise cupboards for pre-sorted, easy grab items
Cargo Nets
Similar to net bags and great if you have a long but shallow stretch of under counter space or for above your heads in the cab
Collapsible, Stackable & Uniform
Everything that can be collapsible, stackable & uniform will pack together better, in less space and less likely to cause motorhome rattle (more on that later)
The Dreaded Motorhome Rattle
If you’re a motorhome or campervan owner you’ve either expeirenced the horror of the Motorhome Rattle yourself or heard of it whispered in hushed tones in the quiet corners of the motorhome community.
It’s when your travelling along and no matter how smooth the road, or how well packed your van is, the rattle from the back of the van is shaking your brain in your skull so hard that you feel you might shatter an ear drum.
Well, the good news is, its pretty easily solvable and very cheap to do so – check out a few gadgets below to help you out.
Draw Liners
A simple principle, line all your draws with this stuff to prevent stuff rattling against them, muffle any sound that does occur and it will also help prevent any chips in your crockery and glassware.
Pot & Pan Dividers
Same principle as the drawer liners above, place one of these between each plate, bowl, pot and pan.
Tubigrip
A little tip. A section of tubigrip around each glass (plastic or glass) acts the same as the pan dividers does and costs virtually nothing – the final nail in the coffin for motorhome rattles.
External Storage
And finally, no matter how small your campervan, even a tiny vw campervan, has space on the outside that can be utilized.
Bike rack – not just for bikes. Anything that can be securely stored and is within the weight limit of the unit can be hung or strapped on there.
Tow bar – doesn’t just need to be for towing a trailer. Get a tow bar bag. We’re planning on getting one for all our camping equipment (chairs, fire pit, etc.) which can then be taken off and left at a campsite if we stay for a few days to make driving about a bit easier.
The roof – not just for solar and skylights. If you are away for a long time, put your next season clothes in a roofbox and hoof it up there to be forgotten about for a few months.
Campervan Storage Solutions Summary
What are your best campervan storage solutions or hacks? Let us know in the comments.
But for now, as usual:
Go Explore! With excellent campervan storage hacks!
