Do you love to go camping? Plan on taking the RV for a spin this summer? Living and traveling in an RV has many advantages…and a few challenges. Overcome those challenges and take RV living to a new level of enjoyment with these clever RV hacks.
You’ll need these super-smart RV hacks to make your trip even better. We’ve found lots of clever ways to organize and keep things while you’re on the road.
I just LOVE weekends and our trips around the country visiting as many The invention of the RV brought about a new era of camping. Now people can enjoy the great outdoors during the day while enjoying the comfort of A/C (and a bed!) at night.
But, it’s still not quite all sunshine and rainbows…living in a camper has a few flaws. For example, it lacks space…and whatever you store in it can get tossed around while you drive to your destination.
If you find yourself asking how you can make the most of the space you have while still maintaining some order and sanity, we’ve pulled together the top RV living tips – making life on the road with pets, with kids, with meals, with TRAVEL easier…
Oh, and most of them are DIY’s that are nearly free – definite budget-savers.
1. RV Trick – Create Your Own Child’s Cot
Looking for more space in your RV? Create a bed over your car seats. These folks made them with PVC pipes! Instantly they have more space. Don’t want this for a cot – it can double as a storage place for when you aren’t traveling.
2. Create a Dinner Station – from a Magazine File Folder.
Store paper goods in your tiny kitchen inside a magazine file. When it is time for dinner, just grab the basket and you are good to go!! Add velcro on the bottom and on the shelf to hold everything in place while you’re on the move!
3. Using Community Showers??
Keep track of your toiletries while using community showers. Put your soap and shampoo into travel bottles and then wear them on a lanyard. You won’t lose the bottles, you can hang them when you aren’t using them.
4. Keep your Fridge Organized
If you have a fridge in your RV you NEED these. Insert tension rods into your fridge to keep your items INSIDE the fridge instead of flailing about. No more discovering spilled jars when you get to your destination.
5. Your RV Doesn’t have a TV?? No worries with this RV Hack! Use your iPad
All you need is an iPad and a few command hooks. This tip will transform your iPad into a Wall TV – it takes up no space and uses less bandwidth when streaming than a traditional TV!! You just need a hotspot or even previously downloaded vids!
6. Collapsible Bowls!! Your RV will Thank You
7. Transform your RV Ladder into an Outdoor Kitchen
This RV life trick uses a simple sheet of plywood, that you can store inside your van just about anywhere and use the latter with the tabletop to create a makeshift table. This is perfect for those days when you just want to enjoy a meal outdoors or you need a little extra space.
With just a little WiFi, and a laptop – this RV Table doubles as your outdoor office!!
8. Create Your Own Ambient Lamp
RV Living even if you are going to a destination with a water hook-up, water is something you need to have stocked up. And electricity is often in short supply – even if you have a generator! The cool thing about this hack is that it doubles up – use your water “stockpile” as a light!! Just grab a battery-powered headlamp. Save the generator for the fridge or heat!! Want to amplify the light even more?? Use a pie plate as a reflector. Create a table lamp with just a headlamp and a gallon of water. How simple is that?
Related Post: Tent Camping Hacks You’ll Be Thankful To Know This Summer
9. Keep Your Trash Can in Place
Living in an RV you have two major struggles constantly… SPACE and having things not moving all over the place while you are driving. Keeping the trash collected and compact is a must. TIP: Attach your trash can to the inside of a cabinet door to keep it in place and out of sight. Talk about a space saver! AND it will allow you to use grocery sacks as trash bags!! Double win.
10. Never Lose the Remote Control Again!
or… ipads… even your favorite mug, put some velcro on the bottom or back of that pesky item. This allows your items to both have a “place” where they belong, but also not “swim” around your vehicle when you have to unexpectedly break or take a turn. Use velcro or command strips to hold your remote controls in place. This RV Trick will help you keep your sanity so you know where to find them, as they won’t slide around as you drive down the road.
11. Install Some Flashlight Holders
Install broom clips near the door to hold your flashlights. That way, you can grab one any time you need one (in the dark, of course). Broom clips double as sunglass holders, key drop-off zone, you will LOVE not cluttering your counter space or drawers – added perk, they wont fall down when you stop the RV.
More RV Living Hacks For Beginners To Make Living In A Camper Even Better
12. Make an RV Friendly Shoe Rack
PVC Pipes are must-haves when you have an RV. There are so many tips and tricks that you can use to create storage, keep track of items using pipes! And they are super easy to assemble – even if you are the least handy person in the world.
Assemble a shoe rack from PVC pipes to store shoes vertically. This will both save precious floor space, but you also won’t have a rogue shoe flailing about everywhere when you take a fast turn.
13. Store RV Sewer Tubing in an Under-RV PVC pipe.
Loved discovering this sewer tubing camper trick. It will help you keep track of your tubing while having the least mess possible. It will be easy to hook up and keep tidy. Aren’t PVC pipes the BEST?? To secure it you can use metal ties or even the heavy-duty zip ties. All you need is a drill to create holes to thread the zip ties through. Then affix the pipes to the undercarriage of your camper. Viola.
14. Hang Shower Products For Easy Accessibility
Hang your shower products from a curtain rod. They will stay organized with no bending over to reach your products. And (maybe) best of all, there will no longer be a worry about them falling over or sliding around while you’re on the road.
Related Post: 15 Brilliant Shower Tricks Every Girl Should Know
15. Use RV Cabinet Doors – Make Toothbrush Holders
PVC pipe toothbrush holders are a nice alternative when you can’t leave your toothbrushes sitting out on the countertops. These are hung inside the cabinet door to help keep them in place and keep you organized.
16. DIY Canned Goods Rack For Your Camper Pantry
Turn closet racks into cabinet organizers for your RV. You can see all of the cans that you have at a glance this way! Plus, there’s no sliding around as you journey down the road.
Related Post: Pantry Storage Ideas- 16 Top Canned Food Storage Hacks
17. Hang Measuring Spoons and Cups… or even PAPER PLATES!
Use the space under the cabinets – for your paper plates – and more! HOOKS and hidden racks like this one for cutting boards, or this one for plates, are your Camper’s best friend. Hang your measuring spoons and cups on the back of a cabinet door. This is particularly helpful in an RV since there’s very little storage (and often very few drawers)!
18. Hang Utensils Up, Too! And you can add a pull-out for cutting boards.
Measuring cups and measuring spoons aren’t the only things you can hang up. Install a rod between your cabinets (or attach it to the wall), then use s-hooks to hang your utensils.
19. Use A Towel Bar To Secure Items in Your RV
If you would prefer not to hang your toiletry items, secure them in the bathroom or shower with a towel bar instead.
Use These RV Living Tips To Make Your Trip The Best It Can Be!
Don’t waste your time rummaging through drawers to find what you need or spend precious time reorganizing your stuff after you drive your RV around!
With these tips, you won’t feel like you need to duck and cover when you open a cabinet door. Even if you only take a few of these suggestions, I promise it will make your trip much easier and enjoyable.
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