If you are looking for campervan storage ideas, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether your campervan is big or small, there is one thing that you are sure to need, and that is good storage solutions. The ability to get a lot into a small space is not just an art, but a creative act!
YOU NEED TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT YOUR SPACE
Look at your campervan with fresh eyes and notice any spaces that are underused. They needn’t be large areas – even small spaces here and there can have their uses. Just bear in mind, that not all of these places will be immediately apparent.
That’s where creative thinking comes in!
Using our experience of what has worked for us in our own campervans, let us help you to think creatively about your storage.
OUR TOP CAMPERVAN STORAGE IDEAS
Rethink your Wardrobe!
Yes, you have a nice rail to hang your clothes, but is this the most effective use of space? In our first camper we divided the wardrobe and put shelves in two-thirds of it, leaving just enough space for a few hangers – the shelves were much more useful.
We had a couple of large deep shelves each, and with our clothes carefully stashed, we had plenty of room for everything we needed. Plus, with space left over at the bottom of the wardrobe, we had room to fit shelves to accommodate plastic baskets that could be filled with lots of other items.
If you decide to build in shelves…
- Add a lip (a piece of wood/quadrant) to the front edge of the shelves to stop the plastic baskets from sliding out when on the road.
- When building in the shelves, consider leaving about 4 to 6 inches of clearance between the shelf fronts and the wardrobe door, so that you can use the inside of the door for more storage (i.e. a hanging pocket organiser – see below).
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10-pocket hanging door organiser
This current organiser uses non-woven fabric with mesh pockets, so you can see what is stored in each section. It measures about 32.5cm wide by 130cm high, so check the usable height of your wardrobe door before buying. It is handy for the sort of lightweight bits and pieces that otherwise disappear around a campervan: sun cream, glasses, phone cables, keys, pens, notepads, toiletries and similar small items.
You could also make good use of your leftover wardrobe hanging space with a double-sided hanging organiser. The current example below has 36 mesh pockets in mixed sizes, so it still gives you a lot of storage without taking up shelf space.
36-pocket double-sided hanging organiser
The organiser has mesh pockets, so you can see what is in them without fumbling around trying to find things. The 36 pockets on the double-sided organiser would give you heaps of extra storage: ideal for socks, undies, scarves, etc!
If you don’t want to build in shelves…
- Then you could do as we did with another campervan. We bought one of the readily available sets of plastic drawers – see below. And we actually fitted them into the bottom of the wardrobe (tight up against one side).
- This still left room for the table that was also stored in that space, and worked really well. Two drawers each and enough space on top for a pile of hats or whatever you need. We need our hats! :-)
A current example of the same idea is this 4-drawer plastic storage tower. Measure your own wardrobe or cupboard before buying, because these units vary a lot in size.
These drawers are very similar to the ones we used. The whole thing measures H 87cm x L 39cm x W39cm., and there are 4 large drawers for you to fill!
What about Clothing and Towels?
We always packed our campervan trying to take into account every situation and weather condition. Taking all of the items of clothing we were SURE we would need. Every trip without fail, we came back with at least 60% of our clothing unworn!
Lesson: you never need as many clothes as you think you do!
Once you are off on your trip, you tend to wear and rewear the most comfortable clothes… and you don’t change them half as much as you may anticipate you will.
Other things we’ve learnt…
- Take clothes that don’t crease.
- Roll your clothes and towels, rather than folding them.
- Take microfiber towels: they are great space savers. They dry much more quickly than conventional towels too.
This is what we did – When we chose the scatter cushions for our campervan. We chose ones that could double as sleeping pillows. Then all we have to take with us are a couple of pillow slips, rather than having to store bulky bedding pillows!
Make the most of your Cupboard Space!
One of the best campervan storage ideas we discovered was how to make the most of our cupboard space.
This is how we did it…
- We used stackable containers, nesting bowls, and pots and pans that fit inside each other – it really does help.
- We also made use of plenty of collapsible items, such as a drainer, bucket, bowls and colander.
- This next idea isn’t collapsible, but it can make better use of a cupboard with enough vertical clearance: a shelf riser. The current Lifewit shelf riser extends in length from about 29.9cm to 40cm, but its height is fixed at about 18cm. Measure the cupboard height as well as the width before buying; it only makes sense where that 18cm clearance leaves useful space above and below the shelf.
And what about considering…
- Wire magazine racks. They can be fitted inside cupboards and used to store items such as cutting boards, tin foil, and other supplies.
- In base cupboards with large gaps between shelves, you can use one of these wire mesh baskets that hook onto (and hang from) the bottom of the shelf above.
- Making good use of plastic baskets! We have them in most cupboards and under-seat spaces. Wedging them neatly beside each other makes good use of the available space.
- This Blue Ginkgo 10.5L handled storage basket is a useful cupboard organiser. Its wooden handle makes it easy to lift in and out, which is handy for things such as cleaning bottles. It measures about 36.5 x 21 x 24.6cm, so measure your cupboard space before buying.
- Using plenty of hooks: think back of doors, and inside cupboards.
- What about hanging your kitchen utensils so you can free up drawer space?
Right, let’s throw more storage ideas out there…
- Vacuum-sealed storage bags (with travel hand pump!) – they are ideal for storing those extra jumpers that you just might wear if it turns cold, They also can come in handy for throws, blankets or extra bedding. Suck out the air, then lay them flat and stack underneath your bed.
- Curtain wire or tension rod can be used as a hanging wire underneath your wall cupboards. Or anywhere an extra hanging space is needed.
- Magnetic strips: use to keep those little metal items in place. Can be used inside drawers and cupboards – use your imagination.
- Self-adhesive and suction hooks and holders. Use them for tea towels, towels, and kitchen roll, etc.
- Also, think about using stretchy storage nets for light bits and bobs such as magazines or flip-flops.
- Smaller storage nets can also work inside doors or cupboards for lightweight items. As with any campervan storage, make sure things are secure before setting off.
In one of our campers we had hooks discreetly placed in the corners of the ceiling, and when it came time to make the bed, we strung up a stretchy net to these hooks and loaded the net with the pillows and bedding. This kept the bedding out of the way while we manoeuvred the table and cushions into place to make up the bed base.
This idea could be adapted to any bit of the campervan where you don’t need the headroom – think bathroom or toilet.
That concludes our list…
Thanks for visiting, and I hope that you found something among these campervan storage ideas to inspire you.
“Good order is the foundation of all things.”
– Edmund Burke
While you are here…
Why not check out 15 Campervan Tips and Tricks you should know about for more of our great campervan tips and ideas!
And if you’re are going to be travelling with a dog, then you may find some space saving ideas on our post Dog Accessories for your Campervan Canine.