11 Clever Ideas for Organizing RV Cabinets

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.

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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. 

Over cabinet basket hung on RV cabinet door

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!

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3. Holy Organized Cabinets!

RV organization genius Kathhy Johnson shared these photos showing off how she uses her cabinet doors to stay ultra-organized.

organizing RV cabinets storage ideas

Here is everything she’s using (clockwise starting from the top right):

  1. Paper grocery bag organizer
  2. Cabinet door rack
  3. White plastic sponge caddy
  4. 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!)
  5. Wrap & bag organizer
  6. Over cabinet door wire caddy
  7. 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.

RV cabinet storage idea

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.

RV cabinet organization idea

One way to do that is by hanging a rack like this from the ceiling of the cabinet.

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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.

Pot lids hung from the top of an RV cabinet

I love this measuring cup holder, which Kathy’s husband made for her using latching cup hooks.

Mug storage idea in an RV cabinet

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.

Camper cabinet storage ideas

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! ?

Plastic deli containers used to save space in an RV kitchen cabinet

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.

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These also work great for storing dry goods like sugar, flour, and beans. I labeled mine using chalkboard labels and a chalk marker

DIY organizers on the door of an RV kitchen cabinet

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. 

Slide out drawer added to an RV kitchen cabinet

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.

Tension rod to prevent items in an RV cabinet from shifting during travel. organizing rv 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.

Baking pans and dishes stored vertically in an RV kitchen cabinet

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.

Shelving added to an RV kitchen cabinet. organizing rv cabinets

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!)

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organizing rv cabinets

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.

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

Another option is an expandable tension shelf, which can be purchased in many styles and widths.

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11. Build a Pantry

The pantry pictured below was actually an empty wall before RVer Suzanne started her renovation.

Photo Credit: Suzanne Taylor

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:

15 thoughts on “11 Clever Ideas for Organizing RV Cabinets”

  1. Kathy Joneson

    A tip on containers–square ones make more efficient use of space than round ones. I like Lock-n-Lock because even the square ones are truly airtight, watertight, and insect-tight.

  2. This post is amazing. I wish this blog existed when I started RVing!

    I remember how hopeless I felt when I realized our kitchen only had one cabinet…. and it was very tall but thin. We actually removed the microwave and built a cabinet in it’s place for extra storage, but we also discovered the joy that is wire shelving!

    It’s still a major challenge keeping things organized and it’s usually a mess, but I’m glad that I have a post like this to reference when I need to create more space for stuff.

    1. Aw, thank you so much for the kind words! Actually I wish this blog had existed when I started RVing also, but the fact that it didn’t then is the reason it does now! 😀

  3. Ellen @ If It Brings You Joy

    Really good space-saving ideas that make good use of space that would otherwise be wasted. I don’t have an RV but I do plan to use some of these ideas in my home. One other idea that I have in my bathroom….. I hung a hanging shower caddy on the inside of the cupboard door. I store hairspray, special lotions, etc.

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