5 Best RV Storage Compartments For Organization That Nomads Swear By
Get organized with these road-tested RV solutions.
Living in a recreational vehicle is an exercise in intentionality. Every item you own has to earn its place, and every square inch of space matters. The difference between a chaotic, stressful rig and a serene, functional home on wheels often comes down to one thing: smart storage. It’s not about having less stuff, but about having better systems to manage the stuff you need for a life of adventure. An organized RV isn’t just cleaner; it’s a more efficient, enjoyable, and sustainable way to live on the road.
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Tame Your RV Clutter With These Smart Solutions
Let’s be honest, RVs are notorious for their awkward, hard-to-reach storage spaces. You have deep overhead cabinets, a cavernous "basement" compartment, and shallow pantries that seem designed to create chaos. Simply throwing things in is a recipe for frustration, leading to duplicate purchases and endless searching for that one specific item you know you packed.
The key isn’t just buying more containers; it’s about installing systems that change how you interact with your space. The best solutions don’t just hold your gear—they make it accessible, visible, and secure during travel. They transform dead space into functional storage and turn frustrating moments into effortless efficiency.
We’re going to look at five specific types of storage solutions that seasoned nomads consistently rely on. Each one solves a different, common RV clutter problem. From accessing the deepest part of your pass-through storage to hauling bulky gear, these are the tools that make full-time RV living not just possible, but pleasant.
MORryde Sliding Cargo Trays: Access Your Gear
Easily access your truck bed cargo with the MORryde sliding tray. This fully assembled, carpeted tray boasts an 800 lb capacity and installs in minutes without measuring or cutting.
The "basement" or pass-through storage in most RVs is a fantastic amount of space with a fundamental design flaw. It’s incredibly deep, meaning whatever slides to the middle is effectively lost until you pull everything else out first. This turns a simple task, like grabbing a camp chair, into a full-blown unpacking session.
MORryde sliding cargo trays completely solve this problem. These heavy-duty steel trays are mounted to the floor of your compartment and slide out, bringing the entire contents of your storage bay to you. Suddenly, the back of the compartment is as easy to reach as the front.
This is a true game-changer, especially for heavy or bulky items like toolboxes, portable grills, or totes full of gear. While they do add weight and have a significant upfront cost, the gain in daily convenience is immeasurable. You’re not just buying a tray; you’re buying easy access to 100% of your largest storage area.
Enjoy perfectly cooked food on the go with this portable 14-inch charcoal grill. Its 3-point locking lid preserves heat, while the dual venting system ensures consistent airflow for even cooking.
The Container Store Bins: Organize Your Pantry
Organize and protect your belongings with this 4-pack of Vtopmart 6 Qt clear storage bins. Featuring secure snap-on lids and a stackable design, these durable containers keep items visible and accessible for home, office, or school.
RV pantries and kitchen cabinets are where organization goes to die. Every time you move your rig, the contents shift, rattle, and tumble, creating a jumble of cans, boxes, and bags. Finding what you need for a meal can feel like an archaeological dig.
The solution is to create containment systems with clear, modular bins. Using a consistent set of bins, like the multi-purpose bins from The Container Store, allows you to group like items together and turn a deep shelf into a series of removable "drawers." You can pull out the entire "snack bin" or "canned goods bin" instead of rummaging around in the back of a dark cabinet.
The key is to measure your spaces meticulously before you buy. Opt for straight-sided, stackable containers to maximize every inch of vertical and horizontal space. This system prevents items from shifting in transit and, because they’re clear, you can see your inventory at a glance, which helps reduce food waste and prevent buying duplicates.
Stromberg Carlson Platform: Haul Bulky Items
Easily access your RV with this heavy-duty, rust-resistant steel platform step. It offers adjustable 4" or 8" heights and a stable, non-skid surface, supporting up to 300 lbs.
Some essential gear simply doesn’t have a good place inside an RV. Think generators, large coolers, extra fuel cans, or a stack of firewood. These items are often dirty, smelly, or just too bulky for your interior or even your basement storage.
An exterior cargo platform, like the Stromberg Carlson Trailer Tray that mounts over the A-frame of a travel trailer, creates a dedicated spot for this kind of gear. It keeps the fumes and grime outside while freeing up valuable interior and compartment space. These platforms are built to handle heavy loads and the rigors of the road.
However, this solution comes with a critical caveat: you must understand your weight limits. Adding hundreds of pounds to the tongue of your trailer or the back of your motorhome dramatically impacts your towing dynamics and safety. Always weigh your rig, know your gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and tongue weight limits, and never exceed them.
Command Hooks: Damage-Free Wall Organization
RV walls are thin, delicate, and often hide wiring and plumbing. You can’t just grab a drill and start hanging things like you would in a traditional house. This limitation often leads to cluttered countertops because there’s nowhere else to put frequently used items.
Command Hooks and other high-quality adhesive strips are the undisputed champions of vertical space in an RV. They provide a secure hold for a surprising amount of weight but can be removed cleanly without leaving a hole or sticky residue. This allows you to utilize wall space that would otherwise go to waste.
Think beyond just hanging keys by the door. Use them inside cabinet doors for pot lids and measuring spoons, on the side of a slide-out for jackets and hats, or in the bathroom for towels and toiletries. It’s a simple, inexpensive, and completely reversible way to get clutter off your flat surfaces and create a home for everything.
Lippert Underchassis Storage: Add More Space
Maximize RV storage with the Lippert Under Chassis Unit. This durable, bolt-on bin features a spring-loaded latch for easy access and holds up to 100 lbs of gear.
For many full-time RVers, the constant challenge is not just organizing existing space, but creating more of it. One of the most overlooked areas on many fifth wheels and travel trailers is the dead space between the I-beams of the frame, right under the floor.
Lippert’s Underchassis Storage units are lockable, weatherproof boxes designed to mount directly to the chassis frame. They essentially create a brand-new storage compartment out of thin air. This space is ideal for long, thin, or dirty items you don’t want inside, such as sewer hoses, outdoor rugs, folding tables, or fishing gear.
This is a more advanced modification that requires drilling into your RV’s frame, so it’s not for the faint of heart. You also need to be mindful of your ground clearance, as the boxes will hang lower than the rest of the rig. But for those who need to maximize every possible cubic inch, tapping into this unused real estate is a powerful move.
How to Choose the Right RV Storage for You
There is no single "best" storage product, only the best solution for the specific problem you’re trying to solve. Buying a cargo tray won’t fix a messy pantry, and Command Hooks won’t help you store a generator. The first step is to accurately identify your biggest organizational pain point.
Use this simple framework to guide your decision:
- If your problem is accessibility to items in a deep compartment, you need a sliding cargo tray.
- If your problem is containment of loose items inside cabinets, you need a system of modular bins.
- If your problem is hauling bulky, dirty gear, you need an exterior cargo platform.
- If your problem is cluttered surfaces and wasted vertical space, you need damage-free hooks.
- If your problem is a sheer lack of space for essential gear, you need to create it with underchassis storage.
Start with the one issue that causes you the most daily friction. Solving that one problem will have the biggest impact on your quality of life on the road. Don’t feel pressured to implement every solution at once; an organized RV is built one system at a time.
Your Organized RV Awaits: Final Thoughts
Achieving an organized RV is not a destination you arrive at, but a continuous process of refinement. As you travel, your needs will change, and your systems will need to adapt. The goal is to create a living space that actively supports your adventures rather than hindering them.
Ultimately, organization is about freedom. It’s the freedom from the stress of a cluttered space, the freedom from wasting time searching for things, and the freedom to be present and enjoy your surroundings. A well-ordered rig allows the mechanics of daily life to fade into the background.
These five solutions are trusted by nomads because they are robust, practical, and solve real-world problems. By implementing the right systems for your rig and your travel style, you can spend less time managing your stuff and more time living the life you set out to find.
The best RV storage solutions do more than just hold your belongings; they enhance your lifestyle. By making your gear more accessible, contained, and secure, you reclaim time and mental energy. This allows you to focus on the true purpose of nomadic life: the experience of the journey itself.
