6 Best Stackable Totes For Maximizing RV Closet Space That Nomads Swear By

You open your RV closet door after a travel day, and an avalanche of clothes, spare parts, and that one bag of chips you forgot about tumbles out. We’ve all been there. In a space where every square inch counts, a chaotic closet isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a thief of space, time, and sanity. The solution isn’t a bigger closet—it’s a smarter system built on the humble, yet powerful, stackable tote.

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Why Totes are an RV Closet Organization Game-Changer

The single biggest mistake people make with RV closets is failing to use the vertical space. Most closets are just deep, awkward boxes. Totes allow you to build upward, turning a single floor surface into two, three, or even four distinct storage levels. This is how you double your usable space without a single modification.

More importantly, totes create containment. On travel days, everything in your rig is subject to vibration, bumps, and sway. Loose items become a jumbled mess. A well-organized system of totes keeps everything in its designated place, so you arrive at your destination with your closet looking exactly as it did when you left.

Finally, they offer modularity. You can pull out a single tote—your "sock bin" or your "first-aid bin"—without disturbing everything else. This grab-and-go functionality is essential in a tight space. It transforms your closet from a static storage unit into a dynamic, functional part of your daily life on the road.

Sterilite Latching Box: The All-Purpose Favorite

If there’s a workhorse in the world of RV organization, it’s the Sterilite Latching Box. You’ll find these in the rigs of full-timers everywhere for one simple reason: they hit the sweet spot of affordability, availability, and function. They come in a vast array of sizes that seem almost tailor-made for the odd dimensions of RV cabinetry.

Their key feature is the simple latching lid. It’s secure enough to prevent spills during transit but easy enough to open with one hand when you’re trying to grab a t-shirt. We use these for folded clothes, linens, and dry goods in the pantry. The semi-clear plastic lets you get a general idea of the contents without needing a label maker for everything.

The tradeoff is durability. These aren’t the toughest boxes on the list. An overloaded tote can cause the lid to bow, and a hard drop can crack the plastic. They are best for lightweight, everyday items inside the main living space, not for heavy tools in an unheated storage bay.

IRIS USA Weathertight: For Secure, Dry Storage

RVs are constantly fighting a battle with humidity and potential water intrusion. A leaky seal on a slide-out or condensation in a storage bay can ruin sensitive items. This is where the IRIS Weathertight totes prove their worth. Their defining feature is a foam or rubber gasket in the lid and multiple heavy-duty latches that create a truly airtight and watertight seal.

These are my go-to for anything that absolutely cannot get damp. Think important documents, camera gear, bulk-purchased flour, or seasonal wool clothing. If you store anything in an external bay or a pass-through storage area, using a weathertight tote is non-negotiable. It’s cheap insurance against moisture and even pests.

Because of their robust construction and sealing mechanism, they are more expensive and a bit bulkier than a standard tote. You’re sacrificing a tiny bit of interior space for a whole lot of protection. For peace of mind, especially when storing valuable or moisture-sensitive items, the trade is always worth it.

Rubbermaid Roughneck: Unmatched Travel Durability

Some items in an RV need to be stored, and some need to be contained. For tools, spare parts, leveling blocks, and anything heavy or with sharp edges, the Rubbermaid Roughneck is the undisputed champion. These things are built to withstand abuse that would shatter lesser plastics.

The thick-walled construction and impact-resistant material mean they can handle the constant vibration and occasional drops that are part of RV life. You can toss a Roughneck full of wrenches into a storage bay without a second thought. Their lids are deeply recessed, making for a very stable stack that is unlikely to shift during travel.

They aren’t pretty, and they are completely opaque, so labeling is a must. But when it comes to pure, brute-force durability, nothing else really compares. If you’re storing something that could break the container or that could be damaged if the container breaks, a Roughneck is the right choice.

Really Useful Boxes: Perfect for Small, Awkward Items

The name says it all. These boxes are really useful, especially for the small stuff that creates the most clutter. Their signature design feature is straight sides, which means you don’t lose precious volume to the tapered angles found on most other totes. This makes them incredibly space-efficient.

Where they truly excel is in their vast range of small and specialized sizes. They have long, skinny boxes perfect for pens and utensils, small multi-compartment boxes for craft supplies or hardware, and shoebox-sized containers ideal for first-aid kits or spice jars. The strong, positive-locking handles ensure the lid stays on, no matter what.

We use a collection of these to organize our "junk drawer" items, medical supplies, and electronics accessories. By assigning one box to each category, you can find exactly what you need instantly. They turn a chaotic drawer or shelf into a neat, gridded system of micro-storage.

The Container Store Our Box: For Clear Visibility

Sometimes, you just need to see what you have. While translucent boxes are helpful, the crystal-clear plastic of "Our Box" from The Container Store offers unparalleled visibility. This is a game-changer for items you access frequently or for things where visual inventory is key, like pantry goods or kids’ toys.

These boxes are simple, well-made, and designed with clean lines and minimal taper for efficient stacking. They don’t have complex latches, just a simple press-fit lid that’s secure enough for in-closet use. The clarity means you can see if you’re running low on pasta or find your child’s favorite toy without pulling out and opening five different bins.

The primary drawback is that they prioritize clarity over heavy-duty construction. They are more than adequate for clothing, food, or toys but wouldn’t be my first choice for heavy tools. Think of them as a way to build a visually accessible and organized space, perfect for the main cabin of your RV.

Akro-Mils Akro-Bins: The Ultimate Small Parts Bin

For the tiny, essential items that keep an RV running, a standard tote is overkill. Fuses, screws, wire nuts, and spare hardware get lost in a big box. The solution is the Akro-Bin, an industrial-grade, open-front stacking bin that creates a miniature parts department on a single shelf.

These are designed to be stacked securely, with the open front allowing you to reach in and grab what you need without unstacking anything. This is their killer feature. You can line a small closet shelf with them and have immediate access to all your critical small parts. No more dumping a coffee can full of screws onto the floor to find the one you need.

While they are open to the front, their high-lip design does a surprisingly good job of keeping contents in place during travel. For extra security, you can simply turn the stack to face the closet wall on travel days. They bring a level of order to small parts that is simply impossible to achieve with any other type of container.

Choosing the Right Tote for Your RV Closet Needs

There is no single "best" tote. The best RV closet is a system that uses different totes for different jobs. A one-size-fits-all approach inevitably leads to wasted space and frustration. Before you buy a single bin, ask yourself three questions about what you plan to store.

The first question is what is its function? Is it heavy and durable like tools, or delicate and lightweight like clothes? The answer points you toward a Roughneck for the former and a Sterilite for the latter. Don’t overbuy on durability if you don’t need it.

The second question is how will you use it? Do you need to see the contents at a glance, like pantry items? Go for a clear container. Do you need to grab one tiny piece from a large collection, like a screw? Akro-Bins are your answer. Match the tote’s features to your workflow.

Finally, consider where will it live? Is it going in a climate-controlled interior closet or a potentially damp basement bay? The environment dictates the need for protection. An IRIS Weathertight is essential for a basement, but likely overkill for a linen closet.

• For heavy/durable items: Rubbermaid Roughneck
• For moisture-sensitive items: IRIS USA Weathertight
• For everyday lightweight items: Sterilite Latching Box
• For maximum visibility: The Container Store Our Box
• For small, specific items: Really Useful Boxes
• For tiny parts and hardware: Akro-Mils Akro-Bins

By mixing and matching based on these needs, you create a custom-tailored system that maximizes every inch of your precious closet space.

Ultimately, organizing your RV closet isn’t about finding the perfect box; it’s about building the perfect system for your life on the road. By strategically choosing the right tools for the job, you can transform a source of daily frustration into a bastion of calm efficiency. That means less time searching for things and more time enjoying the view from your window.