6 Best Lightweight Storage Bins for RVs That Nomads Swear By

You’ve spent hours agonizing over your RV’s Cargo Carrying Capacity, subtracting the weight of water, propane, and yourselves. Then you start loading your gear, and the easiest way to do that is with storage bins. But here’s the trap: the weight of the bins themselves can sabotage your entire plan, eating into your precious payload before you’ve even packed a single t-shirt.

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Why Lightweight Storage is Crucial for RV Life

Every single pound matters in an RV. You’re always working against your Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)—the maximum safe weight of your rig, fully loaded. Exceeding it puts dangerous stress on your tires, brakes, and suspension. Your storage system is one of the heaviest "empty" things you’ll add, so choosing lightweight bins directly translates to more capacity for the gear you actually need.

Think of it in terms of performance and cost. A heavier rig is a thirstier rig, burning more fuel on every climb and every highway mile. It also handles with less agility and puts more wear on your tow vehicle or chassis. Shaving 50 or 100 pounds by opting for lightweight bins over heavy-duty totes might not sound like much, but that weight adds up, impacting your wallet and your driving experience over thousands of miles.

The real danger is death by a thousand cuts. A heavy bin here, another there, and soon you’ve added the equivalent of another passenger without realizing it. Many new RVers grab the thickest, most robust bins they can find, thinking "durability." In reality, they’ve just sacrificed capacity and efficiency for a level of protection they rarely need inside the coach.

IKEA SKUBB: Ultimate Lightweight Closet Organizers

When it comes to organizing clothes and linens inside cabinets, nothing beats the IKEA SKUBB series. These fabric boxes weigh practically nothing, collapsing flat when not in use. Their primary job isn’t protection; it’s compartmentalization. They turn a deep, chaotic cabinet into a set of manageable "drawers."

Their soft-sided nature is a massive advantage in the non-square world of RVs. Unlike a rigid plastic bin, a SKUBB can squish slightly to fit into a cabinet with plumbing lines running through the back or a slightly curved wall. Use the larger boxes for sweaters and towels, and the smaller multi-compartment organizers for socks, underwear, and belts. They impose order without imposing weight.

The tradeoff, of course, is a complete lack of structural integrity. You can’t stack anything heavy on them, and they offer zero protection from impact or moisture. SKUBBs are strictly for soft goods in enclosed, dry spaces. But for that specific job, they are the undisputed champion and a staple in almost every nomad’s rig.

CleverMade Crates: The Best Collapsible Solution

CleverMade Crates solve one of the most annoying problems in a small space: what to do with an empty container. These plastic crates are sturdy when assembled but fold down to just a few inches thick. This means you can store five empty crates in the space one rigid bin would occupy.

Their utility is unmatched for multi-stage tasks. Use them to haul groceries from the car, then unpack your food and collapse the crates to slide under the sofa. Keep a couple in your storage bay for carrying firewood or organizing hoses, knowing they won’t hog valuable real estate when empty. The "lock-in" mechanism is surprisingly robust, preventing accidental collapses when full.

While they are stronger than fabric bins, they aren’t indestructible. The perforated sides mean they aren’t suitable for very small items that could fall through, nor are they dust or waterproof. Think of them as the perfect solution for transporting and temporarily storing medium-sized, durable goods.

Sterilite ClearView for Versatile See-Through Bins

Sometimes, you just need a classic plastic bin with a lid. For general-purpose interior storage, the Sterilite ClearView line is a fantastic lightweight option. Their biggest selling point is right in the name: they’re clear. In an RV, being able to identify contents at a glance saves you from pulling out and opening five different bins just to find the spare fuses.

These bins hit the sweet spot of being light enough not to kill your cargo capacity but durable enough for regular use. The latching lids are a crucial feature for travel days, ensuring your things don’t spill out if a cabinet door pops open on a bumpy road. They come in an enormous range of sizes, from small shoeboxes perfect for first-aid supplies to larger totes for pantry overflow or kids’ toys.

Don’t confuse these with heavy-duty construction-site totes. Their thin plastic can crack under significant weight or if dropped. They are best used inside your RV—in overhead cabinets, under the dinette, or at the bottom of a closet—not for heavy tools in an unheated basement bay.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes to Maximize Drawer Space

Packing cubes aren’t just for suitcases; they are a revolutionary tool for RV drawers. RV drawers are often oddly shaped and shallow, and clothes quickly become a jumbled mess. Eagle Creek’s Pack-It system, particularly the compression cubes, lets you neatly segment and compress clothing.

The magic is in the system. By rolling your clothes and packing them tightly into a cube, you eliminate dead air space. The extra zipper on compression cubes squeezes them down even further. This allows you to fit significantly more into a single drawer while keeping everything organized. When you need a shirt, you pull out one cube, not a whole pile of clothes.

This method also prevents your drawers from exploding during travel. Instead of individual items shifting and unfolding, the self-contained cubes stay put. They are feather-light and more structured than a simple fabric bin, making them the ideal micro-organizer for any clothing drawer.

IRIS Weathertight Bins for Secure Bay Storage

Your exterior storage bays are a different environment. They’re exposed to road grime, humidity, and temperature swings. For this space, you need to upgrade to something like the IRIS Weathertight Bins. This is one area where a little extra weight is a worthy investment.

The key feature is the foam gasket in the lid and the six robust latches that create a seal. This protects your gear—tools, emergency supplies, shore power cords—from moisture that can lead to rust and mildew. It also keeps out dust and pests, which is critical when you’re parked for extended periods. They are the go-to for anything that must stay clean and dry.

This is a perfect example of matching the tool to the job. You would never use these heavy bins for clothes inside, as it’s a waste of weight. But you also wouldn’t use a lightweight fabric bin for your recovery gear in a pass-through bay. The IRIS bins provide the necessary protection where it counts, justifying their added pounds.

IKEA TRONES: Unique Vertical Wall Storage Option

Thinking beyond the floor is a critical skill for small-space living. The IKEA TRONES, designed as a slim wall-mounted shoe cabinet, is a brilliant and unconventional RV storage hack. These lightweight plastic units are shallow, allowing you to add storage to a hallway or entryway without creating an obstacle.

Their genius lies in turning unused vertical surfaces into functional space. Mount a few near your door for shoes, keeping dirt from being tracked through the rig. Use one in the bathroom for extra toilet paper and cleaning supplies. They’re also perfect for stashing dog leashes, umbrellas, or even produce like onions and potatoes that need a dark, ventilated space.

Installation is key. You can’t just stick them to the flimsy interior paneling of an RV. You’ll need to locate a wall stud or use appropriate hollow-wall anchors to ensure they are secure for travel. But once mounted, they provide invaluable storage that takes up zero floor space.

Securing Your Bins and Gear for Travel Days

An RV on the road is a mini-earthquake. Anything that isn’t tied down will shift, slide, and fall. Your beautifully organized bins will become projectiles if you don’t have a plan for securing them before you pull in the slides.

For bins inside cabinets, simple solutions work best. You can use adjustable tension rods (like small curtain rods) wedged against the bins to hold them in place. Placing a roll of non-slip shelf liner on the cabinet bottom provides friction and dramatically reduces sliding. For heavier items in basement bays, a few well-placed bungee cords or a cargo net is essential.

This is where bin selection matters again. Latching lids, like those on the Sterilite and IRIS bins, provide a second layer of defense. If a bin does tip, the contents stay inside. For open-top containers like SKUBBs or CleverMade crates, you must ensure they are packed tightly together or blocked in so they can’t tip over and spill their contents all over the floor. Always do a final walkthrough to check that every bin is secure before you hit the road.

Ultimately, the best storage system is a mix-and-match strategy. You’ll likely use several of these solutions, deploying the ultralight SKUBBs for closets, the weathertight IRIS bins for the bay, and the collapsible crates for everything in between. The goal isn’t just to store your stuff, but to create a smart, lightweight, and secure system that makes life on the road easier, not heavier.