Maximize Campervan Storage Space With These DIY Ideas

Practical Tips for Making the Most of Your Campervan Space

Van living means being free of most of the stuff that we humans fill our homes with. However, while we don’t need a lot of stuff to live comfortably, we all still need to have a few things that keep us safe, warm, and happy. The trouble is, the average van can get very crowded and disorganized within minutes. If we want to maintain some sense of order (and possibly our sanity) we need to store things out of the way, but in places that are easy enough to access when we need them. And herein lies the conundrum. If all this sounds too familiar, read on. We’ve got some amazing campervan storage ideas to help keep your campervan organized.

Campervan Storage: 11 Easy, Space-Saving Tips

1. Travel Lightly by Packing Less

You might be surprised at how little you need to be safe, warm, fed, and comfortable. When you’re packing your van to head out on the road, ask yourself what items you presently actually use on a regular basis. Of course, this doesn’t include the tools you need for van repairs or your emergency supplies. You’ll probably find there is a lot of stuff you can leave behind and never miss.

2. Pack Microfibre Towels to Increase Campervan Storage

Traditional towels are fluffy and soft. but they’re really bulky. They take up a lot of much-needed campervan storage space. Microfibre towels take up about 1/3 of the space that a traditional towel does and dry you off just as well. And it’s not just their small footprint that makes them perfect for campervan storage. You’ll find that a microfibre towel dries out really quickly too. Especially when compared to its cotton counterpart. This is important when you are living in a van, want to get on the road, and want to keep moisture (and its accompanying issues) out of your living space.

3. Have a Place For Everything, And Everything In Its Place

Make sure everything in your van has a home, so you’ll know exactly where to look for it when you need it.

4. Make a List of Where Everything Is Stored

There are always a few things that we don’t always use in the van. If we’re not using something frequently, it’s easy to forget where it’s stored. Making an itemized list of what’s in your van, and where you stored it can make life a lot easier when it comes to finding things that you need, but rarely use.

5. Organize Gear in Soft-Sided Boxes To Expand Campervan Storage

Soft-sided boxes can be used to store nearly everything that goes in cupboards and cabinets. That way, when you need an item, you can just pull out its box instead of rifling through a cabinet for it. The great thing about soft-sided storage boxes is that their flexibility allows them to fit into spaces where hard-sided boxes don’t fit. Here’s a video of how you can easily make your own soft-sided baskets with dollar-store mats and a glue gun.

6. Store Clothes Rolled, Not Folded

Folding your clothes means you have to stack them. Stacking your clothes takes up space that can be used for other things. Not only that, it makes that shirt you love to wear harder to get to than if you were to carefully roll your T-shirts and neatly organize them by type and color.

7. Use Drawer Organizers To Improve Campervan Storage

Drawer organizers help keep everything in your drawers where you can easily find it. IKEA sells all kinds of drawer organizers that can be used to sort everything from cutlery and cooking utensils to spices.

8. Collapsible Bowls, Buckets, and Food Storage Containers Make Excellent Campervan Storage

Bowls, buckets, and plastic containers take up a lot of room. However, it seems that there is a collapsible version of nearly everything these days. That being said, collapsible bowls, buckets, and food storage containers are easy to store and easy to deploy when you need them.

9. Label the Tops of Cans and Containers in Drawers or Boxes

If you store your cans and boxes in drawers or boxes, labeling the tops of containers can help you to find what you’re looking for more easily than digging out each container to examine it. Fortunately, it’s easy to label cans and containers with a Sharpie. However, you might not want to permanently mark some containers. In this case, painter’s tape or any writable labels would be a better option.

10. Use Bungee Cords and Mini-Cargo Nets To Keep Everything Secure When Travelling

Everything in the van gets bumped around when we drive. That being said, elastic bungy cords and cargo nets make it easy to secure everything while we drive.

11. Make Use of Every Available Space To Maximize Campervan Storage

There are a lot of tiny spaces in most vans that many people just don’t use. Small items can be stored under seats, behind seats, and in overhead cubbies. Not only that, seat backs can make great campervan storage for small frequently used items. Also, hanging a seat back organizer from one of your front seats gives you a good place to store items you want easy access to when you’re driving.

Small Space, Big Adventure

Van living offers a liberating lifestyle that allows us to live with fewer material possessions. However, it can be challenging to maintain a sense of order and organization in the limited space available. Fortunately, there are a variety of creative solutions for campervan storage and organization that can help maximize space and make life on the road more comfortable and enjoyable. With the right storage ideas and some creativity, it is possible to live comfortably and happily in a van, while still enjoying the freedom that comes with a minimalist lifestyle.