Whether you need handy places to keep your equipment stashed for a quick weekend getaway, or want to completely kit out a tiny rolling home, clever storage solutions are the key to living big in a small space. This guide combines a wealth of knowledge available online to help you maximise both your campervan storage and time for an adventure.
This is the first step to getting your motorhome ready for van life and an exciting beginning!
Sensible storage
Campervan storage hacks are a great way for you to carefully organise your living space. Being meticulous might not sound like your idea of vagabond vanlife. However, time on the road is best spent looking for panorama passes, tasty food, good company, perfect waves, or a beautiful place to sleep. Don’t waste it hunting for that thing you saw somewhere in the back! If it has a logical home, you’re more likely to put it back in the right place and this will make for a carefree road trip.
One hack is having many small storage units so that each thing (or category of things) can have its own place. Wooden storage cubes make a great, organised shelving solution. Installing adjustable-height bars (by sticking Velcro on the edges of a bar that fits on the inside front of the cube) ensure that no objects fall out.
Another sanity-saving device is a magnetic USB holder, which may be especially useful for the digital nomads out there who need to work from a mobile office to keep the dream alive!
Maximising storage
For clever motorhome cup and plate storage, one great tip is to find as much collapsible cookware as possible. World of camping have a whole section of their online shop for this, including graters, kettles, washing-up bowls and colanders!
Mesh or vinyl pouches are also a simple yet effective idea, and can be attached literally anywhere. They are a good way to maximise storage on doors, but are easy to re-locate if you decide on a better home for them.
A table with a pop-up, swivel, telescoping or slide-out solution can maximise on living space. Folding brackets like these are secure enough for tables, but can also be used as multifunctional cupboard doors that double-up as counter-tops or chopping boards. Remember, the more surface area, the better!
You can also double up on functionality by combining portable seating with storage, for towels, dirty laundry or even rubbish.
With all of the excitement that converting a van can bring, don’t forget about good old-fashioned roof racks and boxes! Storage cabinets off the back make a particularly handy place for bulky items, like generator kit, water, gas, or spare tires.
Accessible storage
You may want to store ‘garage’ equipment (like bikes, bags, helmets, or boards) under a platform bed for easy access from the back doors. Heavy-duty sliding shelves can make life easier when it comes to hauling this kind of equipment in and out of the vehicle, as well as help organise your space. Runners for these are cheap to find online.
Another suggestion is that everything can also be accessed from inside the van. This conserves precious heat, as well as your time and energy! Putting a ‘closet’ for coats and jackets under the bed, hidden by a curtain, divides the cooler garage space from the warm living space, and these are easy to move for garage access.
Overhead storage
Having headroom doesn’t just make life in a van less cramped, it’s a great opportunity to maximise your campervan’s overhead storage. The space over countertops is usually a good place to install overhead bins, as it may otherwise be wasted, and makes for easy access when cooking. Divide up the bins so that everything fits neatly and doesn’t get shuffled around.
Suspended shelves with hook-lock doors are also easy to build and keep objects secure. Essentially, there should be as little unused space as possible; empty space is an opportunity to exclude drafts and add more campervan overhead storage.
Fixing jars to raised storage in cooking areas by screwing the lids is also a great trick that we love, and leaves the bins free for your motorhome’s cup and plate storage. Similarly, other hanging storage hacks include clamps, hooks, and bungee cord, all of which maximise space above worktops, accommodation areas and benches. They’re cheap, easy to install and may just become your best friends, like these heavy-duty Quick Fist Clamps.
To Do It Yourself, or Hit the Road?
We’re of the opinion that happiness is lovingly self-made and many of the campervan storage recommendations here are straightforward to construct at home. This will save you money, and allow you to put your own unique touch on your motorhome. There is plenty of campervan DIY inspiration to be found! You can then adapt the campervan to your specific needs, considering:
1. What do you have a lot of usually? (e.g. clothing, shoes, food, technology)
2. How many people will be travelling in the van?
3. Will you be working on a laptop? Then consider your table set up and spacing.
4. Will you cook often in the van?
However, if time is of the essence and your van has a popular shape and dimensions, you can buy pre-built storage systems from sites like VanRack, or even have them custom-fitted for you. There is no shame in getting help, DIY campervan adjustments aren't for everyone. Better to have it done well than done alone.
Need to save up for your alterations? Check out how you can make money with your motorhome!
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