Owner guides
Campervan storage ideas: 35 clever motorhome solutions
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Storage space – a topic close to every motorhome owner’s heart! Whether for clothes, kitchen equipment, sports kit or kids’ toys, having a place to store your belongings is the key to successful living in a small space. Check out our top motorhome storage ideas below!
Motorhome storage ideas for clothes and personal belongings
Unless you’re lucky enough to have a huge coach-style motorhome, you’re unlikely to have proper wardrobe space on the road. Clothes and other personal belongings generally live in the bedroom cupboards of pre-built motorhomes, like in The Sunshine Shack in WA above, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get inventive!
1. Cupboard boxes and baskets
The easiest way to store clothes without wardrobe space is to use a selection of boxes and baskets inside cupboards. Sounds simple, but motorhomers can get really inventive with these!
For example, don’t just place a few boxes on a cupboard “floor” – stack them sideways with the contents facing outwards, so you can squeeze a lot more boxes into your available space, plus see contents at a glance. We prefer canvas over plastic boxes as they’re more flexible.
2. Door and wall nets
Simple mesh nets for the motorhome walls, or inside cupboard doors for even more space saving, are an easy and cost-effective way to stash smaller items like undies and shoes. Look for magazine rack styles for easy fitting.
3. Shoe holders
Use an over-door canvas-style shoe holder inside a cupboard to hold underwear, socks and T-shirts, or place a wooden shoe rack inside a cupboard to make an extra shelf.
Over-door organiser, $29
16-pocket hanging shoe holder, $9
4. Packing cubes
Packing cubes or packing pods are our top pick for rail-based clothes storage. They’re supposedly for suitcase travel, but we think they’re perfect for small spaces too – they’re easy to fit, keep floor space clear, and come in a range of sizes. If you have a cupboard rail or room to fit a tension rod, these are a great storage solution.
Packing cubes, $25
5. Stuffed cushions
Don’t buy cushions when sorting your motorhome interior – just buy the covers. Check out the stylish cushions in Winnie Bird RV in Victoria. These can be stuffed with spare clothes, to keep clothes stashed neatly and your cushions filled! You get plump and cosy cushions, with an ingenious, space-saving filling – that’s a double win.
Cushion cover, $22.95
6. Vacuum sealed bags
Use vacuum packed bags to store bulkier clothing items or essential belongings like towels and extra bedclothes, storing the sealed bags under beds or seats. These bags are easy to use: just put your stuff in, zip up, then use a household vacuum cleaner or the provided hand pump to compress.
Premium vacuum storage bags, pack of 6 with hand pump, $25.99
7. Laundry backpack
One of the most simple but effective motorhome storage ideas: a laundry backpack helps you to stash used clothes neatly and take them to the campsite launderette easily. A bag with a loop on top can hang on a clothes rail or tension rod.
Motorhome kitchen storage solutions
Clothes are important, but so is cooking! Keeping your kitchenware neat, secure and safely out of the way is a challenge in a small living space. But there are loads of motorhome kitchen storage solutions to maximise your cooking space on the road.
The kitchen storage in Klass C Kim in WA is the ideal way to keep your bench free from clutter.
1. Collapsible and nesting equipment
Use nesting bowls, a collapsible sink (or even kettle), collapsible pots and pans or a collapsible drying rack to save every inch of space.
Nesting bowls, set of 5, $16.75
Folding kettle, $14.95
Collapsible sink, $15
2. Dish cradles/plate stands
Save cupboard and surface space by using dish cradles to stack plates. These are also handy on the draining rack to keep washed plates secure.
3. Pull-out drawers
Designing your own motorhome from scratch? Think space wherever you can, such as with pull-out drawers, which allow you to make the most of the available space.
4. Stash stuff inside cupboard doors
Use hooks inside cupboard doors to keep pan lids in place or to hold cleaning cloths and brushes, or to hold a storage net or mesh bag for fresh fruit and veg. Or use adhesive strips to attach a shower caddy to a kitchen interior door; and a simple shelf system adds extra space easily.
The shelf organisers in Not Waiting to Retire in NSW are a handy way to keep everything organised.
5. Grippers
Simple yet oh so effective, these are one of our favourite motorhome storage ideas! “Gripper” fixtures come in all sizes and can be used to hold pretty much everything, from spice jars to mops.
Spice jar gripper clips, 4pcs, $8.68
Broom/mop gripper clip, $16.99
6. Drawer organiser
All motorhome drawers should be smart space savers. This isn’t just about storing cutlery – kitchen drawers in motorhomes can include spice racks or chopping knives, or simply be divided however you like.
Bamboo drawer dividers, $39.99
Knife storage, $43.99
7. Under-counter kitchen roll holder
Whether in homes or motorhomes, many kitchens use mounted holders for kitchen roll. An under-counter holder is a perfect space saver, and super easy to fix if you go for an adhesive model. Check out the tea towel holder that’s being utilised by Le Petite Chateau on Wheels in WA.
Under-counter kitchen roll, $13.99
Pro tip: buy two holders and use the second for your bin bag roll.
Motorhome storage ideas for the bathroom
Think hooks, think containers and think smart… Small spaces like bathrooms don’t need to be storage challenges. Incorporate these ideas into your motorhome bathroom to make the most of your space:
1. Spice rack
Yes, you read that right… spice racks aren’t just for the kitchen! A “traditional” spice rack in tier style is perfect for holding small toiletries or makeup. Use Command strips or other strong adhesive to fix it to the bathroom wall, or screws to attach to the inside of the door. Or how about aspice rack with towel bar and hooks?
Wall mounted spice rack with self-adhesive stickers, $32.99
2. Shower shelving
A shower caddy or other shelving is the easiest way to store toiletries in your shower. You can pick up a basic plastic caddy from a discount store, or buy a two- or three-tier one to suit. Go for a hook style rather than a caddy you have to screw in, or look for a caddy with adhesive fixing.
Corner shower caddy, $24.95
3. Shampoo and shower gel dispensers
If you don’t want bottles cluttering up your shower space, make it like a hotel and add wall dispensers for shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. This is particularly effective if you plan to hire your motorhome out, as it prevents waste and adds to that five-star feel.
4. Shoe holder
Hook a standard size plastic or canvas shoe organiser over your bathroom door to store around 20 toiletries, or hang a drawer-style one from the wall to store and display towels.
Over-door hanging storage, $39.99
5. Under-sink cabinet
A cabinet under your motorhome’s bathroom sink is one of the most effective space savers you can have, even if it’s a little trickier to install than hanging something on the wall or over the door. Check out Ruby - Winnebago to see how they make use of their sink. Buy a ready-made bathroom sink cupboard for the easiest fitting.
Under-sink bathroom cabinet, $259
6. Wall-mounted toothbrush holder
A wall-mounted toothbrush holder is the final essential item in your motorhome bathroom. There are thousands to choose from, so our pick is one that’s multipurpose – this self-adhesive holder also has a dispenser for toothpaste.
Wall-mounted toothpaste dispenser & toothbrush holder, $30.64
Learn more about creating a campervan with a toilet and shower.
Motorhome storage ideas for miscellaneous items
Bikes, kayaks, camping tables… or maybe just your evening bottle of wine. Big or small, here are a few extra ideas for motorhome storage:
1. Bike racks
One of the most common ways to add storage space for big items is to attach them to the motorhome rear. Remember to keep bikes locked and secure at night and when you’re not in the motorhome.
2. Make the most of your space
Many motorhomes come with a storage cubby at the rear. Whatever size of storage cubby your motorhome has, make the most of all space by adding hooks, mesh nets, hangers and anything else you can fit to the walls and inner door.
3. Exterior storage box
No room for a storage cubby in the body of your motorhome? Fit a box to the rear instead, like RoadHawk, above.
More motorhome storage tips
Fit a “storage headboard” – sew pockets into a thick headboard-sized, padded piece of material to make extra storage space above the bed
Think Velcro – stick items like remote controls or phones to the wall or another surface.
Add magazine racks to the sides of all cupboards.
Need some freestanding seating? Add an ottoman for extra space.
Hook up hoses – use adhesive hooks or Velcro to attach rolled-up hoses or leads to the inside of cupboard doors.
Add organisers/holders over or behind all seats.
Hang stuff where possible – like thesehanging mesh bags to keep smaller items or kids’ toys safely secure.
Don’t forget the ceiling – add hooks or Velcro etc to hang and store small items. These can be decorative – see our motorhome interior ideas blog for tips – or practical, such as hooking a mesh bag to the ceiling to hold miscellaneous bits and pieces.
Any space can be a shelf, with a rail to hold items in.
Keep leads and cables safely stored withadhesive cable clips.
Use afoldable shopping trolley to store groceries or drinks – easily taken to the shops to stick up, and lifted outside to supply your under-the-stars dinners.
Attach a holder to the window by your dining table to safely store bottles.
Finding your ideal storage solutions
Looking at buying a motorhome? Finding the best storage solutions is a must! The above motorhome storage ideas should give you plenty of inspiration for everything from bottles to bikes. But the best way to see what works for you is to take a motorhome out on the road! Browse motorhomes for hire across Australia to find a solution that’s ideal for your needs.
Remember: once you’re ready to add smart storage ideas to your own motorhome, you can make this money back by hiring out your vehicle to other on-the-road adventurers!
Earn a return on your motorhome
Each year, heaps of Aussies earn up to $10,000 by hiring out their motorhome through Camplify. It provides a quick and easy way to generate long-term passive income and earn a return on their investment.
And the best part is, Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your motorhome, including:
Comprehensive hire insurance.
24/7 RAC nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.
Dedicated customer support.
If you’re interested in joining Camplify as an owner, try our earnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year by renting out your unused motorhome!
The information in this blog is accurate and current as of the date of posting. Please be aware that information, facts, and links may become outdated over time.