25 Clever RV Tricks and Hacks - Amazon Web Services

25 RV

TRICKS AND HACKS

Customizations are just one of the many things that draw people to the RV lifestyle. If you've ever done a DIY project in your home or hacked your apartment, you know how fun and rewarding it is. In an RV, everything has to do double duty; dinettes turn into beds, wall panels turn into side tables, captain's seats turn into lounge chairs ? just about everything has a purpose. RVers are always looking for ways to make life in an RV a little easier, whether it's a smarter use of space, a better way to keep the rig clean, or an inventive way to beat the elements. These tips and tricks may seem small in scope, but they're big on ingenuity.

STOP BURNING YOUR FOOD FOR GOOD!

We all know that RV ovens aren't the best. They're small, and they tend to cook food unevenly. Why? Because most RV ovens only have one burner, so while the top and sides of your food seem to be just starting their gastronomic journey, the bottom is already burnt to a crisp. The solution is to invest in a pizza stone! You can put any dish on the stone, and it will distribute the heat, ensuring that your food cooks evenly.

STORE MORE STUFF

You know those shoe racks that you can hang on the back of your closet door? Yeah, they have more uses than just that. For extra storage in your bedroom, cut the shoe rack along its rows, loop a cord through the holes, secure them to the sides of the bed frame facing out, then replace the mattress. You can store shoes, remotes, small books, and other loose items. You can also use a shoe rack to free up space in the shower. Simply attach it to the shower curtain rings and get rid of your shower caddy! Use a mesh shoe rack, so you don't have to worry about water getting stuck in the pockets.

ROUND UP LOOSE JUNK IN THE KITCHEN

You probably don't have enough space in your RV for a designated junk drawer, but you certainly have a need to store small items somewhere. Thumbtacks, pens, twisty ties, tape, scissors, sewing supplies... where are you supposed to put all this stu ? That's where mason jars and hose clamps come to the rescue. Screw a few hose clamps to the inside of a cabinet door, fit them around the mouths of the mason jars, and tighten. They'll keep knick knacks in one place and out of the way. If you like the look of this storage hack, you can make a decorative mason jar organizer to hang on the wall. It's perfect for flowers and herbs.

USE VERTICAL CLOSET SPACE WISELY

A lot of RVs have wardrobe space to hang your clothes. Why manufacturers think you'd prefer hanging space over drawers is a mystery, but here's an idea: you can still use that space for folded clothes! Just buy a few of those plastic drawer systems and stack them in the closet. They come in all shapes, sizes, and finishes, so the combinations you can make are virtually endless. Make sure to measure the width of your closet before you buy the drawers, though.

CORRAL YOUR GARBAGE

Taking out the trash when you're camped can be a pain. There's no room in your RV for it, but you're in the middle of cooking and don't want to make a trip to the dumpster. A collapsible laundry bag makes for a perfect campsite trash can; it'll buy you some time before it's full, and when you're ready to head out, you can store it with the rest of your outdoor camping gear.

For a smaller, indoor trash can, use a plastic cereal container with a lid. The lid keeps stinky trash secure in its container while you're on the road.

KEEP STUFF IN THE CABINETS, ACTUALLY IN THE CABINETS

Nothing is more annoying (and jarring) than opening a cabinet after a trip and having all your dishes come flying out! Same goes for the fridge. To keep that from ever happening again, buy cabinet and fridge bars to hold wayward foodstu s in place. For added security, use non-slip cabinet and drawer liners to keep plates from moving at all. Say goodbye to broken glasses and spilled condiments!

GET SOME QUALITY SHUT EYE

If you've ever tried sleeping during the day, you know it's nearly impossible without blackout curtains, especially in an RV. Specialty blackout curtains for RVs are expensive, so just make them yourself instead. Buy a blackout curtain panel and cut it to match the size of your existing curtains. You can either sew it on or attach it using Velcro so you can remove it. That way, you get to enjoy the look of the curtains you already have, without having to hang extra rods.

STORE STUFF ON YOUR KITCHEN WALLS AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD, TOO

Wall magnet strips are the bee's knees when it comes to RVing. Free up drawer space by hanging a strong magnetic strip behind the stove and hanging knives, kitchen scissors, and other metal cutlery. You can also free up pantry space by transferring all your spices into magnetic spice containers and hanging them on a metal tray mounted inside a cabinet or on the wall near the stove. Hint: use a decorative tray to add to your kitchen d?cor!

GET MORE OUT OF YOUR DINETTE

Most older RVs have an inconvenient design in the dinette area. There's a good amount of storage space under the booth seats, but a lot of RVs make it nearly impossible to get to (if you can get to it at all). Opening it up and making it easier to access is a fairly simple job. You can either make a bigger cabinet door or insert a custom drawer. If you have a cat or small dog, you can even rig the space to be a pet bed.

GIVE YOUR CAT SOME PRIVACY

Speaking of pets, cat litter boxes are one of the biggest dilemmas cat-owning RVers face. Some RVers keep it in the shower, which is fine if you don't mind having to move it all the time. Or, you could hack your RV and store the litter box out of sight! There are a few clever ways to do this. These two RVers constructed tunnels leading to unused basement space and battery bays in their RVs. After switching to a hydronic heating system, The Technomads made a "kitty power room" in their old water heater closet, complete with a vent fan! Keep in mind; you don't have to renovate your entire rig to make a little box cubby; you can make a custom compartment under your bathroom sink, in a wardrobe cabinet, or anywhere else there's extra space.

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