RV trips seem to require a lot of accessories. Or at least most RVers love accessories. We recently went on one such trip where I’ve noticed the use of the RV cubbies and shelves had become a matter of interest to RV groups on the internet.
So I decided to inventory ours. I started with storage ideas as soon as we purchased the newer 2018 Minnie Winnie 25b in March of 2021.
It’s been two years and our RV is kept mostly packed up and ready for the next trip. Of course we pack new food and appropriate clothing for each trip. We use the cabinet over the rear bed for our clothes, usually in duffle bags.
Many of the first space arrangements we made for the RV are still the same. The bathroom is unchanged except for under the sink which is usually now a space for a hamper or a small extra electric heater.
Each trip is a little different depending on the season. We left in mid February again this year and we finally realized why some people have heated water hoses. I have added one to our supplies hoping to leave more often in winter.
The items in the large storage area also change depending on the trip. This time we packed a new “clam” type of screen shelter that one person can put up and 4 foldable camp chairs plus the outdoor mat. In the summer we would also bring the inflatable boat and it’s floor if camping near a lake and life jackets. With the grandkids along we bring more chairs. We store camping stuff in an outdoor shed so we can vary the equipment.
We also brought the gas fire ring for chilly nights, the 5 lb aluminum propane gas tank and a roll up metal camp table. We had the grill and an armful of commercial firewood but didn’t use them. I carry fire starter sticks and packing paper rolled into mini-logs too.
I have a small electric battery heating pad to protect the water pump on cold nights and it stays in the water and solar bay and of course the small dryer is in the rear storage area too.
The large inside closet holds the washing machine. I think it is very much worth the storage space it uses. I have a rimmed baking tray with a silicone liner under the machine to catch drips and keep the machine stable. I hung a shoe storage bag for a closet over the hanger bar and it holds our cleaning supplies. We don’t usually take an iron. That was for our son’s wedding but I use the rack to hold the washer supply and drain hoses.
Kitchen items take up most of our midcabin food preparation space. The pull out pantry has been particularly useful for trip food.
Next to the pantry is the refrigerator and freezer stocked with fresh food and drinks. And across from them is the laundry closet and two large kitchen drawers. Our pots and pans include a small 12v crockpot, a stainless saucepan, a larger stainless pot used for pasta, a stainless bowl, a cast iron skillet and an old aluminum double boiler that can be used on campfire grills. The extra aluminum drip pan liners and the pan for our Weber 100 grill are also in this drawer.
The narrow drawer has pantry items like salt and sugar in a jar and spices. Food storage bags and foil, instant coffee and cocoa packages, tea and coffee filters.
Over the kitchen sink there is an extra shelf that we bolted to the above cabinet and screwed to the sides and back. We substituted a small air fryer for the toaster that was on one side. The other side still holds our coffee pot and coffee. The dishes and other small appliances like a blender and coffee grinder are in the cabinet over the sink. I use our old camping dishes which are lexan plastic and hard to find these days. I have a lexan coffee press and a hand grinder just in case we need them while boondocking, plus a few extra plastic bowls and crushable silicone bowl and strainers. We carry several water bottles for hiking.
The stove gained a lid early in our ownership but we also added a large cutting board for extra counter top use. While underway we usually have to move the cutting board to the floor or it flies off the stove.
There is a small shelf over the microwave that we use for fruit and extra food storage containers. Tension rods for the cabinet shelves are essential. Our RV sways too much to keep untethered stuff on the shelves.
Two small drawers beside the sink hold utensils and the important expanding marshmallow roasting sticks. The bottom drawer holds standard kitchenware, a can opener, potato peeler, ice cream scoop, silicone serving spoon and spatula, pancake flipper and large tongs, an extra sharp knife and a couple of fire starters. We also lay the potholders on top of the kitchenware.
It seems we have a large amount of just in case items in our forward living/dining storage areas. Two cabinets over the dining table hold two sets of small drawers. One has stationery items, scissors, pens, pencils, a note pad etc. Also a small screwdriver. Another drawer has batteries and electrical stuff like the multimeter. A drawer for fuses and extra led light panels. Another for 3m tabs and rv goop and glue. One has extra child protectors and magnets for the doors though we have not had one swing open wildly in a long time. Even though these are loosely organized I generally have to take them out one at a time to find what I need.
The other side has the propane coffee pot which we seldom use unless we have a crowd. Same story with the spotting scope. But we keep it in the RV. All of the smaller boxes with DVDs and our small portable dvd player/viewer are on the left. The 12v fan, a battery powered tent fan/light, a rechargeable bug zapper, and several small led lanterns.
Over the couch we use plastic shoe bins in the corners. There are two on the left and six on the right. The left ones are buried so we only have spare solar plugs and other not very necessary items. In front of those is a magazine holder for a light extension cord. Next are two long narrow bins for linens. One has extra beach towels and the other extra sheets and pillow cases.There is a large bin of other stuff too. I know the air pumps are in there, the binoculars and the nylon kites. we have an extra water bladder for hiking and a folding nylon backpack. Then we have a thick Winnebago paperwork organizer that is practically full of all the product manuals and an extra general rv repair book. The six shoe size boxes on the right are also organized. One holds a few plumbing parts especially sharkbite caps just in case, one has generator parts, one has 12v wiring, like extra plugs and a 12v extension cord. The easiest one to grab has art supplies for the kids.
I keep the water hoses under the couch and a bin for extra drink cans and bulky food items. And it seems to be the best place for the heavy metal toolbox.
There are two large bins under the benches. On the left I have a set of foldable Coleman aluminum tables and a Coleman expandable grill table on the bottom. Then the small canister vacuum I’ve had for years and the tool bags for a hammer drill and an impact wrench. A separate socket set for small sockets and a variable battery charger. I also have a small toolbox filled with bungee cords as they are often needed on the road.
In the right side bin the inverter is installed very close to the batteries in the step. We took the Mr. Buddy propane heater though it wasn’t needed. We carry a Senco air compressor and hoses and a lithium battery box that we mostly use for the trolling motor.
I needed to find a spot for the toaster. It has a very short cord. So getting it close enough to the outlet over the dinette table was a challenge. I installed a narrow shoe stand between the table and the window valence. It has adjustable legs so I tightened it and it does not rattle. I had to cut part of the top of it off and I put cork pieces on the raw metal ends. It would have to be removed to fold the dinette into a bed but we don’t do that often.
The toaster is on the top shelf with some styrofoam and small bungees to help keep it attached, the King WiFi extender is on the next shelf and I have a small bin with miscellaneous napkins and other small items like chapstick that clutter our space. And there is room for a box of Kleenex.
Finally the doorway is home to a couple of file folder racks that we thought we would use for our shoes. But instead we have hats and slippers and flashlights an sunscreen there. The grandkids can fit their shoes in the lower bins. We keep our extra shoes in a bin that turns into a bench under the refrigerator. Our current pair gets kicked into the step well.
The bin over the door holds coloring books, loose paper, and umbrellas plus fly swatters and chargers. I have an extra can of butane up there too. There is a file folder bin to keep stuff from falling out.
We don’t use the overcab bed for storage except in the winter when our sheets and pillows and blankets are stored in plastic shrink bags. I do carry the inside and outside front windshield shades up there and I set up a small storage area for personal items under the TV. The corner shelf is screwed to the wall and the large mattress fits under it. The 3” memory foam futon mattress that we make up for sleeping up there is shorter than the cushion so I use the small dividers to help keep the mattress in place.
I have some small storage boxes between the shelves to drop in a wallet or keys or hold small toys for the kids. The loft ladder is stored on the other side of the bed.
That’s the approximate list of stuff we carry in the RV.