Even diehard enthusiasts admit to a big problem with RV life — storage space. From troubleshooting towel storage to finding space for pets’ beds, space is always at a premium in an RV. You can’t make your rig larger, but you can make it feel bigger inside with the following space-saving RV hacks. 

Switch to Turkish towels to save space in your RV

Durable, lightweight, and versatile Turkish (aka hammam) towels are a favorite among campers. According to Outdoorsy, these generously sized towels often serve multiple purposes aboard motorhomes. In addition to drying yourself with them, you can use Turkish towels as nap blankets or picnic or beach mats. They even make cozy shawls for breezy days at the beach. 

Turkish towels are thinner than standard bath towels. They also dry much quicker. That makes them ideal for an RV, where drying and storage spaces are at a premium. Despite their thinness, these towels are highly absorbent and feel wonderful after a shower or swim. 

Protect your glassware with space-saving covers

Wine bottles, ceramic mugs, and mason jars add style, functionality, and fun to your RV adventures. However, they aren’t the most travel-friendly items. Without careful cushioning, they’re apt to arrive at your destination in a pile of jagged shards. Fortunately, you can take steps to keep your glassware safe — and save space at the same time.

Mason jars wrapped in burlap are adorable, plus they won’t clink together and crack. Stashing them in a cardboard drink holder while traveling will keep them extra secure, especially if you place the drink holder in the sink. Multiple drink holders will fit on the floor of the shower. Use towels or clothes to keep the holders from sliding around. Old drink cozies and other fabric covers work well at protecting glassware, too.  

The next time you order drinks to go, be sure to save the holders. They’ll come in handy during your RV travels and take up virtually no space when folded flat. 

Repurpose your RV’s microwave space

Most RVs are equipped with a microwave. However, these power-hungry appliances are useful only if you’re tethered to a power cord. If you prefer to skip RV parks and go boondocking to save money, you might not have enough juice to even pop a bag of microwave popcorn. In that case, why not reclaim the space taken up by a microwave you don’t use?

That cozy little nook is the perfect place to put a bar instead. Add a wineglass hanger above a small expanding wine rack for a wine bar. You can easily find an inexpensive version on Amazon. If you enjoy cold-weather RV camping,  you might want to create a hot drink bar with a shelf and small baskets to hold tea bags, packets of hot chocolate, and all of the fixings. Grippy shelf liners beneath the baskets will keep them from sliding around on travel days.

Claim unused space for your pets

Making your pet feel at home in an RV is important so that everyone enjoys the trip. For your traveling pets to relax in the RV, they should have their own beds. If they’re crate-trained, they’ll feel safest when their beds are inside their familiar crates.

Unfortunately, even the smallest pet beds or crates take up valuable space in a camper. That’s where creativity comes into play. Cruisers have come up with plenty of innovative solutions to the challenges of pets in RVs.

Is there an awkward-to-access cupboard somewhere? It might make the perfect kitty nook once you remove the door and add a cozy bed. You can also turn the bench seating at the dining table into housing for even the largest dogs. Remove the door and any shelves or pullouts, raise the height if needed, reinforce the sides, and add a crate-type door. 

Now that you’ve learned some space-saving hacks to make life easier while RV’ing, it’s time to get out there. Your next adventure awaits.