Hitch Carriers and other Tips to Make the Most of Your Small RV Space

These tips are brought to you by StowAway2.com, providing the highest quality hitch cargo carriers and racks on the market.

RV travel is an adventure – the kind that takes creativity if the space inside is limited. RVs range between 150 and 400 square feet, making space a commodity and efficiency a must. When you’re ready to hit the open road in your small RV, the following guide will help you make the most of every inch.

Space-Saving Ideas for RVs

Add a hitch carrier. You don’t have to carry everything inside your small RV. Hitch cargo carriers are easy to install on the back of your vehicle, simpler to access than rooftop boxes and give you up to 16 cubic feet of extra space. Hitch carriers are rugged, weather-proof and can be attached using a swing-away or fixed frame. The larger models have full-function taillights. These carriers are ideal for towing items that you don’t immediately need, such as extra toilet paper, golf clubs, souvenirs, extra linens, skis, an inflatable raft, lawn chairs, cleaning supplies or an outdoor grill.                

Downsize. Before you begin packing, go through the current contents of your RV to see what you don’t need. Take out anything that’s broken, as well as expired food and items you didn’t use at all during your last trip (except first aid and safety supplies).

Amplify your closet space. A plain closet with a single rod has vertical space you can maximize. Hang an extra rod half way between the first one and the floor so you have twice the space for hanging clothes. Use thin, no-slip hangers for shirts and dresses and tiered hangers for pants and skirts. For your folded clothes, use a hanging shelf organizer.

Double your shelf space. If there is ample space between the shelves, double the space with wire cabinet shelves. Use this trick to free up some counter space in the bathroom.

Go vertical. A bathroom wall, the back of the door, the front of a cabinet – they all have vertical space you can use as a smart storage solution. Pocket organizers made for shoes are the ideal size for items such as toiletries, scarves, hats, craft supplies, kitchen tools, jewelry and other knick-knacks that take up drawer space. For items like towels, bags and hampers, a well-placed hook can do wonders.

Optimize your counter space. Use the space between the kitchen counter and cabinets for items you use regularly – like maps, an address book, pens, flashlights or snacks – by mounting simple shelves or sliding wire baskets to the underside of the cabinets.

Compact and miniaturize. An RV isn’t a full-sized home, so you don’t always need full-sized items. Opt for the smaller versions of appliances, tools and other products. Instead of filling your shelves with disposable plates, cups and flatware, bring along a few sets of reusable kitchen items and free up space in cabinets and drawers. Fill travel-sized containers with soap, shampoo and the like to use inside the RV, but keep the full-sized bottles in the hitch cargo carrier so you can refill them as needed. Recycle the small boxes breath mints come in by cleaning them out and filling them with your favorite spices.

With some creativity and forethought, you can pack everything you need for a trip in a small RV, especially with the help of hitch carriers. The trick to keeping the RV from seeming overly cramped is to maintain its tidiness and organization while leaving a bit of extra wiggle room so you have a place to store new items you pick up along the way.