Camper Closet Storage Makeover

Help! We Needed More Organization and Storage in our Camper Closet!

We just need more storage period! But organized storage!

I rarely do before and after shots of our place. Why? Because I hate to showcase our big mess. But once we get it under control, then I feel better about it all!

So we have been tackling one room at a time. The first room we actually took on was our “master bedroom” lol, of the camper.

The master bedroom consists of: a double bed, approx. 18” of walkway on either side, and that’s all.

We have overhead cabinets that are crammed to the gills with our clothes. Taking that one on soon, but there’s just not much storage space.

Last week it dawned on me: those little cabinets to the side of our bed—the ones that have a hanging bar for clothes—we never use them as intended because we’ve got too many layers of clothing hanging on the doors!

On the door on my side—scarves, jackets, sweaters and belts.

On Greg’s side door—neckties, belts, and suspenders.

Neither of us could really access the inside of the cabinets, with the doors serving as hangers. And honestly, with a 12” wide cabinet, what are you gonna store in there? There’s just no space.

So we have a hanging clothes rack out in our enclosure/entryway off the camper, and some rough shelves for overflow. But those little cabinets were almost worthless.

I started to think about how we could make this work. Both Greg and I had a milk crate-type shelf in our little walkway, for clothes or shoes. But that cut off bed access. We had to crawl onto the bed from a little space in the doorway. It’s just what we got used to.

As I contemplated how to get Greg’s tax papers, catalogues, clothes, socks, sweaters, out of that area, I thought about 2 goals:

• Clear the floor area
• Use that cabinet so it’s not just dead space where the cat hides

My first thought was plastic bins like I store my socks in, stacked in the closet. My bin was too wide one way and left too much dead space the other way, so I decided to check out the stores. I thought I’d find a hanging closet organizer, but all of the ones I saw were seemed too flimsy for daily use.

This one may have worked—it says it holds 40 pounds, and I don’t think out socks and undies weigh that much!

There were some exact fits on Amazon.com that I considered, but I honestly didn’t want to wait. Once I start something, I want to get it done. Not to mention I had the room torn up.

If I had been not in the middle of it, I may have gotten something like the above hanging organizer, or this metal hanging organizer. But I sort of had it in my mind to have something that would slide out so we could grab the whole thing if we wanted to!

I got the idea of just removing those doors so we could actually slide bins out and in easily.

If it’s not easy there’s no point!

I found some bins that fit exactly into the space at Big Lots. I mean, no wiggle room! Here is where exact measuring paid off!

Myboys made us some supports on the sides, and we tried to make a shelf from plastic. We upcycled the lids from some old storage bins we had, because we had to keep the shelves thin, but strong. They were just a bit too saggy. But I already liked it!

Once I started this project, the boys began on another room. (More about that later) But they ripped out the bunk beds, and we ended up recycling the thin board from those for the shelves. It works perfectly!

I went fancy and wrote the contents on the bins with a wet erase marker. That way we can erase it when we move out!

Little Bins over the Windows

While we were at it, I removed all of the items stored above the window boxes. I found some stackable interlocking cubbies at Harbor Freight Tools to hold the odds and ends that are necessary, but make for a bunch of clutter if not contained! These bins open out and are 4”, so they fit perfectly on top of the window treatment. We did install two screws into the studs to make sure these don’t all fall down. Into these boxes we put:

• Ear plugs
• Tic-tacs. 😀 Someone had a little weakness!
• Nail clippers
• Keys for all of Greg’s trucks! 🔑
• Stamps
• Lighters
• Post it notes
• Phone accessories
• Random stuff—not much—we eliminated most of that.

In the end:

• Floor cleared!
• Camper cabinets organized
• Room sorted through (upper cabinets coming up )
• Sigh of relief!

Obviously, we had to move some stuff out. That’s getting dealt with in the other room where we took the bunks out from. I’m slowly sorting and trying to do it right.

Campers provide unique challenges for storage, but most people don’t stay long term, so it’s no big deal. When you live in a camper, you eventually become desperate to make the space work for you.

This is one of several posts that I’ve done about our camper life. You can see the others if you’re interested in other ways we’ve dealt with camper life.

• Organizing, Up-cyling, and the Sock Box
• A Happy Camper Christmas
• Dollar Tree Mason Jar Organization Wall. (Dealing with the camper bathroom)
• Three Years in an Off Grid Camper
• Homestead Building Update—Camper Canopy & Barn Doors
• While we had Covid…What’s Really Happening at Ridge Haven.
• Ten Essentials for your Off Grid RV Homestead
• That Day I Paid $25 for a Shower

Next in series will be the bunk room!

Now for the Results!

Our room feels much better now.

Andrew installed a wooden shelf on my side that I’d picked up awhile back while thrifting. I wanted something for my side to add a little prettiness for a change. I planned to use this in the cabin, but it fits nicely here!

The candle was a Christmas gift, the scarf is a fancy wearable one (thrifted), the flower heart I found at my favorite consignment store. See A Vintage Thrift Store at Christmas! The felt hearts were so cute and came for the Dollar Tree (pack of 6) The treasure box I’ve had for years and contains my Free Printable Prayer Cards. Any other little shiny things have come from my mom! If you see the cross stitch verse on my wall—that was a gift from my cousin! ❤️

Greg’s side has the cubbies and the metal artwork that was a gift when we purchased an item from Precision Metal Works. Very neat.

Now the challenge is to maintain order.

I’m very happy with our room. It’s working way better for us now.

Don’t be afraid to make your camper closet or any area your own!

If it doesn’t work for you—change it!