If you travel or camp often in your RV, you know that having a well organized pantry is crucial to making your trips run smoothly.
Being able to find and know exactly what you have in your pantry keeps you stress free and able to enjoy your trip.
With limited space in most RVs, these organizational ideas will help you make the most of your pantry storage.
Use Baskets and Clear Containers
I love using baskets for most of my cabinet storage in my RV. And when it comes to the pantry area, they are just as useful. Baskets come in all different sizes and because of this, they can help keep things organized. Larger sizes are good for containing things like food pouches and envelopes, while smaller sizes are useful for spices or loose items.
Using clear containers can also help to organize things like pasta and rice. Being able to see what is in the container is efficient and easy when you are trying to locate a particular item. Also I love the fact that you can see just how much is left in the container. There is nothing worse than being out on a camping trip thinking you have plenty of fettuccine noodles, only to find out there is less than a serving left.
Clear containers can be utilized when you are repackaging items…. which we will discuss in just a little bit.
Place Heavy Items on Bottom Shelves
This might seem like a no-brainer, but putting heavier bulkier items on the bottom shelves is a good idea for several reasons.
First of all, in case things move around while you are in transit, having the heavier items on bottom shelves will ensure that you don't get injured when you first open the cabinet doors.
Also, this leaves space for the lighter, easier access items at eye level.
Repackage Items to Save Space
As I mentioned before, putting pasta and rice and cereal in clear containers will help save space as well as keep you organized. This idea of repackaging items can also be used for things like individual envelopes of oatmeal or snacks.
Many grocery items come in bulky boxes or bags that take up unnecessary space. So repackaging them into either clear containers or reusable storage containers can reduce wasted space.
I also like to portion out larger bulk items into smaller baggies or containers and leave the main box back at home. Since we sometimes shop at club stores like Costco, we utilize this technique alot.
Use Shelf Risers and Lazy Susans
By utilizing temporary shelves and lazy susans, you can make the most of your space and still access items.
The lazy susan can be used for spices or canned goods. While the shelves are a great way to make use of the vertical space. I personally like the corner shelf risers because corners are tricky and this keeps items from becoming lost.
Create Categories
One key to staying organized is to create categories. If you know where to look for a certain item based on predefined categories, you can save time.
Depending on your pantry space and layout, take the time to designate spaces for specific categories. For instance, break spaces up into areas for Spices, Canned Goods, Breakfast Foods, Cooking Ingredients, etc.
So when you are looking for the crushed red pepper flakes, you know right where to look… the area designated for Spices.
Keep an Updated Stock List
This is probably the most important tip, especially if you camp occasionally instead of full time.
By keeping an updated stock list, you will know what you need to load up on when you are at home.
Also it helps when you are planning and packing for a camping trip to know what you have in stock in your RV pantry.
I keep a page in my “camp menu” notebook that lists what pantry staples I have and if any are getting low.
