Anyone who's spent more than a long weekend in a caravan knows the truth: there's never quite enough room, and what room there is gets bumped, shaken, and rolled around every time you hit a stretch of corrugations.
The instinctive fix is to start drilling. Hooks in the ceiling. Brackets on the walls. Shelves screwed into the back of every cupboard door. It works‚ until you sell the van, or you're hiring, or you realise three months in that you put the hook in exactly the wrong place.
There's a better way: storage that goes in, comes out, and leaves no trace.
This is a list of twelve caravan storage solutions we've tested in our own vans‚ and the small handful we ended up loving enough to make and sell ourselves. Every one of them is no-drill, reversible, and easy enough to set up between a roadhouse coffee and getting back behind the wheel.
1. Slide-in adjustable cupboard rods
The problem: Every time you open a caravan cupboard after a day on the road, something falls out. Water bottles. Sauce jars. The good wine glasses you swore you'd be careful with.
The fix: An adjustable rod that slides into the cupboard horizontally and holds everything in place. The good ones extend between roughly 40cm and 70cm so they fit most caravan cupboards, fridges, and pantry shelves.
If you want the ready-to-go version, Rod is our $14.95 Aussie-made cupboard protector. Slide it in, forget about it, never pick salt shakers up off the floor again.
2. Magnetic strips for metal surfaces
If your caravan kitchen has any metal surfaces‚ rangehood, fridge side, splashback‚ a magnetic strip is a free storage upgrade waiting to happen. Stick it on, hang knives, scissors, bottle openers, peelers, anything with a metal component.
Most magnetic strips come with adhesive backing, but for a renter-friendly version, 3M Command versions hold well and pull off cleanly.
3. Over-the-door hanging organisers
Most caravan wardrobes and bathroom doors have a flat back face that's pure wasted space. Hang a fabric over-the-door organiser on it‚ the kind sold for shoes works perfectly‚ and you've got 10‚ 15 pockets for first aid, batteries, chargers, snacks, sunscreen, or anything else that currently lives in a chaotic drawer.
4. Cord and charger storage bags
Phone chargers. iPad cables. Camera cords. The remote-control car charger your kid swore she'd never bring. Power bank cables. They all live in the same drawer, and they all become one impossible tangle within a week.
A small zip pouch with internal dividers solves this. Wrap each cord, give it its own pocket, and you'll find what you need without rage.
Corey is our version‚ a compact $9.95 cord storage bag designed for caravan tech tangles.
5. Hands-free hanging laundry bags
Caravan park laundry runs are awkward. Carrying a basket up a hill in the rain. Trying to balance an armful of washing while opening doors with your knee. It's the daily reality of a long trip.
A hanging laundry bag with backpack straps changes this. Throw the dirties in, pack it flat when it's not in use, double it up as a beach bag, a shopping carry-all, or a wet-gear holder.
Harry is our version‚ a $89.95 hands-free laundry bag designed for caravan park life.
6. Damage-free shower caddies
Toothbrushes rolling around the tiny caravan bathroom. Soap on the floor. Shampoo on its side leaking down the wall. The caravan bathroom is the smallest, most chaotic room in your van.
A non-suction, damage-free caddy that hangs over a tap or rail (skip the suction-cup versions ‚ they fall off in the heat) holds toothbrushes, soap, razors and shampoo all in one spot. Empty it in seconds when you're packing up.
Caity is our version‚ a $37.95 caravan shower caddy in matcha green or black.
7. Stackable, collapsible storage tubs
Hard plastic tubs that stack when full and collapse when empty. The single most useful purchase you can make if your caravan boot is full of loose stuff right now.
Use them for: pantry overflow, kids' toys, cleaning supplies, sports gear, BBQ gear. Label the lids. Stack them to fill vertical space when in use, fold them flat when you're at camp.
Most big retailers carry these ‚KEA, Bunnings, Howards Storage World. Look for ones with click-locking lids so they don't pop open in transit.
8. Tension rods (in unexpected places)
A spring-loaded tension rod isn't just for hanging clothes. Mount one vertically inside a deep cupboard and you've got a way to stop tall items ‚bottles, sauce containers, jars ‚from sliding into each other.
Mount one horizontally above a kitchen bench and it becomes a drying rack for tea towels. Mount one inside a wardrobe at floor level and use it to keep shoes from sliding around in transit.
Tension rods are around $10 from any hardware store. Buy a few different lengths.
9. Vacuum compression bags
For clothes, sleeping bags and bedding ‚vacuum bags squeeze stored items down to about a third of their normal volume. You don't even need a vacuum cleaner; the manual roll-up versions work fine for travel.
Especially good for summer/winter rotation. If you're touring north for the dry season, vacuum down your winter clothes and tuck them into a bottom drawer until you head south again. You'll claim half a wardrobe back.
10. 3M Command hooks
The renter's best friend. Command strips hold securely for months, then peel off cleanly with no residue. Use them for:
- Tea towels and dishcloths
- Mugs hanging from a shelf edge
- Keys and lanyards
- Hats
- Small bags
Buy the medium and large sizes ‚the small ones don't hold enough weight to be useful for most caravan items.
11. Clear plastic behind-the-door pockets
Same idea as the fabric over-the-door organisers in #3, but clear plastic versions let you see contents at a glance. Better for first aid kits, medications, vitamins, sunscreen, and anything you grab in a hurry.
The clear ones also hose down easily when something inevitably leaks.
12. Under-bed and under-seat storage with rolling tubs
Most caravans have empty space under the dinette seats and under the bed ‚but it's hard to use because reaching deep into a cavity is awkward.
The fix: low, flat tubs on castors that roll in and out like drawers. Bunnings has them for around $20 each. Store linen, shoes, tools, or wet-weather gear and access them without dropping to your knees.
Putting it all together
Twelve ideas, and the truth is you probably don't need all twelve. Pick the three or four that match the chaos in your van ‚cupboards, cords, laundry, bathroom ‚and start there.
If you'd rather skip the trip to Bunnings and start with a set that's already been tested by Aussie caravanners, our Caravan Starter Bundle has the three pieces we think solve the most problems for the lowest fuss: Rod for the cupboards, Corey for the cords, and Harry for the laundry. Or grab Caity separately for the bathroom ‚she's the newest piece of the range.
Shop the full Caravan Storage Solutions range
Frequently asked questions
Do these caravan storage solutions work in motorhomes and 4WD canopies?
Most of them, yes. Rods, magnetic strips, hanging organisers and storage tubs work in any tight space. The hands-free laundry bag is universal. Some solutions designed for full-size caravan cupboards may not fit smaller 4WD canopy compartments ‚measure first.
Will tension rods stay in place when driving on rough roads?
A good quality tension rod with rubber ends grips the cupboard sides well and holds through most road conditions, including unsealed roads and corrugations. For extra security on really rough touring, you can buy purpose-built caravan cupboard rods (like our Rod) which have a slightly different design specifically for this purpose.
What's the safest way to add storage without damaging my caravan?
Anything that uses tension, friction, or removable adhesive (like 3M Command strips) leaves no damage. Anything that requires drilling, screwing, or industrial adhesive can affect resale value and may not be allowed in hire vans.
Are these solutions suitable for hire caravans?
Yes — every solution on this list is non-permanent. Add it when you collect the van, remove it when you return.
Where can I buy Aussie-made caravan storage products?
Most caravan storage you'll find in big-box stores is generic and imported. For Aussie-made, look at smaller brands like Touring Essentials (us‚we ship from Australia within 48 hours), or check the Australian Made directory for local makers.
