Dear RV Shrink:
We are now in our third week of the RV lifestyle. The excitement is starting to wear off, especially when we stop and I start opening cupboards and the refrigerator. Bouncing down the road seems to make our food items jumpy. I opened the cupboard above the dinette today and put an ugly looking dent in my husband’s head, not to mention the table.
I know I am not the only first-timer that has experienced this problem. I know you can’t fix my husband’s head (it’s way too late for that), but how about some storage advice, tips, hints, ideas? —A bit road jumpy in Joplin
Dear Road Jumpy:
I know where you are coming from. We used to have a memorial dent in our dinette table that perfectly matched the one on my head. It doesn’t take many concussions to force you to rethink your storage options.
There are all kinds of cupboard protectors, bars and boarders on the market that help keep contents corralled. What we have found very convenient for our freezer storage are simple plastic containers that allow us to organize the space and still allow us to see the contents.
You will learn as you go that some items will ride better in certain areas than others and you will pack accordingly.
Some manufacturers do not put enough of a lip on cupboard shelves. You can remedy this by purchasing one of the items I mentioned above, or simply adding your own, using matching trim molding you can buy at any home improvement store.
Things falling out of storage cupboards can be a real headache, as you have already discovered. But a few preventive measures will solve this issue permanently. —Keep Smilin’, RV Shrink
Editor: Check the Quick Tips above for suggestions from our readers. Also, here’s a link to a nifty gadget to keep items in place in the fridge.
My Wife puts a pillow in most overhead compartments. Stops any thing from falling out when you open the doors
I lined my cupboards and drawers with a cut up yoga mat. Easy clean up and items tend to stay put. Also protects scratches in the cupboards when removing pots and pans.
I use plastic cutting boards and place mats to keep things from falling out of the cupboards and the bathroom cabinets. I use the spring loaded curtain rods to allow them to be slipped in place and held while traveling. Still have to remove those slowly to catch any item wanting out!
shoe boxes, they are free and work great
We screwed in small eye hooks in every cupboard and attached small bungee cords to them when travelling. When we open cupboard doors, nothing falls out as the bungees keep them on the shelves. When parked, we simply remove the bungees. The eye hooks are small and not noticeable.
Combination of rubber matting and dollar store plastic bins keep everything pretty steady for us. I also use the pressure bars (such as used in fridge) in a vertical position to keep things from sliding around. (Horizontal keeps them from falling out!)
The inexpensive plastic bins come in all sizes and shapes, so everything can be tucked away. Also easier for me to pull out a bin and sort through it than to sort through individual items on shelves. The small drawer-divider bins fit perfectly in our bathroom medicine cabinet, too, to keep tubes and bottles steady.
And, we try to corral all of the heavy items to lower spots, with paper products and other light items in the high spots. We use bungee cords to secure some of the cupboard doors. We use the shelf liner stuff that is a rubber weave, and that helps things from shifting quit so much,. Also, make certain every drawer and door is firmly closed before you travel.
We put everything in clear bins. Not only do they keep our things contained, but they also allow us to “go vertical” and make maximum use of the space within the cabinets. We have mesh bins in our refrigerator and freezer. The mesh doesn’t affect cold air circulation.
I put Velcro straps on all my cupboard doors while traveling, remove & open cupboards slowly once we arrive.