Teardrop campers and tiny trailers don’t have much room for clutter. A pair of muddy boots, a few kitchen tools, and wet towels can make a small cabin feel packed fast. The best setups don’t rely on one big storage bin; they use lots of small, easy-to-reach spots that keep gear dry, quiet, and in the same place every time.
In the video at the end of this post, the team from Playing with Sticks shares lots of practical solutions.
#1 An exterior shoe bin that opens from inside: One standout solution is a shoe bin mounted so it can be reached from the cabin. It follows the classic Rubbermaid shoebox idea, but it’s upgraded so campers don’t have to crawl under the trailer or wonder which shoe a spider moved into. It’s sized to hold one large pair of hiking boots or two pairs of tennis shoes.
#2 A washable hanging shoe organizer: A canvas pocket organizer (about 10 pockets) can hang inside using peel-off hooks. It comes down easily, goes into the washer, then hangs back up. Campers use it for shoes, socks, and small items that tend to disappear at night.
#3 A simple bag for dirty shoes: Sometimes the simplest fix works. A dedicated bag keeps grimy shoes from mixing with clean bedding and clothes.
#4 A cut-to-fit knife organizer: An IKEA knife rack can be trimmed to fit a drawer. It keeps blades covered and hands safer when grabbing tools in a hurry.
#5 IKEA bins help prevent the “junk drawer” effect in tiny campers: One bin can hold bandages and first aid items so they’re ready to grab without digging. IKEA UPPDATERA boxes are a good size for that.
#6 Adding drawers where a sink would’ve been: One owner skipped the sink option and used the space for drawers instead. Baltic birch plywood matched the trailer’s look, finished with water-based polyurethane. The payoff is simple: drawers use vertical space and keep gear from becoming a shifting pile.
#7 A cooler hidden in a truck trunk: A Honda Ridgeline’s in-bed trunk becomes a protected cooler locker. With a 12-volt port added, a Dometic cooler can ride locked, shaded, and out of sight.
#8 A folding wheel-top table: A mini folding table sits on the trailer wheel, giving a flat spot for morning coffee or a shoebox. It folds flat and packs into its own sack. This mini folding table matches what’s shown.
#9 Hooks and tension rods for towels and trash: Twisted S-hooks can hang raincoats under an awning so they dry overnight. Tension rods can hold towels, and one setup uses bungees to keep rods from shifting while towing. S-hooks for camping and an RV tension rod cover the basics.
#10 Small-space upgrades for drying, charging, and staying ready to tow: A YETI LoadOut 30 GoBox is used as a modular shower kit with towels, soaps, and wipes. It previously served as a full tent-camping kitchen box. Wet socks and gloves can air out on a rubber braided clothesline stretched between eye screws.
#11 Inside the galley, adhesive towel hooks hold potholders and towels, and kitchen towel hooks are a quick way to add to that spot. Magnetic storage also helps; a maple magnetic knife holder keeps knives and scissors from sliding, and magnetic condiment tins stay put behind spices.
#12 Trash gets its own system, too, including a removable side bin for bear country using an adhesive trash can. One door mod adds a closet rod to dry towels while driving, with Velcro added for grip so nothing slides off.
#13 Another door add-on is a charging-ready phone holder mount, positioned so a USB cord can reach overnight.
#14 and #15: Even towing stays organized: One setup uses a Swap-a-Ball hitch set for quick size changes, and another uses a multi-ball mount hitch that’s always ready.
Final thoughts
Tiny campers stay comfortable when every item has a home and a reason to be there. The best ideas shown are simple, like hooks, bins, magnets, and one good box for categories like shower gear. With a few smart add-ons, small trailers feel less cramped and mornings feel calmer. The most useful test is whether something can be grabbed fast, put back fast, and stay put on the road.
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RVDT2842
I love these organizational videos. Our RV has plenty of storage space for our needs but that doesn’t mean the space can’t be better organized.