Having a large family, it is somewhat difficult to find a place for everyone to put their ‘stuff’. This is especially true in the toy hauler’s bathroom!
I thought that I would share with you my favorite tool on my quest to get the bathroom organized; my over the door shoe organizer – which is not over the door. I took a full sized organizer (found at WalMart, I think), trimmed it down to the size that I wanted, and sewed under the rough edges (I just took off some length by cutting it about a half inch below the last row I wanted intact, ironed it under, and zig-zag stitched on top of the trim – looks like I bought it that way!). Instead of using the over the door bracket that came with the organizer, my son took some washers and screws and attached the organizer to the wall (he did it at the top of the wall to make sure the screws grabbed backing for support). You could easily cover the screws with ribbon or wooden trim if you wanted a more finished look. I made sure to find an organizer with mesh pockets – many have plastic pockets, but since I wanted it installed in the bathroom, I wanted to be sure that it would dry thoroughly and not trap moisture (or lint in the bottom of the pockets). Each person has one or two compartments, and they are used to store toothbrushes, deodorant, hair accessories, razors (anything small)… We installed ours where it was handy, but these could be cut down and installed, hidden, inside of the linen closet or cupboard.
We first used this idea in our previous bunkhouse travel trailer – I cut one down for the bathroom in it, and we used it for years. It worked so well that we bought more organizers, cut them down into sets of 2 horizontal rows, and installed a set in each of the bunks in that trailer (we installed them on the outside of the wardrobe walls so they were next to the kids’ pillows – definitely helped to keep the clutter to a minimum).
Don’t laugh, but I think that these type of shoe organizers are one of the very best organizational tools for RVers; they don’t weigh anything, are compact and inexpensive, and are very easy to modify to any size! If I had a large cabinet door (pantry) in this coach’s kitchen, I would have one hanging on the back of the door for items like measuring spoons/cups and tea bags, maybe even spices – all those little items that are difficult to organize and store.
I very much enjoy organizing our RV, just as I enjoyed the same in our sticks & bricks. If you are looking for ways to utilize (or find extra) space in your rv, maybe some form of this easy modification will work for you! Happy organizing!
sally
I was looking up information on sweating rv windows when a spotted this subtitle on the shoe organizer.
Since we live full time in our 39 foot, 2 bedroom, 2 slide, Fleetwood Mallard we have very little storage. In the bunk room, I installed a plastic shoe organizer to the inside of the 18″ wardrobe door (so I wouldn’t have to look at the accumulation of stuff) and a mirror to the outside of the door. It holds my brush, make up, medicines, tweezers,nail clippers, needles and threads, glasses cloth, among other things. Nothing heavy enough to sag the door and I can still get it closed. I bought it at the good will for 99 cents and screwed, it on (screws + washers) with out alterations to it.
We also took out the small booth table and benches in the bunk room and bought a desk that was 6′ long and 19 1/2 inches deep (so it would fit through the door openings (Good will $9.99)
The previous owner had cracked a couch support and after a year of us using it full time we decided it needed to go, so we removed the couch and put the desk there, then added a recliner to the bunk room for reading and tv viewing. A flat screen tv fits nicely on the filler ledge that we left from the booth.
We also don’t use the bar stools at the bar, so we brought in a small cabinet to hold pots and pans,that would fit under the bar. I did have to take out one (fancy) brace that sort of supported the bar and replace it with an angle brace.
I also hung hooks for mugs from under the front rim of the upper kitchen cabinets for coffee mugs
In the area for the stacking washer & dryer, we created a pantry. I would rather go to the LaundraMat than not have a place to store food items.
And of course, the kitchen to bath room door and bathroom to stool door got over the door hooks for robes/clothes and additional towel racks.
I sure wish rv manufacturers would add wood trim around the open kitchen and bath walls so you could screw other storage devices to the walls, knowing they would be secure.
dana t.
Karen,
I am pretty sure that I found these at Walmart, but that was about a year ago. I haven’t been in there lately, so I don’t know if they still carry something like that. Don’t forget to try places like ebay and amazon too!
Karen
Where did you find your mesh organizer? I used them in our old RV but can’t seem to locate them anymore for the new one and I NEED them!
Jennifer H-Q
Thank you so much for sharing this! Its excatly what I need and can’t wait to get it!
Denise
what a great idea!