Storage lockers are great to use to give you added storage for your small space. Your lockers on your boat, or also called closets can be redesigned to give you more space to hang clothes and to add extra storage shelves.
To get more space on your boat or RV invest in some storage bins. You can buy these in many different sizes and with the lids, they can become water proof to a certain extent and are great to hold paperwork, clothes that you aren’t wearing and other things such as food.
We use storage bins for storing food. We have the shoebox size storage bins for storing things like rice, spaghetti, and other things that you don’t want left opened to spill. We take everything out of the box when we get it inside, and place many of the things in plastic Ziploc bags then into the storage bin. The shoe box size containers are clear, and I tape a note card to the front of it so that I can see what is in the container not only by seeing through it, but by what is on the card. These are perfect size for spaghetti noodles, lasagna noodles, and other pasta products. You can fit quite a bit in each box. When traveling in your home away from home, these products are safe from spilling and stores nicely. You can fit many things in these shoe box size storage bins.
The next thing that we use for storage is shelving units. We added some shelving units in the storage locker, and on the storage shelves we put on more storage bins, here we use the storage bins for makeup, medicine, and other personal items. Again with the bins being clear we can fit a lot in and see what is in there. Moving around doesn’t scatter these items and makes it really easy for keeping everything in its place.
Bigger storage bins – We use bigger storage bins to hold clothing we’re not wearing at this time, and extra clothing that we need. To can fit a lot of clothes in a storage bin, no matter what size if your roll the clothes and stack them. Folding them takes more room then rolling them. You can also use storage bins to hold papers and documents. These again come in different sizes and shapes. Always find one with the lid so that it stacks better.
Storage bags – These are great for bigger fluffier items like pillows, comforters and blankets and sheets. We use these to place the items in then suck out the air to make them flatter. Sometimes we are successful and can store them right under the mattress, and still sleep on them without ever noticing. Our maps and charts are sealed in storage bags and slid under cushions inside when not in use. The plastic bags protect the items and they are always handy when we need them. You don’t have to purchase storage bags – you can use garbage bags, and with a hose from a vacuum you can suck the air out with the same results. While the garbage bags won’t be as durable as the storage bags, for many things it works just as well.
Kitchen Storage
Items in the kitchen can present a challenge. You need to get to most of the things in the kitchen frequently, and you probably don’t have much space in the kitchen anyhow. So you have to usually take the items out of the boxes and containers and have them stored in different ways.
When you open the cabinets in our kitchen you will usually see hooks on the doors inside. These are for cleaning rags, and we hang long utensils there. They don’t get in the way of closing the door, but these items don’t really fit anywhere else. We have spices on a spice rack that we have hanging on the inside of the door. While it doesn’t look real pretty when it’s opened, it’s stored for easy access to using the items.
Rubbermaid and Tupperware storage containers.
Tupperware and Rubber maid have some great storage solutions. We have cereal containers for the cereal that will keep food fresh. We use these for rice, and other things, such as instant potatoes, flour and sugar. There are ways to get these containers cheaper by recycling. We drink a lot of grape juice and other juices that come in nice plastic containers that have lids. These can be reused to store items such as sugar, and flour also. They will again not look real pretty but are very useful.
If you want to repackage things in Ziploc bags, then use a plastic storage bin to hold the stuff in. When I take out my Mac and Cheese, I place them in a Ziploc bag and put in the cheese sauce pouch in the same one, then lay them in a plastic storage container. They stack nicely, and even if I buy the noodles with the sauce mix already in, I do the same thing. I mark the outside of the bag with a marker showing the date and what the item is. If I need the directions to cook the item, I place that in a smaller Ziploc bag and put it in the bigger Ziploc bag with the ingredients. (Which is what I do when I repackage Bisquick).
Inside the cabinets
If you have to have coffee mugs add hooks to the top of the cabinet so that you can hang the cups and not take up extra room.
We have several bowels with lids that are stackable. These were picked up at the dollar store and work well.
We hang some of our pots under the sink, they are lined up along the side walls, and the skillet doesn’t take much room, but the pans, we have the smaller one inside the bigger one and that saves space for us.
We have a storage shelf inside one of our cabinet for cans. We can double the storage of cans by doing it that way. Since we have no counter space to speak of, all of our items are stored under the counter. This would be the toaster, George Forman, and other things. We also use the oven to store some things.
Most of our food is stored out of site in the storage closet in the plastic bins.
When we are on the boat and need to mix something up, we use the trick that Bisquick make us aware of. They have the pancakes in the plastic bottle that you just add water. We bought one of them, and then just reuse that container to mix up a lot of things. It has a pouring spout and you put in your dry ingredients, then add water and shake. It is easy to do and cuts down on the mess. It’s a great idea that we use on the boat.
When it comes to storage, you have to get creative and learn how to store things in places that may seem crazy if you living in a house but on a boat or in a RV it just works for these places. The easiest way to get things stored is to buy plastic storage bins and storage bags and start packing things away.
Storage bins have saved my life when it comes to getting organized. I couldn’t live without them now. There’s no going back.