The Best Time to Organize Your RV: Simple Routines That Keep Your Camper Clutter-Free

If you’ve ever opened your RV door after a trip and felt instantly overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Between gear, groceries, seasonal items, and all the little things we swear we’ll “deal with later,” clutter can creep in fast. Over the years, I’ve noticed something: the best time to organize your RV is right after you get home from a trip — or even during the last day or two on the road.

Don't forget to go through your medicine cabinet and reorganize.  Switch out toothbrushes and assess what you need!

Why Post-Trip Organizing Works

After a long trip, everything is fresh in your mind—what worked, what annoyed you, what stayed in the way, and what you used over and over. It’s the perfect moment to take mental notes (or literal ones!) about your gear and systems.

Quick questions to ask yourself:

• What did we use the most?
• What did we never touch?
• What did we wish we had?
• What felt bulky, broken, or unnecessary?

Be sure to clean out your drawers that have paper goods and seasonal items!

Sort Seasonal Gear While It’s Fresh

Seasonal items—like extra blankets, fans, or specialty cooking gear—don’t have to live in your RV year-round. We store ours in a shed at home and rotate pieces in and out depending on where we’re headed and the time of year. Anything we use on every single trip stays onboard. This habit keeps the rig from feeling jam-packed and allows room for the gear we truly need.

Another place to check are your lights and batteries.  We try to keep several spares of things we use regularly on the road with us so we are always prepared.

Restock, Refresh, and Replace

Right after we get home is when I:

• Restock items we ran low on
• Replace things that are broken or torn
• Repair what’s worth fixing
• Toss anything that caused more frustration than it solved

Sometimes I keep a running list as we travel. Other times, I put things in my Amazon cart so I don’t forget later. As I clean, I think through how we actually use items and whether they’re stored in the best spot. A quick shuffle here and there usually fixes more than you’d expect.

I don't clean out the pass through storage as much, but it is a forgotten part that does need to be reorganized!

Over Time, It Gets Easier

The more we’ve traveled, the more streamlined this routine has become. We’ve discovered new ways to repurpose things, swapped out gear that didn’t earn its space, and learned what we can live happily without.

A great example: we recently ditched our little vacuum cleaner—the one we had for six years. It worked fine, but it was always in the way and the dogs barked at it. I only used it when everyone was outside. So I gave it up and switched to a simple broom. I don’t miss it at all.

And on the flip side, we realized we needed better storage for remotes and hats. A couple of simple organizers solved the problem instantly, and now everything has a home.

Getting rid of my vacuum cleaner and going back to a broom was a great decision!

Don’t Buy Everything You See at the Campground

It’s tempting—trust me. I see something cute or clever at another campsite and immediately think I need it. But I’ve learned to pause. If it’s not a must-have, I add it to a wish list and wait. If I still want it weeks later, it may be worth adding to cart… or asking for it as a gift.

Impulse buys lead to piles of unused gear—and that’s just wasted money and more clutter to deal with later.

I have designated containers and storage items that keep things neat and tidy like this RV organizer that we keep in our truck.  We another one for our pass through storage!

Slow and Steady Wins

Your RV doesn’t need to be perfectly organized overnight. Organization is a slow and steady process that gets better as you travel and fine-tune your setup. When you build post-trip organizing into your cleaning routine, everything becomes more intentional. You start to see patterns, understand what fits your travel style, and create a space that truly works for your family.

Being organized helps to make trips more enjoyable and manageable.

A Quick Step to Try After Your Next Trip

When you get home, take 15 minutes while you’re cleaning to:

• Sort what you used vs. what stayed untouched
• Pull out seasonal items
• Restock the essentials
• Toss what isn’t working
• Make a little list of gear that would genuinely improve your setup

Quick, simple, done — and it transforms everything over time.

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