Are you stuck with a camper that feels too small until you can save enough money for a larger one? Don't let feelings of claustrophobia make your next camping trip a drag. Here are eight ways to use space more efficiently in a too-small camper.

Attach cleaning supplies and tools to the ceiling.

Brooms, mops, and other cleaning tools can take up a lot of space. Invest in some plastic or metal brackets that can be mounted to your camper ceiling with simple screws, and use them to hold these items -- you won't be tripping over them anymore!

Get an over-the-sink rack to free up counter space.

An over-the-sink rack is just what it sounds like. It's a long, tall rack with legs that sit on either side of your sink. You can use it to hold items like your paper towels, plates, and salt and pepper shakers so they are no longer cluttering up your counter.

Add hooks to the insides of your cabinets.

Rarely do small campers have enough drawer space for things like serving spoons, spatulas and marshmallow forks. Instead of allowing these items to build up on the counters, hang some hooks on the inside of your cabinets and store them there. These hooks also come in handy for dish cloths and hand towels.

Keep your toiletries in hanging caddies.

Shampoo, soap and the like can take up a lot of space in your tiny bathroom. Instead of leaving bottles on the floor or vanity, have each person keep his or her own toiletries in a fold-up caddy that can hang from the bunk beds in your sleeping area. Better yet, encourage everyone you're camping with to share toiletries. There's really no reason to have three bottles of shampoo and four bottles of body wash when you're trying to conserve space.

Attach a shoe holder to the wall for gadgets.

There are so many essential gadgets associated with camping -- think lighters, flashlights, and bug spray -- and when you're short on space, it is easy for these things to get buried and go missing. Mount a fabric or vinyl shoe holder (the kind with many pouches) to the inside of your camper door or on some other free wall, and use it to hold such essentials.

Bring along a piece of plywood to turn a bed into a hard surface.

Cooking in a cramped camper can be challenging -- you always feel like you need more counter space. Bring along a piece of plywood; stash it against a wall when you're traveling and at night. During the day, when the beds are empty, you can lay the plywood out on the bed and use the new, hard space as an extension of your counter. If you're really motivated, you can cover the plywood with contact paper so spills are easier to clean up.

Mount a trash bin to the inside of a lower cupboard.

If you still have a trash can taking up valuable floor space, it's time to make a change. Invest in the type of trash bin that hooks over a cabinet door. You may have to empty it more often, but this is actually a good thing since it will keep your camper smelling fresher.

Get rid of the lamps, and mount some battery-operated tap lights.

Bedside lamps are easy to knock over when you're cramped for space, and they take up space you could use to store other items. Get rid of these, and instead mount stick-on tap lights (the kind you just push on to turn off and on) above each bed. Each person can control their own light at night, and they are completely out of the way.

Family sizes and needs change, and it is not unusual for a camper that was once the proper size for you to start feeling too small as your family increases in size or kids grow up. Certainly, upgrading to a larger camper solves this problem, but implementing the ideas above is a good temporary fix until you get to that stage. For more information on campers, contact a business such as Camping World of Ocala.

Share