Storage

Storage is a major priority inside any vehicle that is used for life on the road! In such a small space, every place needs to be used to its fullest potential.

Cabinets and drawers must be securely closed so they don't fall open during transit. Shelves have more limited use in a vehicle since it's harder to secure everything. In addition the inconvenience of things simply falling off of shelves, consider crash safety as you plan your storage.

Drawers are generally better for storage that's below your shoulder height, since you can pull them all the way out (with full-extension hardware) to see everything inside. By contrast, it can be hard to find things in the back of a cabinet, and cabinets near the floor require you to kneel down to see what's inside. Cabinets are better for many larger or bulkier items, and it's very common to put your vehicle system components (electrical systems, gray water tanks, etc.) behind a cabinet door for easier access.

When planning your build, remember to make a place for everything you'll have with you. It's common to forget a spot for laundry, trash, and outerwear like coats and shoes.

Cabinets

Cabinets ...

Drawers

Drawers are an important part of many camper vans. ...

Shelves

Many nomads add shelves to their nomadic living vehicles as part of a storage solution or for display of belongings, books, plants, or nomad art. Compared to other storage options, however, most types of shelving have limited use in a vehicle, simply because it's harder to secure everything while in transit. In addition the inconvenience of things falling off of shelves, consider crash safety as you plan your storage. ...

Garage

The garage is an (optional) area in many nomad vehicles used for all sorts of storage, including bikes, tools, outdoor-use items, and other items you don't need frequently. In many vans it is located under a fixed bed. Garages frequently contain various "hidden" components like electrical systems, batteries, and water tanks.

Reducing rattling

When driving, especially with off-road travel, things inside your cabinets and drawers can move around a lot.

You can add liners or cloth to the bottom of your drawers and cabinets to help. For pans or other large items, consider creating a custom foam insert with indentations for your items. This keeps them from sliding into each other and the sides of the drawer or cabinet. See this video. Put a tea towel or similar between lids, plates, layers of silverware or utensils, etc. Use rubber bands or other fasteners to wrap bundles of silverware, hold lids in place, and so on.

MOLLE panels

MOLLE panels (sometimes called Molle boards or racks) are one solution for easily-accessible storage in your vehicle, whether living nomadically or car camping. Molle panels are popular in military and tactical vehicle applications. They're best for storing items that you need to access regularly or quickly while keeping them secured for travel, such as tools or cooking equipment.Continue reading …

Shoe storage

Don't forget about shoe storage when planning your build! You'll generally want a place near the entrance for shoes. The location should be able to handle water and mud that may drip from your shoes. It should be well-ventilated too; avoid putting your shoes in a sealed box unless they are completely dry.

If you have a section of blank wall near your door that's not doing anything (such as a door panel), take a length of bungee cord and screw both ends of it to the wall so you have a horizontal cord that pulls tight against the wall. Then, you can insert a pair of shoes with the soles against the wall, or other things like wet towels. You can also do this on the underside of your upper cabinets to store towels, paper towel rolls (keep one end of the bungee removable), etc.