It feels like everything has a place and a purpose in an RV. There have been so many details that have been carefully planned out so that you can pack up and travel. But in such a small space, where do you put dirty laundry in an RV?
I feel like the designers and manufacturers left out this one small detail; Storage for your laundry. They thought of everything from a built-in loft and even space for a washer dryer combo. Why didn’t they consider where your dirty clothes would go?
After living full time in an RV with a baby (and a husband…. Hahaha), I’ve found some sneaky places to hide it. I want to share with you some tips for storing your dirty laundry, no matter what the layout of your camper is.
12 Places to Put Your Dirty Laundry in an RV
Whether you have a 45ft toy hauler or 24ft Motorhome if you don’t have a built in hamper, finding a spot for your dirty laundry can be tricky. Speaking from experience, I like my dirty clothes to be accessible and out of the way. But, not everyone has the space to do this. So, here are some places you can store your dirty laundry in an RV.
1. In Your Closet
This is how we (typically store) our dirty laundry. But if you have a really small closet, this might be difficult.
There are a few ways you can do this:
- Get a Hanger Bag
- Put a Hook on the inside wall and hang a laundry bag
- Put it on the floor of the closet.
2. Canvas Bag + Hook
I actually did this in my daughter’s nursery. I didn’t have space to put a hamper so, I got a hook from Home Depot and used a burlap gift bag for her dirty clothes. Her’s is on the wall behind the door, so you don’t see it. But, you could get a cute bag and hang it up as part of your decor.
3. In Dinette Seats
If you have dinette seats, this is the perfect hiding place for dirty clothes. I would suggest using the seat closet to the edge since you will need to access it daily.
Depending on the size of your seats you there are a few things you could do:
- Get a collapsable hamper
- Use a Piece of Cardboard or Wood to section off an area.
- Try a Laundry Bag
4. In Your Storage (under the trailer)
I was surprised to find that many full time RV owners keep their dirty clothes in their undercarriage. I feel like it’s a bit inconvenient, but if you don’t have any other space this definitely works.
I’ve seen full timers make chutes, which would make this a ton easier! You could also just use a collapsable hamper. You will want to keep these closest to the edge for easy access.
5. In the Truck Bed
When we lived at a KOA, several families kept their dirty laundry in the bed of the truck. This did make going to the Laundromat a breeze. I think this is the perfect option if you don’t have a washer dryer combo in your RV.
6. Laundry Bag on the OTHER side of the bed
When we are traveling, this is how we store our laundry. It typically piles us a bit more and the bag is too big to fit in our closets. Keeping it on the other side of the bed (so you can’t see it) is an easy solution.
My husband wants to get a tall narrow hamper, so it can double as a nightstand. This isn’t a bad option either if you have the space!
There are two ways you could do this:
- Use a Laundry Bag
- Get a Hamper + Use it as a Nightstand
7. Under the Bed
Most RVs have storage under the bed. This makes for the perfect space to store your dirty clothes. Ours is pretty deep, so a collapsable hamper would be perfect.
8. The Shower
Friends of ours only use their RV on the weekends, so they use their shower to store dirty laundry. It’s a good place because they are out of the way. The only problem is that when you want to take a shower, you have to put them somewhere and typically bathrooms are already pretty small.
Here are a couple of products you can keep them in:
9. Back of a Door
If you have a standard door that swings open (NOT a sliding door), you can use a hook to hang your clothes on the back of it. This is a really cheap option! You can grab a wreath hook for under $10 and a laundry bag… and now you have some easy storage.
10. Straight in the Washer (Wash a Load Everyday)
If you have a washer dryer combo and plan on doing a load daily, you can just throw everything in there and run it each morning! This makes the space in your washer useful and keeps those dirty clothes hidden away.
The only thing you have to keep in mind with this is that you don’t want to let them pile up for days. This could cause your unit to get stinky pretty fast. You will have to be intentional about running a load every day.
11. Hanging Off the Bunk
If you need an idea for a bunk room, there are these hanging bags for off the bed. This helps to keep dirty clothes off the floor and makes the space useful!
12. Skinny Hamper Next To Bathroom Sink
Last but not least, get a skinny hamper for next to the bathroom sink. Our bathroom is pretty tiny, so this unfortunately doesn’t work. But, many RV bathrooms have a good amount of space between the sink and shower. There are so many skinny hamper options you can choose from. The smallest I’ve found is 7.5 inches wide.. so make sure you measure before you buy.
Final Thoughts…
When looking for a way to store your dirty clothes, there are so many places you can hide them. You will need to consider how much space you have and whether or not you need to go to a laundromat. Hopefully one of these 12 ideas for where to put your dirty laundry in an RV, will work for your camper layout and lifestyle.