5 Ways the Nomad Keeps Organized While Traveling
Living and traveling tiny is a dream, but it can also require a bit of skill in organization and knowing how to sort things! We thought we'd showcase our 5 most beneficial ways we've organized our belongings this year while traveling and how it has helped us. Whether or not you have a camper, it's so beneficial to think about minimizing your belongings and learning to live small so you can live your best life!
1. Hanging shoe rack.
Previously, our shoes, boots and sandals would just hang out in a big pile. We finally wised up to get a hanging shoe organizer and it has changed our lives! We can see who's shoes are where and we no longer have to dig around trying to find the matching pair. And it travels so well---all the shoes stay in one place and never fall out of their spots. So glad we finally figured this out! We got ours at Wal-Mart for less than $10.
2. Portable Plastic Dressers and Hamper.
Another new change this year. Previously, we would pack our clothes in suitcases and travel that way while storing them around available nooks and crannies in the camper, but we finally decided to rid the camper of those annoying suitcases we were pushing out of the way all the time. These plastic dressers fit perfect in the "bathroom" closet and hold enough clothes for all four of us for at least a 5 day trip. We use the hamper on top for the dirty clothes we acquire over the days so it's ready to bring inside to wash when we return home! It has become a much more seamless process that has saved time, energy and space! Two of these dressers at Target add up to about $30 total, but I've often seen them on garage sale sites and thrift stores.
3. Magazine rack as a dish holder.
Awhile back I got this at the thrift store--it was labeled as a magazine rack, but I think any sink dish rack would do too! It fits our plateware perfectly and allows for security while we haul the Nomad around keeping all of it right where we left it. It's also saves space for us to store our plates this way rather than flat as now we can fit cups and bowls in this cupboard too! And yes--nothing matches---it's all hand-me-downs, we're down with it. :)
4. Baskets for random assorted dishware.
Not everything has room to be stacked in each cupboard so some of the random things we have, like
tupperware containers here, are stored in a basket. It keeps them together and free from being tossed around while we travel. We can squeeze in some pans and utensils on the sides to get it nice and snug in there so nothing is going anywhere. It's a bit of a puzzle, but once everything is in its spot--it's solid!
5. Empty Basket, Bin or Crate.
When we travel, we often have leftover food we cannot fit in the cabinets or truck. Because our fridge does not lock (on our to do list!), we risk losing our food out the fridge door as we travel. So, we often store our fridge food in here so it has a space to sit without getting tossed all around on the trip. Because it's a nice small crate, it all stays cold together as the trips are often not more than a few hours. If we have delicate fridge items, we will bring a cooler, but try to avoid that because it's just one more thing to take up space! And when we are on our way home, we load it up again with any cold items we have left and then it's an easy to transport basket to bring to our fridge in our home. I think this was $12 at Joanne's--and they always have a coupon too!
We've learned over the years that it takes time to get a routine that is simplified, organized and effective. After 3 years with the Nomad, I think we've found a pretty good rhythm of our pre trip and post trip routine, but these 5 things have indeed made things easier!
Do you haul a rig? What routines do you have and what organizational tips could you share?
