Miriam Mace from Aussie Destinations Unknown (ADU) explains how to save space and keep things organised.
If you’ve ever opened your caravan door after a day on the rough stuff only to find your jars exploded in the fridge, your flour tipped all over the floor and you can’t remember which cupboard you stuffed your jumpers into … you’re not alone.
We’ve been travelling together for about 15 years now, starting part-time in tents, rooftop tents and camper trailers. Our first caravan was a second-hand Jayco pop-top — a small one — and that was just for part-time trips. We are a blended family, so the trips varied. Sometimes it was just the two of us, other times we had our three younger kids with us, which meant packing needed to be flexible and well thought out, even if we didn’t quite realise that back then.
We eventually upgraded to our first brand-new 22ft 6in bunk van when the kids had grown a little older and we started taking longer trips — up to six weeks at a time. But even then, we didn’t have packing quite nailed. I thought we did at the time, but looking back now, I can see how much easier things could’ve been.
Like the time I packed for our big Tasmania trip back in 2018 and used actual garbage bags to organise my clothes. I had one bag for jumpers, another for jeans and pants and I just shoved them into the cupboard like that. I thought I was being pretty clever! It worked well enough (until the bags ripped!) … but wow, things have changed since then.
Now, into our sixth year of full-time travel, we’ve got systems that work. Clever storage, the proper containers, packing cubes, weight balance, food prep, fridge management — it’s all part of the rhythm of van life. But it’s been a journey of trial, error and lots of learning.
Chris and Miriam from ADU have been travelling together for around 15 years
Everyone packs differently
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that packing is personal. What works for me might not work for you, and that’s okay. Some people travel light with a capsule wardrobe. Others (like us) have a long list of hobbies and need space for dive gear, gym gear, bikes, camera equipment and sometimes even a boat on the roof. No two travellers pack the same.
Even Chris and I have different preferences. I swear by compression packing cubes — the kind that zip down to half their size once they’re filled. They keep everything in place and help me keep my clothes separated by type: gym gear, swimwear, activewear, loungewear and outerwear. Chris prefers the more traditional approach: folded clothes stacked in a cupboard so he can see what he’s grabbing. It’s not the most efficient, but it works for him and he’s happy, so we roll with it.
Driver side canopy of ADU’s Chev Silverado 2500HD
Clothes, linen and under-bed storage
I first started using the IKEA SKUBB soft collapsible cubes when we hit the road full-time. I had them in the medicine cupboard, the fridge and the bedroom cupboards. Because they’re soft, I could squeeze them through smaller openings and they’d spring open once inside. That was a massive upgrade from the garbage bag era!
But when we went on a trip to the U.S., I came across compression-style zip-up packing cubes and realised they might be an even better solution for clothing. When we got home, I swapped everything over and haven’t looked back. Our cupboard layouts also changed in our latest van; for example, I don’t have a separating shelf in the medicine cabinet anymore, so the soft cubes meant wasted space. I swapped to containers with lids that stack and it’s worked so much better.
Compression packing cubes for clothes
All our linen is stored in large compression bedding bags, and I rotate between six reversible doona sets from MeanderWild. This means I can change the look and feel of the van whenever I want! They each live in their own bag under the bed, and if we’re off-grid for a while, dirty bedding goes back into the same bag until we hit a laundromat.
For seasonal clothes, I use clear zipped storage bags from CamPaq, another fantastic small Aussie business. These are perfect for storing out-of-season clothes under the bed, where I can still see what’s inside. They’re durable, well-made, and we love supporting small Aussie brands like this one. Check them out and use ADUCREW for a discount. The same goes for MeanderWild bedding, run by two lovely young women — the quality is fantastic! You’ve got to try the zippered sheets; they’re a game changer. Find them here and you can use the same discount code.
(For more info on MeanderWild, check out our this feature.)
Miriam with Therese from CamPaq
Kitchen storage and pantry solutions
Almost everything in our kitchen is stored in containers, and for good reason. Things bounce around a lot on rough roads and if they’re not properly secured or sealed, you’ll be cleaning up for days.
We use a range of plastic tubs from Bunnings in most of our cupboards to keep things grouped: snacks, baking, certain toiletries and so on. Inside those, I store unopened packets of things like flour, sweeteners, tea bags, nuts and spices. I also group our medications, sunscreens, insect repellent and so on for easy access. For opened packets, I use Sistema Ultra Clear containers. They seal well, are moisture-resistant, and unlike the cheaper Kmart versions I tried early on, they don’t crack when you hit corrugations. Having both opened and unopened food in containers also protects it from rodents, in case they get in, and from ants.
My herbs and spices are stored in tidy little airtight pantry canisters from Kitchen Warehouse, a gift from my mum. They’re one of my favourite kitchen hacks — compact, spill-proof and without screw tops. That’s important because if you’ve ever gone offroad, you’ll know screw tops can rattle loose and turn your pantry into a herb garden. I’ve had to clean up more than one jar of paprika before I figured that out.
If we know we’re heading out on rough roads for extended periods of time (like the Gibb River Road), I’ll decant things like sauces and condiments into plastic squeeze bottles from Kmart, which are much lighter than glass and less likely to leak. All our jars and bottles in the fridge sit in plastic containers, just in case something tips over or spills. This has saved us from some serious messes, aside from the time a jar of sauerkraut tipped over and exploded all through the fridge while we were towing along the Old Ghan Railway Track out to Finke. Nothing was saving the fridge from that disaster!
All jars and bottles sit in containers to catch any potential spills
Cutlery and cleaning products
For cutlery, we use drawer organisers. Chris found the one we have now on Amazon. They make good use of the small drawer space. One tip I’ve picked up: if you’re doing corrugated roads, lay a tea towel over the top of your cutlery and pad out any gaps with paper towel. It stops everything from bouncing around and helps avoid that awful metal-on-metal black scuffing, especially if you’ve got a white tray. We have a black one, which hides the marks better.
Our cleaning products are stored upright in a plastic tub in our broom cupboard — something we’re lucky to have in our 23ft 6in Sunland LTD. This cupboard holds all the sprays, cloths, dishwashing liquid and extras. If something leaks, it’s contained. And if not, it all stays neat.
One of the first things we always do when we get a new van is line the bottoms of all the cupboards and drawers with the non-slip liner from Bunnings. It helps stop everything from sliding around while we’re towing, protects the surfaces and makes cleaning up so much easier.
Fitness, hobby and outdoor gear
Packing gets even more critical when you carry a lot of gear, and we carry a lot. Between us, we’ve got gym equipment including YBells, a slam ball and resistance bands, plus our snorkelling and diving gear. We travel with mountain bikes, camera gear, a surfboard and two electric bikes. On top of that, we’ve got recovery gear and even a small boat that lives on the roof of the truck. Every single item needs a home, and how we pack it — especially when it comes to weight distribution — is just as important as what we take.
All this stuff needs to be packed safely, with weight distribution in mind.
The boat motor slides into the 4WD canopy
We’ve had three caravans now with a custom-built bike box on the front. Chris has designed and refined this to house our two e-bikes, the surfboard, tyre pumps and other gear. It’s solid, secure and weatherproof.
We also have rear bumper storage in our Sunland LTD that holds most of our gym gear — perfect for keeping the weight balanced, especially since it helps offset the caravan’s ball weight. That’s something every traveller should pay attention to; where you pack things matters for safety reasons as much as for convenience.
Passenger side canopy of the Chev Silverado 2500HD
Conclusion
Packing a caravan and tow rig isn’t just about saving space. It’s about making life easier every single day on the road. Over the years, we’ve refined how we store, stack and stash everything we carry, but it’s still a work in progress. The key is choosing systems that suit you and adapting as you go. Whether you’re a minimalist or carrying bikes, fitness gear and a boat — organised storage means less mess, less stress and more time doing what you’re out here to do.
Until next time, happy packing and safe travels!
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