The 100 RV Decluttering Challenge

Want to start the New Year off with a clean and organized RV?

Well, the first step is to get rid of stuff!

Take the RV Decluttering Challenge this weekend to get rid of 100 things in your RV! You’ll be amazed at the results!

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Decluttering in the RV

As RVers, we know the simplicity of minimalism and how awesome it is. But that doesn’t mean that we also don’t end up with clutter.

And frankly, we all have too much clutter in our RVs. Me definitely included.

And that’s why this quote from Charisse Ward really stood out to me.

Every thing in the RV should have a purpose. And you should use it.

Sure, some things, like say a first aid kit, are going to be “just in case” things that you need to have on board.

But do you really need two Crock-Pots, an Air Fryer, and an Instant Pot?

Or what about those broken flashlights that you can never find batteries for?

I’m pretty sure that you can find 100 things in your RV to get rid.

And that’s my challenge to you this weekend. Go out to the RV, and find 100 things, big or small, doesn’t matter, to get rid of.

Why Declutter the RV?

OK, so it might seem obvious. Declutter the RV, be more organized.

But there are more reasons – decluttering means that you have less stuff to fall out of cabinets when you park.

Decluttering means less stuff to find spots for before you move the RV. And less stuff to go flying at you while you are driving.

And less stuff means less weight means better fuel mileage. And who among us doesn’t want better fuel mileage and thus less gas expense?

With less stuff in the RV, you can more easily find and access the stuff that you want or need to use. You’ll spend less time digging through stuff and more time enjoying their use.

There’s also a sense of calm that comes with organization and a decluttered RV space. While you might not be into things like meditation, zen, and feng shui – it sure is nice to have a cleared space.

Why 100?

Why not 100?

It’s a nice easy number.

You’ll notice a big difference if you get rid of 100 things.

But at the same time, it is not an insurmountable number.

At first you’ll think that no way can you find 100 things to get rid of, but you can probably find 100 just in your RV kitchen.

What? Oh yeah.

Think about all those expired foods in your pantry. Or the duplicate can openers or serving spoons.

All. Those. Stadium. Cups.

Tips for Decluttering 100 Things from Your RV

So, where should you start?

I suggest that you start with what you can easily see.

Now, in my experience, the stuff that is out is what you use. But could it be out because it doesn’t have a place to live even if you don’t really use it?

Then it is likely clutter and can be removed from your RV.

One place that I tend to collect a lot of junk is in the cup holder between the driver and passenger seats. It becomes a collect all of receipts, cables, remotes, and whatever was in my pockets when I sat down to drive.

Once you have reviewed everything that is “out” – not in cabinets or drawers, then you can start on those areas.

I have found that it is easier to do one area at a time – the kitchen. Then the bathroom. Then the closet. Then the living area. Then the basement.

Trash Bags

Come prepared with trash bags, preferably the heavy duty contractor bags that won’t rip when you fill them up.

A lot of what you are going to find that you want to get rid of during this 100 Decluttering the RV Challenge will be pure trash, not worthy of donating.

But by all means, if you have something that can be donated or recycled, then do so. I encourage you to do that.

And once you fill up a bag, take it to the dumpster right away! Don’t give yourself time to think about whether you really should keep that oh so comfortable sweatshirt even though it has a stain and has a hole.

Sentimental Items

Sentimental items are especially a tough thing for full-time RVers to get rid of.

But even the part-time RVers will find that they have quite a few sentimental items in the RV that could be tough to part with. Especially if your teams have had successful seasons or epic road trips in recent years.

You know, those Mardi Gras beads from New Orleans. Bowl game stadium cups or ticket stubs. All those event t-shirts and ball caps. Game programs.

While you don’t need to clear out all the sentimental things from your RV, you can likely reduce the clutter from these things.

Can you throw out the stadium cups that are so worn or faded you can’t read them anymore?

Can you organize your ticket stubs in a way that keeps them all organized and in one place instead of a million different places in the RV? Amazon has a neat Shadow Box Display Case that can showcase your ticket stubs in one place and stop them from becoming clutter in the RV.

All those event t-shirts can be made into a T-shirt Quilt to keep on enjoying the memories but without the clutter.

Move some of the excess items to the man cave at the house? Be careful that you aren’t moving the clutter from one spot to another though!

Most people can reduce many of the sentimental items in their RV with a little effort.

Some Things You Can Get Rid Of

So you are up to the challenge – decluttering 100 things from your RV this weekend.

Need some ideas on where to look for what to get rid of?

Begin With

Here are the things that you should begin with when you are decluttering the RV in this challenge:

• Anything that doesn’t work or is broken
• Anything you don’t love or use
• Anything you haven’t used in the last year
• Amazon boxes and packing materials
• Old campground flyers and maps
• Organization gear (bins, shelves, drawers) that doesn’t fit in the RV

Electronics

I don’t know about you, but I sure do seem to collect a lot of electronics and e-gadgets.

Here are some things that you can easily remove from your RV while decluttering:

• Broken Chargers
• Cables that don’t go to anything
• Old CDs/DVDs and their cases
• The cheap Chinese made stuff that you upgraded with real equipment (I see you dash cams)
• Battery packs that don’t hold a charge anymore
• Video game consoles that aren’t used anymore

Kitchen Area

Oh, I see you kitchen. Seriously, I think I can complete this RV decluttering challenge right here in the kitchen.

And my RV kitchen isn’t that horrible because I already wrote about how to organize an RV kitchen and I did everything I talked about there.

Here are some things to look for that you can easily trash, donate, or recycle:

• Excess stadium cups
• Broken utensils
• Duplicate utensils or gadgets
• Take out menus from places you’ll never go back to
• Broken down sponge
• Storage containers without lids
• Containers that don’t stack well
• Expired Foods
• Old Spices
• Foods you’ll never eat and have no idea why you bought them
• The frozen mystery in the freezer
• Consolidate open liquor bottles
• Plastic grocery bags (you should be using the reusable bags anyways!)
• Cracked or excessively stained cutting boards

Bedroom and Closet

Your sticks and bricks closet is a notorious place for stuff to accumulate. Why would you think that it would be any different in an RV?

• Clothing that doesn’t fit
• Clothing that is stained or torn
• Free t-shirts that are always a size too small or 5XL
• Uncomfortable shoes
• Blown out flip flops
• Worn out bras or underwear
• Socks missing their match
• Coats you haven’t worn this year
• Any jewelry, hats, scarves, or other accessories you haven’t worn this year
• Flat, unfluffy pillows
• Extra bedding
• Extra hangers, esp those wire ones

See Also: 20 Under $20: RV Closet Organization Tools from Amazon

The RV Bathroom

The bane of any decluttering process is the bathroom. All those beauty products that you bought at some point and now are just sitting there, hoping that one day you might deem them worthy again.

Hint: You won’t. Trash them.

• Expired vitamins or medications
• Expired sunscreen
• Makeup more than 1 year old
• Hair ties or scrunchies that are wrapped in dead hair
• Unused hair or body products that you bought but don’t like
• Ratty towels
• The old bath pouf or loofah

See Also: Upgrade Your RV Shower

The Living Area

I’m terming the living area that is everything not specifically the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom. Where you let visitors come in and sit for a chat. Where you sit and watch TV. You know, live.

And as a catch-all for RV life, the living area is also a catch-all for clutter in your RV.

You will be amazed at what you find in these cabinets, under the sofa and any other hidden storage areas. In fact, if you forgot you had the stuff hidden away, it’s probably a good sign that you can toss it right away.

• Worn blankets
• Worn rugs
• Extra throw pillows
• Old magazines
• Old pet toys
• Receipts (scan any important ones first)
• Games with missing pieces
• Oil diffuser that you never use
• Anything that doesn’t work
• Any décor items that you don’t love

The RV Basement

And finally, let’s go outside and check out the RV basement bays.

Yes, your clutter collects in the basement too. All that outdoor gear has to go somewhere.

• Outdoor gear you haven’t used this year
• Dried, cracked, or unusable lubricants, oils, and other maintenance liquids
• Duplicate tools
• Tools you have no idea how to use
• Excess project materials (wood scraps)

Now You Organize

The first step to organizing is to purge all the extra stuff.

If you are looking to find more storage space in your RV, then check out Ashley Mann’s eBook Create Space from Thin Space.

Ashley has quite a few unique ideas to help you find places for your remaining stuff in your newly decluttered RV.

And you can also check out these RV organizing tips:
30+ Tips for Spring Cleaning Your RV
DIY Jewelry Organizer and Display For Your RV
Get Your Morning Coffee On: RV K-Cup Storage

Complete the 100 RV Decluttering Challenge

Have you taken the 100 RV Decluttering Challenge?

If so, send us your best before and after pictures and pictures of everything you got rid of! Let’s see those nice, decluttered RVs!

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