Caravan worktops and hobs can be easily damaged by small, but heavy, items accidentally falling out of high-level lockers. It can make for a costly repair process and is a common caravan insurance claim for accidental damage.
So let’s look at some handy hacks for securing items in your caravan cupboards, particularly when you’re on the move.
- Add a guard rail to your overhead lockers and bathroom shelves
This could be made from a small piece of wood, plastic/perspex sheet or foam board, and cut to shape so it forms a guard rail at the front of your locker or shelf to stop things from toppling out after transit. Simply fix it into place with heavy-duty double-sided sticky tape or a strong strip of velcro at each side. Or you could use a small metal curtain pole.
- Add tension rods to the front of lockers or in the fridge or bungee cords
A wobbly caravan in tow will shake things about inside your lockers and even your fridge. Fitting a tension rod – often used as net curtain poles – can keep tall things in place during transit. Similarly, bungee cords are great for securing things in the fridge, bathroom and kitchen whilst travelling and there are these telescopic cupboard and fridge rods from Kampa.
- Non-slip mats and velcro strips
Cut to size non-slip mats or shelf liners will help stop things sliding about and reduce those rattles but a velcro strip on the bottom of cups or pots will keep them firmly in place during your journey.
- Use storage boxes or caddies
Storage boxes are a great way to stop things from shifting around your cupboards during transit and either falling out when you open the door or finding them strewn around the inside of your lockers.
Pack tins, bottles, and books into storage boxes or use cabinet organisers or utensil caddies to keep things together and organised.
- Racking and glass holders
Plate racks and glass holders will help to keep your crockery secure in your caravan cupboards, particularly if used with a tension rod or guard rail. Protecting them with a tea towel, mesh collars and putting paper plates between dishes will also offer some protection. There are some specially designed plate and pan protectors than can help too.
There’s also this nifty device from Fiamma for keeping a set of plates in place. The Omni Stop has a plastic arm that moves up and down, depending on how many plates you want to stack.
There are even some products designed for use at home that can be cut down to fit inside your caravan lockers. One owner cut down this wire racking shelving to keep tins and jars secure when travelling. The best advice is to keep these items stored low down though.
Or you could use cupboard/drawer organisers to slot your cups and glasses into.
Other tips to reduce accidental damage
- Proper packing means less chance of any accidental damage when you’re travelling or even when you arrive at your destination.
- Use lightweight items designed for camping or outdoor use, which are often less likely to break than their heavier home-use counterparts
- Instead of packing the fridge with loose items for travel, pack these into a soft-sided coolbag
Over to you…
Got any tips or hacks for securing items in your caravan cupboards to prevent surface damage? Please feel free to add a comment below.
