RV Shoe Storage: 6 Ideas That Save Space and Sanity

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The ideas below range from a PVC pipe cut to size up to a full MORryde step replacement, so the deciding factor is how permanent you want the fix and whether you drive every weekend or park for the season.

What ties them together is that every option accounts for weight, moisture and the motion of the road: the under-step mesh is factory-drained for wet flip-flops, and the odor section covers charcoal inserts you can recharge in sunlight.

1. DIY PVC Shoe Rack

A three-tier shoe rack made from white PVC pipes and wooden planks holding various footwear.
White PVC pipes create tidy rows for shoes without heavy lumber support.

A PVC pipe rack gives you clean horizontal rows without the weight of lumber.

The wood slats are the shelves, not decoration, so cut them deep enough for a pair side by side. Glue the joints if you move the RV often; rattling will walk them loose otherwise.

2. Side-Mounted Wall Shoe Holders

White wall-mounted shoe holders attached to a bed frame holding several pairs of shoes.
Plastic brackets keep shoes off the floor while using space under the mattress.

Plastic brackets screwed to the bed frame base keep pairs off the floor and out of the walkway. I like that you do not give up any cabinet volume; the dead space below the mattress platform does the work.

Check your frame material before buying hardware; particleboard strips need shorter screws than solid wood, and metal rails need self-tapping machine screws instead.

3. Vertical Shoe Stacking Slots

Two white sneakers stacked vertically using a white plastic space-saving organizer on a white cabinet.
A plastic slot stacks shoes toe-to-heel, saving shelf space efficiently.

A single plastic slot flips one shoe over the other, cutting the shelf footprint in half. Stacking toe-to-heel keeps the height lower than sole-to-sole; I would do it that way under cabinets.

These adjust in height and angle to hold different shoe sizes, so set them for your tallest pair and let the rest sit with a little room.

They work best for sneakers and flats; boots need the taller version or they lean.

4. Fabric Compartment Storage Box

Various women's shoes organized in a white fabric compartment storage box on a grey carpet.
Dividers in a fabric box keep shoes upright and separated for easy access.

A fabric box with dividers keeps pairs upright and separated, which matters more for heels that tangle. I would measure your clearance first; the dividers add height that a solid-bottom bin does not.

Canvas wipes clean, but the cardboard stiffeners inside most of these do not tolerate wet shoes. Dry your boots before they go in.

5. Under-Step RV Storage Compartment

Tan and grey flip-flops stored in a compartment under black textured RV entry steps.
The mesh pouch under the RV step drains water and sand from wet shoes.

The mesh pouch under the top step is factory-built into the MORryde step, not a retrofit. I would check whether your steps have the bracket; if not, this idea is a full step replacement, not a quick add-on.

The mesh drains water and sand, which is the point for flip-flops you put on wet. It holds two, maybe three pairs; anything bulkier needs the exterior organizer instead.

6. Exterior Hanging Pocket Organizer

A grey hanging fabric organizer with pockets containing shoes attached to the side of an RV.
A hanging pocket organizer keeps shoes outside, preventing water and mildew buildup.

A fabric pocket organizer hung on the RV wall keeps shoes outside the living space entirely.

Grommets at top and bottom keep it from flapping, and I would use both; a single hook will drum against the siding on the highway. Bring it in if rain is coming, or the pockets hold water and mildew.

Avoiding Shoe Odors

Shoes go into storage drier than you think they are. I would give damp boots a full day near the furnace vent before they go into any bin, fabric or solid.

Activated charcoal inserts last about 2 years and handle both odor and moisture. I would keep a set in the shoes I wear most, not every pair; they are reusable but not cheap enough to buy by the dozen.

Baking soda works if you have the time.

Sprinkle it straight in and wait 24 hours, or mix it with baking powder, cornstarch, and a few drops of oil if you want a scent. I would skip the essential oils around leather; they can darken it.

A dry bar of soap leaves a clean scent behind, though it will not actually kill bacteria or pull odor out of the material.

Cedar blocks will not do much for odor on their own, but I still toss them into closed bins where moisture is the bigger problem.

A fifty-fifty mix of vinegar and water sprayed inside works too, though for the first hour your RV smells like someone is making a vinaigrette. I would use it on synthetic insoles, not suede.

Weight Distribution in RVs

Weight rides low in an RV, always. I would keep boots and heavier pairs in floor-level storage, not overhead nets or cabinets.

Overhead nets are for flip-flops and sneakers. The handling difference from mass up high is real, and the fuel hit adds up on long hauls.

Check what your overhead shelving is rated for before you load it. Most factory RV cabinets are built for dishes and linens, not a season’s worth of footwear.

Any hanging organizer needs 2 points of contact, top and bottom.

One hook lets it swing into walkways when you turn, and a shoe rack across a narrow hall is a hazard if you need the exit fast. I would test the swing before I drive, not after.

While all of these storage solutions can work wonders for your RV shoe organization, there are a few pitfalls you’ll want to steer clear of.

— Explore Magazine

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some hidden shoe storage ideas for an RV?

The gap beneath a mattress platform is easy to miss until you bolt a few plastic brackets to the bed frame and slide pairs in flat, keeping them off the floor without eating into cabinet space.

Under-bed fabric boxes with dividers also hide shoes while keeping them upright and separated.

MORryde makes an RV step with a mesh pouch tucked under the top tread that lets water and sand fall through, though I have found it tops out at two or three pairs.

What should I avoid when storing shoes in an RV?

Never store wet or damp shoes in enclosed bins or fabric organizers; damp boots need a full day near the furnace vent before they go into any storage.

Single-point hanging organizers swing into walkways when you turn, so test the swing before driving, and never block a narrow hall with a rack that could impede an exit.

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