5 RV Upcycle Ideas to Give New Life to Old Items

It’s no secret that RVs can be pretty bland straight from the factory. I know I have gone to work adding personal touches to each of my RVs as soon as we’ve moved into them. Fortunately, this is usually easy enough to do. And my favorite way to go about it? DIY upcycling projects!

Not everyone has a ton of money to spend on RV decor and storage solutions, and many RVers are eco-conscious individuals. Because of these things, upcycling items and using them in your RV just makes sense!

With that said, here are some awesome RV upcycle ideas that I think you’ll love.

Repurposed Wooden Pallets for Storage and Shelving

Some people already have wooden pallets lying around, or can easily access them at work. I don’t have access to this resource myself, but if you do, you should definitely take full advantage by upcycling that perfectly good wood into something useful for your home-on-wheels:

• Shelving Units: Wooden pallets can be cut and sanded down to create rustic shelves. The small, narrow spaces in an RV benefit from vertical storage, and pallet shelves can be hung in the kitchen for spices, in the bathroom for toiletries, or in the living area for books and plants. Just make sure you aren’t asking your RV walls to support too much weight!
• Fold-Down Tables: A section of a pallet can be used as a fold-down table in your RV dining area. Mount the table to the wall and fold it away when not in use if you need to save space.
• Bed Frame or Platform: Planning to re-think your RV sleeping spaces? Pallets can be used to create a sturdy bed platform. Sanded and painted, they provide a solid base for your mattress and can offer hidden storage underneath, a huge plus in small spaces.

Essentially, most jobs you would normally go out and buy plywood for can probably be accomplished with upcycled wood from pallets. 

Upcycled Furniture 

When we moved from our sticks-and-bricks house into our RV, we had a lot of furniture to get rid of. Some pieces were given to friends and family, and others were things we could use in the RV. That said, we also found ourselves upcycling some items:

• Cabinet Doors as Tabletops: Large cabinet doors can be turned into tabletops or work surfaces. Mount one on foldable brackets to create a pop-up work desk or cutting board. (Note: You can also use a full-size door to create a dining table.)
• Chairs and Benches: If you have an old chair or bench that you can’t bring along in its original form, consider cutting it down to size or repurposing its parts. The seat of a chair can become a stool for the dining table, and the backrest of a bench can be turned into a decorative headboard for your bed.

I’m sure there are even more ways to use old furniture. If you find yourself with a piece that you don’t have a good use for, get creative and see how you can make use of it in your rig. 

Repurposing Old Clothing into Upholstery and Curtains

One of my favorite materials to work with when upcycling for my RV? Fabric. Old clothes, blankets, and sheets can be turned into all kinds of useful things, and bringing different kinds of textiles into your RV is nice because it adds a personal and cozy touch:

• Upholstery for Cushions and Seats: Old denim jeans, flannel shirts, or even wool sweaters can be sewn together to create a patchwork cover for cushions or seat upholstery. 
• Curtains and Blinds: If you have old bed sheets or larger pieces of fabric, they can be converted into new curtains or blinds for your RV. A lightweight, sheer fabric can brighten the interior by letting in natural light, while heavier fabrics can offer privacy and insulation in cooler climates.
• Braided Rugs: If you have lots of rags to work with, make a rug for the RV floor. Sew the rags together into long strips and braid three strips together to form a long rope. The rope can then be twisted into a spiral and stitched in place to create a colorful addition to your RV flooring. 
• T-Shirt Storage Pillows: I love making pillows out of t-shirts, and when I make them for an RV, I don’t even bother adding any sort of stuffing. Instead, I fill them with winter coats, extra blankets, and other items we don’t use regularly, creating extra storage and a decor item simultaneously. 
• Bunting: Leftover fabric scraps can be transformed into decorative bunting, which is perfect for adding a pop of color to an RV without adding a bunch of extra weight. All you have to do is cut the scraps to size and tie them onto a length of twine!

These are just a few of the amazing ways you can upcycle fabric in your RV. Next time you have a need for textiles, look in your wardrobe and/or linen closet to see if there is an item you are no longer using that could be turned into the thing you need. 

Wine Corks and Bottle Caps for Decorative Accents

As a person who is quick to throw things away if I can’t think of an immediate need for them (I do live in an RV after all), I can see why someone would just toss wine corks and bottle caps in the trash. That said, these things do have some interesting uses if you’re looking to add a fun touch to your RV:

• Corkboard for Notes and Photos: Collect your wine corks and glue them together to form a bulletin board. Hang it on the kitchen wall or near the entrance of your RV to pin notes, postcards, or grocery lists onto. It’s a simple yet functional decoration that adds a touch of personality.
• Tabletop or Counter Decoration: Wine corks or bottle caps can be embedded in a clear resin to create a custom tabletop or countertop, adding a personal touch and preserving your memories. 
• Drawer Pulls and Cabinet Knobs: Changing out your drawer pulls may not seem like a huge thing, but it really does make a big difference, and it’s all the more special when you use bottle caps in place of traditional drawer pulls. Doing this adds a unique, rustic charm that I just love. 

I know collecting things like this can be annoying, especially if you don’t drink a lot of wine, beer, or soda, but if one of these projects sounds like it will fit well in your RV, it might be worth taking the time to create such a collection. 

Ways to Use Tins and Jars for Organizational Solutions

Okay, so I know I said I’m quick to throw things away, and in almost all cases, that is the truth. That said, I’m a sucker for a good jar and I’m always looking for ways to put them to use. Here are some ways I’ve used jars and tin cans in the past, as well as some ideas I’ve had for the future:

• Tin Can Planters: Clean and paint some tin cans to use as planters for small herbs or flowers. I love that this gives me a chance to grow something when a full garden is not feasible, and the greenery in the RV gives a fresh touch. 
• Tin Can Utensil Holders: Alternatively, a few used, cleaned, and painted cans can hold utensils, cutlery, or cooking tools on the kitchen counter. If the contents of the can are light enough, you can add some anti-slip stickers to the bottom and they will stay in place while you drive. 
• Mason Jar Lighting: Mason jars can be transformed into pendant lights, sconces, or lanterns. Attach them to a wooden board, hang them from the ceiling, or just set them on a table. Insert small LED light bulbs and you suddenly have an adorable light that will add some character to your space. 
• Magnetic Spice Rack: Mount a sheet of metal on the inside of a cabinet door or kitchen wall, and attach magnets to the lids of small glass jars. Fill the little jars with spices and stick them to the metal sheet for an easy-access, space-saving spice rack.
• Under-Cabinet Jar Storage: Another use for small jars? Extra storage under a cabinet or tabletop. Screw the jar tops to the inside of the cabinet or tabletop, fill the jars with small things like spices, craft supplies, or anything else you might need easy access to, and twist them onto the mounted jar lids. 

Jars and cans make excellent items for upcycling projects. While I don’t save every can I use, I certainly will continue to hold onto jars for projects like these. If nothing else, I’ll use them to hold leftovers!

As you can see, there are tons of amazing ways to make your RV a better place to spend time using items you likely already have laying around. Which RV upcycling project will you tackle first?