Being able to travel across the country in your RV can be a thrilling experience for rig owners. However, this can quickly be interrupted by objects falling everywhere and out of cabinets and drawers. It’s very inconvenient to have all of your things out of their proper place and onto your RV floors when all you want to do is to enjoy the scenery.
To help you prevent your stuff from falling out of storage spaces, here is a list of how to keep RV drawers closed when traveling. We’ll discuss using magnets and mats to install locks and latches.
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Temporary Resolutions to Keep RV Drawers Closed
Knowing how to keep RV cabinets closed, especially when traveling, is important. However, if you are not a big fan of drilling holes or screwing latches onto your drawers, there are a few temporary solutions that you can use to make sure your things don’t fall off while driving.
1. Using magnets
If you have a few magnet strips lying around your RV and a hot glue gun, you can keep your RV cabinets closed with this method. Just glue in two to three magnet strips on your drawers’ edges and a small strip of the metal sheet where the cabinet meets your drawer.
Make sure to align them for them to work correctly. I also suggest that you use durable neodymium magnets so that they can keep your drawers closed no matter how heavy the load is.
2. Using non-slipping matting
The following method to prevent your RV drawers from opening is by putting a non-slipping mat inside. The rug will prevent the items inside the drawers from moving around much and keep them in place even when the RV moves.
It’s also a helpful way so that your drawer won’t slide out when you are driving. You can use this method for any drawer type, especially on utensil drawers.
3. Using bungee cords
RV drawers with handles instead of knobs can be kept close by using bungee cords or ropes. This process is an excellent choice for rig owners that don’t like drilling holes into their cabinets and installing latches. It’s also effortless to do and easy to change or remove when the time comes.
Before starting, make sure that your cabinets and drawers are tightly closed. Next, tie the bungee cords to the handles, pull them and then tie the two ends together. As this is just a bungee cord only, it may not keep heavy cabinets closed.
4. Using velcro strips
If you are finding a solution for your most miniature drawers only, you can get by with the help of a few velcro straps. This material is more substantial than regular magnets if placed correctly in your cabinet drawers.
However, it is to be noted that the heavier your drawers, the less effective it will be. So make sure to have some extra spare for replacements.
5. Avoiding overloaded cabinets
When you place items in the cabinets and drawers in your RV, make sure that you don’t put in too many heavy things. If your cabinets and drawers are overloaded, the tendency is that they will roll out much easier than you like, especially when driving through bumpy roads.
Avoid putting your heavy items inside RV drawers unless they are secured into place.
6. Using a rolled-up rug
Another way to keep your RV cabinets closed is by using a rolled-up rug. This method is used if the problematic drawers are the ones on the bottom. To do this, simply roll up any carpet that you have in your RV and wedge it in between your RV floor and the cabinet.
I suggest that you use a rug that’s thick enough so that it won’t unravel as much as when you use a thinner one. Also, you might want to check up on it during stops as the rug may need some readjusting from time to time.
7. Distributing the weight
You can effectively keep your RV cabinet doors from opening by placing all of the heavier objects to the back of them. Make sure to put them next to each other and as packed as possible so that they won’t have much space to move around.
Alternatively, when you place items in your drawers, make sure that there aren’t heavy items inside. You can choose to put them in cardboard boxes or plastic bins to avoid scattering.
Permanent Fixes
Finding the perfect solution for your RV drawers is vital to ensure that you won’t have any problems while driving around in your RV. However, most people are not satisfied with having just a temporary fix and would instead choose a lasting one.
Therefore, if you have some spare time for installation and such, here are some permanent fixes that you can use to keep your RV drawers closed while moving.
1. Installing child safety locks
One of the best ways to permanently keep drawers closed when moving is by using child safety locks. For those who have kids, you may already be used to installing them for your doors. They’re lightweight and easy to install, perfect for keeping drawers closed.
However, here are a few things that you should look out for when using child safety locks.
- Child safety locks are not a good option for upper cabinet doors. You need to install this material into the cupboard top, and because of the build of upper cabinets, you may not be able to do it.
- If this is your first time using a child safety lock, you may pull it too much and damage the lock itself. Please read the instructions and make sure to use the lock gently.
- Using a safety child lock might still leave your drawer open for a tiny portion, so make sure not to put in anything small that can fall out when you’re driving and potentially be harmful to you.
2. Installing magnetic latches
I can say for a fact that one of the best ways to keep your RV drawers closed is by using RV drawer magnets that have latches. These materials are straightforward to use, and you can install them in no time. In addition, they have mechanical latches, which can ensure that your drawers stay closed.
Although they might look solid, keep in mind that they have specific loads that they can carry. To help guide you, here is a step-by-step process on how to install RV drawer latches.
- Start by placing the base of the magnet on your drawer or cabinet. Make sure to use a pencil to mark the spot that you’d be drilling holes in.
- Next, drill in the holes. The length may vary depending on what is required by your screws, but the generally used measurement is 1.5 millimeters.
- Screw your bolts in with a screwdriver. Please do not use an electric drill since it may damage your cabinets and drawers.
Make sure that your base is aligned to your magnet catcher before screwing it in place. Just follow the same steps from the start to install the magnet catcher on your cabinet doors.
Conclusion
Knowing how to keep RV drawers closed is beneficial for anyone who owns an RV. Every rig owner should make it a top priority to find a potential fix for their RV cabinets and drawers.
Choosing the best solution will ensure that your things won’t fall off when you drive through any road. With the help of this article, you can now make sure that you won’t have this problem.
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Hi, I am Joseph. Carpe diem! Seize the day! That’s always been my life motto. If you haven’t seen some of the most beautiful places in the country, you are missing out on incredible adventures.