Let’s face it – laundry is never much of a pleasure to deal with, but when you travel or live full-time in an RV, dirty laundry can be particularly unpleasant. However, there are little things we can all do to make the chore of laundry easier. Today we’re looking at the collapsible laundry basket.
In an RV, you don’t have a laundry room, space is always at a premium, and some travelers barely have room for a laundry hamper, never mind a laundry sorter. Anything we can do to make the RV laundry situation a little easier is a good deal.
Dirty laundry isn’t always as pleasant as Don Henley’s all-time biggest solo hit single, but let’s see what we can do to make RV dirty laundry a little less problematic!
What’s So Great About a Collapsible Laundry Basket?
Collapsible laundry baskets have a few features that make them especially amenable to RV living and traveling.
Store Easily
When you have a hard-sided laundry basket that doesn’t collapse, you’ve gotta have a fairly large spot to store it in. But with a collapsible laundry basket, once collapsed its slim configuration is easier to store.
Save Space
Along the same lines, anything we carry that’s capable of collapsing saves space. And goodness knows everyone who travels in an RV understands the importance of saving space.
Collapsible items allow more room for other things we need to carry.
A typical laundry basket requires a fair amount of space even when not in use. The ability to collapse a laundry basket to a two-inch flat piece provides for much more compact storage which is important in an RV.
Multifunctional
Depending on the type of collapsible laundry basket you choose, it may also serve double-duty as a hamper. And it makes it especially easy to carry your laundry to the laundromat or campground laundry facility.
We’ve even heard that some travelers take a collapsible laundry basket to the grocery store in lieu of a reusable shopping bag. They use the basket to grab their groceries at the local store, pay for the groceries and carry them back to the RV, all in the same basket.
Some even use the basket as food storage for snacks and such – until laundry day arrives!
Now that’s a versatile piece of gear. 😉
What to Consider When Shopping for a Collapsible Laundry Basket
Let’s take a brief look at the features to consider when shopping for a collapsible laundry basket.
Size & Weight
Only you know what size laundry basket you need based on whether you’re a solo traveler or you’re doing laundry for multiple people.
You do want your collapsible laundry basket to be easy to carry, however, so you’ll want to choose a material that’s heavy-duty but not heavy.
Handles
The type of handles that work best for you to carry your laundry basket is another consideration.
For example, do you want the type of handles that come together for single-hand carry? Or do you prefer to carry a basket with both hands, one on each side of the basket?
Ease of Collapsing & Expanding
If you have to fight with a collapsible laundry basket to get it to collapse and expand, it’s not worth buying. Here you may want to carefully check user reviews for actual shared experiences.
Durability
As always we don’t want a product we have to replace in short order. Look for something made of materials that are durable and will hold up well to use, mobility, and cleaning over time.
Ability to Serve as a Hamper
If you want your laundry basket to also serve as a hamper, you’ll need to make sure it’s capable of standing on its own. You’ll also want to consider size when fully expanded to make sure you’ve got a space in your RV that will accommodate it.
Backpack Carryability
If you want to be able to toss your laundry on your back for easy mobility to the laundromat or campground laundry facility, look for the ability to carry it as a backpack. We’ll be sure to include a link to one like this below.
Great Collapsible Laundry Baskets for Your RV
Here are several options to jump-start your research into the best type of collapsible laundry basket for your RV lifestyle.
CleverMade Collapsible Fabric Laundry Basket
This basket is made of polyester and plastic and has a steel rim and looped handles.
It holds 17 gallons and has dimensions of 23” x 15” x 13.25” when fully expanded.
The Clevermade collapsible laundry basket can also serve as a laundry hamper. It has “SnapHinge” technology allowing it to snap up easily or fold flat for storage.
When collapsed, it’s very easily stored under a bed, in a drawer, on the side of a closet, or in a small storage bay.
Available in denim or charcoal, this is a favorite with users for many reasons.
Note that the link below is for TWO baskets.
- HEAVY DUTY – 2 pack so you can use one laundry bin to tote dirty clothes to the washer and the other to put clean, folded clothes away from the dryer;…
- EASY TO USE – These slim space saving hampers pop up quickly and fold completely flat to be stored in the bedroom, bathroom, closet, kids room,…
Clevermade has several different designs of collapsible laundry baskets/hampers worth considering. We’re going to link to a couple more Clevermade designs due to their popularity among Amazon reviewers, and to give our readers options that reflect the different spaces we all have available in various RVs.
CleverMade Laundry Hamper Collapsible Sorter Basket
This design is tall and relatively slim with dimensions of 21.5″L x 10″W x 22″H when fully expanded.
It’s heavy-duty, collapses flat, and has padded handles on each side for easy transportation.
- SLIM AND TALL – Narrow clothing hampers are perfect for small spaces for easy sorting of dirty clothes and towels; modular design allows you to…
- FOLDABLE DESIGN – Clothing storage bins zip and fold down flat for compact storage; unique design gives you the option to store your baskets when not…
CleverMade Collapsible Laundry Basket / Foldable Clothes Hamper Bag
Fully expanded, this heavy-duty 17-gallon polyester laundry basket has dimensions of 21″L x 13″W x 18.25″H and is lightweight and collapses flat.
It has a solid board base and a sturdy wire frame that uses SnapHinge technology to collapse and expand.
This multi-functional collapsible tote has long carry handles on either side for easy one-handed carrying.
- HEAVY DUTY – 2 pack so you can use one laundry caddy to tote dirty clothes to the washer and the other to put clean, folded clothes away from the…
- EASY TO USE – These slim space saving hampers pop up quickly and fold completely flat to be stored in the bedroom, bathroom, closet, kids room,…
SAMMART Collapsible Plastic Laundry Basket
Unlike the polyester material used on the soft baskets noted above, this is a plastic (polypropylene) foldable container.
This one holds 10.8 gallons of clothing (or 8.4 gallons of liquid). It’s also versatile as it can be used as a portable wash tub, storage tub, or organizer.
The sides pop up to expand the basket to full capacity. Fully expanded the dimensions of this rectangular basket are 17.5″L x 10.5″W x 22.5″H.
These baskets are BPA-free and get very high marks from users.
- BPA Free. Comfort grip handles for easy carry
- User friendly by simply pop-up to open when using and collapses to flat for space saving
Note that these SAMMART collapsible baskets are available in several different colors and sizes, so be sure to look for the size that works best for your situation.
CleverMade Laundry Backpack Duffel Bag Tote with Shoulder Straps
And as promised, here’s the backpack version of CleverMade’s designs. This laundry backpack can also be used in a duffel bag configuration.
When fully packed with clothing, the dimensions of this soft-sided basket are 15″L x 14″W x 21.5″H. The total recommended capacity for this basket is 40 pounds.
This laundry basket doesn’t collapse as much as it folds flat, but it’s still very easy to store and is very lightweight for the RV. It has a cinch top for easy opening and closure.
- 3 WAYS TO CARRY – Haul up to 2 loads of dirty laundry as a backpack, duffel bag, or a carry tote; perfect for college students to tote from their dorm…
- COMPACT- When empty, simply fold it up and stuff it under the bed or inside the closet. When full of clothes, the hamper bag stands upright and can be…
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