Here’s the thing about cruise cabins: they tend to be small. Even if you splurge on a suite, that extra space isn’t always guaranteed. Over the years, we’ve learned that it often comes down to one thing: cruise cabin organization.
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These cruise cabin organization tips aren’t just about tidiness. They’re designed to help you make the most of your small cabin, so you can actually enjoy your cruise instead of living out of a suitcase or hunting for your phone charger under a pile of stuff. Most of these come straight from our cruise experiences, with a few extra ideas we’ve picked up along the way.
And if you’re cruising with more than one person, these tips become even more valuable because clutter multiplies fast in a shared cabin.
1. Unpack and Create Zones
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Do not wait to unpack. As soon as you get your luggage, unpack and create zones. This will immediately help the cabin feel less chaotic. When you drag those suitcases into the cabin, it automatically feels cramped. Clothes should be hung up in the closet or stored in the drawers.
Charge your devices and keep cords organized in one spot near the outlets. Use shelves for frequently used items like sunscreen and sunglasses, and dedicate drawers for things like medications, accessories, or snacks so you always know where to find them. Setting “zones” keeps everything organized from day one.
2. Use Magnetic Hooks
Cruise cabin walls are metal, and magnetic hooks are the easiest way to add extra storage. We use them for hats, lanyards, and wet swimsuits, and they keep those items off chairs and counters so the space feels less cluttered.
You can also buy magnetic clips to stick important paperwork to the wall if you don’t want to misplace it, though I usually just use one of the extra hooks. This simple setup clears surfaces and makes the cabin feel more open.
3. Over-the-Door Organizer for Small Items
While I am faithful to my over-the-door toiletry organizer bag (a hanging bag for toiletries), this over-the-door organizer for small items works just as well. If you’re in a cabin with three or more people and only one bathroom, it’s a lifesaver. Hang one on the bathroom door and have everyone keep their things contained and off the counters—it makes it easier to find what you need and keeps the space feeling tidy.
4. Use Packing Cubes
Packing cubes keep drawers neat and eliminate the dreaded “pile of clothes” mess. Instead of digging through stacks, you can slide a cube straight into a drawer and see exactly what’s inside. They even speed up unpacking since you can move them right from your suitcase into the drawers. If you’re traveling with family, give each person a different color to avoid mixing up clothes and keep things simple.
5. Store Luggage Under the Bed
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This tip comes straight from our cabin hacks list, but here we’re zeroing in on its space-saving power. Nest smaller bags inside larger ones and slide them under the bed so they’re entirely out of sight.
We tuck away anything we won’t need again until the end of the cruise or any bulkier things that would otherwise take up valuable space. Some cruisers even use their bags for laundry, but we prefer keeping a separate laundry bag to stay organized and avoid mixing things up.
6. Bring Hanging Shelves
Lately, we’ve been lucky to have cabins with plenty of storage, but on older ships, drawer space can be limited. That’s when collapsible hanging shelves for the closet come in handy. They create a mini dresser, giving you extra compartments for folded clothes or accessories and making use of vertical space you’d otherwise waste.
One cruiser even shared that they paired hanging shelves with magnetic hooks, which solved their storage issues entirely. Plus, these shelves fold flat, making them easy to pack in your suitcase. This is especially helpful if you’re cruising with more than two people.
7. Use Your Nightstand Drawers and Shelves
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Guilty. I always used to forget about this one, but on our last couple of cruises, I started using the nightstand drawers to stash my charger, Kindle, lip balm, hand lotion, and other little things I reach for right before bed. You can do the same; it’s an easy way to keep small items out of sight and prevent the bedside area from becoming cluttered.
8. Use the Cabin Safe for Important Items
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Your cabin safe isn’t just for passports. It’s a great place to keep other essential items you don’t want to lose track of, like jewelry or small electronics you’re not using. Making a habit of putting valuables in the safe not only keeps them secure but also reduces clutter in your cabin.
9. Empty the Mini-Fridge
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Anything in the mini-fridge is usually an extra cost. Ask your cabin attendant to remove the items, or remove them yourself and store them away somewhere in the cabin, letting the attendant know what you did (they are responsible for keeping track of them). Use this fridge to keep your drinks, snacks, or medications that need to stay cool. Repurposing the fridge adds valuable storage you’ll actually use.
10. Contain Your Laundry
One of the fastest ways a cabin looks messy is when laundry starts piling up. Bring a lightweight laundry bag and stash it in the closet, an empty storage spot that’s not being used, or in your luggage under the bed. This keeps dirty clothes contained, out of sight, and it also makes packing to go home much easier.
11. Check for Hidden Storage Spots
PinStorage overhead.
Cruise cabins sometimes surprise you with storage you’d never notice at first. On our Celebrity Cruise Solstice Class cabin, we found overhead cabinets above the bed—something we didn’t spot until midway through the cruise. We’ve also seen drawers built into furniture and space under the couch on other ships.
These spots are perfect for things you don’t need every day, like extra shoes or even your laundry bag, so they stay out of sight and out of the way.
12. Do a Quick Daily Tidy-Up
The simplest way to keep your cruise cabin organized is to spend just a few minutes each day tidying up. Even with every hack on this list, things can get messy fast if items aren’t returned to their zones. Take two minutes to fold clothes, toss papers, and put things back where they belong.
That small daily reset keeps the cabin feeling open and manageable, especially when you’re sharing the space with others or sailing on a ship without turn‑down service.
Keep a laundry bag handy so dirty clothes don’t pile up in a corner. Tucking it in the closet or under the desk keeps the cabin feeling clean and prevents that “laundry mountain” from forming.
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Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she’s become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She’s always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
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