Where To Hide a Safe In an RV? (Guide to Hiding Valuables)
Valuables need to be protected. One of the aspects of RV life that many people do not know is that the self-drive and towables are often keyed the same. This is one of the areas where RV makers save money. If you want your valuables to be safe, then change your locks.
It is a sad story to hear that RV owners have lost valuables through break-ins. But there is a way to protect your money and documents. Just add a real safe to your RV and put the safe in a hidden spot. Pick a safe that is within reason of course.
To learn more about this topic and where to put that safe, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can go out, and enjoy yourself while still keeping your valuables safe and sound.
Can you Put a Safe in An RV?
Yes, you can do this but there is one trick. The safe needs to be strong but not so heavy it puts you over your weight limits. Or so heavy you can’t lift it. We are not talking about installing a bank vault-type safe.
It is not hard to install a portable yet strong safe in your RV if you have the room. We will get to the different locations you can hide a safe in a few moments. The key is to find one that will fit in secret places while still giving you clear access to open it when you need to.
This topic is important as many RV owners travel with medical information, private information, insurance, titles, and other important documents as well as emergency money when the banks aren’t open.
Having a safe inside your RV is one way to protect all that private information. Even smaller trailers may have some good hiding spots that will help add to your peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your travels more.
Where To Hide a Safe in An RV
Believe it or not, there are lots of good hiding places for a safe in your RV or trailer. Here are some suggestions you can mull over and see which one will work for you the best:
1. The proverbial wall safe- one of the best locations is an RV wall. You can adapt the safe to fit the dimensions of that wall. Then you can hide the location using artwork, curtains, and so on.
The only drawback to this location is that thieves look at walls first.
2. The floor- there are many great safes designed to fit in your RV’s floors. It may take some doing, but you can find the right spot and then camouflage it better than you can a wall safe.
3. Vents- you can either dedicate one vent for a safe or build a faux vent to hide the location. RV safes come in many different sizes so you can find one that will meet your needs as well as a vent’s dimensions.
4. Under a bed- not just your master bed although that is a good location. You can pick any bed in your RV or trailer and build a nice area to hold the safe. You want to make sure it does not move about when you travel.
5. Bookshelf- if you are a reader, this is an ideal location as book safes blend right in with the real volumes on your bookshelf. They should look like real books or they will stand out like a sore thumb.
6. RV stairs- your 5th wheel trailer often has stairs leading up to your entertainment area. That makes them an ideal spot to put a safe. If done right, your guests won’t have a clue as to where you hid your valuables.
7. Next to your heater or furnace- these appliances are usually tucked away in some very hard to access spots. Plus there may be some extra room left over to hold a safe. If you are not handy, then get an experienced carpenter to help you build a spot for a portable safe in this location.
8. Drawers- shelving units and cabinets have lots of drawers installed. Pick one for your safe and buy a model that will fit inside. Just do not mark it in a way that it stands out as a lock is a true giveaway for thieves.
9. Cabinets- doesn’t matter which one, just pick one and make sure the safe is secure and won’t fall out as you travel. Even portable safes can be heavy and if they fall, they can cause a lot of damage.
10. Storage compartments- again, just pick one and make sure there is room for a solid portable safe. You can always pile different equipment over the safe to hide it from view. Just make sure not to keep it in the open as when those doors swing open everyone can see inside.
11. Closet- if there is room, this is a good out of the way spot for a safe. It is not hard to disguise it with shoes, accessories, or dirty laundry making it harder for thieves to spot.
Of course, now that we have told everyone about 11 good spots to use, it will be up to you to be more creative and find a unique spot thieves won’t think to look into.
Make sure you secure the safe you use so that it cannot be carried out by thieves.
Choosing Safes For RVs
You may not be afraid of having someone break into your RV or trailer. But you should know that roughly 25,000 RVs and trailers are broken into every year.
With millions of RVs on the road or stored somewhere, it may be a while before thieves make it to your location. But why take the chance? There are some guidelines to follow when you choose an RV safe. Here are a few of those guidelines:
1. Weight- no matter what you buy, you always have to think about the weight of the item you buy. Because safes are made of strong metals, they can be heavy even if they are small. Consider the weight before you buy.
2. Locks- what type of locks do you have on your RV? Most RV makers use the same cheap CH751 lock no matter the cost of the RV or trailer. It is not a good idea to have any type of safe inside if you do not change those locks to something more secure.
3. Location- this is something you have to decide before you buy the safe. Not all safes will fit in the same location. You have to buy a model that will fit comfortably in the spot you want it to reside.
4. Construction- tin boxes with a cheap lock may work temporarily but they will not keep thieves from getting to your money, passports, and so on. You will need to check the construction materials for the safe walls, doors, and lock to make sure they are adequate for the task.
5. Contents- what will you be putting inside the safe? The safe has to be large enough to hold the items you want to be protected. Legal-sized documents need a larger safe and that means more weight and fewer places to put them.
6. Ease of access- how will you get into the safe? If they are battery-operated combination locks, you will need a key option to override the system when the batteries run out of power. Some safes have 3 options to open them. Pick the safe that fits your abilities best.
There are many different types of safes on the market so your toughest choice is selecting the right one for your RV or trailer.
Where do You Hide Valuables in RV?
The first thing we are going to do is warn you. This is a public website so any hiding places we mention here can also be seen by those who like to break into RVs when the owners are away. Use the following suggestions to get creative and find new places to hide your valuables.
The second thing we will say is there are 2 places you never hide anything of value. You just do not use these two options. One, never put anything in the ice cube tray in your freezer or similar containers. This is one of the first places thieves look for jewelry.
Two, never put anything small in any prescription medicine bottles, containers, or similar containers. Thieves look for drugs and will take free ones every time.
Let them have the drugs, not your valuables. Here is a list of creative locations to hide money, etc., when you are not using a safe.
1. Hollow handles in brushes- this is a unique spot and many thieves may not think to look inside hair brushes and other items with handles. It does take time to open these hiding spots but not enough to slow the thief down that much.
2. Candles- there are candles made with hidden compartments. If you use this location, have enough candles in your RV to confuse the thief. Not all candles need to have this compartment.
3. Fake vegetable or fruit cans- Who is going to look in your canned goods cabinet for valuables? These cans come with a screw on the bottom that can hold lots of small items.
4. Water bottles with storage areas- usually those compartments are hidden behind the label. Just open the top, drink some of the water inside and leave the rest to make it look like a regular water bottle.
5. Cans of shaving cream- these are mini safes for small items like jewelry, money, gold money clips, and so on. Since this can is larger than others, you can get a lot of things inside the compartment.
6. Top of the hollow door- this is a sneaky place to use as no one thinks about things hidden in a hollow door. You will have to improvise the parts as these are not usually available for sale.
Use a 35 mm camera’s film container, drill out the top of the door and use special hardware to hold it in place. That is just one option.
7. Lubricating oil cans- just like the vegetable, and shaving cream designs, the bottom screws off to reveal a hidden compartment. Hide the can well so thieves do not find it.
8. In plain site- you can always find tote bags, canisters, containers, or other items that can hold valuables. They will look like normal everyday items and no one should think to look for valuables inside those objects that are out in the open.
It is Not Just Thieves You Need To Worry About
While most people worry about thieves and buy safes to protect against theft. There are other situations that arise which you need protection from. Those situations can be fires, floods, and other natural disasters.
The safe needs to be strong enough to withstand the heat and the water pressure as well as forces from other natural elements. Those forces can be pretty powerful so your primary safe needs to be super strong.
Just do not put a lot of valuables in those secondary items as they are generally for hiding and not built to handle a lot of force. Or even fires. So use this information to help you find ideal spots to hide your money, etc., so you can have some peace of mind.
Some Final Words
Using an RV safe is a smart idea. You never know when a thief will break in or if a fire destroys your RV or trailer. Protect your valuables as best you can without ruining your weight limits.
Also, make sure to change those locks. Too many strangers have the same keys and you never know when they will happen upon your RV and think they are entering their own.
