I’ve been going on cruises for over 15 years and swear by a £12 hack to make my room feel twice the size

After over 15 years of cruise holidays, I’ve come across plenty of packing tips that promise to make life onboard easier.

Most of them are forgettable.

However, there’s one item that seasoned passengers have been packing for years that maximises the space in your cabin.

It’s not some expensive travel gadget. In fact, it probably costs less than your pre-cruise airport breakfast.

The item in question? An over-the-door shoe organiser.

Now, before you scroll past thinking this is only useful if you’ve packed half the footwear section from a department store, hear me out.

I first noticed these organisers on cruises years ago when I spotted them hanging on cabin doors, as I walked past rooms that housekeeping had left open during cleaning.

At first, I assumed people were simply using them to store all the shoes they’d brought onboard with them.

Then I realised experienced cruises had found a much better use for them.

Cruise cabins aren’t exactly known for having an abundance of space.

Even in larger staterooms, surface space can disappear surprisingly quickly once you’ve unpacked.

Between toiletries, chargers, cruise cards and all the random bits and pieces that seem to accumulate throughout a sailing, it’s easy for a room to start feeling cluttered.

That’s where the humble shoe organiser comes in.

Multiple pockets for storage

Most versions have a large number of pockets, instantly creating extra storage without taking up any precious room inside wardrobes or drawers.

I’ve seen passengers use them to store aftersun, medication, portable chargers, hair accessories, make-up, sunglasses and so much more.

They typically hang them on the back of their main cabin door to keep all of their cruise essentials in one place.

It’ll be the last thing you see before leaving your cabin so you can make sure you’ve grabbed those important but easy-to-forget things, like suncream, on your way out.

It also helps keep surfaces clear.

Cruise cabins have a habit of attracting clutter, and before long, it can feel like every flat surface is covered in stuff.

By moving all those smaller items into an over-the-door organiser, the cabin instantly feels tidier and strangely enough, bigger.

Of course, it still works brilliantly for shoes too.

If you're anything like me, you'll board with more footwear than you realistically need. There are trainers for walking around ports, sandals for sea days, flip-flops for the pool deck and something smarter for the evenings.

Without somewhere to store them, shoes quickly end up scattered across the floor, turning an already compact cabin into an obstacle course.

A hanging shoe organiser keeps everything off the ground and easy to find.

The best part is that it creates storage from space that would otherwise go completely unused.

While over-the-door shoe organisers are probably my favourite cruise storage hack, they're far from the only way to make a cabin feel more spacious.

There are a few other tricks I've picked up over the years that make a noticeable difference.

Utilise wall space with magnetic hooks

One of the easiest is packing magnetic hooks.

Many first-time cruisers don't realise that cabin walls are often magnetic because they're made from metal. Once you know that, an entirely new storage option opens up.

I always bring a handful of magnetic hooks with me because they create extra hanging space almost instantly.

They're perfect for jackets, handbags, hats and lanyards. I also use them to hang up outfits for the following day so they have time to lose any travel creases overnight.

Instead of piling items onto chairs or leaving them draped over furniture, everything has somewhere to go.

Pack your toiletries into a hanging washbag

Another item that earns a permanent place in my suitcase is a hanging washbag.

Cruise ship bathrooms can be surprisingly compact and counter space is often limited.

A hanging washbag keeps toiletries organised and off the sink area, which makes getting ready much easier.

Rather than having skincare products and cosmetics spread across every available surface, everything stays neatly contained in one place when you use a hanging toiletry bag.

It also makes unpacking quicker because you can simply hang it up and you're done.

Make the most of space under the bed

Then there's the storage space many passengers forget exists altogether: underneath the bed.

The moment I unpack, my suitcase goes straight under there.

Most cruise ship beds are raised high enough to accommodate luggage and it makes a huge difference to the feel of the room.

An empty suitcase sitting in the corner takes up valuable floor space for the entire holiday. Slide it under the bed and suddenly the cabin feels much less cramped.

Bring a collapsible laundry basket

Finally, one of the most underrated cruise items I've ever packed is a collapsible laundry basket.

Dirty clothes have a remarkable ability to spread throughout a cabin as a cruise progresses.

A laundry basket keeps everything contained in one place rather than draped over chairs or piled into corners.

It also makes packing at the end of the holiday much easier because all your worn clothes are already together.

Cruise cabins probably aren't going to double in size anytime soon.

But after spending years at sea, I've learned that making them feel bigger isn't really about having more space.

It's about using the space you already have properly.