Attaching a camping dustbin with magnets

How to keep the rubbish bin in your camper van within easy reach

Submitted by: N.Gräff, Switzerland

Online since: 12/05/2026

Spring marked the start of the camping season. So I got our camper van ready and spruced up for the road. Experienced campers know that every inch of space is precious in a camper van or caravan. That’s why I went looking for a practical solution to neatly stow away our small bin, which always seems to be in the way.

The solution: Mount the camping bin on the wall with magnets. This allows us to attach the bin inside the camper van while on the move or to the outside of the vehicle at the campsite, keeping it easily accessible. I will show you how to fit a small dustbin with magnets and mount it in a space-saving way.

Attach a metal strip to the wall

Inside the camper itself, we don't have any metal surfaces available, which is why I opted for a metal strip. I chose the white, self-adhesive metal strip from silwy so that I wouldn’t have to drill into the walls. The strip has a faux leather covering, giving it a very elegant look. At 25 cm wide, it also fits perfectly into the space between the driver’s seat and the aisle. Thanks to the 3M adhesive backing, it sticks well even to the slightly textured surface.

Install magnet systems on the rubbish bin

To ensure the small bin adheres to the metal strip, I attached rubber-coated magnet systems type TCNGW-31. These magnet systems can support a weight of up to 2.4 kg on the wall. To do this, I drilled two holes in the back of the bin. Make sure you position the holes so that both magnets will align with the metal strip.

Since this dustbin has two protruding struts on the back, I had to attach the magnets so that they sit higher than the struts. I simply left the foam pads that were supplied to protect the magnet systems on the magnets. This ensured that the magnets made contact with the metal strip and adhered perfectly.

After pushing the screw sockets of the magnet systems through the holes in the bin, I fastened them with M4 x 5 mm pan head screws with cross-recess.

The bin adheres to the metal strip

In just a few simple steps, the dustbin can now be attached to the metal strip. Ideal for tissues, snack wrappers and anything else that accumulates whilst driving. When I don’t need the bin, I can remove it by tilting it and use the metal strip to attach other items with neodymium magnets.

Also ideal for the exterior of the camper van

The exterior shell of a camper van is mostly made of metal, which allows the bin’s magnets to adhere. In addition, the rubber coating on the magnet systems ensures that the surface remains scratch-free. So now, whenever we are enjoying a lovely evening next to the camper van, the rubbish bin is always within easy reach.

Note from the supermagnete team: Please make sure you remove the bin from the outside of the vehicle before driving off. Vibrations and movement during travel may cause magnets to come loose and fall off. This poses a danger to other road users. You can find further information in our FAQ on using magnets on cars.