Your “On The Go” Vehicle Organizing Checklist
Sometimes it feels like we live in our vehicles. Between commuting back and forth to work, running the kids to practices, activities, and appointments, and buying groceries and running errands, we spend a lot of time behind the wheel. If you’re not careful, you can end up with a car full of clutter!
Here are some helpful tips to keep your mobile family command center neat, organized, and ready for anything!
- Start by clearing everything out and give it a good cleaning. Wipe out the dust, vacuum up crumbs, and clear the clutter.
- Once everything is clean, think about what you really need and where to store it. Here are a few possibilities:
- Glove compartment – map, vehicle owner’s manual, flashlight, vehicle registration and insurance information, vehicle maintenance records, extra cell phone charger
- Center console (if you have one) – pens, paper, sunglasses, extra cash and change, travel-sized hand sanitizer, tissues, extra cell phone charger
Visor, using a visor organizer – pen, notepad, sunglasses, vehicle registration and insurance information, CDs
- Backseat organizer – umbrella, atlas, tissues, and if you have kids, books, crayons, CDs, DVDs, wet wipes, an extra diaper, extra plastic bags
- Trunk – use a trunk organizer to store emergency supplies, including a flashlight, jumper cables, first aid kit, paper towels, an extra blanket, bottled water, gloves, ice scraper
- Designate a place for trash. Whether you purchase a litterbag for the floor or one that hangs on the back of a seat or recycle a store plastic bag, tossing your trash into a bag will help keep your vehicle clean and less cluttered. Remember to empty it every time you fill up with gas.
- If you frequently carry items in and out of your vehicle, have a designated tote for just that purpose. Keep it near the door and add the things you need for the day – library books, movie rentals, snacks for the kids (or you), a book to read while you wait. When you’re finished with errands, take an extra minute to fill it with everything that belongs in the house so clutter doesn’t build up in your back set. Use the Tote Buddy to store reusable bags when not in use.
photo credit: gustaffo89 via photopin cc
