8 Car Organization Tips

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While you’re on the pathway to getting your home in order, don’t forget about your car. After all, for some of us, our cars are like second homes. These 8 car organization tips we’re about to look at will set the stage for maintaining an effective system to keep your car clean and organized.

One of the areas highlighted in 7 Easy Areas to Declutter was the car. Here, the focus will be on organizing. And, these are tips that work for every vehicle.

Let’s delve into some simple tips to keep your car organized on an ongoing basis.

1. Back seat 

If you have kids, you know why I put this tip first. With little kids, it can be challenging to keep the back seat clean and organized.

It’s amazing how the smallest person in the family needs the most things, huh? Crayons? Check. Coloring books? Check. Snacks? Double-check. You know the drill.

Even if you don’t have kids, back seats can get messy. How many times have you thrown things in the back seat, only to forget about them because they’re out of sight?

Here are some simple tips on how to organize your back seat, so that you’re able to find what’s back there.

• Back Seat Organizer – A back seat organizer typically hangs over the back of the driver and/or passenger seats and has various-sized pockets to store items such as electronics, kids’ books, and just about anything else you can think of.
• Hanging Shoe Organizer – If you don’t have access to a back seat organizer, this serves as a quick and easy substitute. Simply hang the shoe organizer on the back of the passenger seat and away you go.
• Remote Holder Organizer – A remote holder organizer that goes on the side of your couch will keep all kids’ stuff organized. Simply place it under a car seat if you have one. I love it when everything is in one space and even more when I know where everything is. Paper, books, crayons, snacks, phones, or whatever your kids love having on a trip.

2. Cupholders 

The importance of cup holders cannot be overstated. I mean, we need somewhere to put our coffee!  However, if you don’t pay much attention to them, they can get really messy. I am surprised that, besides the fact that they are small, we end up finding all sorts of things in these cup holders.  Food wrappers, coins, and lip balms are a few of the many things that end up there. 

Here is a very useful tip. Place cupcake liners, (silicone will work better) in your cup holders. This way, everything that lands in there can be easily removed and the silicone liner can be washed.

3. Organizing the trunk

There are quite a few items that you should always have in the car and most end up dumped in the trunk. This area can get cluttered if you don’t know how to organize it. Between your jumper cables, spare tire, flashlight, first aid kit, blanket, safety vests, and other critical items, you want to ensure that you can access these when needed.  

Car trunk organizers are great for storing your items and ensuring quick and easy access.

And, use collapsible trunk organizers for items such as groceries. This way, you can simply fold them, when they’re not in use.

4. Clean once a week

If you tidy as you go and clean a little bit every day, it is much easier to keep your vehicle clean. Keep wet wipes or disinfecting wipes handy, for an easy clean on the go.

On top of that, ensure that everyone who is old enough, takes responsibility for taking out whatever they brought in, before exiting the car.

5. Center console

The center console can be a catchall for a variety of things, which makes retrieval difficult. 

A simple way to keep the car console organized is to place a makeup bag or purse organizer inside. This way, you can store loose change, mini-tissue packets, lip balm, or whatever you typically throw in there and keep organized.

You can even place a pouch in the console, for ready access to your favorite snacks. 

6. Food and snacks

If you absolutely have to have food in the car, and we know that happens a lot with kids, make sure you have containers or plastic bags that will be big enough to catch all the crumbs. You can keep your snacks in a snack container that can be placed in the organizers hanging from the back seat headrest, or in the glove compartment. Wherever you think would be the best.

If you need to keep your food cold, a six-pack size cooler is the best storage and can easily be placed in the trunk, or the back seat, room permitting.

7. Glove compartment

The glove compartment is another area in the car that we often neglect. It’s within reach and very easy to attract clutter. One way to keep your paperwork organized in the glove compartment is by using the owner’s manual holder. This way every document will have its own spot and you are going to be able to find it instantly the next time you need to access it.

Another option is to use a small bag or a pouch to keep your documents organized. You can use additional pouches for things you may need and forget to pack like gum, mints, hand cream, comb, antibacterial wipes, etc. 

8. Storing under the seat

The next time you find yourself looking for more space in the car, look under your seats. Although the area may look small, there are a lot of items you can store, that would be useful for you and your passengers. Baby diapers, extra trash bags, wet wipes, tissues, compact umbrellas, you name it. All necessary items within reach. All of these items can be placed in small storage boxes and organized accordingly. You can even use an empty tissue box to store plastic bags. 

Take note of these tips, add a little creativity, and you can be well on your way to getting your car more organized. Remember that it is very important to know what you need in the car and what you can leave behind.