If you’re too embarrassed to have someone ride in your car because it’s a constant mess with clutter and trash, this article is for you.
Many car owners face the fact every day that their four wheels are probably the untidiest space they occupy.
Organizing your car doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. There are plenty of tricks that you can use to clean up or organize your vehicle and it doesn’t have to take much time.
Trash & Cleanup:
- The first thing you must do is clean out the car and trash, then make a list of the essentials that you want to carry along with you in the car. Most car owners are surprised how much trash you already have in your car, so start by getting a couple of trash bags to tackle the clutter.
- Use one bag for trash and the other for any item that you still want to keep in your car. This includes important documents you want to keep in your glove box, but for right now put it aside.
- Once everything has been removed, you need to start cleaning. From the dash wipe-down to a vacuum and wash of the upholstery or carpet, give it a good and thorough cleaning.
- One neat tip is to repurpose a portable, plastic cereal dispenser as a track receptacle for your car. This handy bin has a lid you can shut and routinely empty. Keep it clean, otherwise the garbage will build up again.
- Get in the habit of emptying the trash when you fill your car with gas. If space is an issue, Ziploc bags work equally well. You can also keep some in the car for throwing away food, like banana peels. You can then dispose of it when you get home.
The Organization:
Once the cleanup and trash receptacle problem has been solved, it’s time to organize.
- Start with the essentials that will live in your glove compartment, like the registration, insurance papers, medical info, emergency numbers, and anything else that you consider an essential document.
- You can use a simple dollar store coupon organizer. Take the papers, divide them into categories, print the category names on your computer, and insert them into the sleeves of the organizer. Then, simply put in the right papers for the category.
- Next, tackle the things that you know clutter up your car all the time, like your phone. You’ll likely want a good car mount for it. You can purchase any number of car mounts or you can go the DIY mount made from paper clips that will do the job just as well for pennies on the dollar.
- Use a grid organizer in your car to chuck receipts and bills. You can look at them at the end of the week and decide which need to move to your inside receipt folder or tossed away.
- Hang old shoe bags or shower caddies behind the front car seats and zip-tie them to the headrest. If old shoe bags aren’t your thing, buy a car organizer. This item is an instant storage compartment for several smaller items in your car.
Keep it Clean:
Once your car is cleaned and organized, you should make every effort to keep it that way so when someone wants to hitch a ride with you, your car will be a welcoming location for them to travel in.
Would you like a chance to Win a Free Car Detailing? Subscribe to our newsletter to be automatically entered in our monthly draws.