Organization is important in life. It helps keep you on schedule, it reduces stress, and it makes life easier overall. At Closet and Storage Concepts, we devote a lot of time to issues around the house, but your home isn’t the only space in your life that needs to remain organized. Below are some tips, tricks, and suggestions for maintaining an organized, well-functioning, and safe car. You probably spend a good amount of time in your vehicle. Make sure it’s set up to meet your needs.
Mobile phones have become indispensable tools in our lives. We tend to have them with us every second, and we tend to want to check them often (maybe too often). It’s never a good idea to be distracted by your phone while driving. So, to keep your phone out of your hand, while also not letting it slide around on the seat or take up space in a cup holder, invest in a phone mount. Many models are available that either stick to your dash or clip to your air vents. This way your phone is visible if you need to use its map functions or take a hands-free call, but it is less likely to end up in your hand, distracting you from the road.
We often eat in our cars and have leftover wrappers, and we inevitably acquire lots of unnecessary receipts while out driving. So, it is easy for trash to accumulate in cars. Unfortunately, there just aren’t a lot of options for what to do with this stuff. You’re certainly not going to throw it out the window! Create a mini car garbage bag by hanging a plastic grocery bag from your shifter or using a plastic bag to line a rigid container like those intended for dried goods. This will help you keep your trash in one place and allow for easy removal when you stop somewhere with a larger garbage receptacle. It might seem like a foreign concept, but having some kind of trash collection in your car is essential.
A great tip for those with lots of small items scattered around the car is to use a pocketed remote control holder as a general organizer that hangs off the side of one of your bucket seats. Small items like lip balm, change, and hair ties will fit neatly inside and be readily at hand when you need them. Also consider adding a divided tray to your center console to make a space for these smaller items. A plastic shower organizer works well also. You can hang it from the back of your seat to store items that passengers in the back seat may need, including supplies for your kids.
Don’t forget about the glove box; it’s easy for it to get out of hand as well. To ensure that important documents like your registration and insurance cards are easy to find when you need them, get a small document organizer. This way you’ll have that vital information readily at hand and won’t have to go searching for it when you need it most. It’s not a bad idea to keep your car’s maintenance and repair logs in there as well.
Lastly, we suggest that everyone have an emergency kit in the car. The trunk or back storage area is the most logical place to store this gear, but you don’t want those items just sliding around. Consider using a small duffle bag or milk crate to hold the items you made need if something goes wrong while you are away from home. A plastic storage box with a secure lid works well also. We recommend that your kit include jumper cables, a blanket, flares, a flashlight (or headlamp), a first-aid kit, water, and some non-perishable food. You might also consider keeping an umbrella, lint roller, and some tissues in your car. While not exactly emergency items, you’ll be glad you have these around when they become necessary. And, of course, it’s better to have all of these items in your car and not need them than to need them and not have them.
Photo Credit: Amila Lakmal, used under Creative Commons CC0 Public Domain (CC0 1.0)