Keeping Your Car Clutter-Free

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If you were to ask anyone “Is there any point to keeping your vehicle interior cluttered and disorganized?” chances are they will say no. After all, nobody “wants” their vehicle to be cluttered or disorganized.

There are all kinds of items that can accumulate in your vehicle. As these things are ever so slowly piling up, one has a tendency not to notice. Next thing you know you’re knee deep in clutter. Also, people notice how you maintain your vehicle, you surely don’t want to be embarrassed when it’s your turn for carpool duties.

Overall Objective

Items that are obviously trash (old newspapers, drink cups, junk food wrappers) you can throw away immediately. As far as newspapers go, they can be distracting to you if your windows are rolled more than halfway down and a piece flies out. This can also be a hazard to other drivers, they might see it and swerve to avoid it.

Make Use of a Trash Bag

It is a lot easier to toss trash now than later, when it builds up. Then you can remove and replace the bag on a weekly basis, with the exception of any container which contains food residue which should be removed from the car on a daily basis.

It is not a good idea to eat in your car, since food or drink might be spilled which can cause bacteria buildup. However, if you are on business and you have no place to eat but your car, you should make use of the trash cans that the eatery provides.

REMEMBER: “Out the window” is never an appropriate way to dispose of trash. “Give a hoot, don’t…”, ah, you know the rest.

Organize

Many of us use the glove compartment as a “catch-all” for anything and everything: store receipts, coupons, lotto tickets, papers from your child’s school. In between all this are the important papers: registration, proof of insurance (if required by your state), Owner’s Manual, warranty receipts. Certainly we know that we aren’t always at our leisure to find our registration and proof of insurance quickly when under scrutiny by you know who. You know what I’m talking about.

Here are other items to put in the glove compartment: Pen and paper, maps, a disposable camera, a flashlight, napkins, and a tire gauge.

If you live near and use a toll road regularly, it would be handy to use the center console for a roll of quarters.

The holidays are rolling around again and you want to take advantage of a three-day weekend. For many of us a long vehicle trip is tedious (keeping the kids occupied). Put kids games, books and toys all together in a backseat organizer so the kids can get to them easily. That ought to keep them happy.

Instead of having to search throughout your vehicle for the following, good things to put in sun visor organizers are tapes, CDs and DVDs along with your sunglasses (that way you’ll never lose them).

Aside from the spare tire and jack, (which we always hope we won’t need) here are items you should keep in your trunk: booster cables, flares, tire chains, a tool kit, a first aid kit, gloves, a blanket, water, and oil. (Don’t be caught unprepared).

Depending on where you live and what season it is, your trunk is a great storage spot to enable you to do the activities you enjoy (camping, hiking, beachgoing, mountain climbing).

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