LET’S TALK CAR ORGANIZATION
We often worry about organizing our home but neglect the other place we spend most of our time. Admit it, you’re either coming or going in today’s world and it seems like we do everything in our cars these days–eat, make phone calls, change diapers (I see you parents). But just like ourselves, we tend to worry a lot about the outside and not focus enough on the inside. With spring break creeping up on us and summer following, surely there are some road trips scheduled, so let’s take a look at how we can organize our cars.
FIRST, LET’S TAKE OUT THE TRASH
There are so many pockets and slits in a car, there is no doubt trash is looming. An old receipt, a straw wrapper, or something sticky your kids probably put there. Check every cup holder, door pocket, between and under the seats, under floor carpets, and in the glove compartment. You may even get lucky and find some money!
NEXT, PUT ASIDE THINGS YOU WANT TO KEEP
A few items might include:
- sunglasses
- phone chargers
- pen
- notepad
- any first aid
- hand sanitizer
- hand lotion
NOW THAT YOU’RE STARTING WITH A CLEAN SLATE, CONSIDER WHAT YOU NEED
I always like to have “emergency” items: fix-a-flat, flashlight, and in my case beach essentials. But seriously, depending on the type of car you have you can store a bag or caddy with some emergency items in the trunk or under a seat. We’ll dive into that in a second, but bins and kits also are a part of car organization.
Consider who else rides in your car. Do you have kids? How about pets? Perhaps you travel in your car? In order to keep your car organized, everything should have a ‘place to go.’
LET’S START ORGANIZING
There are tons of car organization accessories you can find online that can help compartmentalize things to keep it all orderly and within easy reach.
Some options include:
- trunk caddy
- collapsible tote
- between seat catchers
- console caddy
- glove compartment organizers
- back seat organizers
There are some great trunk caddies available on Amazon, with compartments to keep everything separate. Back seat organizers are great for kids, especially to store toys, books, and wet wipes.
Some of the emergency items we keep in our trunk include a strong lantern flashlight, gallon of water, fix-a-flat, jumper cables, pair of gloves, a couple tools, and neon tape. You can find several emergency kits readily available on Amazon with a simple search.
We keep a collapsible tote from Target in the trunk with stuff for the park, balls, sidewalk chalk, a bubble blower, and a change of clothes.
CAR ORGANIZATION HACKS AND IDEAS
- Use silicone cupcake liners for the cupholders. Somehow crumbs and spilled coffee always make their way there. Remove, rinse for easy cleanup, and replace.
- Another inexpensive option is a closet shoe holder draped over the back seat as a caddy for kids.
- Hit the Target Dollar Spot for tons of “on the go” art kits with all you need for entertaining kids for a long ride.
- If you have captain’s seats in the second row, a remote control holder is an option for storing things easily. (Slip it under a car seat.)
- Plastic cereal containers make great trash cans on the go. They are airtight and you can slip in a plastic bag for easy removal.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CAR ORGANIZATION TIPS AND IDEAS? SHARE THEM WITH US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
Updated March 2025
