Person washing their car's interior

6 Tips for Organizing Your Car

Updated December 4, 2016 . AmFam Team

Ready to tackle cleaning your vehicle? Wrangle in the chaos with these smart organization hacks.

A clean and organized home can help boost your health and happiness — and the same is true of your vehicle! Whether your car has accumulated clutter from a daily commute to work or from hauling the kids around, taking the time to give your vehicle's interior some TLC can go a long way.

Keep it clean and clutter-free with these next-level organizing tips!

Tackle the trunk. Whether it’s groceries, hockey pads, or your latest haul from the department store, your trunk takes the brunt of your cargo load. Instead of having everything slide from one end of the trunk to the other with each corner you take, invest in collapsible storage bins that stash all that stuff out of the way.

Sort your glove compartment. Organize those important documents by using a small accordion folder to store your proof of insurance, maintenance schedule and car manual. That way, should you need it, you know exactly where to get it.

Kid-proof your backseat. Animal crackers, crayons, tissues, water bottles — the list of traveling essentials is endless when you have little ones in the backseat. Get creative by utilizing household storage solutions like pocketed shower curtains and remote control caddies to organize your kids’ necessities within their reach.

Consolidate your car kit. DIY your own emergency car kit — tire jack, road flares, blanket, etc. — and keep it at the ready. But just because it’s an important part of your commute doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with it. Store it in a cute box or a fun bag that makes looking in your car’s trunk a tad more pleasant.

Hack small spaces. Instead of tossing sunglasses and spare coins in ashtrays, cup holders, and side pockets, designate a place for everything. Break up console space with mini plastic trays to corral coins, pens and gum. Place tissues and napkins in a paper cup in a cup holder — that way you’ve got the tools on hand to take care of any unexpected messes.

Get off the ground. Think of all that empty space at eye level. Instead of tossing your purse or a bag of groceries on your car’s floor only to have it spill out, invest in some carabiners to hang things from headrests or backseat hooks.

These tips will help make your car as comfortable as your living room. And with a little creativity, you and your precious cargo can get from point A to point B hassle-free!

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