Trying to get a last minute weekend trip in before summer ends and the kids have to go back to school? Or, is your road tripping season just beginning (did someone say foliage???)? Avoid the chaos of a messy car with our road trip car organization guide. We’ve tackled how to keep each part of the car organized, especially the trunk where, admit it, just like us, you tend to toss all of your belongings in carelessly. Read on for everything you will need to keep your cargo under control so you can hit the road like a pro!
The center console
Let’s start with the part of the car that’s 100% guaranteed to attract clutter – the center console, or as Iliza Shlesinger calls it- “our little filthy secret stockpile.” This area should be dedicated to only the items that you need easy access to (not that lip balm you “lost” 3 years ago or the 10 pens you found under your seats or your dirty gym socks or…you get the idea).
This area shouldn’t be treated like a rubbish bin, so try to keep only the essentials in there:
- Loose change
- Phone charger
- Mints/sweets
- Hand sanitizer
- Napkins/wipes
The glove compartment
Next up is the glove compartment – this area is NOT where old receipts go to die. It is for those useful/important items that you need within easy reach but don’t constantly need to use. To help keep your glove compartment organized, try and stick to the following items only:
- Car Registration & Manual
- Umbrella
- Ice scraper
- Notepad and pen
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Road map/GPS (just in case your phone doesn’t work)
The backs of the seats
For the items that don’t fit into the glove compartment, the backs of your car seats can provide valuable extra storage space. Use VELCRO® Brand Stick On for Fabrics Tape to stick a fabric bag to the back of the driver/passenger’s seat. These bags are great for storing extras like games, plastic bags and/or snacks for the road trip.
Trash Bin
Speaking of snacks…it wouldn’t be a road trip without the assortment of sweet & salty treats. But, all those wrappers and empty drinks bottles can turn your car from clean to a trash can on wheels faster than the kids’ start screaming for the bathroom.
No worries. We have a handy car organization tip to keep rubbish under control – turn a plastic cereal container into an in-car trash bin by putting a plastic bag inside and keeping it in the foot well of the front passenger’s seat. Use VELCRO® Brand Stick Back to secure the bin in place.
The trunk
Last but not least…time to tackle the messiest part of your car – the trunk!
Once you start loading everything up, it’s easy for the mess to get out of control. Who wants to spend the time figuring out the best configuration for your stuff when you can just throw everything in and get on the road? But, then again, who wants to hear things crashing around every time you take a turn? We hear you and have the perfect solution–STAYHOLD™ Cargo Organizers. Use the various STAYHOLD™ sizes to create compartments and help hold your items in place. The cargo organizers grip onto the carpet or rubber mats in your car, allowing you to easily section off areas of your trunk, making loading and unloading the trunk much more manageable.
Try and pack items that you won’t need access to until you reach your destination first. Then, pack things like clothes, food and drinks last to make sure you have easy access to them when you need them en route.
For bulky items (like rain boots) that are likely to roll around, use STAYHOLD™ Mini Cargo Organizers and STAYHOLD™ Quick Straps to secure them in place.
Feeling ready for your next road trip? Check out our full range of STAYHOLD™ Cargo Organizers here and come back to our blog for even more clever life hacks!
