Even being as organized and minimalist as I consider myself to be, one of the areas that I have always found challenging to keep neat and organized is my purse and car. From my laptop bag, gym bag, lunch bag, hand bag and sometimes grocery bags I feel like a bag lady sometimes (all puns intended). All these bags in my car can make it feel overwhelming at times. Along with my stuff, there is also stuff that is not mine that I sometimes have to have in my car like client donations, my daughter’s bike, skateboard , overnight bag, backpack, sand toys or her car toys and activities. It kinda comes with being a mom, especially moms constantly on the move like moi. It’s like we signed some sort of contract when our kids were born that said, “Hereforth you shall now live your days worried about your children from dusk to dawn and become a bag lady.”
Would it be ideal to carry around less stuff? Of course, and I’m constantly looking at ways that I can minimize my load mentally and physically. But to operate our daily lives requires managing the physical stuff that you do have to lug around that goes along with the activities we perform every day like going to the gym, kids play time, business activities and social events. And the key to keeping all your stuff under control when you’re a person on the go is using the right storage solutions.
The challenge with cars is that in comparison to your home, there are not a bunch of cabinets, shelves, drawers and containers that you can put your stuff neatly into. So you have to develop your own containing system(s) in your car to match your lifestyle and meet your needs.
The first step to organize your car is to clear out the clutter. I recommend first getting about 10 bankers boxes. Staples has them for about $15.00 for a 10 pack. Then place the boxes on the ground outside of the car and start sorting all the items you find in the car into like categories separated in each box. There is a good chance most of the stuff you will find will belong in your house. Whatever doesn’t belong in your car, take back into your house to be put away.
Now let’s talk about some common activities you would perform in the car and the storage solutions to use to manage the items that go with those activities.
Business Activities
Do you find yourself making calls, taking notes, and filling out client paperwork in your car? Contain all of those activities in one place by getting a mobile office organizer.
The less places you have to look for what you need will do wonders for your productivity and peace of mind.
Kid’s activities
To keep your kid from bugging you because they are bored, I recommend to keep items in your car that your kid(s) can play with like crayons, paper, hand held video games and reading books. Put those items in an over the seat car organizer to prevent them from getting lost and winding up all over the floor.
To also minimize the trash in the car, I recommend you also get an over the seat trash bag so those little dirt devils have a place to throw their food wrappers, snot filled tissues and cups. The more you can involve them in the process of cleaning up the car, the more you will engrain in them the behavior to keep their car clean.
Returns
When I have an item to return to a store or back to someone, I put the items in a plastic crate in my trunk. That way if I happen to be near the store or person, I already have the items with me.
Here’s some other really great products for those additional activities you may have to do.
Picking up dry cleaning – Whether you are picking up dry cleaning or need to change outfits throughout the day, this clothes bar makes it easy to keep your clothes organized and looking sharp.
Groceries – This trunk and car organizer is a great way to protect your groceries and other items from slipping around in the trunk.
Random activities – I like to keep a collapsible cube in my car to hold random things like an umbrella, tissues, cd’s and my coupon organizer. Again, the trick is to keep items contained as much as possible.
Keeping the clutter at bay
The key to keeping your car clean is to make a regular habit of cleaning it out. I like to empty all the contents of my car that belong in the house daily. I put them into a rolling crate that I bring with me almost daily. Instead of struggling with all the bags I carry, I just place them in the crate and roll it to my car. The great thing about it is at the end of the day, I use it to take anything that doesn’t belong in my car back into the house.
If you are pulling your car into a garage, you might consider having a large plastic bin to empty all the contents from you car into. You then every day or at least at some point during the week put the items back in the house.
When you go to the gas station, use that as an opportunity to throw away trash and do some straightening up.
Car Cleaning
It doesn’t matter how little I have in my car, when the outside of my car is not clean or the interior looks like it could use a good scrubbing too, I like to get a full auto detail. Expect to pay at least $150 but it’s worth every penny and will definitely do a lot to lift your mood. I use Pacific Coast Auto Detailing.
Just imagine, driving around in a clean car. Imagine how much less stressed and more calm you and your passengers will feel. Imagine how much more focused you will be. It really does wonders for your peace of mind and your confidence to drive around in a clean car. So get yourself some containers that match your needs, make it habit to remove the items from your car that belong in the house several times during the week and then let the good times roll.