10 Easy Ways to Organize Everything in Your Car

While most people love the convenience of city life and the proximity to all the amenities we need, there’s something about a road trip that revives the soul. It can provide an opportunity to see new places and ignite that sense of adventure, especially if you’re heading to an exciting vacation destination. However, truly enjoying a road trip is dependent on your ability to prepare adequately. If you’re used to living in a house or apartment, and you’re suddenly piling the whole family into a car for a day or more, it can take some adjustment. So, use these tips to organize everything in your car according to your travel packing list for your next family road trip.

1. Store essentials in the glove compartment. Too often, the glove compartment and consoles are used as catch-alls, so it’s important to clean out the car and all compartments before your road trip. Use the compartments in the front of the car to store your road trip essentials, such as:

• An emergency first aid kit
• Travel size toiletries (toilet paper, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, pain killers)
• Extra cash
• A paper map
• Wipes (to clean up unexpected messes)
• Paper towels
• Kleenex
• Garbage bags.

1. Use the space behind and next to the seats to hang mesh organizers. These days, you can buy innovative hanging mesh organizers to maximize space in your car. A large cosmetic bag or hanging shoe rack ran be used to store magazines, sunglasses, toys, games and snacks. Alternatively, you can install car hooks to hang your purse and other bags.
2. Use shower caddies for your kids’ toys. If you have small children, you can keep them entertained by placing their pencils, small toys, drinks and snacks in shower caddies. Use the suction cups to attach the containers to the car window to keep it within easy reach. 
3. Can your trash. It’s always a surprise to see how quickly a car can fill up with wrappers, bottles and other trash during a road trip. Few things are as infuriating as stepping out of the car just to have wrappers blow out of the car around you. Keep your trash organized by hanging a bin liner on one of the hooks you installed.
4. Buy clear zippered bags. There are so many great uses for clear zippered bags during a road trip. For one, whatever you place in them (loose change, toys, snacks, medication, toiletries, travel games) is easy to see.
5. Use a basket and muffin pan as a drinks-holder. If you’re taking along the whole family, but your car doesn’t have enough drinks holders, place a muffin pan inside a rectangular laundry basket – viola! – an instant drinks holder.
6. Bring a Tupperware with a lid for car sick family members. We all have someone who gets motion sickness, and it’s not always easy to pull over on the side of the road. For those eventful trips, take along a Tupperware with a tight lid. That way, you can keep the mess and smells to a minimum and there’s no risk of accidentally piercing the barf bag. 
7. Invest in a trunk organizer. Instead of randomly tossing loose items in the trunk, use an organizer to keep it neat. That way, you can keep the same type of items together for easy access and prevent it from randomly falling around in the trunk.
8. Organize your fluids in a shower caddy. If you’re going to a self-catering resort, you’re probably taking some supplies from home, and that may include liquids. Whether it’s your shampoo and body lotion, or a bottle of olive oil, ketchup or even car fluids, stand them upright in a shower caddy for easy and safe transportation.
9. Keep a cooler in the backseat. Keep your drinks and snacks on hand during the trip by storing a cooler on the backseat, if there’s space. This way, the kids can easily hand you your supplies along the road and you don’t have to wait until you can pull over at a safe spot. 

By taking the time to organize everything in your car before your road trip and ensuring that everyone will be comfortable will ensure a much more enjoyable trip. Planning ahead gives you time plan properly and to buy everything you need on your travel packing list before the trip. It also gives you time to decide whether a road trip is truly the best option for your family. In some cases, it may be better to fly to your family to the destination and shipping your car instead.