7 Tips to Organize Your Vehicle
Your vehicle is just an extension of your space. So take the time and thought to utilize it to function for you.
1. What do you do in your car? Is it a basic commuting vehicle or a mobile office? Do you listen to CDs? Are you the family chauffeur? Provide the necessary tools needed in the car. Containerize your CDs. Have the files you need for your mobile office. Have snacks and trash cans for the family car. 2. Create the correct size! Super size or miniaturize it! Don’t just go shopping at auto stores. The size that you need might not be there. For instance, how much trash do you generate in the car? Just a little or a lot? Instead of the very small trash cans from the auto store, consider a small trash can typically found in a bathroom. Use a plastic grocery bag as a liner so that when the trash is full, you can pull it out, tie it up and dispose of it easily. Think outside the box. 3. Find places to store items. Use the ash tray for storing business cards in the car. You can also store your name badges for the different organizations that you belong to. Because you usually drive the same vehicle to the events, you will always have your badge with you if you keep it in the car. 4. Define your prime space. When you are sitting in the driver’s seat (before starting the car), reach over to get something without turning your head. The area you can reach is your prime space. In this area put things that you use on a regular basis. For instance, under the right hand corner of the driver’s seat you could put a face towel. When you go through the drive-thru on your way to an appointment, simply pull the towel out. The size is perfect to cover your front and lap if something falls—which usually happens. With the children in their seats, what can they easily reach that they need regularly? Toys, books, napkins, or trash. 5. Clean out the car on a regular basis. This might be a Saturday morning project to wash and vacuum the car. Take out all the stuff that you don’t need. Replace any items that were used during the week. For us, when the car is parked in the garage, supplies and equipment that need to be loaded into the car are on a shelf near the back end of the car. That way we just open the trunk and everything is within an arms’ reach. |
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6. Paper work—receipts. Do you have a place to collect those pesky things after you filled up with gas, bought food from the drive-thru, or went to the cleaners? We started by placing an envelope on the side of the seat to collect receipts. Since we used it so often, we found a clear plastic envelope at the office supply store. Office supply stores have neat items during back to school time. Many times, items designed for a school locker or backpack can be easily adapted for the car.
7. Use containers to store like items. We attend many tradeshows and conventions and typically get some type of bag with registration. We used one bag for maps and store it in the back seat. When we need it, the handles on the cloth bag make it easy to grab and drag to the front seat (it is the passenger’s job to navigate and the driver’s job to drive). In the trunk we store our cloth bags which we can grab as we head into the grocery store. If we forget to bring them in, it’s possible to send someone out to get them (this is a great job for other members of your family like your husband or the children).
Just because the space in your vehicle is confined doesn’t mean that it can’t be effective for you.
7. Use containers to store like items. We attend many tradeshows and conventions and typically get some type of bag with registration. We used one bag for maps and store it in the back seat. When we need it, the handles on the cloth bag make it easy to grab and drag to the front seat (it is the passenger’s job to navigate and the driver’s job to drive). In the trunk we store our cloth bags which we can grab as we head into the grocery store. If we forget to bring them in, it’s possible to send someone out to get them (this is a great job for other members of your family like your husband or the children).
Just because the space in your vehicle is confined doesn’t mean that it can’t be effective for you.
Copyright 2013 Nancy Miller
This article is free for reprinting provided terms and agreements are followed.
This article is free for reprinting provided terms and agreements are followed.
Nancy Miller, a professional organizer with over 20 years of experience coupled with a Certified Professional Coaching credential offers both personal and business consultation. Nancy’s credentials include past membership in the National Association of Professional Organizers and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. She delivers over 100 programs nationwide each year. Her book, Clutterology® Getting Rid of Clutter and Getting Organized is in it’s 4th Edition