Get Organized: 3 Simple Steps to Declutter Your Car--Finally!
You probably swore you'd never do it but here you are, using your car as a traveling dining room, playroom, storage facility, and mobile office. And, in turn, it's overrun with crumbs, toys, beach gear and papers. Give yourself a break—this doesn't mean you're a total slob. It's challenging to maintain a car! But—we swear—in two hours or less, you can get organized and have a lean, mean traveling machine again. Here's the best and fastest strategy for cleaning the car.
Step 1: Clean the Interior of the Car Decide what you need at your fingertips while driving. There are two kinds of supplies in your car—the items that always live in your carÂ…and the things that move in and out. So be sure to get all the optional stuff the heck out of there. For the permanent stuff, use the car's built-in, neat little compartments and subdivisions to get organized.
Glove compartment: Emergency documents, like insurance and registration info, owner's manual, accident forms & phone numbers, and cell charger.
Driver/Passenger side door pockets: maps, directions and small flashlight in one pocket. Paper products, like tissues, paper towels and small bags for trash in the other.
Ash/Coin tray: change for tolls, but get rid of those pennies!
Step 2: Tackle the Trunk Use your trunk to store an up-to-date collection of emergency supplies. Remember to leave enough room for strollers and baby gear if your kids are little.
Step 3: Keep It Lean As you get organized, be sure to purge what's unnecessary or not useful. Make sure insurance papers are current, your road maps are in one piece, and toss the ancient Eagles cassette with the twisted tape (Dude, you don't even have a tape player!). Toss the old baggies of Cheerios and Teddy Grahams, dump the stained and torn coloring books. Don't be afraid to limit the quantity of games and CDs/DVDs you keep in the car—a few items rotated in and out once a month will keep your kids plenty entertained.
And remember that cleaning the car at the end of each big trip is important. No matter how tired you are, resist the temptation to leave the junk behind until tomorrow. Tomorrow turns into next week, next month, next yearÂ…Until one day, after a parent-teacher meeting, your neighbor asks for a ride home, and you sheepishly comply—but first ask her to wait outside, while you just "clean up a bit." (Quick: Where's the nearest dumpster?!)
report abuseStep 1: Clean the Interior of the Car Decide what you need at your fingertips while driving. There are two kinds of supplies in your car—the items that always live in your carÂ…and the things that move in and out. So be sure to get all the optional stuff the heck out of there. For the permanent stuff, use the car's built-in, neat little compartments and subdivisions to get organized.
Glove compartment: Emergency documents, like insurance and registration info, owner's manual, accident forms & phone numbers, and cell charger.
Driver/Passenger side door pockets: maps, directions and small flashlight in one pocket. Paper products, like tissues, paper towels and small bags for trash in the other.
Ash/Coin tray: change for tolls, but get rid of those pennies!
Step 2: Tackle the Trunk Use your trunk to store an up-to-date collection of emergency supplies. Remember to leave enough room for strollers and baby gear if your kids are little.
Step 3: Keep It Lean As you get organized, be sure to purge what's unnecessary or not useful. Make sure insurance papers are current, your road maps are in one piece, and toss the ancient Eagles cassette with the twisted tape (Dude, you don't even have a tape player!). Toss the old baggies of Cheerios and Teddy Grahams, dump the stained and torn coloring books. Don't be afraid to limit the quantity of games and CDs/DVDs you keep in the car—a few items rotated in and out once a month will keep your kids plenty entertained.
And remember that cleaning the car at the end of each big trip is important. No matter how tired you are, resist the temptation to leave the junk behind until tomorrow. Tomorrow turns into next week, next month, next yearÂ…Until one day, after a parent-teacher meeting, your neighbor asks for a ride home, and you sheepishly comply—but first ask her to wait outside, while you just "clean up a bit." (Quick: Where's the nearest dumpster?!)
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