Any ideas on how to keep a car free of clutter? Help.
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Posted 1 year ago #
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What kind of clutter do you notice taking over your car?
Here are some things I do:
* Keep an "errand basket" in the car where I dump all of the "to do" items I need to take care of when I'm out and about. Depending on the day of the week or time of the year, this basket might include shopping bags of unwanted items to return to stores, clothes to be dropped at the dry cleaner or tailor, library books, movies borrowed from friends, etc.* For everything that stays in your car (sunglasses, cell phone charger, Bluetooth headset, mailbox keys, emergency kit, etc.) designate a place where it belongs the same way you would for items in your home. I keep all my winter emergency items in duffel bag that I can remove from the car during the warm months.
If you tell us about your own brand of clutter, maybe we can find some solutions for you. :)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I struggle with car clutter myself. I have a short commute, but stuff still seems to find it's way in.
For trash I keep a small trashcan behind the front seat and try to empty it whenever I get gas. That seems to corral all the cups and other small trash items that accumulate.
For other stuff I keep a file box in the car, usually on the passenger side floorboard, but sometimes in the backseat. This is similar to minneapolisite's "errand basket". It gives me a spot to put the stuff that needs to go to work or in the house. I'm not very good at cleaning this out though, so I tend to lug the box into the office and into the house once a month and actually put everything away that accumulates there. The file box actually started when I was bringing work home from the office.
I don't have children, but when my 3 year old neice, and my 7 and 9 year old brother and sister visit I notice they have a car clutter all their own. They like to bring along their iPods and toys and they get left behind. I don't have any good ideas for that, but maybe someone else does.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I keep a small basket on the front passenger seat to corral all those little odds and ends I need in the car (phone charger cord, reusable shopping bags, hand wipes, etc.). It's easy to move it out of the way when someone needs to sit there.
In the trunk is a medium-sized plastic bin with a lid for jumper cables, an extra pair of gloves, a couple trash bags, stuff like that. I used to have it in an open bin, but stuff would fall out, so I switched to one with a lid.
A small trash container lives behind my seat.
Like @minneapolisite, I keep library books to be returned and stuff like that in the car, too. But I'm careful to not keep any more than that in my car. Less stuff, less chance to get messy.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I noticed several people keep a trash container in the car. I guess my method for garbage is to never leave it in the car. Whenever I get out of my car I glance around for any stray garbage and take it with me.
Honestly, I rarely have garbage at all because I bring a Camelbak of water with me everywhere I go and don't snack in the car except on trips longer than 4 hours.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Same here, Minneapolisite.
For additional small frequently used items - phone charger, iPod cables, and tissue - I designate a spot, and use a velcro tie to keep wires under control. For less used items, I have one small bin in the back.
We also follow the hiking rule: pack out what you pack in!
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have a very small trashcan that fits between my front seats (I know - not all cars have this space) and I like the fact that I can just grab it and empty it at a gas station. Taking the trash out every time I get out is just not practical as I usually am carrying something else. It's small though, so I do empty it 1-2x a week.
I drive an SUV, so I have a canvas sort of box (that someone gave me as a gift)that holds my reusable grocery bags - both full and empty. It has velcro strips on the outside of the bottom so it grips the carpet and doesn't slide around. It will also fold down flat if I need (like carrying luggage). I also have a milk crate thingy that holds jumper cables, extra mittens, a space blanket and that kind of stuff. I try not to let things accumulate in the car, but one that does is stuff for the thrift store as it's out of the way for my usual errands, and I don't like making a special trip, but I want to remember that I have to stop when I do go by, so I leave the stuff in the car. When I'm getting rid of big stuff I'll make the special trip.
Posted 1 year ago # -
i bought a nice little fabric trash bag that loops over the gear stick and we empty it when it gets half full or so.
this happens very rarely because for the most part, we just take our rubbish out when we get out of the car.
i check for work related receipts every couple of days and that is about all that might be hanging around in there.
we load and unload the car every time we use it.....and it is essentially a business vehicle, so it gets plenty of work.Posted 1 year ago # -
Thank you for your sharing. Very appreciated!
I put a plastic storage drawer thing on the passenger seat (on a carpet mat to protect the seat) and have the drawers facing me so that I can sort things for easy retrieval. I'm going to look around for a more compact one.
I hang plastic store bags on the gear shift and just toss the whole thing out from time to time. Works well for me since the plastic bags will be tossed anyway.
I end up putting things in my trunk and not taking them out. I'm not sure how to address this. There's no sense in putting them in and taking them out all the time, but what happens is that things accumulate and the chaos theory comes into play (the physics theory that matter tends to chaos).
I'll have to think a bit more about it but I know that once I unclutter the house the car will get better too.
Progress not perfection.
Thank you again for your help!!!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Our car is always really dirty, because the only things we use it for are long trips (6 hours+ to get to any of my kid's grandparents, so we do that about once a month or more) or to haul things that are too big for the bike - which means if I'm in the car, I'm feeding the preschooler, and then carrying out something gigantic at the end. In the spring and fall when the weather's nice I get it clean, and then when it's hot or cold it gets dirty again.
BUT the long trips solve the trunk problem - the trunk gradually fills up (usually with things to go to the thrift store) and then the day before a big trip (tonight!) it all gets dropped off, because we have to have the trunk free for suitcases.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I rarely have clutter in my car (I also don't have kids, so that could be why!) I keep my sunglasses and umbrella in the consoles. In the glove compartment is some car-related paperwork. My trunk has reusuable bags for the grocery store and whatever is on its way to Goodwill. I usually have one or two CDs. But that is all - any trash that needs to be taken out gets taken out when I get out of my car. I had a few knick-knacks but decided that all they did was get in the way so I got rid of them!
Posted 1 year ago # -
needtocleanhouse....perhaps you just need to cultivate a simple habit of opening the boot/trunk every single time you get home and taking out everything that is in there?
maybe that is too simplistic for what you have got going on there?one of my most loathed chores is driving home with the shopping; then carrying it inside; then putting it away.
of course, these days it is 99.999% food shopping only....but even so, if i just think about how the job is only half done in the supermarket, it is AMAZING how easy it is to just put excess stuff back on the shelf!Posted 1 year ago # -
One of my favorite items for my car are a couple of canvas laundry baskets that crush down flat when you aren't using them or pop up when you need them. They're heavy duty and great for carrying a lot of grocery bags or packages up the stairs (I live on an upper floor and it's a pain to have to make multiple trips). But because they fold down when not in use, I don't have to take them out of the car when I need to use my trunk for something else.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Clutter in the car is not a problem for me. It is not allowed. Ever. Clean it out when you leave the car.
Posted 1 year ago # -
when I had a car a rubbermaid tub lived in the trunk with necessary supplies for emergencies, extra oil and water etc. Bags of kitty litter for traction in the winter.
everything that went in came out with me when I parked. Usually the only thing other than my work bag was my travel mug, which had to come in as it had to be filled for the morning commute.
Have fantastic public transportation now so no car, therefore no car clutter.
Posted 1 year ago # -
A cluttered car is not an issue with my wife and I anymore. We have 2 young kids(1 and 4) and we remove trash or anything else that doesn't belong as soon as we step out of the car. For the kids, we keep a fabric bin of toys in the middle between them and those toys stay in the car and get changed out periodically.
Also, we vaccuum and dust with armor all wipes once a week or as needed to keep the cars looking new. Nothing keeps away clutter like the look of a brand new car.
Posted 1 year ago # -
My family come from Romania, where it's generally a bad idea to leave anything in your car if you want to keep it. Every time you leave your car, it needs to be empty or at least everything should be out of sight. Some people even have removable CD players/radios for this reason. Not the happiest of scenarios, but you see a lot fewer cluttered cars that way :P
We now live in Canada, but the mentality of "never leave anything in the car" has stayed, out of habit more than anything else. I don't have a car, but whenever I rent or borrow one, even for several days, it's always emptied whenever I step out of it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Anita, Romania is on my want-to-see list! and we just got back from Madrid, where our favourite restaurant was totally owned and staffed by Romanians! and one of my students here is Romanian, so is the cosmos telling me it is time to visit your beautiful homeland? and the sound of spoken Romanian is lovely.
yes, I have heard that car theft etc. is rampant, which is a pity. Creates good car-care habits, though, no?
when we rent a car for weekends I bring along a canvas bottle bag--this is perfect for all the bottles of water I consume on car trips, and keeps them from rattling around under the back seats. It is a light canvas shopping bag with 6 compartments for carrying home bottles. Very useful to corral & contain
Posted 1 year ago # -
djk, one popular joke among Romanian expats is that Romania is a beautiful country -- too bad it's inhabited. It's definitely a place worth visiting, as long as you keep your wits about you (and your purse safe), but not somewhere I'd be happy to live again.
I've been away for over 7 years now so might be out of touch, but before I left, car theft was indeed rampant, especially for cars with foreign license plates. The thinking is "they're probably tourists and won't bother to report it". But that does indeed promote good car-care habits, as well as the local automotive industry (why buy a fancy car when a Dacia is far less likely to be broken into?)...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hawaii is another place that it's not safe to leave anything in your car, especially a rental. Really gets to be a nuisance if you're say going to the beach to snorkel, but need to stop at the grocery or wherever on the way. And what to do with your valuables while you're in the water. Sigh.
Posted 1 year ago #
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