Clever Ways to Organize Your Car Like a Pro

Nothing is worse than being away from home and forgetting something you need. When I became a mom, I learned to make my car an extension of my home. Keeping it organized and full of critical essentials helps to make any trip more enjoyable.

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Keep your car clean

$43, amazon.com

Let's start with the obvious: clean your car. Before you start organizing, empty everything out and toss out any trash. I removed my children's car seats, cleaned them, and gave my vehicle a good interior vacuum and wipe down. Keeping a hand held vacuum in the car helps to maintain it. This one is small enough to keep under the seat or in the trunk.

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Give your devices a home

$27, amazon.com

Keeping the driver focused and free of distractions is important. A cell phone mount at eye level ensures your phone is secure and easy to safely access for calls and GPS—but no texting!

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... and a place to charge up

$26, amazon.com

A phone charger with multiple adapters is the key to making sure your phone and tablet are never low on batteries.

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Organize the glove box

$7, amazon.com

To organize the glove box, I (finally) tossed out expired auto insurance cards and random papers and used this simple compact file folder to store the car registration and insurance card.

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Create calm

$12, amazon.com

Clipped onto my air vent is an essential oil diffuser that helps create a bit of calm in an otherwise chaotic, child-filled car. To use, add a few drops of essential oils to the center of the diffuser and turn on your air vent to allow the scent to fill your car. Once the scent fades, add more essential oil.

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Keep the backseat organized

$34, amazon.com

As a mom of two, having things in the car to keep the littles occupied is a non-negotiable. These over-the-seat organizers keep everything from books, toys, water bottles, snacks, sunblock, and hand sanitizer tidy and easy to access. I love how there are plenty of pockets and pouches to store things, and ever since we started using them, I rarely have to pick up after the kids because they enjoy swapping out their things and putting them back in their own cubbies.

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... and clean

$13, amazon.com

This trash can that hangs over the center console is a great way to corral all of the random wrappers and trash that would otherwise end up on the floor.

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Create a snack station

$27, amazon.com

This food tray is not only great for the kids to use for snacking and eating, but also for using as a surface to draw or play a game.

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Keep bags off the floor

$11, amazon.com

If you're in the habit of putting your purse on the seat beside you, only for it to go flying onto the floor, these headrest hooks are perfect for keeping your handbag or shopping bags suspended safely out of the way.

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Keep your trunk tidy

$23, amazon.com

Using this trunk organizer helps to maintain a space that can easily get out of hand. It has multiple compartments for shopping bags, paper towels, cleaning wipes, and more.

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Be prepared for emergencies

$60, amazon.com

Something I think every person should have in their car is this emergency kit that comes complete with emergency supplies, jumper cables, a flashlight, and more. You can find a variety of these online, and once you put it in your car, you'll enjoy more peace of mind every time you leave the house.

Finally, one thing I always have in my car are a few bags for folks experiencing homelessness. They are so simple to make. Into a zip-top bag I put socks, snacks, soap, water, and a small note so I can give them out whenever I meet someone that could use these supplies.

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