Recently, I organized my car again, and I shared my tips on 6 Great Ideas To Organize The Car post. It has helped tremendously in those trouble spots in my vehicle. But what about the other items? And how should I organize them?
First, I asked myself, why do I need to organize the car stuff? It can be thrown in one bag and just put in the trunk (Affiliate Link), and I'll know where it is. But, what I realized is no one else will know where it is. And, to help my kids be more independent, I wanted them to see where the items were. And, if we used the other car, I liked the things to be in the same place so it would be easy to clean up and maintain. Staying consistent with the organizing process really made the difference in keeping the cars well-organized. It also helped track these small items that can easily be tossed and lost under seats and between chairs.
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24 Useful Items For a Well Organized Car
First Aid Kit - Make sure it is a complete kit. This completed first aid kit is great for emergencies. Be sure to refill it when you use up a supply. Check it at least once a year to make certain nothing went wrong.
Flashlight - This is also for emergencies. Make sure it has a fresh set of batteries, and check every year to make sure it still works.
Registration card - Keep in the glove compartment in a secure space. An envelope or tri-fold like this one will keep this safe (Affiliate Link).
Insurance card - Keep with the registration card and only keep the current insurance card. Shred the rest.
Pen - Everyone needs pens in the car. Have a few if one doesn't work.
Paper - A small notepad works nicely. It can be a pad of paper or a small spiral notebook - either works well for those quick notes. We have phones that can do the same thing, but if your phone isn't working or you forgot it, you at least have something else to write on as a backup instead of your hand. =)
Disinfectant Wipes - This helps clean with sticky messes for the kiddos.
Extra diapers for kids - Keep these in an easy-to-reach area, like the backseat where the kids are sitting.
Paper towel roll - Can be stored in the trunk (Affiliate Link) to clean or pick up spills.
Window cleaner - Adding Windex or other window cleaners close to the paper towels works excellent for those last-minute cleanups.
Tissue - Buy the small packs and put one on each side door for easy access to each passenger.
Change (coins) - You never know when you need a penny or two. Using cup holders with a cup for coins or using an old ashtray works excellent. I prefer a hidden spot in the car. Though, if a thief wants the coins, they will find the place.
Cell phone charger - Coil up the cord and wrap it with a twist tie to be shorter and less messy. If you have two different devices in the car, you can use zip ties to help you keep the cables together.
Device charger - Get extra chargers for each kid's device. No one wants to deal with unruly kids in the car on long trips.
Dashboard cleaner wipes - Keep in the trunk (Affiliate Link) and use when the dashboard needs a cleaning.
Umbrella - Keep on the driver's side door for quick access on those rainy days. Keeping one personal size in the driver's side door is great for when you get stuck in the rain. But, also having a larger one for the family like a golf umbrella in the trunk (Affiliate Link) is excellent too.
Kids card games or conversation games - If you don't like the electronics that much, have a plastic zipper bag to hold card games or coloring books with crayons for the kids. Hang from the back of the passenger seat so you can reach them for your younger kids.
Water bottles - No more than six because then you can change them out more frequently. In hot or cold climates, be sure to change out the water bottles often.
Emergency car kit (Affiliate Link) - Keep in the trunk (Affiliate Link) for access to spark plugs and other items. This item will be beneficial when you have flat or further car trouble. Below is a variety from Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate).
Multitool Knife like Leatherman or Swiss Army knife (Affiliate Link) - Just for when you need a knife for cutting open any package or to wrap a quick gift for someone on those last-minute shopping trips. You know what I mean; we all had that happen to us at one time or another.
Carpet cleaner bottle - Get a perfect carpet cleaner bottle that you can stash in the trunk (Affiliate Link) for those coffee spills. I'm so glad we had it when we went on long trips.
A vacuum (Affiliate Link) cleaner that plugs into a lighter - Keep in the trunk (Affiliate Link) for use when you need to vacuum (Affiliate Link) the car. Get one that has lots of accessories like this one from Amazon (Affiliate Link).
Trash Can (Affiliate Link) - Hang from the driver's or passenger's seat's back seat or put on the floor. I prefer the back of the seat trash cans (Affiliate Link) because they hang, and you can reach them when sitting in the front seat.
Reusable Grocery Bags for Shopping - Keep in your trunk (Affiliate Link) and grab when you go to the grocery store. It's helpful when buying cans since cloth bags are more durable.
Ways to Organize Car Items
Several organizing products will store these items nicely. Here are a few products I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate).
For the back of the seat, precious kiddos. In an organized car, these behind-the-seat organizers do the trick to keep the back seat less cluttered. When my kids were little, I used them in all our vehicles, and the kids could see what they had quickly. I like this one because it has a place for a tablet too.
Organize the trunk (Affiliate Link) in bins. When you have a minivan, you don't have a place to store much. So, using one of these will help keep the mess in check.
Here is a printable to help get your car organized.
These items helped me a great deal to keep my family's car organized while the kids were little, and now that they are teenagers. What else do you own in your vehicle? Please add to the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Below are some additional posts I found online to help you organize your family car.
11 Clever Hacks That Will Keep Your Car Clean and Organized by Woman's Day Magazine
9 "Why Didn't I Think of That?" Car Organizing Hacks by HGTV
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (Affiliate Link), and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Ellen Delap says
Thank you for this list!
Sarah Soboleski says
I'm intrigued by the vacuum that plugs into the lighter! And have you seen the new minivan commercial where they make a built-in vac?! Genius!
allison weigensberg says
These are great! As a mom of young kids I also like to keep a change of clothes (for them and me!) in the car as you never know what spills and accidents can happen 🙂
Stacey Agin Murray says
All great ideas--I'm happy to say I have most of those items in my car. Need the swiss army knife, flash light and more of a first aid kit than the Neosporen-to-go and bandaids I currently have. Keeping umbrellas in the car has saved me from getting wet on many occasions. Anyone thinking about organizing their car will appreciate the printable you made. They can easily hold it while looking in their pantry/garage or local store and check off the items as they find homes for it all in their car.
Linda Samuels says
Excellent list, Sabrina! I have many of the items you suggested, but I don't have the plug in vacuum. That's a great idea! I might need to add that to the car supplies.
Seana Turner says
I love that you talked not only about the items, but about the need to secure them in a container. In the event of an accident, loose items in a car can take a dangerous trajectory!