I organized my car again, and I shared my tips in my blog post: 6 Great Ideas To Organize The Car. It has helped tremendously in those trouble spots in my vehicle. But what about the other items? And how should I organize them? Today, I am sharing with you my family's car organization (affiliate) stuff that helped us keep organized and neat in the car.
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), and I'll know where it is. But what I realized was that no one else would 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 having everything in the same place, so it would be easy to clean (affiliate) and maintain. Staying consistent with the organizing process made a real 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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Key Takeaways
- Organizing your car helps improve accessibility and promotes independence for kids.
- Key (affiliate) items include a first-aid kit, a flashlight, phone chargers, and an emergency car kit (affiliate) for everyday needs.
- Establish a weekly reset to maintain organization and avoid clutter build-up.
- Set up designated zones for kids' items using small organizers to keep things contained.
- Rotate seasonal items and regularly check your glove box to keep essentials up to date.
Note: If you click through and purchase these items from Amazon.com, I will receive a commission fee at no additional cost to you. Happy shopping!
24 Useful Items For a Well-Organized Car
First Aid Kit - Make sure it is a complete kit. The one below is a complete first aid kit is great for emergencies. Be sure to refill it when you run out. Check it at least once a year to make certain nothing went wrong.
My Favorite
First Aid Only OSHA-Compliant All-Purpose 100-Person Emergency First Aid
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Flashlight - 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).
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. =)
Wet Wipes Dry Out
Disinfectant Wipes - This helps clean up sticky messes for the kiddos. Check to make sure it is acceptable for use on your car's vinyl or leather.
Keep extra diapers for kids in an easy-to-reach area, like the backseat where they are sitting. If you end up not using them often, you will need to replace baby wipes or the diapers as the child grows. The baby wipes will dry out.
Paper towel roll: can be stored in the trunk (affiliate) for cleaning or picking up spills. Place this in a zipper bag so it doesn't create too much lint in your car. It may also get wet and be a mess in the car.
Window cleaner: Adding Windex or other window cleaners near the paper towels works well for last-minute cleanups. If you use a bottle, be sure that window cleaner is in a zipper bag. Learn from our mistake: the bottle fell over, and we experienced a leak while traveling in hot, high-altitude weather a year ago.
Tissue: Buy the small packs and put one on each side door for easy access for each passenger.
Change (coins) - You never know when you need a penny or two. Using cup holders with coins or an old ashtray works excellently. I prefer a hidden spot in the car. Though if a thief wants the coins, they will find the place.
Buy Backup Cables
Cell phone charger cords: coil the cord and wrap it with a twist tie to keep it 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. Check out our DIY travel tech cable organizer post for product suggestions and how to make it.
Device charger - Get extra chargers for each kid's device. No one wants to deal with unruly kids in the car on long trips. Batteries are great, but should not be left in the car all the time due to overheating and reduced device lifespan. Have them bring it in the car with them and take it when they leave the car.
Dashboard cleaner wipes - Keep in the trunk (affiliate) and use when the dashboard needs a cleaning.
Umbrella - Keep on the driver's-side door for quick access on rainy days. Keeping one personal item 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), 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, so 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) - Keep in the trunk (affiliate) for access to spark plugs and other items. This item will be useful if you have a flat tire or other car trouble. Below is a variety from Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate).
My Favorite Picks
Car Emergency Kit, Roadside Safety Tool Kit with Gloves
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Car Emergency Roadside & First Aid Kit Inside
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Multitool Knife like a Leatherman or Swiss Army knife (affiliate) - Just for when you need a knife to cut open a package or wrap a quick gift (affiliate) 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.
Car Carpet Cleaner Bottle (affiliate) - Get a perfect carpet cleaner bottle (affiliate) to stash in the trunk (affiliate) for those coffee (affiliate) spills. I'm so glad we had it on long trips.
A portable car vacuum cleaner (affiliate) that plugs into the lighter - Keep in the trunk for use when you need to vacuum (affiliate) the car. Get one with lots of accessories.
Car Trash Can - Hang from the driver's or passenger's seat, or put on the floor. I prefer the back-of-seat trash cans (affiliate) because they are easily accessible from the front seat. I prefer adding this car trash can (affiliate) to the back of the passenger car seat. It is easier for me to reach when I am traveling to clients.
Reusable Grocery Bags (affiliate) for Shopping - Keep in your trunk and grab when you go to the grocery store. It's helpful when buying cans since cloth bags are more durable. We use the Reusable Grocery Bags (affiliate), Made From Ripstop Nylon Hold 50lbs (affiliate) product, which has a carabiner that can easily be hooked to any area of the car.
How to Keep the Family Car Organized
Once you've got the right items in place, a few simple habits will keep your car from sliding back into chaos.
Do a weekly 5-minute reset. Pick one day (I like Sundays before the week starts) to pull out trash, return stray toys or shoes (affiliate) to the house, and wipe down cup holders. It's much easier to maintain than a big deep clean every few months.
Give every kid their own "seat zone." A hanging back-of-seat organizer (affiliate) or a small caddy (affiliate) that lives in their spot keeps snacks, toys, and books contained, so things stop migrating under seats.
Weather Gear
Keep a spare set of weather gear in the trunk. A pair of old sneakers, a light jacket, and a pair of gloves save you when the weather turns, and you're not dressed for it.
Rotate seasonal items twice a year. Swap in an ice scraper and blanket for winter, and sunshades and extra water for summer, so you're not storing everything year-round. If they take up too much space, place these items in the garage (affiliate) in an easily accessible place.
Label (affiliate) your bins and pouches. If you're using the trunk bins mentioned above, a simple label (affiliate) (first aid, cleaning, emergency) means anyone in the family can find or refill what's needed without asking you. This will help you stay focused and take action quickly when you are stressed.
Keep a small stash of snacks separate from the "emergency" snacks. Rotate the everyday snacks for the car (affiliate) often, but keep a couple of shelf-stable emergency snacks (like granola bars) tucked away for when you're stuck longer than planned.
Do a quick glove box purge each season. Old receipts, expired coupons, and outdated paperwork pile up fast. Pair this with your registration/insurance card check for one easy habit.
Visit The Container Store Car Organization Page (affiliate) for more car organizers you may find handy.
Ways to Organize Car Items
Several organizing products will store these items nicely. Here are a few products I found on Amazon (affiliate) (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 they could quickly see what they had. I like this one because it has a place for a tablet too.
Organize the trunk in bins. When you have a minivan, you don't have much space to store. So, using one of these will help keep the mess in check.
My Favorite Picks
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Back of the Car Seat Organizer 2 PCS
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Here is a printable to help get your car organized.
These items helped me a great deal in keeping 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.
Frequently Asked Questions for Organized Family Car
FAQs About Organizing Your Car
A quick reset once a week keeps clutter from building up, with a deeper clean (vacuuming, wiping surfaces, checking the trunk bins) once a month.
At minimum, a first aid kit, flashlight, phone charger, registration and insurance cards, and an emergency car kit. These cover most everyday needs and roadside emergencies.
Give each child their own small zone, like a back-of-seat organizer or a caddy, so their books, toys, and snacks stay contained to one spot instead of spreading across the car.
The glove box is best for documents you need quick access to, like registration and insurance cards. The trunk is better for bulkier items: cleaning supplies, the emergency kit, reusable bags, and seasonal gear.
Yes. In winter, add an ice scraper, blanket, and extra warm layers. In summer, swap in sunshades and extra water bottles, since heat causes water and some supplies to degrade faster.
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
Visit my other car and garage organization posts!
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (affiliate), 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!