We are on the go – dashing to and from work, the store, the game, the dentist, the dry cleaners, wherever. And hauling a lot of stuff along with us: food, drinks, books, CDs, electronic devices, papers and gear. Our lifestyles breed traveling clutter.
We not only have to keep clutter in our homes in check, we have to keep up with the junk we’re carrying around well. Think of it this way – our cars, like our homes, are an extension of us. If they’re dirty and junky, what does that say about us?
What’s the state of your vehicle? When the weather is nice, like it is (finally) here in MN, it is the time to clean out that junk collector. Park it in the driveway. Pull anything important out first, such as electronics/paperwork/calendars. Put them in a safe place. Next take out the car essentials: umbrella, snow scraper, tissues, and car seats. Set these aside. Now, clean out all the garbage and “other” things that have accumulated. Dig under those seats for buried treasure. Give the ride a good vacuum and wipe down. I love using Thieves Household Cleaner. You can make a spray bottle with an itty bitty cap-full and it smells fresh and spicy, like cinnamon and cloves. It gives my interior a good shine too.
After it’s been cleared out, only put back what you need to keep handy. Finally, kiss the dash, apologize for the state you let it succumb to, and vow to take care. Our cars will last long and run well if we love and care for them. Plus, won’t all the time you spend in your car be more enjoyable?
Storage Solutions
If you have kids, or need to keep a lot of useful things in your car, purchase some traveling storage units. These are available at some car washes, department and organizing stores. There are units available that hang over the back of a seat, or fit over the center console. Ones I like:
Trunk and Auto Document Organizers to keep stuff in it's place
Put trash in it's place with the Trash Stash Car Litter Bag
Over-the-Seat, In-the-Middle and other solutions from Organize Your Ride
