Is your car a MESS?! Easy ways to clean it, and keep it clean!

Many of us spend more time in our vehicles than we do in our homes, yet we tend to neglect our wheels when it comes to routine "housekeeping". Organizing your car's interior can seem as challenging as keeping your closets in order! Here are five easy steps to arrange your necessary gear while clearing out unnecessary clutter.

1. SORT AND CLEAN

Remove everything from your interior that isn't bolted down - including child safety seats, CDs and items stored in your glove compartment, door pockets, console, etc etc. Don't forgot the trunk and/or cargo area! Toss all trash and organize the rest in three piles: Stuff you use everyday, things you use occasionally and those items you may need in case of an emergency. Whatever you find leftover should be stored in your home and/or garage.


2. ANALYZE

How do you use your car? Are you a salesperson that travels with a load of samples? A parent with child safety seats? A realtor escorting clients in your vehicle to look at properties? Do you run many short errands, or are longer road trips on your regular agenda? Are there things you are always struggling to find such as pen and paper? Change for tolls? Tissues? Your cell phone? An umbrella? The answer to these questions should determine your priorities!


3. PRIORITIZE

Based upon your needs, sort through the three piles you created and find the most important items in each group. What is important to keep close at hand while driving? What can be relegated to the back of the car? For example - when you put 3 new CDs in your car, take 3 out to avoid CD overload. Water bottles are great - but throw out those half empty ones when you arrive at your destination.


4. CONTAIN YOUR NEEDS

Loose objects in your car make for mess and disorganization. In the event of a sudden stop or crash, they can also damage your interior - or even worse, injure occupants! Auto accessory shops and discount mass retailers such as Walmart and Target offer a variety of cargo containers and organizers for every part of your vehicle. Websites for unique automotive storage products include The Busy Woman, Family On Board, The Container Store and Amazon.com


5. STORE

Store items you regularly lose in a place where you can reach them conveniently (and safely) while driving. Keep insurance information, maps, directions and other important documents together in the glove compartment. Be creative about storing lesser-used items such as a small first aid kit, roadside flares and jumper cables. There are often out-of-the-way nooks and crannies around the spare tire kit and in the rear side walls of your trunk. Your auto's owner's manual may also be helpful in locating hooks and cubbies you might have overlooked before.

FINALLY - Don't put anything on the floor! Unless it's designed to sit there, of course! Once you begin to throw things on the floor, you'll find it too easy to begin using your vehicle as a mobile trash can!