Our cars tend to be a magnet for clutter. They often act as a second closet; essentially a storage unit for what we don’t have room for. Whether it’s wrappers or clothing or random sports equipment, these items take up precious space in an already confined area. And no one – you or your passengers – likes getting into a messy, cluttered vehicle. So if you’re looking for some motivation, here are our top hacks to keep your car organized and clutter-free.

Everything In, Everything Out

We’ve all been there. You get home from a weekend away or a big grocery shop, your car is overflowing with things, and you’re exhausted. The last thing you want to do is make several trips bringing everything inside, so you tell yourself you’ll get it later. As easy as it is to say this, the chances are that you won’t. All of a sudden it’s been three weeks and your car is starting to look like a junkyard.

The more often you leave things in your car, the more tempting it is to do it again. That’s why our number one rule is to bring everything you brought in with you, out. It’s so much easier to do this each time you leave the car than to let it pile up. Even if it’s just a water bottle or a purse, take it out. It will make it much less tempting to start leaving other things, to the point that your car is swimming with random items (that you’re probably looking for).

Stash It, Don’t Trash It

It’s pretty common for cars to have wrappers littered throughout, because let’s face it – where else is there to put them than the floor or console? Having a designated place to put your trash is a game changer. Leaving a small bag in the car gives you no excuse to leave garbage anywhere else. If you have kids, leave a garbage in the back for them too. Keeping one in front of each child means they have somewhere directly in their line of sight to discard their garbage.

Organise the interiors

For items that actually belong in the car, let’s talk about how to organize them. Trunk organizers or shelves are a great way to make sure your groceries don’t get crushed, while hanging oils and fluids in a shower caddy means they won’t be tossing around while you’re driving.

One of our favourite hacks that’s great for long trips, is to put a muffin tin in a laundry basket to use as an extra large cup holder. You’ll have lots of room for all your drinks, and the empties won’t get left on the ground. Keeping loose change in a gum container is another hack that will keep coins from floating all around the car. Lastly, it never hurts to have a stash of plastic bags – you never know when you’ll need one. We keep ours in an old tissue box to keep them tightly packed away.

When all else fails, it’s time for a storage plan! With several plans to choose from, Alluster will store those items stashed in your trunk to give you space for when you actually need it.