Storage Solutions: How to Keep Your Car Clean
Whether you're a proud parent, a festival frequenter, a road trip aficionado, or just a regular commuter, you probably spend a lot of time in your car. A lot of road miles turns into a lot of luggage, trash, and spilled coffee. How can you maximize the storage space in your car without sacrificing things like comfort, money, and style?
You're in the right place! Here are 10 DIY ideas to improve the storage space and look of your car, from tidily keeping the stuff you really need to vacuuming your ride with ease.
Shoe rack? Try trunk storage
Shoe racks are any DIY expert's best friend. These collapsible plastic pockets are perfect to hold everything from cleaning supplies to motor oil to your kids' colored pencils—oh, and shoes, of course! You can fashion plastic shoe racks into hanging storage compartments by hanging the rack over the divider between your seats and the trunk. If your trunk doesn't connect to the back row of seats, you can mount the shoe rack on a dowel, or attach it directly to the trunk back with hot glue or Velcro.
Add a seat belt shelf rack
If your car's trunk opens right into the seating, you can create a layer of shelving by gluing a wooden plank to the back of your seat belts. Then, using push pins, nails, or another stopping method, set the plank perpendicular to the backseat so it creates a sturdy shelf.
Create an emergency kit
Jumper cables? Check. Tire jack? Check. Fire blanket? It's under the seat somewhere, I think... You might have all of the components of an emergency car kit, but keeping it all stored in one box or bin keeps it from taking over your car's precious storage space. Pack a plastic bin, tote bag, or collapsible bin with all the emergency essentials, and store it under a seat or in your trunk.
Velcro a bin train
Speaking of collapsible bins, you can create a trunk organization system by connecting differently-sized bins with Velcro. Just use hot glue to attach Velcro strips to the sides, and you can mix-and-match your bins depending on the circumstances of your road trip, grocery run, or camping trip.
Build a seat-back entertainment center
Got to keep the kiddos entertained on a long drive? You can create a hanging seat-back entertainment center by hanging a heavy-duty piece of fabric on the back of the driver's and passenger's seats. Then, attach homemade pockets with buttons, stitches, glue, or Velcro. You can stock these pockets with things like tissues, wipes, games, books, and more.
Turn a tackle box into an "everything" carrier
Tackle boxes are a gift for car storage. Full of convenient, small compartments, (clean) tackle boxes can be filled with snacks, tucked into a center console to organize small items, or used as part of an emergency kit.
Cram in a cooler
Many vans and larger vehicles have two back rows of seats, with a space between the two seats in the front row. This is a great space to put a small cooler, stocked with your favorite road trip goodies and drinks.
Buy a few dollar-store shower caddies
You can turn a shower caddy into a travel container for games, art supplies, and other kids' entertainment, but they're also a great investment for random odds and ends like motor oil, coolant, and tool kits. If you have a clean one, it makes a great lap kit for your drive-through food! Use the different sections to hold your drink cup or sandwich.
Carabiners aren't just for rock climbing
Carabiners—metal clips with a latch or twist-top—are a great addition to your car's storage. Clipped onto a headrest, they can be used to hold grocery bags, purses, and other odds and ends with straps. This gets those items off the floor, giving you back some much-needed legroom.
Try a Tupperware trash can
Many of us use large plastic storage bins for cereal, pet food, or dry storage for sugar and flour. You can turn these kitchen essentials into a car essential by lining the inside with a trash bag. Simply pop the top back on to hold the bag in place, and open and close the Tupperware lid to insert trash as needed. As an added bonus, this cuts down on any stinky scents from leftover takeout trash! Just be sure to regularly vacuum up any crumbs if you are one of those people who eats in your car...
How to keep your car clean
From the smallest two-seater to the roomiest "mom van," every car reaches its limit with storage space and debris. That's why it's time to stop, clean it out, reorganize, vacuum, dust, and start loving your car again.
We hope you've learned how to maximize your car's storage with these DIY tricks, and we'll meet you at the next rest stop!
Resources— Good Housekeeping, HGTV, Hative
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