Answering Your Questions: How do I keep the car uncluttered?
Keeping my car clean is something I have to constantly work at. I have black carpet and upholstery and I feel like the second after I vacuum it out and then place my feet on the carpet, it’s dirty again!
I do love a clean car and I have a few tips that help me to keep it tidy.
Tip #1 - I do not have many things that consider the car their “home.” I only keep a few things in the compartments in the front. I use some zipper bags to keep these items in their place. You can get similar bags HERE. In these bags I keep:
A first aid kit - bandaids, alcohol swabs, and a tube of antibiotic cream
Headphones - you can never be without these in the car. It never fails that we get started on a trip and someone has forgotten a pair or I need to take a work call with the kids in the car and my bluetooth headphones are dead.
Eyes and teeth - wipes for my glasses and toothpicks.
Only a few other items stay in the car - a box of tissues, a light blanket I keep in the back just in case my daughter is cold and needs a nap on a long day of errands, and an umbrella.
I do keep hand sanitizer and extra masks for the family in the pocket of my door.
In the glove box I only keep insurance, registration cards, and the car manual. You do not want to have trouble finding those!
You may have other needs, but I encourage you to only keep a few things in the car. This makes it super easy to clean your car out.
Tip #2 - Every time you get out of the car, grab the trash and take it in with you. I would think my kids were sick of hearing it, but I still have to say it just about every time we pull into the garage. “Grab your trash.” If I notice they haven’t, I will send them back out to the car. Please tell me that one day they will get the hang of this on their own. But until then, I’ll just keep reminding them.
Tip #3 - Make giving the car a quick vacuum part of your weekly routine. I used to have this on my weekly list. Now, it’s on my teenager’s weekly chore list. We use my Dyson vacuum and make sure any trash that was missed is picked up and give it a quick vacuum. This gives me a long gap between times I take it to the car wash.
Tip #4 - Take your car to the car wash. It’s usually only $20 for someone else to clean your car out. I only do this every few months - at the most. But it is so worth it! They just know how to do it! I do have a favorite car wash company and feel like they do a better job that some of the others in town. Find a place you like and fit that in your schedule. I try to couple this with my oil change and bring a good book with me. Occasionally I have even brought my laptop and knocked out some work while I was waiting. Note: I usually only pay for the very basic wash that still allows for someone else to vacuum the car. I can never really tell the difference in the extra up-charges.
So if it’s been a while since you’ve really cleaned your car out, take 10 minutes today to tackle it. Grab a trash bag for the trash and a basket for all the things that need to find a new home. Then run to the car wash and have it cleaned. It’s a bit like the feeling of climbing into a neatly made bed each night when you get in a clean car!