How to Keep Your Car from Becoming a Clutter Magnet

One day, you walk out to your car, open the door, and look inside. Really look. Or you push open the passenger side door for the friend you picked up at the airport and look at the inside of your vehicle from their (horrified) perspective. And you wonder, How did this happen?!

Your car has become a cross between a storage unit and a garbage truck.

When we first bought our “family car,” it was brand new. So clean and pristine that I almost did not want to put my kids in it. But, alas, that was sort of a requirement. And for the first few years, we kept it clean and neat like the day that we got it.

But during our move about a year ago, our cars did double duty as mini-moving vans. And once the stuff got in there, it was really hard to get it all out. To this day, I find random items that never made it from point A to point B. Socks. Roller blades. A yoga mat. Train tracks.

With kids, it can be hard to keep your car as clean and clutter-free as you once did. Honestly, it’s hard to keep anything clean and clutter-free once those little goobers become mobile. But we should still give it a try. Here’s how:

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  Set some ground rules. Let your kids (and your hubby) know what is okay to do in your car, and what is not. If everyone knows what they should do, there will be less friction, confusion, and messes.

• What goes in, must come out. My kids love bringing toys into the car. Even for short rides, they cart books, backpacks, and trains along. And half the time, they forget them in the backseats. Make sure your kids take out whatever they bring in every time. This helps keep the clutter out of the car and keeps it manageable when you ask someone to bring some things into the house.
• Avoid eating/drinking in the car. Everyone has their own rule on this, and I have always been in the no-eating-in-the-car camp. Especially for the kids. But I’ve had to relax that idea as our schedules became more chaotic. Unfortunately, that means there are a lot of crushed Cheerios in my carpets and empty water bottles rolling around on the floor. Not to mention unknown sticky spots on the seats.
• Police yourself. If you look in my center console, you will find crumpled receipts, dead pens, loose change, granola bar wrappers, and a lot of those little paper things that McDonald’s wraps around their ice cream cones. My clutter is just as bad as the kids.’ Make sure you are leading by example and cleaning up your own garbage.
• Make cleaning out the car a game. My kids actually like cleaning out the car. They like cleaning in general, when they are in the mood, but the car is especially fun. So getting them involved when it is starting to look like a dumpster on wheels is really helpful. Ask your kids for help and do it as a family. Afterward, offer them a reward for all their hard work.

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  Make friends with your local gas station vacuum. If you can afford to get your car detailed, go for it. But if 75 cents is more your speed (as it is mine), then spend some time at a nearby gas station, vacuuming your carpets and seats. It may seem unnecessary, especially if you aren’t someone with crushed cereal all over the floors, but a good vacuuming makes your car feel new again. It’s definitely worth it.

• Invest in an air freshener. Find a great air freshener that you really like and put it in your now-clean car. The next time you climb behind the wheel, you will be greeted by a sight and smell that will please your senses. This is the one I’m using.

 

Decluttering your spaces when you have kids is always an extra challenge, but if you involve the whole family, set some ground rules, and follow them, you’ll get it done. Life is chaotic enough. The places we spend our time shouldn’t add to it. They should give us a chance to breathe.

Is your car a clutter magnet, or do have some secrets for keeping it clean? Let me know in the comments.

 

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