7 Tips for Cleaning and Organizing the Family Vehicle

If you’re one of those parents who spends most of your time in the car driving to dance lessons, soccer practice, and school functions, you probably have a little bit of everything in your car, from food to games to extra clothes.  You my friend, are not alone.

The trick is to keep all that stuff organized so that when you do need that change of clothes, they are not covered in Cheetos cheese or worse!

So how do you do it?

1. First, give it a good vacuuming.  Vacuum your car seats and carpets with a good vacuum, and then use a crevice extension to get into the small spaces.  You’d be surprised how much stuff hides in between the seats.  Be sure not to forget the dashboard area.  Don’t spray anything directly on the instrument panel.  It could leave permanent spots.  Instead, spray a little vinegar and water solution on a soft cloth and wipe well.
2. Use a product like Armor All to clean, shine, and protect the steering wheel, dashboard, and door areas.  If you have leather interior, use a commercial leather cleaner like Armor All Leather Wipes.
3. Now that the car is clean, start organizing what you have to carry around.  You can find great  car organizers for baby items, fast food trays, and car organizers with compartments to store just about anything  you need on Amazon.  You can find them in just about every shape and color you’d ever want.  Some hang over the seat, some sit in the console, and some go in the trunk.
4. Assess your needs.  If you have a minivan and a bunch of kids who play soccer, it might be smart to invest in a Sport Trunk Organizer to corral all their gear.  The last thing you want is a bunch of soccer balls bouncing around the back seat when you’re trying to drive.
5. Keep the dirt level down.  If you have muddy pets in your car on a regular basis, protect your interior with Car Seat Covers and floor mats.  Not only will it be easier to clean next time, your car will be worth more if you resell it or trade it in.
6. Invest in a solid trash bin for car.  Litter bags are great, and usually you can get them for nothing just about everywhere.  But they also hold nothing.  You want to get something sturdy that will hold a fair amount of garbage.
7. The most important tip of all is to stay on top of it.  The family vehicle gets a lot of use, and becomes a mess quickly.  If you make sure that the garbage bin is emptied daily and keep messy on-the-go meals to a minimum, you’ll thank yourself when it comes time to clean again.  A good cleaning once a month and daily mess pickups will do wonders for your car.

What about your vehicle? How do you keep the trash and clutter monster at bay? I would love to hear your tips and tricks!