As a busy family, we spend a good amount of time in our car. I’d love for it to stay clean, but that’s a pipe dream, so I’ll settle for a car that’s organized and stocked with the essentials. Here are some tips and tricks from some of the smartest moms on the internet.
Bins for Storage
Yummy Mummy Club uses bins to keep organized in the car, like blankets and umbrellas, changes of clothes and sports equipment.
First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is a must in any vehicle but is one of the most used items in a mom’s car. There are nice ones that can be purchased fully stocked, and there are simpler options with a plastic container that can hold whatever you want to stock it with, from band-aids, to antibiotic ointment, to cleaning wipes. The Red Cross has a comprehensive list of items you might need in case of emergency.
A Puke Bucket
It’s not fun to think about, but kids get car sick, and they don’t usually give us enough time to pull over and get them out of the car before they erupt. We keep an old plastic coffee container in the car for these times. It’s gross, but not nearly as gross as cleaning vomit out of a car seat with a five-point harness. It is imperative this item is kept within reach. Ours lives in between the two rear car seats where the kids can reach it.
Hanging Trash Can, Drink and Tissue Holder
The one thing that I dig around for most in the car is the box of tissues. This organizer can hang from the front passenger seat when I’m driving alone and easily swivels to hang from the back when I have a passenger in the front seat. In addition to the elusive tissue box, this has space for trash and drink holders.
Plastic Bags
When a tissue box is emptied, refill it with plastic bags for those times when clothing gets wet, a kid gets sick or shoes are muddy.
Easy-to-Reach Organizers
Kids are forever bringing crayons, books and snacks in the car, and things stay more or less organized if they have a place to put their stuff. Here is a car seat protector and seat back organizer in one that will protect car seats from dirty shoes and crumbs while also giving your child a place to store everything from books to drinks to an electronic device.
And if you don’t want to buy an organizer for your seat back, I Heart Organizing reminds us that any old bag that can hang over a headrest will work for holding the kiddos’ belongings, and a carabiner holds purses and backpacks and umbrellas, too.
A Potty Seat
If your kids are small, a portable potty is a must. Store it in the trunk with a container of wipes and make sure those plastic bags are handy for cleaning up messes and lining the seat for easy waste disposal.
Shoe Organizers for Travel Supplies
DIY & Crafts uses over-the-door shoe organizers to keep car necessities separated and handy. No more rummaging around the glove compartment for the little things you’re sure you “have in here somewhere.”
Bungee Grocery Bag Holder
You know when you are driving home from the grocery store and you can hear the groceries rolling around in the back? No more! Check out this simple bungee trick from Handyman.
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