I’m a huge fan of organization. I watch all the TV shows where the lady comes into people’s houses, tells them that their lives are messes, and then proceeds to magically organize everything. I got that book about Japanese organization the day it came out. I fold my grocery bags into tiny triangles. It’s crazy! So, my wife suggested that I share some tips on organizing your car as a kind of… outlet.

I have to say, having kids definitely makes organization a little harder. You’re focused on them instead of on cleanliness, and so it can be hard to find a minute to tidy things up in all the hubbub of life with children. One of my strategies is to use the headrests of the front seats for hanging organizers that hang down into the backseat. That way, all the kids’ stuff is off the floor and seats and within easy reach of their little hands. Even when the kids aren’t in the car, these organizers are useful for storing things like pens, maps, spare change for tolls, and anything else that usually ends up on the floor.

Another great place for stuff to collect is the center console of the car. Mine definitely used to resemble a black hole more than anything, but ever since I cleaned it up it’s been a great place to keep things handy. I went to the store and got some cord keepers to tie up things like phone chargers, headphones, and GPS cords to keep them from getting tangled together into a terrifying mess. I also got little bins that fit inside the console to organize things like my tire pressure gauge, a compass, a flashlight, and anything else that I might need to be super handy.

The glove compartment is a danger zone for a lot of people, but as long as you make sure you’re not using it as a catchall for receipts and trash (looking at my wife here – love you honey!) it shouldn’t get too bad. What I try to do is go through my car for trash at least once a week, just to make sure what’s in the vehicle is what needs to be there, and so that the important stuff doesn’t get buried.

If you’re a fellow DIY organization lover, my best tip is to go to the store and pick up a bunch of little bins and organizers and keep them in strategic spots around your car. My mother always used to say – “a place for everything and everything in its place,” which I take to mean that nothing extra should be rolling around my car and that what’s there should have a home where it’s easily accessible.

I hope my tips have helped! Happy organizing!