The Best Items to Keep Your Car Clean and Organized

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We talk a lot about the general rules for decluttering and organizing, namely that you need a spot for everything, containers to keep it all neat, and a structured approach to deciding what to keep and get rid of. Usually, we're referring to the home, but you should also be applying this information to your car, where you spend a considerable amount of time and need quick access to your stuff when the moment calls for it. In addition to cleaning your vehicle, you should be organizing it. Here are a few tools to help you.

The best tools for organizing your car

First of all, let's talk about the center console, also known as the area where you throw everything and pray for the best. There are organizers available for all kinds of vehicle makes and models that will slip in there and provide you with compartments, containers, holders, and all manner of little organizing essentials, but to find yours, you'll need to run a search for your exact car and the words "center console organizer." That said, you can also skip the customization and just pick up these storage expanders, which you secure by stuffing the long part into the gap between your console and seat. You'll get two and they come with some dividers inside, so you can store your wallet, drink, and other essentials without having to toss too much into the center.

Fortunately, other kinds of organizers are more standard and fit in most vehicles, meaning your options for pockets and containers are surprisingly robust. That's good news because—and remember this—when you're organizing, every single item you keep in a space needs a designated spot. They should be stored with similar items and, ideally, placed in a container to keep them all together. This behind-the-seat organizer will help you with that:

Another option is this big storage container that straps into a back seat ($23.98), which has 11 compartments and two cup holders. While this is great for when you have other people back there, it isn't accessible to you in the driver's seat. Don't worry, though: Again, you have options. For instance, pick up this card and document holder designed for the glovebox ($11.99). Registration, insurance, and other necessary docs can be stashed in here so the next time you're (god forbid) pulled over, you're not fumbling around searching. (Like center console organizers, glovebox organizers can also be ordered for your specific car type and are fitted to your box's dimensions, offering containers and pocket space.)

Another solution with some handy pockets is this car trash can. No more tossing trash into a side bin or on the floor of the passenger's seat. If you're serious about organizing (and decluttering), it's time for a real trash holder and this one, with its secure hole and strap-on functionality, is perfect for going behind the headrest of the passenger seat, an easy reach away from you. Disinfecting wipes or napkins can go in the storage pockets, too, making it an multi-use cleaning and organizing godsend.

That's all for the areas accessible to passengers, which is important, but you also have to consider the other elements of organization in and around your car. How's your trunk looking? Don't even answer that. Just check this out.

Simply put, you need pockets and structure in the trunk. Again, everything needs a place and "the trunk" is not sufficient on its own; it's just too big and likely to get cluttered, especially when things shift around back there.

Simple car cleaning

Finally, being organized is one thing, but being clean is another. Here's a list of the best car vacuums out there so you never have to deal with crumbs and messes. Beyond that, consider designating at least one of the new compartments you create with these storage solutions to cleaning supplies, like Clorox wipes and the like. One ever-popular option that is effective but small and easy to store is this sticky gel ($9.99) that pulls dust out of your vents and crumbs off your surfaces: