Is your car disappearing under the weight of all the family clutter? Use our easy hacks to clear and organise writes Geraldine Herbert
Is car clutter driving you round the bend? Steer things around and get on the road to lasting cleanliness with our tips and tricks. Here’s where to start:
- Clean
First job, clear out all rubbish. Start from the front and work your way to the back, including under the seats. Organise items into those that are to stay in the car, those that belong in the house or garage and what you’re going to throw away.
- Wipes
Clean the dashboard, armrests and steering wheel with wipes. Halfords Car Dashboard Wipes come in packs of 24 and are ideal for storing in the car, but you don’t need a speciality product, as regular baby wipes are equally effective.
- Floor mats
Remove, shake out and vacuum the floor mats. Treat spills and stains with a carpet cleaner – Simoniz Upholstery & Carpet Cleaner is simple to apply, and you just wipe it away with a damp cloth. Before you slip the mats back in, try sprinkling with baking soda overnight and vacuuming the next morning, as this will get rid of any lingering odours.
- Door pockets
Transform the door pockets from a space for empty wrappers and plastic bottles to a useful one. Fill an empty cleaning-wipes tube with plastic shopping bags for rubbish, wet umbrellas or muddy shoes and store it in the door pocket.
- Glove compartment
Your glove compartment should contain essential items, such as insurance and registration documents, and roadside assistance information. A pen and a small notepad are also handy additions.
- Visor
An organiser attached over the passenger-side or driver’s side visor means you can store sunglasses, a phone or receipts easily. Amazon and eBay stock a wide range.
- Cup holders
To avoid cup holders becoming sticky, pop in a couple of silicone cupcake liners to keep them clean. Homestoreandmore.ie have a variety of sizes and colours. Keep loose change in a small empty jar and store it in your centre console.
- Back seats
Toys, food wrappers, and items of clothing can all add to the clutter in the rear of the car, so utilise the back of the front seat for a hanging organiser to store books, games or whatever else your little ones need in the car. The Diono Stow n Go Backseat Organiser comes with seven full-sized pockets and two drink holders in a washable, waterproof fabric. You can also make use of a shoe organiser, as the pockets are the ideal fit for toys or snacks.
- Boot
The boot is a handy storage space for essentials such as a first aid kit. A boot organiser is also worth investing in for those ‘just in case’ items. The Streetwize 2 In 1 Car Boot Shopping Organiser from Argos comes with a detachable cooler and base, including a zip-up cooler pocket.
- Savings
Clutter in your car is not only an unsightly nuisance, but carrying unnecessary items around increases fuel consumption and adds to the wear and tear on our cars.
Geraldine Herbert
