6 Easy & Clever Car Organization Hacks For Busy Moms

Is your day spent being a chauffeur? Do your kids trash your car? These car organization hacks for busy moms are a game changer!

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When you spend hours in your car, it’s important to utilize every available space possible to store all of the essential and important items.

From one busy mom to another, let’s get practical on the best car organization.

Car Organization Hacks Quick List

Start with these areas first.

1. Buy car organization storage containers for these 4 areas (in order of priority): 

• Trunk

• Center Console

• Kids Area / Seats

• Glove Box

2. Have car trash bags to keep trash off of the floor

3. Wash / Vacuum / Clean car weekly

4. Make sure you have a car air freshener

5. What you bring in the car must be taken back out

6. Have a Car Emergency Kit

Car Goals & Rules:

Keep these goals in mind throughout the week and as you and the kids leave the car every day

• Have your car looking clean and organized

• Keep all trash and items off of the car floor

• Make sure you are able to access essential items quickly

• Create a routine you are able to maintain

You can have a clean car even with young kids.While keeping a tidying and clean home is important, the same is true for your car.

According to a Princeton study, clutter can reduce stress!

Best Products To Organize Your Car With 

Start with car organization and buying the best products.

Here are some of the more popular products for car organization. These items do not have to be fancy or expensive.

Too many containers, storage bags, hooks, etc can create a cluttered look, and that is not the look you are trying to achieve. 

1. Large Car Tote To Keep Your Trunk Organized

The biggest and easiest improvement you can make in the trunk of your car is to buy a large utility tote. This large car trunk organizer is amazing, affordable and on Amazon.

It’s sturdy, has lots of compartments and is perfect to store blankets, plastic bags, water bottles, first aid kit, and all of my car cleaning supplies. 

Keeps my trunk organized and cleaned! 

Buy two and use second one for sports equipment. If you have kids playing different sports throughout the year, two large utility totes would be very convenient. 

One storage container for your basic car items (provided below) and another one for sports. Would also be easy to take in and out for seasons you don’t need it. 

TIP: Measure the space you have before buying. Every car will vary in trunk space and you want to make sure you are buying something that will work for your space.

If you need more trunk space, this Trunk Organizer Car Storage looks like a great option to store and organize all of the necessary car items but still have lots of trunk space. Hooks on the back of the seats.

2. Car Organization Trash Bags

Car trash bags make a huge difference in keeping the car floor clean. They hook on back of the front seats and are amazing! I bought these on Amazon and I love them! 

Wish I had bought them years ago. They are reusable, lock in smell and trash doesn’t fall out. I empty them weekly when I wash and vacuum out my car. 

3. Center Console Storage Dividers and Tray

A clean organized center console can be a huge transformation to a cluttered car. I bought these Center Console Dividers and Tray on Amazon and love them. They have them for all car types, fit perfectly, are sturdy and look great! 

Whether you buy dividers built for your car, or do a DIY, take the time to organize your center console. 

TIP: First measure your center console so you know the exact size of a storage container your center console allows. Every car will be a little different. 

If your center console was anything like mine, it was a huge mess. 

Follow these steps to organize your center console

1. Start with taking everything out, a clean slate. 

2. Make two piles. One pile of what you want to keep and the other pile of what you don’t need / trash. 

3. Put all of the items in the “keep” pile back in to the center console. Each item gets its own place / spot. Don’t over pack the space. 

What should I store in my Car Organizer

Use your center console as your car organizer and store the following items:

• Baby Wipes

• Antibacterial Wipes

• Hand sanitizer 

• Thin sharpie & Black bald point pen

• Personal items for mom (tampons, pads, tweezers, small travel deodorant)

• Ibuprofen

• Mini travel hair brush & extra hair ties

• Mini sunscreen stick

• Chapstick

• Phone charger cord

• Dvd’s if you have a DVD player

• Extra pair of sunglasses

• Gum &/or mints

• Silicone cupcake liners

• Coin holder

• Tide To Go Pen

Utilize under the seat for additional car organization 

Take advantage of even a small space, like under the seats for extra storage space. Just make sure you measure the space you have under your seat with a measuring tape. 

Spacing will vary depending on type of car and layout of your vehicle (captain chairs vs. bench). 

Once you know the size of space, find a plastic storage container with a snap lid that fits the space to store all sorts of extra needed items. 

What do I store under the seat?

• Kids activities (crayons, books, small cars, etc)

• Snacks

• Extra wipes, tissue, diapers

• Umbrella

• bungee cord

• other small items

Use the Glove box for extra car organization and storage 

In the glove compartment, use zipped storage bags to store car manuals, insurance, papers, extra office supplies, cords, extra gum, mints, and other items that you don’t need or use daily.

For the Best Car Organization Keep These Items In Your Car Trunk

Your trunk can look clean, uncluttered and still store lots of needed items. Make sure you are prepared for anything with a stocked and prepped trunk.

1. Car Emergency Kit

I have a case of bottled water, Picnic Blanket, First Aide kit, LED flashlight, and Jumper Cables in my car emergency kit.

2. Car cleaning items

Store your car cleaning supplies in the trunk of your car in the large storage container. This will give you flexibility for when you clean your car. 

It only takes 20 minutes to clean your if you have the right products and routine. 

Related Post: 5 car cleaning hacks for a professional car clean

3. Extra Antibacterial Wipes, Baby Wipes & Tissues

Antibacterial wipes are perfect a quick wipe down when a bathroom isn’t available. 

Baby wipes too for those spills and quick cleaning. There are so many different ways to use baby wipes.

Use these cylinder tissue holders with lids that are the perfect size for cup holders in the side of the door.

4. Sports equipment + lounge chair

For sports seasons, buy a second utility tote to have one dedicated to sports equipment. Change out the sports equipment throughout the seasons.

5. Emergency diaper bag

Store extra diapers, wet wipes, change of baby clothes, shoes, formula

6. Garbage Bags

7. Grocery bags

8. Umbrella

Use Seat Protectors

If you have kids in infant carriers or 5 point harness car seat, use seat protectors. We used these seat protectors for years and it saved our seats from getting ruined.

Travel Car Organization Hacks for Busy Moms

When on-the-go, or for long road trips, make sure you have the below items in your car for successful trips.

Snack Bag

Pack a snack bag for the car. My Snack Bag is probably one of my MOST used daily items. My kids are 10 and under, growing like weeds and are constantly hungry, so my snack bag is a huge life saver. 

The type of bag is important because it needs to be able to go in the freezer so the items can stay cold for several hours.  

I found another similar bag on Amazon. This bag sits in my passenger front seat with me so I can manage the snacks with the kids.

Mom’s Survival Bag 

Your Mom Survival Bag is filled with kids activities, small toys and treats. Be ready for whatever the day may throw your way. 

A longer appointment than planned, a detour on your ride home, practice went longer than expected.

I’ve learned to always be prepared with treats and activities, especially for the younger siblings who are waiting on the older ones. 

Kids Activities

We love Paint by Sticker books! A huge family favorite and just perfect for car rides, appointments or sporting events. Easy to grab on the go and hours of QUIET entertainment.

Also, coloring books, crayons and markers, printer paper, small cars, and books are great car activities.

Treats for Kids

I always have lollipops in my Survival Bag. I usually use them for errands, doctor appointments and rewarding good behavior. 

I change out the activities and toys from time to time, but don’t stress too much about it.

I have a great food prepping system that I do at the beginning of each week to make packing snacks and making meals quick and easy. 

Related Post: 5 Meal Planning Hacks – How I save HOURS Each week

Back Seat Organization

Use this travel back seat organizer to store kids toys and books.

Your Mom Car Is Organized But Is It Clean?

Beyond having an organized car you also want a clean car.

Which means you need to regularly clean your car. You either need to take it to get cleaned (and money) or do it yourself.

I used to spend so much money (and time!) paying to have my car professionally cleaned and I ALWAYS left disappointed! Feeling like I spent way too much money on not a great job. 

I finally decided I was done paying high prices, but with young kids I couldn’t just not get my car cleaned, so I decided I would do it myself.

Related Post: 6 Car Cleaning Hacks For Moms With Kids

Wash / vacuum & clean car weekly

Cleaning your car weekly is the KEY to keeping your car clean. 

If you clean your car weekly, it will only take 20 minutes, and that includes vacuuming, wiping seats, dashboard, and sides of the doors, windows and emptying car trash bags. 

Very doable. Especially if you have kids, a week is plenty of time to go by before a good vacuum is needed. 

Automatic car wash

Take your car through any automatic car wash place. A Gas station, Quick Quack, something similar, BUT make sure it has a high powered vacuum that is provided / included! 

Even if my kids are with me I still go and give them each a “car chore”. They actually love to vacuum the car and luckily where I go there are two vacuum hoses that keeps at least two kids occupied. 

Or, You Can Wash & Clean Your Car Yourself

If you don’t want to pay for access to a high powered vacuum to clean and wash the exterior of your car, buy a vacuum that is easy to use so you can do it yourself. 

Tip: Make it easy and convenient.

This high powerful handheld vacuum seems like a perfect option. You can keep it in the trunk of your car, it plugs in to your car and has a long enough cord to reach all of the tough places.

Quick Drying Towel

This is an investment, but worth every penny. Buy a nice drying towel so after going through the car wash you can dry the windows and areas that didn’t get all the way dry so they don’t leave water spots. I have this one and really like it.

Paper towels & Windex

Kids love to leave their sticky dirty fingers and hands all over the inside of your windows. Quickly clean the inside windows, or assign as a kid car chore. 

The quick drying microfiber towel does a good job too on taking finger prints off the inside of the window after washing.

Leather Seat Wipes

These are amazing for quickly cleaning leather seats and make them look like new again.

Car Cleaning Wipes

I use these car cleaning wipes for all of the plastic in my car. The sides of the door, dash, and center console. Quickly remove dirt, buff out scratches and leave your plastic shinning like it was professionally cleaned.

Car Air Fresheners

A nice car fragrance can makes all of the difference, especially if you are picking up some kids after a sports practice. 

Pick a fragrance that you enjoy and a car fragrance holder that dispersing the scent so it is not too overwhelmingly powerful. A too strong car scent isn’t enjoyable. 

I really like car fragrance from Bath & Body works. They have great scents for both your car and home. My favorite for my car right now is Tiki Beach and the Silver Iridescent Vent Clip.

Have Your Kids Help With Car Organization

I daily remind and train my kids to help out with keeping our car clean and organized. 

Kids naturally will just leave things in the car and throw trash on the car floor. Before we leave the car, everyone is responsible to bring everything back inside and pick everything up off of the ground. 

Trash goes in the car trash bags, clothes, back packs, sports gear, it all gets taken inside. 

This routine has slowly been easier as we have practiced it over the years, but kids need reminders. It’s worth it to have a clean and organized car.

My car is now organized and clean! I am prepared to tackle the day ahead with my kids! How about you?

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What is your favorite car organization hack for busy moms? I would love to hear from you, leave a comment below.