Organize your car for a weekend away on a road trip can be something that you need, however, it can extend to a week or maybe a little longer. The open road is the right place to test the limit of your car, take a deep breath, and set your eyes on new locations. So, sometimes, it might sound alluring to just throw a few essentials, hop in the car, and speed off. Then there are those who are well-versed in the art of road trips — one could even call it a science. The preparation, coupled with a few packing tips and tricks up your sleeve, is what guarantees that your next trip will be the best one.
It can’t be ignored that we all have our own quirks, hence our own road trip method. It can be deafening music, having a thorough checklist before the trip, packing enough healthy foods, or just ravaging steakhouses along the way. It can be you and your four-legged man’s best friend as your co-pilot, travel with your partner or have your kids tag along. Regardless of your situation, here are some helpful tips from experts and from my own experience in road-tripping that you can use on your next getaway.
Organizing Your Car
Before you set out for your trip, one of the things you need to consider, aside from packing the necessary provisions and keeping up with your car maintenance, is organizing the things you’ll be taking with you. Knowing the space you’ll be working on will give an idea of what to prepare for your adventure. This will make it convenient for you and your passengers.
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Place Your Multi-outlet Adaptor at the Center
When you Organize Your Car in order to avoid any misplaced chargers, and being distracted by audio cables and other wires when driving, it is best to utilize the center console as the charging station. This will help keep cords separated, you can avoid distractions and focus on driving or having a conversation with your passengers.
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Use a Roof Rack
A roof rack will help you save space inside the car and will allow you to carry more essentials that are sizable when Organize Your Car. Using a quality prinsu roof rack does not only add character to your vehicle it also helps you secure a lot of your items on the roof. There are different styles of these roof racks make sure you buy it from a reputable seller that offers a wide range of selections for your outdoor needs.
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Shoes Under the Backseat
In order to be more comfortable while driving, it is best to put your shoes under the backseat. This is not just for the driver but also for the passengers so that in case of any emergency you can quickly find your shoes.
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Use a Car Tote or a Caddy for Your Stuff
To utilize and save some space for your car, using a car tote or caddy will be a great idea. You can store your things that are not always being used inside your car and put them all inside a car tote and you can place it at the center console for easy access if you need something from it. The caddy will also help you organize the items so that you can access them easily when you need it. It’ll also make your car look neat having tucked a lot of your items nicely in one place.
Taking the Kids Along
When you have the kids with you, planning and organization are of paramount importance. You don’t have to consider this as a burden because it can actually be fun. You need to focus on making the area at the back into a children’s nook. Also, make things interesting for them by coming up with activities that they can enjoy.
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Shoe Organizer
You can also make use of a shoe organizer and let it hang behind the neck rest. You can organize it along with your child’s favorite things such as toys, water bottles, snacks, baby wipes, or anything that your kids would need for the road trip. In this way, it is more accessible for the kids and you won’t be bothered by them while driving since they can just get it in the shoe organizer if they need it.
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Use a Caddy for Toys and Swimming Essentials
Expand the amount of space you need to store your car’s drinks, snacks, and other small items, using a caddy. This can also be used for storing your child’s favorite toys or you can load it up with your child’s favorite drink or food to keep your kids happy without having to stop driving just for you to hand them what they want.
If your trip involves a place where swimming is expected then having a caddy to store swimming essentials that might be wet will be useful. Make sure the base is waterproof so that it won’t drip all over your car’s flooring.
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Use a Container for Snacks
You can also make a container box for snacks that you packed up for your kids and put them in an accessible location, your kids will have fun from choosing the snacks that they want using the container.
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Collapsible Bin
Keeping your car organized is kinda a hassle that’s why there are items that are easily available in the market today so that you can make use of it and utilize the space you have in your car. Collapsible bin is one of the best solutions for this because you can put your important things in one bag and you can either keep it under your seat or in your trunk if you need it without consuming a lot of space in your car and keeping your car more organized.
Other Organizers That are Useful
With experience, you’ll come across some stuff that you’ll find very useful on your trip. The things will help you keep your food fresh and keep the car clean.
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Backseat Organizer
The problem with having a lot of items in your car aside from making it look more chaotic it can be very dangerous too. This is because all these objects can quickly become flying debris while driving and cause you serious harm. You need a backseat organizer to keep things in order to ensure your car is clean and tidy.
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Trunk Organizer
Uncluttering your trunk can be a bit of a challenge. From carrying along with essential things that you cannot simply leave, trunk organizers will make it simple and convenient to have all in place. It can keep all your things in one place and can leave your trunk clean and organized which in return can make you happy as it is very pleasing to the eyes, aside keeping your trunk clean, you can also find things quickly as it is already organized and also it can prevent damage.
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Empty Bottles
You can make use of empty containers to store your loose coins and small bills to make it more accessible for you if you need to pay for parking fees and tolls.
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Reuse Tissue Box
Put your plastics bags in an empty tissue box to clean up the place and no bags are scattered haphazardly around the car.
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DIY Trash Bin
Make use of a DIY trash bin to Organize your car so that whenever you have trash such as wrappers or used tissues you can easily throw it in your trash bin. A DIY trash bin is a great idea aside from saving money since you are the one who will make it but also you can adjust the size of it according to your liking and to which place you want to put it that makes it look pleasing and not look like a regular trash bin.
Sleeping in the Car
About a thousand Americans were asked if they’ve ever had the need to take a rest in their car, and it turned out that 40% of the respondents said yes. A good night’s rest in a comfortable bed in a hotel room can revitalize you after a long trip which will keep you fresh for the next day. Those long hours of driving can really wear on you, but if you’re tight on the budget, pulling over on the side and taking a nap might sound like a great idea. Here are some tips into making your car a comfortable place to get some much-needed rest:
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Bring an Air Mattress
If you’re driving in a sizable SUV, you can make use of an air mattress and turn your backseat into a full bed. By simply folding the seats down and setting up your air mattress. For smaller cars, you can buy a back seat air mattress that will fit in your backseat, you can also buy an air mattress that is particularly designed for your car model. This will prevent you from any hassle by making sure that it will fit snuggly and you’ll be comfortable with it. For passenger’s safety, it is never advisable to have someone napping or sleeping at the back.
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Use a Neck Pillow
Whether it’s a long road trip or getting stuck in traffic, finding yourself in the car may not be the most comfortable place to be. It can be particularly rough on your neck after watching the road for so long. The neck can get strained and you’ll feel sore. By using a neck pillow to relieve the strain, you can improve your riding experience.
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Bring Some Lighting
When you Organize Your Car make use of some lightning from your car handles to light the interior of your car during the night without draining your car’s battery.
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Crack Windows
Keep your window cracked open by rolling it down to ventilate properly and high enough to keep prying hands out of your car. If you might be worried that bugs can get inside your car, you can use clothing to cover the opening. This will prevent any small bugs from entering through the gap.
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Park in a Safe Place
Rest areas and truck stops or some parking areas are permissible sleeping areas but can be noisy too you can opt to park in a public area where it is a quieter and more scenic location but you have to make sure that it is a safe place to avoid problems.
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Don’t Forget Beddings
Regardless of what season is, sleeping in your car can get cold. You’ll be surprised that even if you are in a hot area the surroundings can get cold easily. For that reason, you should always be ready with your beddings that can keep you warm this is a great way to Organize Your Car.
Other Tips
These are some of the tips that might get past your head when Organize Your Car as it may not be at the top of your list. Nevertheless, having them can help you give added peace of mind:
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Extra Battery for Key Fob
In case your key fob’s battery runs out at least you have an extra one to replace it and you can use it to open your car.
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Jumper Cables
There’s nothing worse than having no available cables when you need to jump your vehicle. That’s why it is so important to have jumper cables readily available in your car to help you start your dead car immediately and perfectly.
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Paper Maps
In the event of where your GPS is not that accurate and your signal is not that good to connect with your GPS, paper maps are very advantageous. A lot of people might dismiss this old travel tool but it won’t hurt to have one handy when you need it.
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Download Maps of Local Areas
If you are new in the area, it is wise to download the maps of local areas so that you will be familiarized with it. This makes it easier for you to roam around the area especially if the place you are visiting speaks a different language.
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Spare Tire
It is so important to keep a spare tire when having a road trip. In case your tire gets flat along the way, you have a backup one to keep you moving and to reach your destination without any problem.
It is a widely accepted fact that traveling can have countless benefits. The rewards include empowering ourselves in our path to self-development. The entertainer Danny Kaye famously said, “To travel is to take a journey into yourself,” this speaks volumes on why avid explorers would always welcome adventure over anything else. When you go out there, you are proactively seeking for yourself amidst the cultures and scenes that you may only have seen in photos. This is in addition to the priceless memories you’ll gather that you can treasure for a lifetime. And with your family and friends will strengthen your bond. That is why it is important to Organize Your Car and making sure you’ll have a wonderful experience on your trip.
