20 Easy DIY Ideas and Tips for a Perfectly Organized Car

Organizing the car does not have to be difficult or take much time. Best of all, it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are a number of DIY tricks that you can use to get your car cleaned up and perfectly organized. You just have to begin by cleaning out the car and making a list of things that you need to carry with you.

Whether you are heading out on vacation or you just need to organize your everyday stuff, you can find many things that will help you to keep things in their place. Even if you have children, teenagers, or even pets who ride with you frequently, we have put together a great list of ways that you can perfectly organize your car and keep it looking clean while ensuring that you always have everything that you need. Many of these will work in everything from small sports cars to larger SUVs so they are perfect for any vehicle.

Jump to:

• 1. Remote Holder Doubles as Storage
• 2. Use a Cheap Beauty Bag for Paperwork
• 3. Learn Where Everything Should Go
• 4. Use Shower Caddies
• 5. Use a Backpack as a Desk
• 6. Keep Your Keys Organized
• 7. Keep Plastic Bags Organized
• 8. Use Space Wisely
• 9. Get an Entertainment Organizer
• 10. Organize Your Snacks
• 11. Make a Travel Diaper Station
• 12. Organize the Glove Compartment
• 13. Make Travel Kits
• 14. Organize Daytrip Essentials
• 15. Organize the Dog
• 16. Cereal Keeper Trash Can
• 17. Arts and Crafts Organizers Hold Food
• 18. Make a Scrapbook Holder
• 19. Diaper Box Tote
• 20. Use a Purse Organizer in the Console

1. Remote Holder Doubles as Storage

Ikea has a great Flort Remote Control that is perfect for keeping the backseat organized and clean. You just run it under your little one’s car seat, and it will hold toys, paper, crayons, books, and anything else that your little one wants to take along. It will also help to keep your seats protected from spills and other little messes.

2. Use a Cheap Beauty Bag for Paperwork

You can pick up a makeup bag for around $1 at most Dollar Stores and use it to keep paperwork organized. These also work great for toys and other items. The bag will fit nicely into most consoles and glove compartments, or you could simply store it under the seat.

3. Learn Where Everything Should Go

Before you can perfectly organize your car, you need to know what should be with you and what you can do without. Just as if you were organizing your closets or anywhere else, you should make a list of things that you need and figure out what you can get rid of. Once you know what you need in the car, you can keep everything better organized so that you can find it when you need it.

4. Use Shower Caddies

Plastic clear shower caddies work great to hold items that you need to keep with you. You can buy clear ones or get some with patterns on them, whatever you want. Then you just have to fill them up with all of the things that you need and hang them on the back of the back seat or even the front seat if you want the items to be handy for passengers.

5. Use a Backpack as a Desk

With a little imagination, you can turn an ordinary backpack into a great desk that will keep kids organized and occupied. You just have to add something relatively hard to the unzipped top to make it sturdy. The backpack will hang perfectly on the back of the front seat, and it can be filled with everything that kids need to keep them busy during travel.

6. Keep Your Keys Organized

Ok, so this one doesn’t actually go in the car but it is important to keep your keys organized. If you tend to lose your keys from time to time, this is a great idea for keeping them all together. You just have to create a station for the keys with a picture frame, some hooks for the keys, and colorful paper or fabric for the backing. You can even add a place for memos and emergency telephone numbers.

7. Keep Plastic Bags Organized

You can make a great storage container for plastic shopping bags out of an empty Kleenex box. The box can be easily stored under the seat or just anywhere you have room, and the bags will come in really handy for trash, wet clothing, diapers, and a host of other things that you may need to bag up while you are traveling.

8. Use Space Wisely

If you have space between your seats, this is the perfect place to keep things organized. You can add a tote, plastic box, or bag filled with whatever you need and fit it nicely into this empty space. This is great for keeping kids' toys and other necessities within reach but still perfectly organized so that they don’t lose crayons, LEGOs, and other smaller items under the seat.

9. Get an Entertainment Organizer

Whether you buy or make one, an entertainment organizer is a must, particularly if you have children of any age. You can keep cell phones, drinks, and other items like small toys, coloring books, crayons, and practically anything that any child would need when traveling. And, when you have their things close by and organized, you get less “Are we there yet?”

10. Organize Your Snacks

Keeping snacks organized is essential in keeping everyone happy. Instead of packing big bulky packages and bags or boxes, think about a snack organizer. You can store it under the seat, and it has room for all types of snacks, so you can take along something that everyone loves. Who says you can’t make everyone happy?

11. Make a Travel Diaper Station

With just a bit of preparation, you can be ready to head out the door quickly when needed without having to pack a complete diaper bag. If you need grab-and-go diaper packs, this is a great idea. Each pack should contain exactly what you need for a change, such as diapers, wipes, fresh clothing, and a back for dirty diapers. This is a great idea for busy parents who are constantly on the go.

12. Organize the Glove Compartment

Not all of the clutter in your car can be seen. Many glove compartments are messy, with papers everywhere, and it is often difficult to find what you need when you need it. Begin by organizing the glove box with labeled folders. You can find folders in all sizes, so you should be able to get them to fit in the glove box. You can also use a recipe folio or billkeeper to organize all of those papers and leaflets.

13. Make Travel Kits

A pouch organization system is an excellent way to keep all of your travels organized. You can make or purchase these systems that include labels and pouches that are completely see-through so that you always know what is in them. This is a great idea for those who need to create a first aid kit or who have children who want to be able to take along certain toys and other items that can often fall between seats.

14. Organize Daytrip Essentials

Whether you are heading out for a day at the beach or you are simply going to the park for a couple of hours, you should always make sure that you carry your essentials with you in a convenient tote. You can make a tote or use one that you already have on hand. If you choose to make one, you can easily sew together a great day trip tote using a towel, pillow, and just a bit of fabric, and the tote can double as a relaxing blanket for little ones.

15. Organize the Dog

Well, not the dog per se, but you can organize how you travel with the dog. If you have a beloved pet who often travels in your car, think about setting up a hammock system. This will help to protect your seat from accidents and pet hair while making it a bit more comfortable and more special for your furry friend. If you don’t like the hammock idea, just keep a favorite blanket in the vehicle to protect the seat when your pet rides along.

16. Cereal Keeper Trash Can

You may keep trash bags in your car for quick cleanup, but those bags can get torn, pushed under the seat, and otherwise overlooked. A plastic cereal tote is a great trash can for vehicles. It is relatively slim and small and will fit perfectly between the seats in many vehicles. The best part is that it will keep bags from getting ripped, and the lid can help keep smells from seeping out.

17. Arts and Crafts Organizers Hold Food

A cheap arts and crafts organizer is a great way to keep food from getting spilled all over your car. Traveling with little ones is messy enough, much less when they are eating in the car. These little plastic organizers have two compartments so they can easily separate their foods, and the handle is perfect for moving food without spilling.

18. Make a Scrapbook Holder

With just some fabric, plastic bags, and a few other supplies, you can create a great organizer to hold smaller items, and the great part is that the organizer takes up very little space. If you typically have smaller items that travel with you, such as scissors, glue, hand sanitizer, and other little things, you can keep these items in small plastic baggies that are sewn together to look stylish and convenient.

19. Diaper Box Tote

If you have an SUV or a bit of space between or behind seats, you can create a great-looking tote for toys, books, or whatever you need to take along. You just need an old diaper box and a little creativity. This makes a very lightweight and handy little box that will hold all of the items your child can’t possibly leave home without, and it keeps them organized.

20. Use a Purse Organizer in the Console

Purse organizers are great for keeping in consoles. If your console doesn’t really have an organized design, a purse organizer will give you compartments for things like change, lipsticks, or whatever else you want to take along. If you can’t find an organizer that fits, you can easily make one with a little cardboard box and some tape.