Auto Organizing

A place often overlooked in terms of clutter is the car. Some us treat our cars differently than our homes, and what is not allowed indoors, is allowed in the car. Whether it is to drive to the office or transport children to and for, we benefit from better organization of the inside of our vehicles. Our car is one facet of our lives that's transparent to our friends and to the public. You are in your car every day probably, and yet still, clutter is not kept at bay.

In the case of a car, organization adds safety as well as cleanliness. If you have to dig through a storage place in your vehicle to find something while driving, that's unsafe. First, clean out the space and decide what needs to go where. There are lots of clever organizing products available on the market specifically made for auto organization. Things must be returned to their designated 'home' after each and every use, but it this is easier to maintain if there is a place for each item. Think of your car like your home away from home, and strike to make it clutter-free, too.

Here's some interesting stats on survey findings of U.S. women who own or lease a car:

• 89 percent say being well organized in their car helps them keep their eyes on the road.
• 30 percent of women, ages 18-34, say they have either had, or almost had, an accident because they were reaching for or looking for something in their car;
• 62 percent say their car is like another living space.
• 76 percent agree that they crave organization in their lives, especially when "on the go."
• 48 percent of women, and 60 percent of women ages 18-34, say it is a constant battle to keep their cars organized.
• 57 percent have gotten creative by adding one or more containers to their cars to help them keep organized.
• 27 percent describe themselves as very organized and 52 percent say they are somewhat organized.
• 56 percent stated they wish they had more storage space in their cars for small items.
• 30 percent would like to have more storage space for larger items, such as clothes and children's toys and equipment. [Road & Travel Magazine]