Road trips are a fantastic way to spend time with your family, but if you don’t plan ahead and prepare your vehicle, the adventure can quickly turn chaotic and leave you wanting the vacation to end. You can keep this from happening and get the most from your journey with a little preparation. Try these four simple hacks to keep the mess and clutter at bay on long drives.
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Drop Cupcake Wrappers Into the Cupholders
Whether you drop drinks or change into your cupholders, these small spaces are often the go-to container for whatever you happen to hold in the car. Unfortunately, this means that grime sometimes builds up in the space. You can prevent this with a simple hack: dropping cupcake wrappers in the cupholders.
These will fit perfectly into the space and catch any syrupy spills that fall from drinks. Also, if you tend to drop change into cupholders, you won’t have to work so hard to dig it out — simply remove the wrapper and dump the contents into your hand. Alternately, you can use an organizer or a hack like a coffee cup tissue dispenser to get more utility out of your cupholders.
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Clean as You Go
Don’t wait for a huge mess to pile up in your car before you decide to clean it out. Each time you stop for gas or to stretch your legs, take a moment to remove any trash that’s accumulated during the ride. Also, pack some wet wipes and give the interior a once-over to keep it clean. You’re more likely to dirty an already messy space, so keeping on top of this chore can keep your car clean and manageable for an entire trip.
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Keep an Envelope for Receipts
If you’re traveling and need to keep a paper trail for tax purposes or to budget for your journey, take along an envelope or another container, such as one made for 3×5 cards, to store your receipts in. It’s easy to crumple these papers up and shove them into door pockets or under the visor. This simple hack will keep this from happening and help you find important paper slips when you need them later.
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Bring a Trash Bag
Everyone along for the ride should know that trash doesn’t go on the floor — it goes into the bags you’ve specifically brought for that purpose. Some people just place a plastic bag on the floor or between the front seats. This is fine, but you can also find an organizer to hang a trash bag from behind the front passenger’s seat. This way, the space around your feet will stay clear.
Another hack is to use a container, such as a seal-able one made for cereal, to hold a trash bag. Many containers are even small enough to fit snugly between the seats.
Family road trips are lots of fun, but they can also mean a huge mess for cars. Try these hacks on your next adventure to reduce everyone’s stress and have a better experience on the road.
Image via comedy_nose | Licensed under CC BY 2.0
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