Challenge: Vehicle

[KrisM]

It's time for a new cleaning/organizing challenge...your vehicle!

I know a lot of us, me included, treat our vehicle like a second home. It needs some organizing solutions as well. So, spend a day cleaning it out and then take some time thinking about what needs to go back in and how you can store it to keep things organized. An extra outfit isn't any good if it's size 3-6 month and you have a 2 year old .

Please share any great ideas you come up with to keep things organized. Share any problem areas as well.

Due date: October 31

[LMPC]

I don't treat my car like a second home...more like the town dump! Great challenge! Here is what my car must put up with...despite starting up every single time and being a very good ride....age inappropriate toys floating around in the back (DD is 2, I think she has outgrown a rattle!), fast food bags, CD's everywhere and none in the correct case, stains of every sort on the leather....and I have the faint notion that it smells like a toilet (hey, potty training takes its toll!). Oh wait, and in the trunk is dirt from a tree I transported Father's Day...2009!!! Ugh!

Thanks for the encouragement!!!

[Indianamom2]

My "solution"? Have your mini-van recalled to sit on the used car lot for months. That'll light a fire under you to clean the thing out REAL fast!

Yes, I'm still seething, but I have a clean little car now!

[randomkid]

I already did this one a couple of weeks ago! We had a field trip to a petting farm and I was chosen to drive. DD's teacher was going to be riding with us, so I really wanted the van to be clean - lol! I also had to get all the junk out in order to fit 4 kids in there. Now, I just need to go through the stack of stuff sitting on my dryer. It does need to be washed again, though. It's been very dry and dusty here.

I'm still working on the clothing challenge which was derailed by cat pee in DD's carpet - long story. We are finally putting everything back in her room after getting new carpet and I have finally gotten around to her closet - yea!!

[niccig]

I got all the trash out of my car, a bag of toy pieces, and unloaded the soccer banner, 2 camping chairs and a bike - I've been driving around with all that in the back every week. I needed to clean it out so I could pick my sister up from the airport and have room for her suitcase. Now I need to wash the car...

How has everyone else done.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I begged DH to vacuum it just now. Does that count?

[hellokitty]

Last month we switched carseats around. Now the policy is basically that the older boys cannot have any toys or books in the car. It was like my car was a giant toy box. The baby has about 5 toys, that's it. Our problem now is that b/c of the unpredictable weather, I carry around a lot of extra coats for everyone. Otherwise, I have been doing a decent job keeping my car tidy. I have a bag in btwn the two front chairs to keep things organized and I always have a trash bag started. When I am at the gas station, I recycle the water bottles and throw away the bag of trash while my minivan's filling up on gas.

[LMPC]

All right! Trash is out....toys have been sorted and a small bag of books/toys is on the floor for longer trips...trunk is empty! It looks so much better even though it hasn't been properly cleaned. I have to get my oil changed this weekend...after that, it will be off to the car wash! Yay!

[KpbS]

I cleaned out mine on Sat. (except for the laundry basket of random items in the far back) and vacuumed it today. It really, really needed it

[KrisM]

I'm behind on this. I just emptied my trunk today. I was carrying a load of things to be donated and my friend's school is opening a resale shop, but I can only drop stuff on Monday or Wednesday now. So, it's gone finally. And, while DS napped in the car, I cleaned out the trash and gathered stuff that needs to come inside. I'll unload it in the morning, when DH's car isn't in the garage. I'll try to vacuum it, too.

I have a trash bag from Etsy that I really like and it works well for most of the trash. DS1 and DD have them too and it contains most of theirs. I bought a craft organizer to stick between the seats and hold things like wipes, snacks, scissors, etc. I"m liking it so far. I have a little bin with handles for things that I need to take into the house with me. I usually bring it in every couple of days.

Overall, I've found the minivan to be much easier to keep clean than the Malibu. I think it's because there is so much more room between rows of seats that it's just easier to get in to grab things.

I'm thinking of putting some Command Hooks up in the back for hte kids headphones. And maybe a couple on the back of the passenger seat for their coats.