Top 7 Strategies for Organizing Your Auto

Today more than ever we use our autos not only to get from one place to another; but it is where we eat, talk with our family, conduct business and sometimes even sleep! With all of those uses, we all need strategies to keep them usable.

1. Be Ready to Run Errands - Keep a crate, box or even laundry basket in the trunk for errands -- items to return to the store, dry cleaning to drop off, library books to take back, etc. You can also consider trunk organizers that are specifically made to partition off space for specific items.
   
   
2. Coupon Organizers Can be Used for Many Things - Keep the paperwork in your glove compartment organized with a labeled expanding file or a coupon organizer. You can store items such as your registration, current insurance cards, maintenance, mileage tracker, etc.
   
   
3. Always be Ready for an Emergency - Keep a road emergency kit in the car. You can either purchase a pre-made one, or make one yourself. To make one, purchase a medium sized duffel bag and put blanket, non-perishable snacks, drinking water, flares, flashlight, jumper cables, jack, oil, ice scraper, etc into it.
   
   
4. Pray for Safety - Be Prepared for Accidents - Fill out and carry with you a paper providing the information that a hospital emergency room will need quickly if you arrive unable to provide it clearly yourself. If you have serious allergies or a rare blood type or take medications, this could prevent serious complications or save your life. Keep such information in your wallet and one in your car glove compartment. Also, if you have children, make sure that you have information for each child as well. Consider taping the accident information to the back of the car seat.
   
   
5. Create an On-the-Go Emergency Kit - Take a small pouch and pack the following: 3 different sizes of safety pins, band-aids, packaged moist towelettes, lip balm, tissues, aspirin, and a travel sewing kit. Keep the emergency kit in the glove box of your car or in your brief case.
   
   
6. When Winter is Around the Corner - Organize your car glove compartment. Empty it out of anything that doesn't belong. The contents you're organizing back in should be limited to a map or two, sunglasses, a pen and pad, a pouch with important cards (car registration, insurance card, AAA card, etc.), some emergency money (no more than $20.00), and a few other select items you regularly need when on the road.
   
   
7. Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags for Car Clean-up - Take a minute each day to clean your car out after a long day -- use plastic grocery bags. Use one to toss out the trash and and another to take non-garbage into the house or office.

Stephanie L. H. Calahan professional organizer and speaker is president and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. (http://www.calahansolutions.com) - a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments.