Abundant sunshine, urban sprawl and a demand for convenient leisure trips to the mountains, beaches and deserts pushed Southern Californians to build a series of "stop-free express highways" (as they were originally proposed to voters) to connect us to our friends and activities like no other geographic area in the nation could.
Not only did Southern Californians practically invent our intense mobility, but 60-years later we seem to actually live in our cars. Bob Hope once called the Hollywood Freeway (pictured above) the "biggest parking lot in the world." Years ago, Hope received his very own exit ramp in his honor on the Ventura Freeway (134) just next to his home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley.
These days, we may not be able to spend less time in the car, and you may not have your own exit ramp named after you, but we can spend it more efficiently — by getting your car organized, and therefore, making your commute more enjoyable. Here are some must-have tips no matter where you live, or drive:
Organizing your car is a process similar to organizing your desk, office, kitchen or closet. By spending a small amount of time creating some systems today, not only will you save time in the long run, but you will also be protecting your valuable investments. Here’s how to curb your car clutter:
- Pull everything out and sort it by category.
- Relocate things that do not belong.
- Define and evaluate everyday tasks you perform in the car (while parked, waiting for the kids, etc.).
- Purchase simple organizing products that will help you with your car tasks.
- Install the systems and make a commitment to keep them up.
- Re-evaluate and tweak your containers, bags and bins every so often.
How to actually keep your car organized:
Here are my expert tips that we’ve used with my company’s clients:
- Use a trash bag (or make commitment to remove trash frequently).
- Make a pledge to not eat meals in your car.
- Create a consistent location for coins (meters).
- Purchase small clear polypropylene envelopes (to hold dry cleaning claim checks, gift cards, coupons, insurance and registration).
- Containerize small items so they stay clean and don’t ruin your investment (aspirin, nail files, towelette packets).
- Keep a notepad and pen close by to jot down a message or a number.
- Sharp, heavy objects can be harmful in a crash, keep things fastened down.
- Commit to weekly trips to the car wash to maintain the sparkle.
If you are particularly passionate about the ways that you keep your car organized, why not share them in the comment section below? We’d love to hear your secret tricks for getting the most out of your car.
The piece originally appeared as a guest column for Dane Findley's personal productivity and longevity lifestyle blog but we've updated it here, just for you.
Image of Cahuenga Pass, Hollywood Freeway, Hollywood and Downtown L.A. courtesy Virtual Tourist. Image of 134 Freeway courtesy bigmikelakers and Flickr.
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