A Commuter’s Dream

aburns February 16, 2016March 31, 2016 clean, clutter, college, colorful, commuter, container, declutter, decorative box, easy, fast, high school, organization, organize, organized, storage, storage box, storage container, students, tips, tj maxx, university

I commute 20 minutes to and from school. At 7:15 in the morning, my car is almost my home. I eat breakfast in it, I drink my Venti Pike Roast (which drips all over my cupholders…come on, Starbucks, get better cups!), I get all my homework together, and sometimes ever whip out the computer to get some homework done. I drive a teeny tiny Ford Fiesta, and just by sitting in my car, it gets messy.

TJ Maxx storage bins loaded with stuff in the back of my car.

This won’t be a surprise, but I visited my favorite store this past weekend: TJ Maxx. See, y’all aren’t surprised! And I went back to my favorite section: Storage and Organization. I picked up two medium-sized storage bins, pictured. I love them. I rarely see them, but I love them. Since I do a whole lot of babysitting, I have one bin designated to holding coloring books, chalk, crayons, arts and crafts, anything a babysitter could possibly need in a pinch. The second bin holds my textbooks, some water bottles (because you can never have enough!), and a raincoat extra jacket (in case of unexpected cold), my EMS jacket, and an umbrella.. Since I do commute, I leave my textbooks in my car and between classes and I grab them when needed. This bin keeps everything from flying around the whole trunk and it’s a life saver.

There’s another issue I see as huge when it comes to the world of commuting or driving longer distances. This issue is: GARBAGE!!! Where does it go? How can I keep it clean?

DIY handmade & hand-sewn garbage bag for inside cars. Attaches comfortably to the gearshift without obstructing any movement.

This is an ingenious idea and I cannot take credit for it. I made this for my car about a year ago and it really does help me keep it clean. This is a hand-sewn garbage bag. I found the pattern on Pinterest, bought my fabric (both outer decorative fabric and inner liner) at Joann’s, and made it myself. It may look tiny, but it can fit a whole lot. I can go a month without emptying it. Mine usually fills up with paper plates, squashed water bottles, tissues, napkins, snack bags/wrappers, and old receipts. It keeps the garbage off my floors and seats and keeps it contained and pretty.

And please forgive me for your very dirty WeatherTech mats. That’s they’re job, but they’re not looking so good right now. 🙁

Click HERE for the link to the directions for the car garbage bag. (P.S. You’re going to need a sewing machine for this project. And FOREWARNING: I did not find this to be an easy project. It took a lot of time, a lot of needle-stuck fingers, and quite a bit of frustration, but the end product outweighed the negatives to me.)

I hope these tips have helped and will inspire you to get organized in your car as well. Happy Organization!