Do you love your car? Don’t let it look like a garbage truck!

Let’s be honest. We spend a serious portion of our week in our cars for various reasons. We drive to work, to visit friends and to pick up some groceries. While we do so, we stop at Starbuck’s or at the gas station and sooner or later the middle console is filled with used cups and napkins, empty bottles are piling up in the back seat and no one really can ever sit in the passenger seat.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. Having a clean car is easier than you think. And you deserve it! After all, isn’t it much nicer to drive around in a clean car, than in a cluttered one?

I’ll give you 5 tips on how to keep your car clean

Tip number 1:
Do a massive spring cleaning for your whole car inside and outside

If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can pay someone to do it, there are tons of services out there, but if you’re willing to put some elbow grease in yourself, then that’s even better! Once the interior is sparkling clean, your motivation will be much higher to keep your car this way, especially, if you have worked hard to get it to that state. Vacuum the floor, look under the seats and check the cracks. You will be proud of the result and what your car looks like. Maybe you can even treat yourself to new seat covers or car scent. The intention is, that you want to keep that “feel good” sensation, when you get into your car and it is easier to keep your car in that state, than starting over again every few weeks, when your car looks like a garbage truck again.

Tip number 2:
Throw trash away as soon as possible

That empty Coke can in the cupholder? Take it with you, when you get out of the car and throw it in the trash right away. There is no need to drive around with it for two more days. Trash cans are everywhere! Or at least keep all your trash together in one bag and then throw it out all together, when you’re at the gas station getting petrol. Don’t continue to throw candy wrappers mindlessly on the floor, you’ll have to pick them up at some point, so you might as well throw them into a trash bag right away.

Tip number 3:
Spare some change?

I know so many people, who drive around in their cars with approximately 200 $ worth of change in the middle console and ash trays. The funny thing is, they never use the money, when they are buying something, because it’s just pennies to them and so the change pile grows and grows. What a waste of space and money! If you are one of these people, listen up!
Start using that money.
Put it in your wallet right away and pay with it. There’s nothing wrong with coins, so why are you not using them?
If you can’t be bothered to count the coins at the check out, then I have another idea on how to get good use out of change. Instead of hoarding it in the car, give it to someone in need. Homeless people will appreciate any amount, so next time, just give your 12 cents away. It will give you a good feeling too.
Or maybe don’t even take the change with you. If the cashier wants to give you 5 cents back, just say “keep it!” A lot of companies donate the extra amount to charity and oftentimes they have a donation box at the register. And I’m sure the clerk doesn’t mind putting it in the tip jar either.

Tip number 4:
Only take what you really need

A lot of the time, we can be very mindless and are not aware about how much trash we create.
Next time you order at the drive through, don’t take the 20 extra napkins. You might have good intentions and want to use them “for later” but that “later” never comes and you end up collecting napkins, ketchup packs and drinking straws like they go out of business, only to throw them away anyways. You can just tell your barista, that they can keep the napkins or specifically say “just two packs of sugar”. There is nothing wrong with saying “thank you, I don’t need that, you can keep it”
You don’t have to throw away the trash they never gave you!
The same goes for receipts for example. We mindlessly just take the receipt with the change (if you’re still taking it. See above) and then it ends up on the passenger’s seat. Instead, you could just say “keep the receipt, please”, because let’s be honest, no one is ever looking at that McDonald’s receipt again, so why keep it?

Tip number 5:
Keep your car as empty as possible

While there is nothing wrong with keeping some emergency items like a jacket or some water bottles in your car, you shouldn’t want to overstock the backseat and trunk. Take that gym bag home with you right away, instead of driving around with it for three more days. The car was invented to bring you from one place to another, not to function as a mobile storage. Take whatever is in your car that you don’t desperately need and put it back where it belongs immediately.
If you have certain items, that you can’t or don’t want to drag back and forth with you all the time, then I would recommend to store these items in a box or travel bag for example. It will look much nicer, if you have your items stored in a box with a lid and not spread around over your backseat. Or even better, store it in the trunk, if you can, so the backseat always looks tidy.

In the end, it all comes down to you. The car cleaning fairy won't come and clean up your car, but if you start implementing these few habits, it will be much easier to keep your car clean and tidy. You can have that "new car" feeling every day, give it a try, you are worth it!

And if you want to declutter and organize your home and start living a much happier life, then I can teach you how to do that. Visit my website www.tidywithjoy.com and get a free initial consultation with me or write an email to [email protected].

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! :)