Pop The Trunk Parents - A Quick Guide to Trunk Organization

August 25, 12:02 PMParenting ExaminerTerreece Clarke

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Organizer w/cooler $32 - UncommonGoods.Com

AOL Autos had a great article today on trunk organization. A reporter hung out with a camera and a polite demeanor and got people to open their trunk so he could take a look inside. He found all sorts of interesting things and one thing he mentioned is people with kids tend to have more stuff in their trunks, but most people had everything neatly organized. Really? I have a feeling there are more unorganized trunks than that reporter discovered. So I did a little digging and found some great tips and products for organizing the rear:

What Every Trunk Should Have:
o    First aid Kit
o    Road Emergency Kit
o    A stroller for small children
o    Extra sun protection, i.e. hats and sun block
o    An umbrella
o    Blanket

Optional Items
o    Snacks
o    A change of clothes
o    Spare jacket
o    Reusable grocery bags
o    Plastic bags
o    Collapsible chairs

Organization Tips:
o   Think small and be creative. If you have a small child, try keeping a lightweight umbrella-style stroller in the trunk for those “just in case” times. These take up far less space than a regular stroller.
o   Try a combo first aid and road emergency kit. Heck, make up your own, save some bucks and add your own “essentials.”
o   Don’t always leave the kids’ gear in the car. It may be convenient, but lugging around all that stuff not only will leave your trunk a mess, it’ll decrease your fuel efficiency. Plus things like mouthpieces and toys should be disinfected periodically.
o    Put items used less often toward the back.
o    Get rid of seasonal items at the end of the season.
o    Look for collapsible trunk organizers so you can adjust it as your needs change.
o   Take care in storing water in plastic bottles; there have been recent studies showing that chemicals could leach into the water when the bottle gets hot.

Here are some great trunk organizers:

   

From left to right:

Armada Collapsible Crate $14.99 Target.Com;

Collapsible Cargo pal $16.99 Mothertochild.Com