Kids bring a lot into the car: snacks, drinks, tablets, books, toys, jackets and a steady stream of wrappers. Without a plan, it all ends up on the floor, under the seats or in your lap at a red light. The fix isn't more cleaning, it's giving each kind of thing a home the kids can reach themselves. Here are eight easy ideas that work for the school run and for longer holiday trips.
1. Start with a clear-out and a simple rule
Take everything out of the back seat and sort it into three piles: things that live in the car, things that go back in the house, and trash. Then set one easy rule the kids can follow, like "everything you bring in, you take out." A car stays tidy far longer when every item has a spot and everyone knows where it is.
2. Give every child a seat back organizer
The back of the front seat is the best storage spot for kids because it's right in front of them. A seat back organizer gives them their own pockets for a tablet, a book, a drink and snacks, so they can help themselves without asking you to pass things back. Ours is PU leather, so it wipes clean and resists the dirt, scuffs and kicks that come with small feet, and its built-in tissue box doubles as a small trash bin. If you have two kids behind the front seats, it also comes as a 2-pack, which saves arguments about whose pocket is whose.
3. Make snack time less messy
Most back seat mess starts with snacks and drinks. Pack snacks in small reusable containers rather than big bags, and keep a few napkins or wipes where the kids can reach them. For longer trips, an insulated seat back organizer has a foil-lined compartment that helps keep drinks cool or warm for longer, plus mesh side pockets for water bottles and a pull-through tissue pocket. Bottles with lids that seal are worth it: spills are much easier to prevent than to clean out of seat fabric.
4. Put a trash can within reach
If there's nowhere to put wrappers, they go on the floor. A hanging car trash can straps to a headrest, seat back or the center console. Ours has a waterproof, leak-proof lining and a soft lid that kids can push trash through without opening. Empty it every time you fill up with fuel, and the car never gets to the "dig it out with a bag" stage.
5. Keep screens at eye level
On long drives, a tablet or phone balanced on a lap ends up on the floor, and a child looking down for hours can feel queasy. Headrest hooks with a fold-out phone holder clip onto the headrest posts and hold a phone for back-seat passengers, then fold away when you don't need them. The hooks also give bags and jackets somewhere to hang instead of on the floor. Pack headphones for each child too, so the driver can concentrate. For a full-size tablet, see how to set up a tablet in the back seat.
6. Close the gaps where things disappear
Crayons, snacks and small toys love the gap between the front seats and the center console, and older kids in the front seat lose phones there too. A seat gap filler organizer blocks the gap and adds a small storage pocket on top. Never reach down to fish something out while you're driving; wait until you're parked. For more on this, see how to stop losing things between your car seats.
7. Rotate toys and books, and keep them soft
Keep only a few small toys and books in the car and swap them every week or two, so there's less to lose and the kids have something "new" to look at. Choose soft or light items for the cabin, and store anything heavy or hard in the trunk or a closed compartment. In a sudden stop, loose objects can move forward with a lot of force, so keep the back seat and the rear shelf clear of heavy things.
8. Do a quick reset after every trip
Make the last two minutes of every trip a reset: kids put their things back in their pockets, take out what belongs in the house and drop wrappers in the trash. It becomes a habit surprisingly quickly, especially if it's the same routine every time.
A few safety notes
- Follow your car seat manufacturer's instructions, and don't attach organizers, toys or hooks to a child's car seat or its straps.
- Make sure anything hanging from the front seats doesn't get in the way of a child's legs or a rear-facing car seat.
- Never leave children in a parked car, even for a few minutes.
Get the back seat sorted in one go
Our Car Organization Kit combines a seat back organizer, a seat gap filler and a hanging trash can, for less than buying them separately. Heading off for the holidays? Our road trip car organization checklist covers the rest of the car, and you'll find more ideas in our car organizers.