The trunk is where car clutter goes to hide. Grocery bags tip over on the first corner, sports gear and shopping pile up, and the things you actually need, like an ice scraper or a first aid kit, end up buried at the bottom. A few simple habits and the right containers keep the trunk usable, whether you drive a sedan, a hatchback or an SUV.
1. Empty it and sort what's there
Take everything out and split it into three piles: things that should live in the car all the time (emergency and seasonal gear), things that only travel sometimes (sports bags, beach gear, a stroller), and things that belong in the house. Only the first pile goes back in permanently. Everything else gets loaded for the trip and unloaded when you get home.
2. Give loose items a box
Most trunk mess comes from small things rolling around a big, empty space. A container with sides stops that. Our foldable PU leather trunk organizer box is about a 30 cm (11.8 in) cube with a lid, so groceries and gear stay put and covered. It's quilted PU leather that wipes clean, and it folds flat when you need the whole trunk for something bulky.
3. Keep an always-in-the-car kit together
Put the things that live in the car permanently in one spot, ideally in the box or a bag pushed to the side or back of the trunk, so they're easy to reach without unloading everything. Common items are jumper cables, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a blanket, a reusable shopping bag and a phone charging cable. Check it a couple of times a year and replace anything you've used.
4. Rotate seasonal gear
Swap what you carry with the seasons instead of carrying everything all year. In winter, that might be an extendable snow brush and ice scraper, gloves and a warm blanket; see our winter car essentials for a full list. In summer, it's more likely to be water, sunscreen and an umbrella. A quick swap twice a year keeps the trunk from filling up with things you don't need right now.
5. Hang bags instead of dropping them
Grocery bags and purses are the classic trunk spillers. In hatchbacks and SUVs, where the back seat opens onto the cargo area, headrest hooks clip onto the rear headrest posts and give bags a place to hang so they stay upright. They come in 2-packs and 4-packs and fold away when you're not using them.
6. Protect the floor if you carry dogs or muddy gear
If your dog rides in the back of an SUV or hatchback, or you often load wet or muddy things, a liner saves the carpet. Our waterproof cargo liner covers the cargo floor and wipes or shakes clean; the trimmed versions add side flaps for the trunk walls. Measure your trunk before ordering. A liner protects your car, but it isn't a restraint, so secure your dog with a travel harness or a crate. More tips in Road Trips with Dogs.
7. Keep heavy things low and forward
When you load the trunk, put heavy items on the floor and push them toward the back seats, with lighter things on top. Heavy objects sitting loose on top of a pile can slide or fall when you brake or open the trunk. Don't stack anything so high that it blocks your view through the rear window.
8. Leave trash in the cabin, not the trunk
Wrappers and bottles often get tossed in the trunk and forgotten. Give them a place in the cabin instead: a hanging car trash can on a seat back keeps trash where you'll see it and remember to empty it.
9. Reset after every big trip
After a road trip, a big shop or a weekend away, take a couple of minutes to unload anything that doesn't belong and put the permanent kit back in its spot. Planning a long drive? Our road trip car organization checklist covers what to pack and where it should go.
Organize the rest of the car too
Once the trunk is sorted, the cabin is next. Read How to Organize Your Car: 9 Simple Fixes, or browse all our car organizers, from the trunk to the seat gaps.