Tips for Keeping Your Glove Compartment Clutter-Free

Most people use their glove compartment to store items they might need while they’re on the road. That includes everything from important documents like their owner’s manual and car insurance documents to travel essentials like hand sanitizers and loose change. Many drivers also use it to keep odds and ends like receipts and mobile phone chargers.

If you keep a lot of things in your glove compartment, it can get cluttered over time. Fortunately, it’s easy to bring order to this storage space when you follow the comprehensive guide below:

How to Organize Your Glove Compartment

Looking for a pen inside a cluttered glove compartment can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Avoid this hassle by having a place for everything in this storage unit and keeping everything in its place. Organize your compartment using this step-by-step guide:

Clear Out the Compartment

The first thing you should do when decluttering any storage area is to remove all the items inside, and the same rule applies to your glove compartment. Getting everything out will help you decide which things to return later.

Clean the Space

Wipe off dust, crumbs, or any other form of dirt that’s inside the compartment. If your vehicle has a vinyl or plastic glove compartment, use a mild soap solution to wash its interior. Make sure to wipe it dry when you’re done. If your vehicle has a velvet interior, you may use a lint brush to gather dust and dirt.

Did your storage space incur damage from a sharp item? Read up on how to repair scratches on your glove compartment to make it look nice and sleek again.

Sort Out Your Items

Start by sorting the things you removed from your glove compartment based on their type or purpose. Most items fall under these groups: paperwork, writing tools, devices, and edibles. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to these categories. Figure out a system that works for you.

Then, sort your items again based on what you want to do with them. Do you want to return them to your glove compartment, store them somewhere else, or discard them? Don’t think twice about discarding useless things like faded receipts, expired coupons, and empty candy wrappers.

If you’re going to throw away paperwork with sensitive information, like your address, make sure you shred or tear them up.

Invest in Organizers

One of the reasons why glove compartments tend to get cluttered is the lack of dividers or organizers. Items move from their places as the vehicle moves.

You can keep your things in place by purchasing a glove compartment organizer. You can place your insurance card and other similar documents in one sleeve, then put pens and other writing materials in another. You can also buy pouches to store other similar items.

Glove Compartment Essentials

As mentioned, you can put a lot of things in your glove compartment, and it’s your prerogative to decide which items to prioritize. Make sure to leave room for these essentials:

Medical Information

Keep a record of your medical conditions, current medications, and allergies in your glove compartment. This will help inform first responders of your health status in case you’re unconscious or unable to communicate with them yourself during an accident.

Contact Numbers

Aside from storing them in your mobile phone, it’s also a good idea to keep a copy of emergency contact details in your glove compartment.

Writing Essentials

A pen and paper will always come in handy. Make sure to have access to these essentials, so you can easily get them in case you need to write anything down.

Proof of Car Insurance

It isn’t advisable to store your vehicle’s title in your glove compartment. However, having “proof of financial responsibility” stored somewhere in your car will come in handy.

Vehicle Manual

The glove compartment is also a good place to store your vehicle’s manual. Bookmark the pages you often consult for easy access. You can also keep a copy of your ride’s maintenance schedule in your glove compartment.