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Northern Virginia is notorious for heavy traffic. As regular commuters of the Chantilly, VA area, we spend a lot of time in our vehicles, which means many of us don’t have the time or the patience to regularly clean and organize our rolling homes. And, while there are some hilarious DIY fixes that we wouldn’t recommend, there are some realistic ideas available to help make your daily commute less burdensome!
Our team in Chantilly, VA, has put together a list of inexpensive and, most importantly, easy hacks. These tips and tricks can help you while you’re on that frustrating commute.
Acrylic Trays are Versatile
Often used to organize items usually kept in a bathroom or on an office desk, acrylic trays can go anywhere. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, are inexpensive, and can be found in many stores and online. When it comes to keeping lots of small things in our vehicles, having these little organizers can assist in keeping your sanity.
Shoe Organizer Storage
For those of us who keep a lot of things in our car, a shoe organizer can be the difference between needing to pull over to grab an item or simply reaching behind yourself. With one of these hanging over the passenger seat, your hand sanitizer, tissues, napkins, and more, is within an arm’s length! If you have little ones, this handy item can store toys too.
Remote Control Holder
Having a van or an SUV for the kiddos is great, but sometimes storing the many items needed on the daily drive can be a pain. If the shoe organizer isn’t your kind of thing, consider a remote holder for over the seat. It’s perfect for crayons, small toys, and more!
Those Dirty Cup Holders
Ah, the dust gathering cup holders in our automobiles. They catch the brunt of our messes. Condensation, coins, receipts, sticky things, the list is endless. Not to mention, they are a pain to keep clean. That is why silicone cupcake liners are a brilliant idea for keeping the cup holder peace.
Auto Information Folder
This is by far our favorite hack. Pretty much every driver keeps their registration, owner’s manual, and more in their glove box. But why not keep that space open for the other things you would like closer to you? After all, it’s not all that often that you’ll need to access those documents. An accordion folder can store all the necessary documents, and it can easily be tucked away between the seats.
Sponge Brushes Clean Too
When spring hits in the Chantilly, VA area, we Virginians are inundated with pollen and dust. That is especially true for our vehicles. Cleaning off the dash and doors is simple enough, but what about getting into those nooks and crannies? A sponge brush is a perfect tool for getting into those hard to reach places, like air conditioning vents. While not in use, it will fit perfectly into an acrylic organizer.
Trunk Organization
The trunk is a big empty space with lots of room for items to roam. Collapsible trunk organizers work very well when storing multiple things. Groceries, roadside kits, ice scrapers, lint rollers, paper towels, etc. can be stored without the worry of objects rolling around. They are relatively inexpensive and can be found online in a variety of colors. However, if you have plastic storage containers in your home that are not being used, they can easily do the trick!
Paper Towel Holder
Paper towels are an everyday item we keep in the home but rarely think about bringing into our cars. Keep a roll in the back seat or your trunk, and you will be better prepared for an emergency spill or to dust off your dashboard quickly. There are magnetic paper towel holders that you can install in your trunk for quick access!
Coffee Is Life
Ah, coffee. That little perk of life. More and more people have been upgrading to coffee machines which no longer use paper filters. So, what do you do with those old filters? Use them to clean your dash! Dirt and dust will stick to them easily, and you won’t have lost the money on the items you no longer need.
A Lint Roller or Masking Tape
Lint rollers are great. They are easy to store, simple to use, and they work like a charm. However, once those little white squares run out, you are left with a plastic handle and nothing to remove the fuzz. Keeping a roll of masking tape at hand comes through in a pinch. You simply unroll the tape around four fingers with the sticky side out, and voila! A makeshift lint roller. It can also fit into the glovebox you now use for storage since your important documents are now in that file folder.
Handheld Vacuums Save Money
Sure, spending $20.00 and more for a professional to vacuum your vehicle is easy, but it isn’t always optimal for the wallet. Neither is stopping at a gas station and searching for 6 quarters to pump into a vacuum, then leaving only slightly satisfied with the work we just did. A rechargeable handheld vacuum with attachments is both capable and inexpensive. The best part? You can use it whenever you feel like it!
Cleaning Your Floormats
After vacuuming out your vehicle, you can go the extra mile by washing your floormats in your own washing machine! If there is a stain on them, you can pre-treat with a stain remover before putting them into the wash. But, don’t put them into the dryer. Hang them to air dry for at least 24 hours.
Automotive Repair and Maintenance in Chantilly, Virginia
We hope these simple ideas help make your daily commute a bit easier. When it comes to maintenance and auto repair, come to the team you can trust at Casey’s Automotive. Our certified technicians have the know-how to get your ride road-ready! Be it brake repairs, general automotive maintenance, state inspections, transmission and coolant flushes, or lift kits and upgrades, we’ve got your back!
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