10 Things You Should NEVER Stash in Your Car (Seriously, Just Don’t)
If your car looks like a second home on wheels, it might be time for a reality check. Maybe you’ve got a collection of crumpled-up napkins from too many drive-thru runs (hey, no shame—we’ve all been there). Or perhaps your cupholders have turned into a graveyard for empty coffee cups. Bottom line? Your car’s carrying a lot of freeloaders, and it’s time to kick them to the curb.
“As a professional organizer, I’ve seen people treat their cars like mobile storage units, and let’s just say… it’s not a good look,” says Aaron Traub, owner of My Professional Organizer Dallas. “Sure, keeping stuff in your car seems convenient, but some things just don’t belong there. They’ll make a mess, smell weird, or even get ruined thanks to temperature swings.”
So, what should you evict ASAP? Experts spill the details.
1. Expired Coupons and Mystery Receipts
Saving a coupon for that free birthday coffee? Cool. Hoarding a mountain of expired coupons and receipts? Not cool. Get rid of the paper clutter, and your car will look instantly cleaner, says Traub.
Need to keep a few things handy? Use a clear zip pouch and stash it in the glove box.
2. Plastic Water Bottles
Listen, you’ve got a whole cabinet of reusable bottles at home—why are you still hoarding plastic ones in your car? Not only do they hog your cupholders, but they also roll around under your seat like mischievous gremlins. Toss them in the nearest recycling bin and free up some space.
3. Spare Change (a.k.a. Germ Factories)
That mountain of coins in your cupholder? Congrats, you’re rich! But also… ew. Coins are a germ paradise, passed from hand to hand like tiny petri dishes. Cash them in at a coin machine and treat yourself to a well-earned coffee.
4. Melty Makeup and Goopy Lotion
Trying to keep your hands soft? Your car says, “Good luck with that.”
“Extreme heat and cold will wreck your lotions and lip balms,” warns Raychel Klein, professional organizer and certified KonMari consultant. And nobody wants to reach for lip balm only to find it’s now a waxy puddle.
5. Random Camping Gear
Your life may be full of adventure, but let’s be real—how often are you actually pitching a tent on a Tuesday after work? Meanwhile, your groceries are fighting for trunk space.
Keep the gear somewhere else and reclaim your car’s dignity (and storage capacity).
6. A Million Reusable Totes
Yes, reusable totes are great. No, you don’t need a mountain of them taking over your backseat.
Keep one or two for errands and donate the rest to a food bank (Feeding America has a handy directory to help).
7. Crayons and Markers (a.k.a. Potential Art Attacks)
You thought scrubbing crayon off the walls at home was bad? Wait until melted crayons turn your car into a modern art masterpiece.
Markers leak, crayons melt—just trust us and keep the art supplies at home, says Toby Schulz, CEO of Maid2Match.
8. Sweaty Gym Clothes
Look at you, hitting the gym! Love that for you. But don’t let your sweaty sneakers marinate in your car overnight unless you want a science experiment growing in your backseat. Moldy gym clothes? Hard pass.
9. Laptops (Unless You Like Risking Fires)
Aside from making your car a target for thieves, leaving your laptop in extreme heat or cold is a recipe for disaster.
“Temperature swings can mess with your battery and even cause it to catch fire,” warns Ryan Waterman, CEO of Independence Automotive. Yikes.
If you must leave it behind, turn it off, put it in an insulated bag, and keep it out of direct sunlight.
10. Every Emergency Item Imaginable
Being prepared? Smart. Turning your car into a doomsday bunker? Not so much.
“Think realistically,” says Klein. “You don’t need tire chains in July.” Schulz agrees: “Your car is for transportation, not storage.”
Moral of the story? Your car isn’t a closet. Keep it clutter-free, and it’ll thank you (probably with better gas mileage).