Home Organizing Organizing Techniques How to Organize Your Car's Trunk the Right Way Free up room in your vehicle's trunk or cargo area with solutions from Scott Roewer, founder of The Organizing Agency. By Stephanie Sisco Stephanie Sisco Stephanie researches and reports on solutions for cleaning, organizing, and decorating challenges. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 14, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: boonsupply.com/Getty Images Even if you pride yourself on having a well-organized car, the trunk is often another matter. Whether it's jumper cables, camping gear, or your latest haul from Costco, you probably stash a lot of stuff in your car trunk. Of course it's going to be ground zero for clutter! How do you regain control of a messy car trunk and organize it in a way that's easy to maintain? We reached out to Scott Roewer, founder of The Organizing Agency, for some ideas. Start by giving commonly stored items their own place. Instead of letting car cleaning supplies take up valuable trunk space, stash them in a hanging organizer on the back of the headrest. And rather than let reusable shopping bags float free (and inevitably get trapped in a crevice so you can't find them when you head to the grocery store), keep all your shopping bags in a space-saving container. 01 of 05 Elevate Essentials An organizer that hangs from a backseat headrest can store jumper cables, an ice scraper, and cleaning supplies, leaving the trunk floor free for larger cargo, such as sporting equipment or suitcases. To buy: YoGi Prime Trunk and Backseat Car Organizer, $23; amazon.com. 02 of 05 Keep It Contained A structured bin holds grocery bags, beach towels, and backpacks; and keeps them from sliding around. Use the attached straps to secure it in place in the trunk or on an empty seat up front. To buy: Drive Auto Products Car Trunk Organizer, $24; amazon.com. 03 of 05 Go Green Place a smaller container within your trunk organizer to house reusable shopping bags. Once you've unpacked your groceries, return the bags to this spot so they're always there when you need them. 04 of 05 Be Flexible Stackable, collapsible bins are perfect for transporting loose items from the garden center or big-box store. Fold them flat when not in use. To buy: Midi Collapsible Storage Bin in Orchid, $15; store.moma.org. 05 of 05 Reassess Regularly Give your vehicle a once-over after lengthy trips or between seasons. Restock essentials and remove unnecessary items (like wintertime hockey gear). Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit