Perishable Food and Old Snacks
Keeping shelf-stable snacks (like granola bars) in your car in the event of an emergency is smart. Keeping perishable food in your vehicle, however, is not. Even in cold weather, your car can’t function as a refrigerator, so be sure to throw out any food in your car that’s been there for an extended period of time. Also, check your emergency snacks regularly to make sure they’re not expired. And once they’re past their Best By date, throw them out and replace them.
Gym Clothes
Dealing with dirty gym clothes can be a chore, which is why many people will often just leave their gym bag in the car. But leaving your gym clothes in your car for too long not only stinks up your vehicle, it can also lead to the clothes themselves being a health hazard. If left unwashed, gym clothes (and even your gym bag) can harbor bacteria.
Trash
This one seems obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many people let trash pile up inside their cars! And not only does having trash in your car make people uncomfortable, it's unsanitary. Depending on what it is and how long it’s been sitting, trash can attract pests and cause illnesses. So instead of letting old food wrappers and used tissues accumulate, take the time to toss them out.
Cosmetics
It can be tempting to keep spare makeup in your car for touch-ups on the go, but truthfully, you should throw out any cosmetics that have been left in your car for a while. The inside of your car can experience extreme temperatures, ranging from very hot to very cold, depending on the weather. These temperatures can damage your makeup, rendering it less effective or even outright useless.
Old Letters and Paperwork
We’re all guilty of stuffing letters and coupon flyers into our center consoles and glove boxes from time to time. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Over time, though, all this paper can pile up and create a mess. Go through your papers on a regular basis and toss out anything you don’t need. Generally speaking, it’s best to limit the papers in your glovebox to important items like your registration and insurance.
Old Air Fresheners
Car fresheners are useful for keeping your vehicle smelling crisp and clean (and they’re cute to boot!), but they don’t last forever. Once your air fresheners have run their course and no longer smell as fragrant, dispose of them and buy replacements.
Old Magazines
Having some reading material tucked away in your car is a good idea, but don’t let things get out of hand. If the magazines start to pile up, take the time to go through them and throw away any old ones that you’ve already read.
OTC Medicines
Medications can degrade over time and become less effective if exposed to extreme temperatures. So if you’ve got a bottle of Tylenol stuffed into your center console that’s been there for a while, we recommend throwing it out. While using it likely wouldn’t make you feel any worse, it’s very possible that the pills wouldn’t be fully effective.
Art Supplies
Art supplies like crayons, markers, and paints can be ruined by high temperatures, such as those in cars. Crayons melt, and paints dry out and crust over. So if you’ve got any art supplies tucked away in your trunk or under your seats, check them to see if they’re still good, and throw them out if they’re not.
Excess Shopping Bags
Remembering to bring your own bags is a key part of grocery shopping these days, but it’s important to be economical about the number of bags you’re lugging around in your car. Try to avoid having more bags than you actually need. If you find yourself with extra bags, put them away in a closet or consider donating them.
Hairspray
Keeping pressurized aerosol cans in your car not only adds to the clutter, but it can also be dangerous. It can get quite hot inside your car, and that heat can cause pressurized items like hairspray or spray deodorant to explode. If you have one of these items bouncing around in your backseat, do yourself a favor and throw it away before it causes problems.
Old Receipts
It’s not unusual for old receipts to stack up pretty fast, especially if you eat out a lot or swing through a lot of drive-thrus. But these receipts can leave your car interior looking and feeling messy. And since there’s no real reason to keep them, you’re better served by just tossing them out.
Plastic Water Bottles
Keeping water in your car for emergencies is a great idea. But if you’re using plastic water bottles, be sure to swap them out regularly or replace them with a reusable water bottle. Plastic bottles can actually leach chemicals into your drinking water when exposed to high heat.
Old Pens
It’s smart to have one or two pens squirreled away just in case you need to suddenly jot something down while you’re out and about. But pens dry out over time, so there’s no point hanging onto them forever. Throw away any pens that you don’t need, or at least take them to your house or office instead.
Extra Lotions and Sanitizers
If you have extra bottles of hand sanitizer or hand lotion, clear them out. You should really only need one of each of these; any more is just unnecessary clutter that will crowd the interior of your vehicle.
Loose Change
Having some loose change can be handy if you need to pay an exact total or feed a parking meter, but it’s important not to let your coins pile up. Take the time to clear out your change collection every once in a while and keep only what you think you might actually need. It’s also advisable to have a small container to keep your coins in, rather than letting them clatter around inside your center console.
Old Sunscreen
Believe it or not, sunscreen actually breaks down and becomes less effective when exposed to hot temperatures. So if your bottle of sunscreen has been tucked away in your glove box or under your seat all this time, odds are it's been exposed to temperatures outside safe storage limits.
Forgotten Donations
If you’ve been carting around a box of old clothes and childhood toys that you’ve been meaning to drop off at your local Goodwill or community resource center, now’s a good time to finally get it to its intended destination. Donating those old items will free up space in your car for transporting other things.
Excess Cords
Cords and cables have a way of accumulating in your center console. And while it’s certainly handy to have a cable for every occasion, it’s a good idea to sort through them on a regular basis. Make sure to get rid of any charging cords you don’t need.
Seasonal Items
Depending on the time of year, there are certain things you won’t need to be dragging around with you everywhere. If it’s winter, for example, you probably won’t need those beach chairs and towels. And if it’s summer, you’re probably safe to pack away your winter parka and snow boots. Clearing seasonal gear from your car can free up space for items more relevant to your current day-to-day activities.
