Car Organization: Kids Version

I did a trunk organization blog post a few years back, which focused on keeping things in the car in case of emergency. Today's blog post is about keeping the car organized with kids. I have a preschooler and an infant, so have everything in the car according to their needs. 

Here is our car, a Mitsubishi Outlander:

Quick review - this car is working out well for us as a family of four. The car claims to be a 7 seater, but don't count on it. It's super uncomfortable in the back 2 rows, but the driver and front passenger seats are fine. I purchased very cushioned car seats for my sons so that they can feel comfortable in the back. The second row is supposed to be a 3 seater but is completely full with 2 car seats, so I can't squeeze in between them. 

Here's a view of the front row. A phone charger and phone mount for directions are two of my must haves in the front row!

And of course, a car with kids always needs tissues: 



These are my absolute favorite tissue boxes. They are made for cup holders so they are perfect for cars! I got them at Target. Also, I've seen many trash box solutions online for cars but none of them worked for us so I came up with this idea! By using an empty tissue box, I don't use up any of the floor space for a trash box and the car is constantly clean. 

A tip for the Muslim readers, keep a tasbeeh (prayer beads) in the door handle of the front passenger side of the car: 

While you sit and wait to be taken from Point A to Point B, be productive if you aren't talking to the person who is driving! Seeing the tasbeeh in the door handle will be a constant reminder to do your dhikr.

Below is a view of the second row. As you can see, completely full with 2 car seats. It's a very compact car, but functions well enough for us. 

This is the infant's side. I attached a car organizer on the driver's seat headrest in which I keep extra toys and books for both of the kids. The diaper bag stays underneath that, and I have a colorful mirror in front of the baby so that the driver can see him from the rear-view mirror. The mirror also lights up and plays music, which is great for night time drives when baby gets scared in the dark. 



If it is too sunny outside, I tie this breathable muslin cloth from 3 sides to protect the baby's eyes. I have tried many of the sun screens which are attachable to the window but they are not good enough since my eyes and my children's eyes are extra sensitive to sunlight. The preschooler wears sunglasses when we go out and I have this set up for the infant temporarily until he can wear sunglasses. I have to make sure that all 3 sides are tied properly and that the material is breathable! 

Here is the view from my preschooler's side. He uses a convertible car seat, to which we have attached a double cup holder.

For his entertainment, I kept a DVD Player and a CD organizer filled with his favorite movies. I recycled all of the individual CD cases because they took up too much space and cluttered up the car. 

In the storage area on the side of the door pictured below, I keep some of his snacks

 I keep things such as chips, fruit bars and crackers. Anything that wouldn't melt in the heat.

Finally, moving on to the trunk. We do not need the 3rd row of seats to make the car a 7 seater, so we converted it to a larger trunk instead. Here is the set up:

1. Infant stroller and umbrella stroller

2. A large umbrella for the family

3. A large tote hanging from the headrest. It contains extra clothes for the kids, diapers, wipes, and a portable toilet training seat attachment for the preschooler. 

4. Extra water for emergencies. I usually use it to wash hands or make wudhu if I need to pray somewhere.

5. A water resistant picnic blanket

6. Rolling cart to haul the large car seat at airports.

7. A tool that helps to carry multiple grocery bags in one hand.

A list of the products mentioned that can be found on Amazon:

  

   

Hope you found this post helpful! Share your ideas of how you keep your car organized, I would love to hear them!

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Note: This is not a sponsored post, but does contain affiliate links! Thanks for your support! Also, this might be my last post for the next two months. Hope you all have a wonderful end of 2016!