July 1, 2024

Road Trip Ready: Organization Strategies for Smooth Travels

by Kristen Christian in Buzz Tips

There’s something special about the Great American road trip. Miles of open highway stretching out ahead. Roadside attractions of all shapes and sizes. Infinite opportunities to learn, bond, explore, and maybe even bicker with a sibling. There’s truly something for everyone!

But before the adventure begins, don’t overlook one of the easiest ways to make travel smoother: road trip organization.

Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a cross-country drive, taking time to organize your car for a road trip can save time, reduce stress, maximize space, and make the entire experience more enjoyable. Smart road trip packing and simple car organization systems before departure can help you spend less time searching for chargers, cleaning up snack wrappers, and making unnecessary stops—and more time making memories.

Read on for Bee Organized’s favorite road trip organization strategies to help your next trip run smoothly.

Why Organizing Before a Road Trip Makes Travel Easier

You’ve picked your destination. You’ve mapped your route. Now it’s time to wedge everything into wherever it fits and hit the road, right?

Wrong!

Taking extra time to organize your vehicle before a road trip can make a surprisingly big difference once the miles start adding up. Organizing isn’t about perfection—it’s about making your travel experience easier, more comfortable, and more functional.

Reduce Stress and Stay More Comfortable

Small frustrations can pile up quickly during long travel days.

Digging around for sunglasses while everyone is napping. Untangling charging cords. Snack wrappers accumulating in cup holders. Activities scattered across the backseat.

When everything has a designated place, daily travel feels calmer and more manageable.

Save Time and Avoid Unnecessary Stops

The more organized your car is before departure, the less time you’ll spend unpacking, reshuffling, or replacing forgotten items.

Thoughtfully organizing your road trip essentials can help you:

Access what you need faster
Avoid duplicate purchases
Spend less time digging through cargo space
Keep travel days moving efficiently

Keep Food, Entertainment, and Essentials Accessible

Anyone who has traveled with kids—or adults—knows that boredom and hunger can quickly derail the mood.

Creating organized systems for food and snacks, activities, and frequently used items helps everyone stay comfortable and engaged while reducing unnecessary stops and expenses.

Once you know what you’re bringing, the next step is deciding where everything belongs.

How to Organize Your Car for a Road Trip

Before loading your car for your road trip, start the same way you would with any home organizing project: remove everything from the space, evaluate what actually needs to come, and only organize what’s left.

If you need a refresher on simplifying before organizing, revisit our guide to decluttering any space.

Each area of your vehicle serves a different purpose, so your organization strategy should reflect how the space will actually be used.

Set Up the Center Console for the Driver

The center console is valuable real estate because it’s the one area the driver can safely access.

Keep only essentials nearby:

Sunglasses
Phone charger
Lip balm
Water bottle
Gum or mints
Audio controls

Resist the temptation to turn this space into catch-all storage.

Turn the Glove Box Into a Co-Pilot Command Center

The co-pilot deserves organized tools, too.

Your glove box can support navigation, problem solving, and quick access during the trip.

Try organizing items into small pouches by category:

Documents (registration, insurance)
Health supplies (bandages, medications, sanitizer)
Tech supplies (chargers, extra cords)
Comfort supplies (eye masks, ear plugs)
Miscellaneous items (pen and paper)

Grouping categories keeps small items from becoming clutter.

Create Functional Backseat Storage

Accessibility is everything in the backseat.

Passengers should be able to reach activities, snacks, and comfort items without constant unpacking. Try:

Back-of-seat organizers
Small passenger bins
Repurposed shoe organizers
Cup holders for crayons, cords, or snacks
A narrow crate to contain shared items

The easier things are to reach, the less chaos spreads through the vehicle.

Pack the Cargo Area With Accessibility In Mind

If you love Tetris, now’s your moment.

Before packing anything, think strategically about when you’ll need each item. Pack:

Frequently used items closest to the bumper
Heavy items low and stable
Overnight essentials within reach
Travel safety supplies in accessible locations

The goal is to avoid unloading half the car every time you stop.

Once everything has a home, a few simple habits can help keep your vehicle organized throughout the trip.

Road Trip Organization Strategies That Keep Travel Running Smoothly

The best travel systems aren’t complicated—and they don’t require buying a dozen organizers.

Focus on practical habits that make your vehicle easier to maintain before departure, during your trip, and after you get home.

1. Build a Quick Daily Reset Routine

Spend 10 to 15 minutes each day resetting your vehicle. Focus on:

Throwing away trash
Refilling snacks and supplies
Returning items to their designated spaces
Wiping surfaces as needed

A quick reset prevents small messes from turning into road trip chaos.

2. Repurpose Household Items Before Buying Organizers

We rarely recommend buying more products to solve clutter problems. Before purchasing organizers, look around your house.

Try using:

Shower caddies for activities
Adhesive hooks for trash bags
Coffee filters for portioning snacks
Small baskets and bins you already own

Simple solutions often work best.

3. Create a Smarter Snack and Drink System

Snacks can either save your road trip or completely take over your vehicle.

Pre-portion snacks before leaving and group them in one dedicated snack bag.

And don’t forget one of our favorite tricks: freeze a few water bottles before departure. They act as ice packs early in the trip and become cold drinks later.

4. Plan Entertainment Before You Leave

Fresh entertainment makes a huge difference. Consider:

Downloading podcasts
Borrowing magazines
Printing card game instructions
Bringing forgotten toys back into rotation
Packing reusable window clings

Novelty goes a long way when it comes to keeping weary travellers entertained.

5. Use Flexible Storage Solutions

One exception to our “buy less” philosophy: lightweight mesh zipper bags.

These bags make it easy to categorize supplies without adding extra bulk, and help keep small items visible and contained.

Small systems can make a big difference once the miles start adding up.

Enjoy the Journey, Not the Chaos

Road trips should create memories—not unnecessary stress.

A little preparation before departure can help you spend less time searching for missing items and more time enjoying the people and places around you.

And remember: you don’t need a perfect system to have a smoother trip. Start small, stay flexible, and create organization strategies that work for your family.

If you need help creating systems that make everyday life—and vacation—feel easier, reach out to your closest Bee Organized location. Our Bees are ready to provide the compassionate, confidential, and judgment-free support we’re known for.

September 1, 2026

This NOT That: Products Our Professional Organizers Love and Loathe

When people are overwhelmed with clutter, they sometimes think that purchasing a set of matching crates or baskets will magically solve their problems. But not every product is worth your hard-earned cash, and not every organizing hack you see on TikTok actually makes sense in the real world. In this blog, we’re bringing you time-tested organizing products and strategies that our Bees across the country stand by—and calling out those things that you should leave behind! But First: PURGE! One of the biggest mistakes people make when they are tackling a home organizing project on their own is to run to the nearest box store and buy a trunkload of organizing products. Oh, honey, don’t do it! It’s a waste of time, money, and energy to buy products before you take the time to purge. We’ve talked you through our Power Purge to help you break through the organizational paralysis that often sets in. When you are organizing any space, whether it’s your bedroom, garage, or back-yard, you absolutely must start with getting rid of the excess. Once you are down to just the items you intend to keep, then it’s time to figure out exactly what kind of storage products will best fit. Purge first, then purchase (or reuse what you already have!). Choose Individuals, NOT Sets Whether we are talking about baskets, containers, organizing trays, or crates, there is virtually no chance that your home’s needs exactly match the items sold as a set. What you end up with is bins or trays that don’t line up with the shape, size, or number of items you own. You also end up with even more clutter—this time in the form of extra containers or trays from the set that you don’t actually need. Instead of buying sets, choose individual pieces that fit the items you are planning to contain. Have we mentioned how important it is to purge and sort before you buy any organizing products? Choose Adjustable Risers, NOT Fixed Risers When our professional home organizers redesign a pantry, we love using shelf risers so that everything is visible—we like to call it stadium seating for cans! Cabinet risers can be wonderful, but not if you get the ones that don’t extend. Make sure you measure your cabinets and find risers that can extend to the entire length. Otherwise you’re just creating a space where things will be harder to find as items fall off the sides. Choose Turntables with Removable Inserts, NOT Fixed Turntables You’ve heard us heap praise on the humble Lazy Susan in the past, but not all turntables are worth their weight. When you are selecting your turntable, make sure that if it is divided into sections, either those dividers are removable/adjustable, or you are SURE that the fixed dividers fit whatever you intend to store in the turntable. Choose Matching Hangers, NOT Cascading Hangers Cascading hangers seem like a great idea. People buy these to save space, but they end up causing trouble because they are bulky and make clothes harder to see. Ultimately, most folks stop bothering to hang items on them at all. Instead of putting money into cascading hangers—or any other kind of gimmicky hanger—put your money into buying matching velvet or acrylic hangers. Not only do they save space, but they transform your closet into your own boutique with minimal cost! Choose Single Hooks, NOT Mounted Hook Panels When you are organizing a space that would benefit from installing hooks, we recommend that you look into purchasing single Command hooks rather than a panel with the hooks already mounted on it. That way, you can choose the numbers, style, and spacing between hooks to better match your individual needs. And best of all—they are removable if you need to edit your decision! Choose Adjustable Drawer Organizers, NOT Rigid Trays Drawers come in all shapes and sizes, and no two homes have the exact same configuration of spatulas, serving spoons, and random kitchen gadgets. When you think of it like that, how would it make any sense to buy a cookie-cutter drawer organizer? There are so many great drawer organizing products and options out there that can expand and be reconfigured based on the dimensions of your drawer and the shape and size of the items you are attempting to fit inside. Did you remember to purge first? No one needs multiple potato mashers, we promise. Choose Bins, NOT Toy Chests Toy chests can be so darling to look at and can really tie a room together. But if you’ve ever actually owned a toy chest, you know they are a black hole for toys. Anything that sinks to the bottom of that pile of plastic is unlikely to see the light of day anytime soon. And if you’ve ever cleaned out a toy chest, you know they are a great place for dust, pet hair, and goldfish crackers to collect. When our professional organizers tackle a playroom or child’s bedroom, we usually use open bins or cubes in a bookcase. You can divide by general categories (LEGO, Hot Wheels, art supplies, etc.) so that items are easy for kids to find but are even easier for kids to put away. We’ve written before about how to help kids develop their own organizational skills and this is a great way to start! Choose Shelves and Dividers, NOT Hanging Closet Organizers We’ve tried using hanging closet organizers and they rarely work for most people’s needs. It’s difficult to see into them, so items regularly get shoved to the back and forgotten. After a few months, they are still hanging out in the closet taking up space, but the owner is just using them to store the stuff they should have purged in the first place. Instead, opt for closet organizing products with a fixed shelf (even a simple bookshelf will do) and with acrylic shelf dividers to keep everything organized, visible, and accessible. Choose Single Hat Hangers, NOT Hat Organizer Sets We love the look of hat organizers, but what are the chances that a panel with a pre-set number of hooks will match the number of hats you have now or next year? Instead of hat racks and hangers, opt for packages of individual hat hooks. You can space them in a way that works for your assortment of hats as well as the wall you are placing them on, plus you can easily expand or contract the collection as needed in the future. Choose Restockable Staples, NOT One-Time Finds We understand the impulse to grab a couple of cute baskets at HomeGoods to help you with an organizing project at home or work. But when the Bees professionally organize a space, we try to think ahead so that the system we are putting in place will be able to adapt to future needs. Part of that is purchasing the best organizing products that we know we will be able to find again in the future if we need to add more or adjust the sizing. We absolutely love the Everything Organizer line of products that can be found at The Container Store (and NO, we aren’t getting any kickbacks for mentioning their products by name!). They come in an extensive range of shapes and sizes, are durable and affordable, and you can clearly see what you have! Choosing the best organizing products is an investment in maintaining the systems that you are putting into place. But for them to be effective, they need to be adjustable and individualized to suit your unique needs. If you feel stuck in any part of the process—from undertaking the Power Purge to selecting the right organizing products, reach out for help. Our Bees are standing by to help you simplify your hive!

Learn more

August 3, 2026

Sunday Reset Tips: As Featured in Hello Nanny

At Bee Organized, we know that creating a well-functioning home often goes beyond organizing. That's why we're proud to partner with Hello Nanny!, a trusted resource for connecting families with exceptional nannies and in-home support. Our partnership is built on a natural connection: organized homes help new caregivers and household professionals settle in faster, and the right support helps families maintain the systems that keep a home running smoothly. Together, we help create the systems that set families, and the people who support them, up for success. Hello Nanny! recently featured insights from Bee Organized Co-Founder Kristen Christian on creating a simple Sunday Reset that helps families start each week feeling prepared instead of overwhelmed. From reducing decision fatigue to creating smoother mornings, these small habits can make a big difference. Read the full article linked here.

Learn more

August 1, 2026

Closet Organization 101: 4 Simple Steps to a Stress-Free Wardrobe

We’ve all experienced that wardrobe paradox when we stare into a completely packed closet, and then realize we have nothing to wear. That subtle wave of anxiety isn’t really about the clothes. It’s about the emotional weight they carry. Because our wardrobe acts as the daily armor that we wear out into the world, our closets can turn into a storage locker for hidden feelings. We hold onto guilt about an expensive price tag that is still hanging on an item, or shame about clothing that no longer fits our current bodies or lifestyles. You deserve a space that reflects who you are right now, not who you were five years ago. When you clear out the clutter, your closet transforms from a source of stress into a curated boutique that inspires confidence and makes picking an outfit stress-free. It’s time to get your wardrobe back in alignment with your fabulous self—and knowing how to organize clothes in a closet is the first step! 1. Get Your Mind and Space Ready Before you pull a single hanger off the rod, you need to prepare your most important tool for this work—your mind! When you’re organizing a clothing closet, the majority of the work you’ll be doing is decision-making. Pick a time when you are feeling fed-up with the clutter and ready to be decisive. Before you begin, you also need to make sure you have the space ready for action. Clear off your bed to use as a staging area and grab some sturdy trash bags for donations. Then, turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and get to work! 2. Edit Your Wardrobe: The Power Purge If you want to clear out your closet like a professional organizer, you’ll need to take EVERYTHING out of your closet. As you move your clothing to the bed, sort each piece into broad categories (jeans, dresses, short-sleeve shirts, etc.). The most important step in a closet cleanout is, without a doubt, the purging! If you reorganize your closet without getting rid of the excess, you are missing the point. You want to clear out the clutter to make space for what matters to you today and in the near future, so that every time you open your closet, you only see those items that fit well, that make you feel confident, and that deserve to take up space. In Bee Organized’s famous Power Purge, we invite you to ask yourself three critical questions about every item in your closet: Does This Item Make Me Happy? You have permission to let go of clothing items that you are holding on to just because you think you should. If an item makes you feel guilt, shame, or frustration, why not get it out of your space? If the clothing item makes you feel happy, confident, comfortable, sexy, polished, or any other feeling that you like to feel, keep it! Is This Item Useful Now or In the Near Future? Just like with the first question, if the answer is YES, keep the item. Easy peasy. But if you haven’t worn an item in years because it’s too itchy, doesn’t fit quite right, is not a good color on you, or is no longer in style, now is the time to let it go. Be honest with yourself. Just because you liked or wore the item during one season of your life doesn’t mean the item should be taking up space today. Is This Item Valuable or Irreplaceable? In some cases, you’ll find items in your closet that don’t make you happy and you aren’t planning to use, but the item is worth a lot of money or is one-of-a-kind. All this means is that you might want to take more care if you decide to part with the item. Perhaps you want to give it to someone who will love or use the item, or perhaps now is the time to finally sell it on Poshmark or ThredUp. Just because something is valuable does not mean you are automatically required to keep it in your closet (or anywhere else in your home)! In addition to purging your clothing, you also need to remove the items that don’t make sense to store in your closet. Can you find another place to keep your wrapping paper, winter boots, or extra bed pillows? 3. Organize Like a Professional After you’ve bagged up and set aside the clothing you are ready to part with—(can you hear us cheering for you?)—you get to think about how to organize your remaining items in a way that makes sense for you, your clothing, and the size and shape of your closet. Here are a few tips: Invest in Matching Hangers We don’t typically advise you to buy a bunch of different organizing projects to tame your clutter. But we do BEElieve in the power of matching hangers to transform your closet! Keep Similar Items Together Think about your closet as your own boutique or mini department store. Keep similar items together and keep those things you use the most in the easiest-to-access spaces. How you categorize your clothing will depend on the unique needs of your climate, occupation, and style, as well as the shape and size of your closet. Once your categories are established (sleeveless, short-sleeved, long-sleeved, sweaters, etc.), try arranging them in rainbow order! It not only looks great, but it also can help prevent you from buying duplicates. Use Vertical Space No matter the size of your closet, think creatively about how you can make vertical space work for you. For your closet reorganization to work well, you need to be able to quickly see what you have that’s clean and ready to wear. Think about using top and bottom shelves, adding hooks, and using the back of the door for extra space. Be Wary of What You Stack Stacking folded clothing on shelves or in drawers is a recipe for toppling towers! Consider rolling clothing, using baskets or bins, or even filing folded clothing items side-by-side vertically like folders in a filing cabinet. Raluca Sharma, owner of Bee Organized Southwest Austin,recommends using shelf dividers to keep clothing stacks in their places. Try the Backwards Hanger Trick When you place everything back into your closet after your purge, put all of the hangers in backward. When you wear something and it comes back through the laundry, hang it up the regular way. At the end of a year, you’ll see which clothes you actually wore and which are just taking up space. Once you’ve got everything put back into place in a way that works well with your current lifestyle, you need to make a proactive plan for maintaining your good work! 4. Maintaining the Hive A beautifully organized closet is a victory, but keeping it that way requires a few simple, sustainable habits. To keep the chaos from creeping back in, you can try a few of our favorite tricks: Reset your closet weekly. Take five or 10 minutes each week to make sure clothes are in their right spots, shoes are put away, the floor is clear, and extra hangers are hanging out together. Keep a donation basket or bag handy. You know the cycle. You pull something out of the closet to wear, try it on, decide it’s wrong for you, and then hang it back up to try again another day. Cristen White (Bee Organized Sioux Falls) recommends keeping a small donation basket in your closet (or hanging a donation bag on a hanger) so that you can quickly remove the item from circulation. Practice the One-In-One-Out rule. This is a great way to stop the tendency to over-accumulate clothing. Anytime you bring a new version of something home, make a pact with yourself to get rid of an old one. For example, if you bring home a lovely new sweater, it’s time to say goodbye to one that you rarely wear. Purge every time the season changes. Amber Lawson (Bee Organized Central Austin) recommends purging clothing between seasons. You can remove those clothing items that you never wore during the season that has just passed AND make space for a purchase or two for the upcoming season. Closet organization is about creating a functional space that supports your daily life, not creating a picture-perfect wardrobe. You deserve to be able to open that closet door and quickly see an array of clothing that fits you well and that makes you feel good about whatever you are facing today. If you need help with learning how to organize clothes in a closet, reach out to the Bee Organized location that’s nearest to you. Our Bees are always ready to give you the compassionate, confidential, and judgment-free help you deserve!

Learn more

Road Trip Ready: Organization Strategies for Smooth Travels