When you're traveling with kids - whether locally for day to day activities or when taking a road trip, there are a few essential car organization hacks that can make the trip a lot better.

Following are some of our favorite hacks that are simple to implement but provide a lot of convenience and benefits for both parents and kids while on the road.

An Umbrella

While not an earth-shattering idea, it's amazing how frequently you will wish you had an umbrella with you - after you've forgotten it at home. To be ready for the unexpected, we always keep one right beside the driver's seat. Just make sure when you do use it, you remember to air it out to dry thoroughly before wrapping it back up to keep in the car.  You don't want anything nasty growing in the folds.

Cup Holder Liners

This is not an original idea but wow, is it useful. Instead of the mess of cleaning out crumbs and trash from your car's cub holders, you insert a silicone cupcake holder into them which catches all the mess. When you reach your destination, or whatever frequency is needed when commuting locally, just pull them out, dump the mess, and give them a quick wipe to clean. Way easier!

CD / DVD Portable Case

Turning on the radio, you're not sure what might come on. Some music may be too overwhelming for our young children's ears so it's always best to have your personal playlist ready. If you don't want to hook the speakers to your phone, you can use your car's built in player. This handy CD holder fits anywhere in the dashboard and it can hold up to 20 CDs. Bring your kids' favorites music and sing along in the car - great especially for long car rides!

Clip On Cell Phone Holder

No more fumbling for your phone in the car with this phone holder. Simply attach on to the a/c and it clips your phone in place. There are different types of phone holders on the market like the expandable mounts or this pop socket one that you can easily slip your phone into. With a phone holder you can hook up your phone to your car speakers easily. Having a phone holder in the car is also convenient when you're using your phone as a GPS.

Car Trash Can

Having a trash can in your car can be a game changer! You can keep all your trash in one place and when you're ready to dump it out, just pour the contents out into your garbage bin. This trash can is leak proof and also easy to clean with its special lining.

You can see the one we recommend by clicking here.

First Aid Kit

It's always best to be prepared whatever the circumstances may be. Having a first aid kit in your car at all times is convenient just in case you get small accidents while on the road. Cuts, scrapes and burns are common injuries to expect so prepare a first aid kit with the appropriate supplies.

Hygiene Kit

You can also bring with you some other basic essentials like hygiene products such as floss, q-tips, and chapstick. Put these all in a pouch for a more neat and organized look.

Kids Activities

When things get a little boring and the children are starting to feel restless, having some fun activities packed in the car can help with their boredom. You can pack coloring books, sticker books, or just plain notebooks and just let their imagination run wild. Aside from coloring books, you can also pack some board games or handheld video games and activities for more fun options.

Diaper Changing Kit

If you have small children, you might need to change their diapers often. During long car rides there's just no guarantee you'll be able to find a stop in time. Bringing a diaper kit in the car can help you just in case you need to change your children's diapers on the go. Keep all the essentials in a large bag and hook it up on the back seat or just stow it away somewhere.

Portable Organizer

It's not a bad idea to have more organization options in your car. A portable organizer can be a versatile storage option. Look for one that has a big compartment and includes pockets for more storage. This way you can keep all your things in one bin and not worry about leaving a mess every time.

We recommend getting this organizer from Lusso Gear. 

Travel Tray

Storing a travel tray in the car is also a convenient hack. A tray can serve different purposes like for eating, coloring, and other car activities. Look for a tray that can hook around your car seat so it doesn't fall during the ride. And also check for cup holders - this helps preventing spills inside the car and making more mess.

Lusso Gear also makes a new version of the travel tray you can see here.

Laundry Basket

This may sound unconventional but trust me on this: having a laundry basket in your car can work wonders. It's big enough to hold a bunch of things, but also just the right size that it can be stowed away and not take up so much space. This definitely comes in handy when you're getting groceries and you don't want your items sprawled out in the car. Put those groceries in the basket and pick it up and take it with you inside the house when you get home. No muss, no fuss!

This may seem like a lot of items but most of them are not large. You can pretty easily stash them in a few nooks and compartments around your car and you'll be glad you have them when that time comes.

And remember to check out Lusso's full line of interior accessories for your car while the limited time 15% discount is available.