Simplifying My Car

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The New Car

Photo by Evan Prodromou
My old car needed to go. I had used it for a really long time, and it was starting to get unreliable. To the point where I crossed my fingers every time I turned the ignition and hoped it started. It was time for a new car, and I did my research. During our holiday break, we went out, and I now own a new hybrid.

As I cleaned out the old car, I realized how much junk I had accumulated. There were three (!) umbrellas in the car, all working. In the trunk was a plastic crate containing a CB radio, jumper cables and a small bag of kitty litter (bear in mind I have not lived in an area where snow on the roads happens for well over 10 years). There were outdated maps, scraps of paper and outdated media as well. It was all nicely contained; the car was by no means dirty or cluttered. But the stuff wasn’t what was needed. I simply hadn’t thought about it in years.

It was time to think.

What to keep, what to throw

As I removed things, I thought about what I would want to move to the new car. Here is what I moved:

• facial tissues
• pen
• index cards
• first aid kit (brought up to date first)
• current maps
• one umbrella
• jumper cables
• my ice scraper (just in case, you never know)
• my child’s car seat (after a good cleaning)

There were some things I added:

• a new garbage bag (a gift)
• a folder to store my registration
• reusable shopping bags

I also reorganized my car chargers for my MP3, my phone and my PDA.

End Result

I carry a lot less stuff in my car now, and it is all neatly organized.

Something to Think About

How much stuff that you carry with you everyday is actually needed? Is there any benefit to lightening your load?