Some time back I found an idea on Pinterest for organizing blog receipts in an accordion file from the dollar section at Target. I scooped up a couple of these files the next time I saw them available – one for my blog receipts and the other for my car’s glove box.
I confess, the glove box has quite often been a catchall in my car (the center storage area still is, but that’s another post for another day!). I’m sure I’m not the only one who has opened their car glove box to find it bursting at the seams with clutter. The problem, at least for me, is the amount of papers I feel I *need* to keep in there. Of course, when you can’t find the one you need or you are having to put your full body weight into the door to get it to re-close? You have a problem.
A Happy, Organized Glove Box
Enter the accordion file and organized bliss:
I divided all of my papers into piles and came up with 9 categories – leaving me with 3 sections available for later.
At the very front I have my insurance paperwork followed by the car registration information. To me these are the most important in case of an emergency or a police checkpoint or (fingers crossed this one isn’t necessary) being pulled over. I want these front & center so I have immediate access to them.
Next I file my latest inspection certificate and paperwork for our toll road pass (Quick Pass).
The other sections are mostly convenience and personal preference:
- Emergency Numbers. In the age of smart phones the latter might seem silly, but I find it handy to have a small print out with necessary numbers in case of an emergency. Create your own with this free printable.
- Car Seat Manuals. Most car seats have a spot to store these BUT it’s on the back which means it’s inaccessible when your child is front facing unless you unhook the seat. I have the manual for our daughter’s car seat and our son’s booster seat in this file where they are much more accessible and won’t get lost.
- Service Records. I don’t store every service record, but I do like to keep special ones for any major maintenance or a battery purchase. The battery receipt has helped me in the past obtain a free replacement battery when the current one is still under warranty. Some service centers or chains may have digital copies, but it’s always faster and easier when you are traveling to have that paper copy as proof.
- Coupons. Our dealership as well as local service center and oil change locations regularly send out coupons. I stick them here so I have them when I go in for a service. My last trip to the dealership I had a free oil change thanks to this!
- Directions. Again, this may seem unnecessary to some in this very techy age, but I do keep a state map in this spot and any directions I print that I think I’ll use more than one time. I do use the maps on my phone from time to time, but sometimes it is good to have something physical in hand.
The accordion file came with label stickers, but I created mine in Silhouette per this tutorial from Lauren at The Thinking Closet. Mine are printed on Silhouette white sticker paper. Don’t make my mistake though! I missed that she had a free cut file and created my own. Not a big deal, but if you just download hers you’ll save yourself a lot of time.
How do you organize your glove box? Do you have additional categories that would be good for this file system?
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