Organize to Revitalize! » Car Organization

How to Be a More Efficient Driver

Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:14 +0000

I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and introducing you to new guest authors, like today’s blogger, Jane Simpson. She has advice on how you can improve gas mileage just by being a bit more organized.

Organization and efficiency will go a long way toward making each tank of gas stretch as far as possible. Many consumers think that buying a new car is the only way to achieve better gas mileage, but this is completely untrue. Several simple tricks can improve gas mileage significantly and reduce the amount of money that must be spent on fuel.

Plan Travel Wisely. Planning all travel, whether daily errands or a huge vacation, can result in greater fuel efficiency. The following ideas are a great place to start:

• Combine errands along the same route so that several may be accomplished in one trip.

• Use a GPS unit to find the shortest route and help with traffic problems along the way, or carefully mark out a longer trip with an atlas.

• Consider public transportation, car pooling, walking, or biking as options for each trip.

• Pack as lightly as possible and ditch the excess baggage, as any additional weight in a car can reduce gas mileage.

• Make trips during the times of least traffic congestion to prevent wasting gasoline while idling.

Maintain the Vehicle Properly. No matter what type of vehicle you drive, it will get better gas mileage if you keep it in excellent working order. The following actions are especially important to help the engine get the best fuel efficiency:

• Air up those tires according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Clean filters on a regular schedule.

• Stick with the recommended oil grade.

• Have regular tune-ups to keep spark plugs and sensors working effectively.

Improve Driving Habits. Even with organization, wise planning and proper vehicle maintenance, drivers may not get the top mileage from their automobile if they have developed poor driving patterns. The following aspects of driving will make a great difference in how far that tank of gas will actually go:

• Keep the vehicle moving at a constant speed as much as possible; this may mean keeping a greater distance between your car and the next vehicle and closely watching the road ahead.

• Keep speed under sixty miles an hour, even when driving on the open road.

• If the vehicle has overdrive, use it.

• Turn the air conditioning off whenever feasible.

• Turn the engine off when waiting in lines or stuck in traffic jams.

• Skip the fill-ups; instead, lighten the vehicle’s weight by keeping less gas in the tank.

In addition to these bits of advice, using cruise control can sometimes increase fuel efficiency, and using it frequently almost always teaches the driver to maintain a constant speed. Drivers should also work on coasting as they approach a traffic light or stop sign.

Making these practices habitual will keep gas in your tank longer and put extra money back into your pocket.

About the Author

Jane Simpson enjoys the challenge of getting more miles out of each gallon of gas. She writes for an auto loan calculator website and loves learning new habits to save money.

Can You Really Prepare for a Car Break-In?

Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:53:38 +0000

A few weeks ago, some wonderful person flung a brick through my car window while I was working with a client, and attempted to steal a tote bag on the back seat. My car was parked in front of the client’s home and we both heard it when it happened. But, when we didn’t hear an alarm or any other sounds, we went right back to re-designing her game/TV room. Fortunately for me, someone witnessed the brick throwing incident and called me as well as the police. I can’t really describe the how I felt but let’s just say that I wasn’t happy.

There were a few things that made this a little easier to deal with, things you may want to consider if this ever happens to you.

· Valuables. There was nothing of high value left in the car. My phone, GPS, purse, and work bag were all with me inside the client’s home. This was a HUGE plus.

· Vehicle Docs. Once the police arrived, the first things they asked for were my license, registration, and insurance papers. My license was inside my wallet (which was in my purse) and the other two docs were in a labeled plastic envelope inside the glove compartment. Thank goodness I didn’t have to go searching these items…though I have heard that the registration should be kept in your wallet or purse. True?

· Knowledge. I know my car. I know what’s inside and where I keep things. When I was asked to look through the car and trunk to see if anything was missing, I could tell straight away if that was the case. Because I keep my valuables with me, the only other things were items that could be easily replaced (e.g., post-its, pens, invoices, garbage bags, face masks, etc.).

There was one particular thing that I normally do that, on the day in question, I didn’t do. Remember that tote bag I mentioned? I usually put everything that I’m not keeping with me in the trunk. On this day, I left the bag on the back seat. Inside were a few books, a container of vitamins, my iPhone ear buds, and some pens…but if I hadn’t left the bag in there, my brick experience would not have happened.

Out of this negative experience, there were some positives…

As it turned out, the brick-thrower realized that there wasn’t much in the bag and dropped it. So, I have my tote bag back, though it repulses me that someone’s grubby hands were all over it.

…after riding around with a garbage bag for a window (my client taped it on while I was talking with the insurance company…), I was happy to have my window replaced in just three days…

…there was an outpouring of concern from several friends…so many people checked in on me…did I mention how helpful my client was? After taping up my window, she put my phone & GPS chargers in the glove compartment…

The biggest positive: NO ONE GOT HURT. This was the best possible outcome.

…though I would recommend that anyone in this situation have some tissues handy…for the unexpected tears that come when it’s all over.

Quick Tip: Organize Your Back End

Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® — Tue, 04 May 2010 09:00:10 +0000

Ok, so how many of you thought this would be a post about organizing your bum? You probably thought I had one too many cups of coffee (or some other plant-based product) because, really, how on earth would one go about doing that? Maybe you thought I meant the back end of your website, but I’m not that clever. ;)

I actually meant that you should take some time to organize the storage unit that many of us carry around on a regular basis – the trunk of your car (well, maybe I’m a little clever). Don’t you just hate hearing things bounce around back there while you’re driving? I’m sure it’s no picnic either when you’re looking for something.

There are a couple easy solutions for keeping things that you frequently need on your day-to-day travels (for me, that’s office supplies, extra invoices, gloves, garbage bags, etc.). Here are two options…

Keep a trunk organizer permanently in the trunk of your car to store things you need often, or for your grocery/supply runs. The compartmentalized organizer allows many things to fit nicely inside by category, including toys, books, car maintenance items, first aid kit, sports equipment, etc. If you keep the opposite side of the organizer clutter free, life will be easier when it’s time to put luggage or other bulky items in.

Not fond of the compartments? A Rubbermaid laundry basket just might do the trick! You can still use it keep your grocery bags steady and easily take them inside your house. Note: If you use the basket for toys, diapers, etc., you may find yourself digging to get to things at the bottom. Even if everything is thrown in, they will be nicely contained and not strewn about.

Quick Tip: “The Pump & Dump”

Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:51:07 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

“Trash on your dash? Junk in your trunk? Do the pump-n-dump –> when you stop for gas, tidy up your car.”

Like my little rhyme? Well, I really can’t take credit for it. I heard it from another professional organizer, Geralin Thomas, on Twitter today and thought it was fabulous! That little jingle makes a point that I tell my clients all the time: just a few organizing minutes a day goes a long way…see, I can rhyme, too. =)

Since many of us spend so much time in our cars, we have to stop for gas at some point. Why not “pump n dump” like Geralin (a.k.a. @metrozing) says? It’s quick and easy so give it a try…and next time I see Geralin, we’re gonna put that jingle to music…we’re thinking classical.

Do you have a little jingle or saying that helps you stay organized? Let’s hear it!

Weed out clutter’s roots (thestar.com)
Stuck with a tiny closet? Here’s a solution (timesunion.com)
Interview With Monica Ricci, Atlanta’s Organizing Expert (dallisonlee.com)
Fact Friday: Organizers Love What They Do (dallisonlee.com)

Ever Get a Flat Tire?

Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:44:00 +0000

Getting a flat tire is probably inevitable for most drivers but when it does happen, it can be a very stressful situation. I discovered this all too well yesterday. My Volkswagen Jetta actually gave me the “heads up” by showing the “inflation pressure” warning light on my instrument panel. Of course, I had no idea what it meant when I first saw it, but I soon learned exactly what my car was trying to tell me.*

So, what do you do when you have a flat tire? Well, if you’re like me, you call someone who can help. That might be AAA but in my case I called Bill Banford of Sharper Cut, Inc. What he did in the space of 10 minutes was priceless. He brought a jumper pack with compressor and my flat tire was soon road ready again.

Afterwards, I started thinking about the types of things that we all should probably keep in our cars just in case something happens, including a flat tire. It’s great to have a blanket, water, flashlight with extra batteries, and first aid kit. Here are a few more things you might want to have around.

1. Portable Jumper Pack with Compressor

Don’t let a flat tire get you down! Be sure to have a portable jumper Pack with compressor handy. This unit inflate your tires, jump start your car, and also features a built-in work light. The model shown is the Energizer 84020 12V All-In-One Jump-Start System with Built-In Air Compressor and Power Inverter and currently sells for $124.93.

2. Collision Kit

Do you know what to do if you have an accident? During extremely tense moments like these, you need to be calm and yet act quickly. That’s where the Collision Kit comes in.

It contains pre-formatted forms (for collecting insurance information, name, license plate number, and phone numbers), a pen, mini-clipboard, an envelope (for storing insurance and registration papers), and a disposable camera to photograph any damage (just in case your cell phone is dead).

The kit is compact enough to fit in your glove compartment. Purchase your kit for just $19.95. It’s definitely worth it!

3. Rain-X

I keep this product in my trunk organizer for those days when I know it’s going be raining heavily. Sometimes our windshield wipers don’t work as well we want them to (not my Jetta, of course).

Rain-X improves visibility when driving in wet weather once it’s properly applied to your exterior glass. Get Rain X wipes for under $6. Don’t forget to turn on your headlights!

*Lesson learned: Listen to Your Car.