As the holidays creep up on us, you probably have at least one major shopping errand ahead. But as you’re checking off your list of gifts to get your loved ones, you’ll likely run into a major issue: trunk space. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to maximize your trunk space so you can get the holiday shopping done in as few trips as possible.
Prepare Your Trunk Space Ahead of Time
This may seem like obvious advice, but before you leave home, you should have your trunk prepared. This may mean doing things like emptying your trunk as much as possible before you go, but it can also mean putting down or even removing seats and consoles-more on that later. Your goal is to have as empty and open space as possible so that you’re not left scrambling in the parking lot when your packages are inevitably bigger than you initially thought.
How to Load Your Stuff Properly
Much like packing or playing Tetris, you need to think strategically about how your items will fit together. If you’re hitting multiple stores and driving between them, You’ll likely have to rearrange things a few times as the day goes on. Heavy stuff should go on the bottom so it doesn’t crush the delicate items you might pick up. But after that, start loading from biggest to smallest.
Look carefully at all of your packages. Square and rectangular boxes will fit together quite nicely in almost any arrangement that your trunk space allows for. But oddly shaped items have to be planned around. If they’re small, you can get away with tucking them between other boxes. However if you’re gifting something large and oddly-shaped, it may have to go in first.
Take Advantage of Any Bonus Compartments
Many cars come with bonus compartments. Pockets in the back of seats, center consoles with storage, cubbies in the trunk, and-if you’ve installed it- perhaps even a roof rack or roof bag. Depending on how large these compartments are, you may be able to squirrel away quite a bit in them. Try to get smaller items and oddly shaped packages in these compartments wherever possible so that the larger items can fit nicely in the main area of the trunk.
If you’re confident in your ability to tie down items to a roof rack safely or to load them into the roof bag, you can also fit some items up there, which will free up your trunk space for the trickiest and most demanding packages. If you go this route, try to plan your shopping ahead of time so that your roof items can be the last things you have to purchase and load. You don’t want to navigate extra parking lots and city streets with a roof load if you don’t have to.
Put Down the Back Seats
Sometimes, you’re purchasing a very large gift for someone. If that’s the case, the trunk space on its own likely isn’t sufficient. Familiarize yourself with the levers on your rear seats. If you’ve got a more open trunk, like my Subaru does, you’ll just have to flip your back seats down. They may lay entirely flat, but even if they don’t, it probably won’t be a problem. Or you may be able to remove them entirely! Other car models have fully enclosed trunks. If this sounds like your car, you may have to look for a keyhole to unlock the back seats.
Once you’ve laid the seats down, you should have plenty more square footage to work with. Continue to follow the Tetris-like rules for loading: biggest stuff first, look for ways to get items to fit together so there’s no empty space wasted, be creative and patient.
Keep Your Trunk Space Organized Year-Round
Finally, if your trunk is organized all the time, you’ll have a much easier time shopping during the holidays. There are a few essentials you should always have in your car: a fire extinguisher, an emergency tire repair kit, etc. These should be gathered into a single box. This way, they don’t take up the whole trunk. Plus, they won’t slide around recklessly while you drive.
If there are other items you want to keep in your trunk regularly, like reusable shopping bags or an umbrella, think about how to store them securely. Consider utilizing a trunk organizer to keep them contained and leave plenty of space for groceries, luggage, or shopping bags.
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