Three Easy Ways to Organize Your Car for Road Trips

Spring is here and that means road trips and new adventures. No matter where the road takes you, spending a little time getting organized before you head out will help make the journey more comfortable and a lot more fun.

Need maps or help with your travel plans? Check out AAA’s trusted TripTik Travel Planner – which allows you to create a personalized map using the online system & download the AAA Mobile app for the best gas prices along the way.

And be sure to stop by your local AAA Travel Store for a variety of excellent travel gear for your next getaway. From car and travel accessories to innovate luggage – we’ve got you covered!

Here are three travel essentials to help maximize space and keep your organized on your next road trip:

Eagle Creek Pack It Essential Set
AAA Member Price: $49.50

The Eagle Creek Pack It™ Essential Set is a must-have packing set for any road trip and includes the following three organizers:

Small Compressor Cube Perfect to maximize packing space and keep small items like socks from getting lost in the car – also handy to pack swimsuits and shorts so you can hit the beach running.
Clean/Dirty Cube This is my NEW favorite packing cube! It has a floating internal divider that creates two adjusting capacity compartments designed to lock in moisture/odors and separate clean from dirty items – perfect for on-the-road travel.
Shoe Sac Designed to contain shoes – up to men’s size 13 – and odors from the rest of your luggage. And- if you’re headed to the ocean – keep the sand on the beach – not in your bag thanks to this zippered organizer.

Available in Yellow, Blue and Moss and covered by Eagle Creek’s Lifetime Warranty.

BaGGALLINI OVERNIGHT BAG
AAA Member Price: $135.00

Short on trunk space? Large traditional suitcases can take up a lot of space – so consider soft-sided squishable totes or duffle bags to fill corners and small areas where suitcases just can’t fit.

Travel Tip: Keep a tote packed – and close by for easy access – with things you’ll need on the road like electronics, chargers, etc. And a good reminder: never leave anything valuable in your car when you’re not in it – for example when making quick stops at rest areas or restaurants along the way. Pack everything valuable in one bag so it’s easy to locate in a packed car and take with you for safe keeping.

The Baggallinni Overnight Tote is the answer to a one-bag item and it’s appropriately named– it’s the perfect size to fit everything needed for a short ‘overnight’ road trip – no suitcase needed. Three great features of this tote: a removeable RFID phone wristlet, a padded laptop pocket and a luggage sleeve to secure it over the handle of a larger rolling bag – just in case you need to pack more.

3-in-1 cargo cooler tote
AAA Member Price: $22.50

What’s a road trip without snacks? Perfect for a day trip to the farmers market or a cross-country adventure, the 3-in-1 Cargo Cooler features a zippered, insulated compartment for keeping food cold and two side compartments that can hold everything from a standard grocery bag to a must-have AAA emergency Roadside Kit.

Open or close the side fasteners to use it 3 ways: as a carry tote for one bag, a single tote with frozen food compartment, or two totes with frozen food compartment. Place an ice pack into the zip-close insulated compartment to keep chilled foods cold – perfect for picnics! And the mesh side pocket holds smaller items like utensils or maps for quick access.

When not in use, it easily folds down to a compact 10” x 12” size for out-of-the-way storage in the car or garage.