Alternatives
While manuals may have their place, consider whether or not the one for yours is in the front dash compartment typically used as the default location. Personally, I rarely need mine. On the rare occasion I need to reference the material, chances are I’m using my smartphone to do so. While there may come a time when I need to solve a car situation without cell service, odds are it won’t make a difference if my manual is in the glove box or stored in the back pocket of the driver’s seat.Strategy
Once you’ve committed to building a better glove box, spend a bit of time thinking about how you and your family might get the most out of the transition. People spend a great deal of time in their vehicles, so putting as much effort into planning how you will organize it as you do planning your kitchen and pantry functionality certainly isn’t out of line. Anything you or a family member find yourself struggling to grab quickly on a regular basis is fair game for your glove box efforts.Charging cables and a small kit of emergency essentials are on the short list for my husband and me. After-school snacks and sticky pads for teacher notes might be top picks for your household. Items you rarely need, but still prefer to have in your vehicle can be relocated to other areas within the automobile.
Suggestions
For those interested in stocking for more significant emergencies, online videos abound for supply stashes stored in repurposed Altoid tins. Things like wire saws, small fire-starting kits, electrical tape and lengths of parachute cord all regularly make the cut for these kits. If you are opting to carry these sorts of survival items in the front storage compartment, you may also want to include a pair of the box’s actual namesake. Gloves.Need to keep things even thriftier? The dental hygiene kits in the travel section of the personal care department come in sturdy clear pouches with an easy top closure. I save and set them aside for supplemental emergency kits. Stocked with things like small adhesive bandages, cotton swabs and alcohol wipes, they can provide basic wound support without needing to dig in the back for the more extensive first-aid box. You can also create other types of kits you might find helpful to have stashed in your glove compartment, such as basic office items like paper clips and skinny notepads with an ink pen refill, or a grooming kit with a small comb, hair ties and a barrette or two.
Bottom line? Your vehicle’s glove box is prime organizational real estate, and treating it like the road trip equivalent of a desk organizer might mean travel meltdowns are now in your rearview mirror.
