When it comes to organization, most people tend to focus on their living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. But there's one storage space that's often neglected: the trunk of your car. A trunk organizer can help you make the most of this space.
Trunk Organizers For Grocery And Road Trip Storage: How Trunk Organizers Keep Your Topples and Clutters in Check
Whether you need to organize groceries or keep toys and snacks within easy reach during road trips, an organizer bin can help. We tested several models to find out which ones actually work well. Most organizers for car trunks are made out of plastic - ranging from flimsy polypropylene to sturdier BPA-free plastic. They tend to come in various sizes, though the larger models are usually more expensive.
Some trunk organizers have multiple compartments, which allows you to divide up items you need to keep separate. Look for organizers that are see-through so you can easily locate items while driving. We recommend finding one or two bins that fits your needs and stowing them in your car.
Whether you need to corral grocery bags, keep cooler bags within easy reach or prevent loose items from turning into airborne projectiles during braking, a bin can help keep order in your vehicle. There's nothing worse than pulling over to dig around your trunk and watching a cup or bag roll away just as you close the trunk lid. And definitely nothing worse than hearing things tumble around as you drive - wondering whether or not they will fly into your head as you brake.
Trunk organizers are designed to prevent all of this with varying levels of success. The best ones stabilize contents and fit neatly into the trunk without eating up too much room. Some even clip onto the walls of the trunk to ensure they stay put.
What you have to understand is that the material of the organizer matters because a flimsy bin will flex and deform under a heavy load and so the walls will bow outward and your items will tip over anyway, and that defeats the whole reason you bought the organizer. The simple fact is that a thicker-walled bin holds its shape better when you load it with heavy grocery items like canned goods or bottles, and so checking the wall thickness before you buy is a step most people skip but should not skip.
Keep in mind that clips or straps that attach to the trunk walls or to the cargo hooks in your trunk are one of the most useful features you can look for, because without them even a heavy organizer will creep forward during hard braking and your items will still spill. A common mistake people make is assuming the weight of the contents alone will keep the organizer in place, and that is not reliable, especially on longer road trips with frequent stops.
What To Look For in Trunk Organizers for Grocery and Road Trip Storage
The best trunk organizers provide structure and storage without taking up too much room. Some trunk organizers have multiple compartments, allowing you to separate valuables or stow items such as phone chargers, snack stashes or GPS units for quick access. Models with locking lids are great for securing valuables. But since most trunk organizers are made of some type of plastic, it's important to consider quality.
Look for BPA-free plastic rather than flimsy polypropylene. Also pay attention to design. The best organizers are versatile enough to store a variety of items, such as coolers - duffel bags, beach chairs, change purses, shopping lists, sunglasses - grocery bags, beachballs and fanny packs.
What you have to understand is that the size of your trunk matters a lot before you buy anything and so you should measure your trunk floor before you order, because a bin that is too wide will shift sideways on turns and a bin that is too tall will block your rear view when you fold seats down. The simple fact is that most people skip this step and then return the organizer because it does not fit right, and that is a very common and very avoidable mistake.
Keep in mind that a lid or cover on your organizer matters more than most buyers expect, because items left visible in a trunk can attract unwanted attention when your car is parked, and a solid or opaque lid helps with that problem. On top of that, look at whether the organizer has any non-slip material on the bottom, because a smooth plastic base on a smooth trunk liner will slide around every time you brake or turn, and that defeats the whole purpose of having the organizer in the first place.
Best Overall Trunk Organizer: TRUNKCRATEPRO Trunk Organizer (Large)
The TRUNKCRATEPRO Trunk Organizer (Large) is our top pick because of its roomy interior, rugged construction and affordable price. Made out of BPA-free plastic, it's sturdy enough to hold up under heavy use. We particularly like that it has two interior compartments for separating smaller items from larger ones.
The TRUNKCRATEPRO Trunk Organizer is designed to fit into virtually any size trunk. Its dimensions measure 38½ inches long by 14¾ inches wide by 9¾ inches tall. The manufacturer recommends hosing it off to remove dirt and debris. It's priced at $39.99.
Best Value Trunk Organizer: HOTOR Trunk Organizer
The HOTOR Trunk Organizer is the cheapest of the three by a wide margin, at around $14. Though it isn't as substantial as the TRUNKCRATEPRO - we still found it to be a sturdy organizer perfect for storing groceries or toys. It has a 60-lb weight rating.
It measures slightly larger than the TRUNKCRATEPRO at 39¼ inches long by 14¾ inches wide by 11¼ inches tall. However, it doesn't offer any internal dividers. The manufacturer suggests cleaning it with warm water and mild soap.
TSA Tips for Travelling with Liquids and Electronics
You're allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint. These are limited to 3.4 ounces or less per item. This is also known as the 3-1-1 liquids rule. You don't need to remove your laptop from your bag - provided it can still be screened separately from other items.
Other large electronic devices such as e-readers, cameras and video cameras must be removed from your bag and screened separately from other items. If you have any concerns about the security of any electronic devices, you can ask to have them hand-inspected instead of X-rayed. You don't need to remove small electronics such as phones, keys and small cameras from your bag.
Travellers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a fee to verify their identity through TSA's identity verification option.
The simple fact is that this section about TSA rules does not directly relate to trunk organizers for grocery or road trip storage, and so if you landed here looking for packing tips for your car trunk rather than airport security rules, the other sections of this guide are the ones that apply to your situation. Keep in mind that road trip packing and air travel packing follow very different rules and the two should not be confused when you are deciding what to bring and how to store it.
Best for Small Trunks: Bag-It Organizer Trunk Pack
The Bag-It Organizer Trunk Pack is slim enough to fit in small trunks yet roomy enough to store a surprising amount of contents. Made out of heavy-duty polyester - it consists of two main compartments that can be separated by a removable divider. There's also a zippered pocket perfect for holding smaller valuables. The entire pack can be cleaned with a damp towel.
Its measurements are a trim 34 inches long by 14¼ inches wide by 11¼ inches tall. The manufacturer suggests using it to hold everything from golf clubs to school books.
The simple fact is that fabric organizers like this one are easier to fold flat and store when you need the full trunk space for a large load, and that is a real advantage over rigid plastic bins that take up room even when they are empty. But keep in mind that fabric sides do not hold their shape as well as plastic when the organizer is only partially full, so your items can still shift around inside if you do not pack the bag reasonably full.
On top of that, if you are using a fabric organizer for groceries, you should know that spills from leaking containers will soak into the fabric and can be harder to clean fully than a smooth plastic surface, and so a fabric organizer may not be the best choice if you regularly transport raw meat or liquids that could leak. For most people a fabric organizer works fine for dry goods and general road trip items, but for wet or messy loads a plastic bin with a smooth interior is easier to wipe down and keep sanitary.
What People Get Wrong
A lot of people think any bin or box will work as a trunk organizer, but the common mistake is using a bin with no way to anchor it to the trunk, and so the bin itself becomes the loose item that slides around and tips over. Your organizer needs either a non-slip base or some kind of clip or strap to stay put. On top of that, people often buy an organizer that is too large for their actual trunk and then find it blocks the trunk from closing fully or blocks the spare tire access panel, and that is a real problem if you get a flat. Another thing people get wrong is thinking a trunk organizer will work just as well as a cooler for keeping food cold, and that is not true at all because a plain plastic or fabric bin has no insulation and food will not stay at a safe temperature in a warm trunk. Keep in mind that a trunk organizer is for keeping things tidy and stable and it is not a substitute for a proper insulated bag or cooler when you are transporting perishable groceries.
What This Does Not Cover
This guide covers general trunk organizers for everyday grocery runs and road trips and it does not cover specialty cargo solutions like roof boxes, hitch-mounted cargo carriers, or heavy-duty truck bed organizers, and those are different products for different needs. The advice here also does not apply if you are transporting hazardous materials, medical equipment, or anything that has its own legal or safety storage requirements, and for those situations you should talk to the relevant authority or a professional before you decide how to store things in your vehicle. If you have a vehicle with an unusual trunk shape, a very small boot, or a trunk that doubles as a seating area, you may need to get advice specific to your vehicle rather than relying on general sizing guidance here.
