Prep Your Vehicle For Back-To-School Carpool

It’s that time of the year when school supplies, dance lessons, and carpool once again reign supreme for parents in Hattiesburg. Use these tips to get your car ready for this year’s carpool lane and kid shuffle!

Remove Unnecessary Items

Over time, you’re bound to accumulate items in the trunk that you no longer need. If your car is loaded down with the kids’ gear from summer camps, sports gear they no longer use, or an old car seat that your child has outgrown, remove these items and free up the extra space! Not only will decluttering give you more passenger and cargo space, but it could improve your mileage if the extra stuff you were carrying was quite heavy.

Do a Deep Clean

Sometimes, starting with a freshly cleaned car is the springboard you need to start the school year off on the right foot. Whether you bust out the cleaning supplies and tackle a DIY detail, or take your car in to let a professional handle the detail for you, make sure your car gets a good scrub inside and out before the craziness of carpools and the after-school-activity-shuffle starts again.

Make an Ongoing Organization Plan

Once your car has been reset and is super clean, create a plan to keep it as clean and organized as possible during the hustle and bustle of the school year. Though sticking to the plan exactly will never be possible because life happens, having a plan you can follow loosely will go a long way. A few ideas tidy include:

• Using a handheld car vacuum to tackle crumbs and dust once a week
• Wiping down surfaces inside the car once a week
• Spray cloth seats with fabric freshener a few times a week
• Keep pop-up bins in the back seat and trunk to corral clutter as it appears, and empty them once a week
• Do a full detail at the end of each semester on breaks to reset for the next semester

Plan the Carpool Route

If you find yourself driving several miles out of the way to pick up everyone in the carpool, consider ways that the route could be more efficient. Is there a way to reduce how far out of the way you have to go? Can you find a different carpool group that more aligns with your route to school and your kids’ after-school activities? If not, at least consider using an app like GasBuddy to find the cheapest gas in your neighborhood.

Get Regular Tune-Ups

Staying on top of routine maintenance like oil changes, tire rotations, and alignments will help keep your car efficient and safe all year long. Schedule your next automotive service at Walt Massey Chevrolet today!