Back to School (Part 1): Tips to Starting Off the Year Right!

It's hard to believe that so much of this year has already flown by, but alas, it's already back-to-school season! This year is special because we're seeing more students going back to in-person learning, meaning that everyone has to be looking and feeling their best! What's that phrase that everyone says? You only look as good as your car?

In any case, if it's you that's going back to school or moving back to college, a son or daughter, maybe you're even just going back to work, here are some easy tips to keeping your car clean and, in return, letting you feel a little more put together!

Though you should be keeping a clean environment for the most part, allow this time of the year to do a good, deep clean in order to start this year on the right foot and make it a good one! The easiest way to ease yourself into this mode is to do a sweep of the inventory of your car: collect the trash, the empty water bottles and leftover wrappers, put aside the sweatshirts and articles of clothing that seem to float in and out, the extra pair of shoes in your backseat, a spare blanket or two, that bag for goodwill, or whatever the case may be! Clean it up, organize it, put it off to the side. Gather your chargers and your extra cords, the glove compartment contents and anything else that you might have missed: organize, put to the side. Anything that you want to keep can be put back after a quick vacuum of the inside and some carpet care.

Don't neglect the inside of your windows during your cleaning, not now or ever! The inside of your windows is pretty much just as important as the outside, ESPECIALLY if you have pets! It keeps the appearance looking fresh both inside and outside!

I highly recommend keeping a bottle or two of water in your car, a pack of gum or some mints, a small pad of paper and pen, a first aid kit, a charged portable charger and a list of emergency numbers (ya know, because who has anyone's number memorized these days) somewhere in your car. You never know when you're going to need it and smaller items such as these are easy to stow away, so nothing really clutters. 

Another blog on this site explains why hand washing your vehicle rather than going through a car wash is more beneficial. Pre-start of school year, put aside two hours to really put some elbow grease into the maintenance of the outside of the car. Make it shine and sparkle like you just drove off the lot!

It's not the most crucial part of going back to school, or work, or even just another day of waking up. But little tasks such as the upkeep of your car can make you feel productive and put together. And, at the end of the day, isn't all that anyone wants is to feel successful?

Happy Detailing!