Best Car Trunk Organizers: Straighten It Up

Top 8 Best Car Trunk Organizers

There are few irritants more exasperating in a car than listening to the rattle and swoosh of items rolling around in the cargo area of that vehicle. Whether it’s a bag of groceries or a box of tools, objects sliding to and fro with each turn of the steering wheel is an annoyance beyond compare.

Trunk organizers come in all shapes and sizes, so we’ve amassed a list of eight to help you get a grip on what’s available. With one of these cargo carriers keeping a lid on things, one should never have to again hear the disheartening ‘sploosh’ of a jug of milk breaking open.

Here's a sturdy option that can fold itself up like an Autobot and deployed in one of a few different sizes. It features compartments to keep your gear separate and exterior pockets for items that require quick access. Made from high-quality polyester material, this carrier is advertised to have "unbreakable" metal handles. Most of us consider such a statement to be a challenge.

Its dividers are made of a high-density board that is more firm and sturdy than simple fabric. In addition, the product features a water-resistant surface to help repel water as well as a non-slip bottom to prevent sliding. Most customers were pleased with their purchase, citing good build quality and handy size flexibility.

Half a dozen mesh pockets comprise this sub-$10 option, advertised as bearing a couple of anti-slip Velcro strips on its bottom to keep the thing from slipping around. Measuring just under two feet long and half a foot wide, this organizer weighs less than a pound. Whether that's good or not for durability is up for debate.

Buyers report in their feedback that this organizer "sticks to the carpet very well" thanks to those Velcro strips. Some carping was registered about its depth - or lack thereof - not permitting a large spray bottle or aerosol can to stand upright.

Here's a neat solution to make the cargo area of your touring bike look like something normally found in a police or private eye fleet. This organizer attaches to the underside of a Goldwing's cargo lid, permitting your items to live off the floor, freeing up space for other detritus.

It's a three-piece modular design and intended to fit the cargo can of a Goldwing bike. Customers report it is "well worth the money" and "easy to install", both of which are good votes of confidence. The downside? You have to ride a Goldwing to use it.

Do you like blinding patterns to go with your trunk organizer? Then a company called Orionstar has a solution for you. This unit folds out to about two feet long and a foot square in terms of depth and height. The manic chevron patterns only make it look like it's taking up your entire cargo area.

Pockets prevent tiny items from sliding and outside mesh pockets allow you to see items to which you want quick access. A detachable and portable cooler bag is included and made of 0.3-inch foam material. The cooler's heat-sealing process has no seams, meaning it shouldn't leak like a basket if liquid spills inside.

Advertised as a 4-in-1, this organizer is lined on the inside with water-resistant umbrella-like material to guard against spills and splashes. It can be sized into one of four configurations, including an insulated leak-proof cooler bag. Again, we take that as a challenge.

Loops and fasteners and V-Straps sound like big fun until you realize they're only used to keep the organizer from moving around in your car's cargo area. Placing the word 'tuff' as a prefix to the word 'Viking' seems superfluous, by the way, as your author has never met a 'not-tuff' Viking. Or any Viking, for that matter.

Offered in a trio of colors - black, blue, and red bordeaux - this two-foot-long organizer is packed with plenty of compartments in which to sort life's rubbish. It can be folded up (relatively) flat or half compressed to a foot in length. The ads boasts of 'extra stitching' and 'durable polyester' in its description of robustness.

One side of the tote has three compartments to organize items while the other is a large open area featuring a pair of removable sub-dividers. A non-skid waterproof bottom floor is designed to prevent cargo from sliding. Outside there are 10 pockets and two strong handles.

The art style of cubism is generally associated with Picasso but, in this case, we'll apply it to this pair of trunk organizers. Structured side and front panels permit the things to stand upright on their own, while a leak-resistant vinyl lining keep liquids contained after The Kid fires their water bottle in it without tightening the cap.

Each basket measures about a foot in all three directions, making for a neat cube that can take up residence either in the trunk on a semi-permanent basis or in the back seat on a road trip. Two metal grommet handles make it easy to carry the CargoCube from the house to the car and, in a fit of practicality, the seller suggests buyers take a folded CargoCube into the grocery store to use at checkout.

As one of the largest organizers on this list, the Rigid-Base stretches 38 inches long and 15 inches deep. Note, however, that it is only 7 inches tall; some taller items may flop over unexpectedly. It features a rigid base, hence the name, and a fold-flat design for easy storage.

Non-slip material prevents sliding during sudden stops or fast cornering, the latter of which is not likely to be executed by most drivers of a family crossover. Moveable interior dividers, sturdy handles, and exterior mesh pockets add to convenience and storage options.

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(Editor’s note: This post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our ‘90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you don’t find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)

[Product images provided by the manufacturer.]