Clean It Up
To start, remove the clutter and wash the car inside and out, springing for a detailing job. Don’t eat or drink in the car, but if you need your daily jolt of caffeine, carry your coffee in a travel cup. Nothing looks worse than a car full of trash. If you have face-to-face interactions with customers, the first thing they’ll see is your car pulling up, and you want that car to say professionalism. It’ll also give you enough space for the next few steps.
Get Wired
Your car can accommodate several electronic devices useful for business, from your laptop to scanners to printers and more. Many modern cars have USB ports to accommodate phones, but they can also charge other devices. If you don’t have a USB port, an inverter will let you plug into the cigarette lighter and charge away. Keep in mind that your car battery won’t provide infinite energy, and you can either drain the charge away or waste gas to keep it charged. Go easy on the juice, and consider investing in a more powerful car battery just in case. And don’t forget the need for Wi-Fi. Turn your phone into a hotspot, pick up a mobile hotspot, or figure out a map of places where you can get free Wi-Fi around your region.
Mount Up!
Speaking of laptops, the lack of a desk puts stress on your back and eyes if you try to fumble with it in your actual lap. Pick up a laptop mount for your steering wheel to hold it or your tablet in place. For added comfort, make your passenger seat your desk with an adjustable laptop mount that clips to the dashboard. Incidentally, the glove compartment makes a good place to stow away that mobile printer or scanner.
File Under “Organized”
While thinking about how to work out of your car, you might worry about space. But there’s actually more room in a car than you might think, and if you’re the sole passenger, you can devote more to your work. Keep things in order by sticking a couple of car organizers in the trunk, accompanied by a car safe. Make the trunk organizers the area for extra stationery and files you need but not right away. For documents and forms you need close at hand, as well as pens, pencils, and other implements, hang a pair of front seat organizers.
