Third of young Brits call their car ‘a second home’ with change of clothes, snacks and deodorant, new study reveals
Almost a third of Gen Z claim their car is their ‘second home’ – and they keep a change of clothes, deodorant and snacks to hand.
A poll of 2,000 vehicle owners found 23 per cent of the younger generation use their motor for storing things – three times more than Boomers (seven per cent).
And while 31 per cent of Gen Z and 19 per cent of Millennials claim they spend so much time in their car it’s like their second home, less than one in 20 Boomers feel the same.
It also emerged phone chargers, wet wipes and carrier bags are among the top 40 things which permanently live in vehicles.
But while Gen Z are most likely to keep a travel cup, headphones and spare shoes in their car, Boomers are prepared with an A-Z map book and a first aid kit.
Drivers are also prepared for all bouts of weather, with an ice scraper and umbrella the two most popular items to store, followed by sunglasses and gloves.
With lip balm, a pair of shoes and a hairbrush to hand for any last-minute socialising.
A spokesperson for car brand Dacia, which commissioned the research alongside its AR app’s Boot Organiser tool, said: “Our cars have become an extension of our homes, so much so they’re becoming filled with lifestyle items.
“Gone are the days of just having a spare wheel and some de-icer in the boot, we like to feel prepared for all eventualities and carry the modern day essentials.
“We know how crowded people’s boots can get, whether it’s sports kits, children’s bikes or prams and walking boots or wellies, we hope to be able to assist optimising space.”
The research also found 41 per cent of owners have had to reconfigure items in their boot to fit things in when going on a holiday in the UK, taking an average of 18 minutes to do so.
Others have had to rearrange the space when taking rubbish to the tip (31 per cent), heading out on a day trip (26 per cent), and going to the airport (22 per cent).
With suitcases (26 per cent), bikes (17 per cent) and food shopping (16 per cent) the top things people struggle to fit into their car boot.
The OnePoll data also saw eight in 10 claim the size of a boot is important when choosing a new car, as 11 per cent admitted they often leave the house with everything ‘but the kitchen sink’.
Following the findings, professional organiser Vicky Silverthorn, has teamed up with Dacia to give drivers tips on how to pack their boot efficiently.
Vicky advises creating a checklist to tick off as you go and pack strategically, and said if you think twice about whether or not to bring something it’s likely it’s not actually needed.
And if you’re arriving at a destination late, make sure the items you’ll need are at the top of the luggage, such as wash bags.
Vicky said: “With summer approaching, suitcases will likely cause some issues for road trips.
“It’s best to put them in the boot sideways rather than stacking them and soft cases are great to fit around hard ones to optimise the space – I’ve been trying it out in the Dacia Bigster, and I have loads of room spare.
“We all know how tricky it can be when you’re going away and suddenly need to fill the car with everything you’ll need, be it kid’s toys and nappies or festival and camping gear.
“Remove the seasonal items you no longer require which seem to live in your boot – such as ice scrapers – and make room for what you know you’ll be using, like picnic blankets and beach towels.”
VICKY SILVERTHORN’S TOP 10 TIPS FOR PACKING A CAR BOOT
1. Be prepared: Create a ‘Packing Checklist’ of all the items you need. This helps ensure you do not forget anything and can actually help you pack more strategically.
2. When in doubt, boot it out: Think about what you actually need to bring with you. If you have to think twice, you probably don’t need it.
3. Wheely spacious: There’s probably more room in your car than you think. If you have space under the boot floor, use the spare wheel well for smaller items such as wellies.
4. Don’t stack, side pack: Pack suitcases sideways instead of stacking them. This way, you can easily slide out the ones you need without having to lift off any others.
5. Layer up: Pack heavier items on the bottom, working your way up in layers.
6. Don’t learn the hard way: Soft cases are great to fit around hard cases in a boot, optimising every inch of space.
7. Squeezy does it: Pack things tightly to avoid them sliding and moving around as you drive.
8. It’s child’s play: If you’re taking one, make sure your pushchair is easy to access if you need it on arrival.
9. Boot foresight: If you are arriving late at your destination always pack the items that you will need when you get there at the top such as wash bags.
10. Only the essentials: Use an easily accessible rucksack or storage container to hold key items that you can grab quickly such as chargers and headphones.