GO TIP #3: PREVENTING CAR PILE-UPS (Step 2 of 3)
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Step 2: Deploy Basket Therapy
Hands up those who like to clean off their passenger seat, while your passenger stands by watching you!
It used to happen all the time to me, but usually the person was someone that I didn’t have to impress (like my mother or my dog).
Once however, I was driving out of a hotel parkade after attending a seminar. As I drove by the lobby, I noticed that the seminar speaker was having trouble hailing a cab. I stopped to see if I could help, and he asked if I was heading in his direction. Then I thought about the condition of the inside of my car and was starting to feel embarrassed, that I had missed a chance to be gracious to this successful man.
Fortunately this occurred about a year after I had deployed basket therapy in my car, so all I had to do was remove one basket from the passenger seat (which contains items I need handy), and told him that I’d be delighted to give him a ride.
We had a great talk about business and a few years later I did some productivity consulting for his company.
Would it have gone as smoothly if I had to start out by apologizing for the mess in my car – I have kids, I’m very busy, it’s been hectic…(yadayada)? Maybe so, but I’m glad I didn’t have to find out!
The Cure: My most effective tool against office clutter works for cars too – use a sturdy plastic basket to act as the go-between your car and your home or office.
Stack a few baskets in your trunk to contain stuff there too, or to handle the excess purchases from Costco or Canadian Tire. If you still listen to tapes or CDs while you drive, have a smaller basket just for these, which can live between the front seats or behind the driver’s seat.
You don’t have to spend a lot to deploy Basket Therapy — Ikea has great blue plastic ‘plunks’ in a few different sizes, in their children’s department for about $3 each.
More Car Pile-up Prevention coming your way…stay tuned.