I used to treat my car’s glove box like a junk drawer. Receipts, coins, paperwork, snacks, and anything else I didn’t want sitting on the seats would eventually end up in there.
It seemed like a convenient place to keep things out of sight. But after thinking more about what happens inside a parked car, I realized the glove box isn’t the safe storage spot I had assumed it was.
A glove compartment can get extremely hot or cold, and it’s also one of the first places a thief may check during a break-in. Some things can be damaged by the temperature, while others could create a security or safety problem if they’re left behind.
Here are eight things I now keep out of my glove box.
Important Documents
Keeping insurance papers, registration, and other paperwork in the glove box seems completely normal. The problem is that these documents can contain personal information that you probably don’t want sitting in your car.
If someone breaks into your vehicle, the glove box is an obvious place to look. Losing paperwork with your name, address, policy information, or other details can create headaches long after the broken window has been repaired.
I keep only the documents I actually need in the car and leave anything else at home in a secure document organizer.
Related: 15 Important Documents You Should Never Throw away
Spare Change
A handful of coins may seem too insignificant for anyone to bother stealing, but loose change can still attract attention during a break-in.
I used to toss spare coins into the glove box whenever I had them. Before long, I’d have a little pile sitting there. It was convenient, but there was really no reason to leave money in a place that could be searched by someone who gets into the car.
Now I either bring my change inside or keep it somewhere less obvious. A small zippered coin pouch is an easy way to keep loose coins together without turning the glove box into a mini cash drawer.
Aerosol Cans
Deodorant, hairspray, spray cleaners, and other aerosol products are better left at home.
A car can become extremely hot when it sits in direct sunlight, and pressurized aerosol cans aren’t meant to sit in those conditions for long periods. High temperatures can cause the contents to expand and may lead to leaks or other problems.
I’d rather keep these products indoors and put one in the car only when I actually need it. That also saves me from finding a sticky mess inside the glove compartment later.
Medications
Leaving medicine in the glove box can be tempting, especially if you take it during the day or want to have it handy while driving.
The problem is that many medications have storage requirements, and extreme temperatures can affect them. A car parked outside on a hot day can become much warmer than the recommended storage temperature for many medicines. Cold weather can also cause problems for certain products.
If I need medication while I’m out, I prefer to carry it with me instead of leaving it in the car. An insulated travel medication case can also help protect temperature-sensitive items during a trip.
Personal Care Products
Sunscreen, lotion, makeup, lip balm, and similar products can take a beating inside a hot car.
Heat can cause makeup to melt, lotions to separate, and sunscreen to change in texture. Products stored in the glove box can also leak and leave behind an unpleasant mess.
I’ve found it easier to keep these things in a small bag that I can take with me. That way, I’m not leaving them in the car for hours and then discovering that something has melted the next time I open the glove compartment.
Electronics and Batteries
Phones, power banks, spare batteries, and other small electronics don’t belong in a hot glove box for long periods.
Extreme heat can be hard on batteries and may cause them to lose capacity or, in some cases, swell or leak. Cold temperatures can also affect how electronic devices perform.
A glove box keeps these items hidden, but it doesn’t shield them from the temperature inside the vehicle.
I now take electronics and spare batteries with me instead of leaving them behind. If I’m carrying several small devices and cables, a protective tech organizer makes it easier to keep everything together.
Snacks
Keeping a few snacks in the car sounds like a great idea until you open the glove box and find a melted granola bar or a bag of crumbs.
Food can spoil, melt, leak, or attract insects when left inside a vehicle. Even packaged snacks can become unpleasant after sitting through repeated hot and cold temperatures.
I’ll bring snacks along for a road trip or a day out, but I try to take any leftovers with me when I leave the car. It takes a few seconds and keeps the glove box from becoming a hiding place for forgotten food.
Plastic Water Bottles
A plastic bottle of water seems harmless enough to leave in the car, but prolonged exposure to high temperatures isn’t ideal.
The heat can affect the taste of the water and the condition of the bottle. Rather than leaving disposable bottles sitting in the glove box, I prefer to carry water with me in a reusable, insulated stainless steel water bottle.
It keeps the water cooler and gives me something I can wash and reuse instead of constantly leaving plastic bottles in the car.
The glove box is useful for a few car-related items, but I’ve stopped treating it like a storage drawer. Keeping personal documents, food, electronics, medication, and other temperature-sensitive items somewhere else makes much more sense. It also means there’s less clutter to sort through the next time I need something from the glove compartment.
