What do you store in your FRONT center console ?

[BigOleFordFan]

Just curious about this, because after riding around with some friends the past few weeks that have various Expy's or similar vehicles, I've noticed that some of them put very little in their center consoles, while others have it stuffed/overstuffed with all kinds of misc. stuff....

(note that in my '011 EL, the console is cavernous, unlike some newer models):

For reference/starting point, I have the following in mine

A. My wallet, if driving for more than 15-20 mins
B. a pair of driving Gloves
C. a tire pressure gauge
D. napkins (for those little spills/drops etc)
E. 2x phone chargers & cables, 1 for me, 1 for the wifey
F. a rechargeable flashlight & cord
G. a Covid-kit, consisting of a small bottle of hand sanitizer, 5x N95 masks, and 5x pairs of hospital-grade latex gloves
H. a few pens & post-it notes

Is there anything that you feel is a 'must have in there" or "absolutely won't put it in there" ?

 

[aksarben]

Have: knife, salt, pepper, reading glasses, microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses, phone screen, key to my mailbox and maybe a few other things that you have listed.
Napkins go in the door pockets.

Never: wallet because I will get out and forget it in there.

 

[eddytheexpy]

haha! I have a 2011 too and I totally feel you on the cavernous console comment!

Here's a couple things I always have on hand in addition to your list:

A) 7 spline lug key
B) Microfiber cloth for the inside of the windshield
C) crappy steak knife that I stole from some random restaurant (great for chipping away mud build-up from the AZ mud that dries like cement)
D) non-crappy non-steak knife
E) plastic grocery bag for trash collection during road trips or vom
F) dramamine for my fiancé who is really good at getting carsick (see item E)
G) dog stuff (tennis ball, roll of poop bags, collapsable water dish)
H) space blanket
I) inverter

In the cargo space below the floor boards in the back I keep a recovery hitch, recovery strap, soft shackles, jumper cables and a tire repair kit. I remove the strap and soft shackles once it starts getting hot out here so the heat doesn't degrade them and just pack them when I'll be off the beaten path.

By the way, I HIGHLY recommend a tire repair kit to anyone that lives in an area with sparse population. My fiancé was driving her Buick Encore when a tire got a puncture in the middle of nowhere on I-10, east of Tucson (About 10 miles east of "The Thing" for the local yokels). So I slapped the spare on and the gas station with "The Thing" was the next exit. Somehow, gas stations in the middle of nowhere don't carry tire repair kits (I've kept and eye out ever since and have never seen one that did). So we had to drive at a snails pace on the donut to Benson and get a tire repair kit at the Walmart there. It was also a Sunday evening so even if there was a tire shop around they weren't open. That whole deal added 3 hours to our 6 hour drive and could have been solved in 15 minutes if that damn gas station had tire plugs.

Moral of the story: You can depend on a gas station having a 24/7 air pump but there's little chance they'll have a tire repair kit which is what you need to get home. So after learning that lesson the hard way, all 3 of our vehicles have a kit in them at all times.

 

[aksarben]

In the cargo space below the floor boards in the back I keep a recovery hitch, recovery strap, soft shackles, jumper cables and a tire repair kit.

Wait, what? Cargo space below the floorboards? Not in my 2021 non-Max. Hardley have room for a pair of gloves and a breaker part in the "storage" area with the jack.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

By the way, I HIGHLY recommend a tire repair kit to anyone that lives in an area with sparse population.

Good point, I'm going to my local tire shop today anyway (for something else), so I will add 2 to my assortment this afternoon !

But I always carry a medium sized tool kit, a few blankets, hand warmers, 1/2 a case of bottled water, a power inverter, and assorted sizes/types of plastic bags too, but I keep them in a secured storage tote behind the 3rd row seats...

 

[eddytheexpy]

Wait, what? Cargo space below the floorboards? Not in my 2021 non-Max. Hardley have room for a pair of gloves and a breaker part in the "storage" area with the jack.

Yeah I think that extra storage space is a EL/Max thing. The compartment with the jack doesn't have much space room and that one is right up against the tail gate. The extra storage compartment is between the 3rd row and the jack compartment.

Good point, I'm going to my local tire shop today anyway (for something else), so I will add 2 to my assortment this afternoon !

But I always carry a medium sized tool kit, a few blankets, hand warmers, 1/2 a case of bottled water, a power inverter, and assorted sizes/types of plastic bags too, but I keep them in a secured storage tote behind the 3rd row seats...

That kit is worth its weight in gold if you ever wind up needing it. Glad to help you make the addition to your emergency kit!

 

[aksarben]

I have a "Go Bag" with a breaker bar, appropriate size socket, tow strap, soft shackle, hitch shackle, blanket, gloves, bungee cords, flares and these two items in it. I just move it from one vehicle to the other depending on which one we are taking for any significant distance on a trip.