Just how much time do you spend in your car? If you’re like most people, you don’t really want to admit just how much time that is. There’s driving to and from work, to and from school, to and from church, to and from the library – and don’t forget soccer practice and dentist appointments. We spend so much time in our cars, they’ve become kind of like our family rooms on wheels. And just like any family room, we need good storage options to help us stay organized.

Let’s start with the cargo space. Changing the way the seats are configured on today’s cars is easier than ever before. Many SUVs and crossover vehicles have seats that fold completely into the floor for maximum cargo space. When the seats are up, there’s usually plenty of room underneath them for storage and, in some cases, even additional space in floor storage compartments. Cadillac offers a cargo management system option in some of its vehicles – instead of a third row seat, you can choose additional storage areas to better suit your needs.

However, that cargo space won’t do you much good if it isn’t easy to get to. Don’t worry, because the manufacturers have kept that in mind as well. Consider the “Load ‘N Go” feature on the Dodge Nitro – a storage tray that bridges the area between the cargo space and cargo. It extends about a foot and a half past the back bumper and can hold up to 400 pounds. Several manufacturers have also included specially coated flooring and waterproof upholstery to make it easy to clean the cargo area if life gets out of hand in your mobile family command center.

But the many technological tools we use to get through our days haven’t been forgotten either. Ford and Lincoln crossover SUVs offer a central console that can be customized for storage, whether you need it to hold CDs or your laptop. Most new cars also come with a charging station for electronic devices, and most also make it easy to plug in your iPod or MP3 player so you can have exactly the music you want while driving. Ford even has a specific place in its console for power cord organization, and Acura has a special arm rest designed to hold your laptop.

Folks in the back seat have stuff to store too, and Nissan has chosen to outfit its Quest minivan with overhead storage compartments, similar to what you might see in an airplane – in addition to the two separate available DVD screens where you can choose your own “in flight” movie. Chevy went in another direction, providing snap-in storage modules that can be attached anywhere along their overhead rail system. Or, in case you’d rather leave your iPod and DVDs at home, the Chevy Uplander offers a 40-gig system for storing digital media. Most minivans and SUVs have dual heating and air conditioning controls, and DVD systems are increasingly common – good news for those who need to keep children occupied while they drive.

Last but not least, the humble glove compartment has been given an upgrade. More cars are offering not just one, but two glove compartments. Land Rover offers electronic opening of its glove compartments, while the Toyota RAV4 only requires one touch for opening or closing. Or, for glove box illumination, look to the Mercedes Benz M class, or Hyundai’s Entourage to shed some light on the issue of in-car storage solutions.