Where to Keep Small Things in a New Tesla Model 3 or Model Y

Phones, cards, sunglasses and wrappers end up somewhere in every car. In a newer Tesla the door pockets are open and the console is wide, so small things slide around. This guide goes through five spots where an add-on can help, which products are listed for which car, and what Tesla's manuals say that is worth knowing before you buy. Your own manual has the final word for your car.

Five spots for small things

The picture shows the front of the cabin from above. Each spot below has its own add-on, and the list on the right shows which cars it is listed for, according to the seller.

1. Door pockets. According to the seller, a soft TPE liner (a rubber-like plastic) keeps bottles and small items from sliding and rattling, and can be rinsed clean.
2. Front door bins with a lid. These press into the front of the front door pockets and add a lid that closes over them, so wrappers, receipts and small items stay out of sight.
3. Under the screen. A small box or tray clips in under the center screen. The seller describes a magnetic flap and a silicone mat inside, for cards, sunglasses, keys and cables. The tray version was designed to hold a toll tag.
4. Center console. Trays and mats that divide the console bins, with mats for the cup holders and the wireless charger. Keep your fingers clear of the console's opening edge and hinge, as Tesla's manual says.
5. Behind the mirror. A sunglasses case that snaps into the roof trim behind the rear-view mirror and opens with a button, so you can take the glasses out with one hand.

Check the rear door release before you line the pockets

This is the one point where a storage add-on touches something safety-related. Tesla's manuals for the current Model Y and Model 3 describe how to open the doors with no power. The front doors have a manual release in front of the window switches. For the rear doors, the manual release is at the bottom of the rear door pocket, behind a cover. Tesla says to slide a finger into the slot in front of the cover, lift the cover off, and pull the mechanical release cable forward.

• Only when needed. Tesla says not to use the manual release while the vehicle is moving, and to use it only when the car has no power or when otherwise necessary. With power, use the button on the top of the interior door handle.
• The window will not lower. The manual says the window does not lower automatically when the door is opened that way, so the window or trim can be damaged.
• Steps can differ. Details depend on the model, year and where the car was built. Read your own manual and look at your own door pocket.
• Pick a liner that leaves it reachable. The full set of door pocket liners we list comes with two pull straps for the rear doors. According to the seller, the straps stay under the edge of the liner, so you can lift the edge and pull the strap. Still, check it yourself: with the car parked, lift the edge and find the slot once. Show other adults in the family where the release is.

A word about the wireless charger

If your console has a wireless charger, keep the pad clear when you charge. Tesla's manual says to remove coins, keys and other metal objects from between the phone and the charger, and to remove NFC cards such as key cards, credit cards or hotel keys, because charging can damage them. A thick or metal phone case may stop it from charging at all. A mat or tray on the console does not change that, so do not use the pad as a place to leave keys and cards. We looked at silicone pad covers in our wireless charging pad guide.

Which products fit which car

These are the listings in our storage collection. The fit comes from the seller's listings. Always check your exact car and year before you order, and note that Model Y L here means the six-seat version.

Before you buy: a quick checklist

• Pick the version for your car and year. Most of these items are made to the shape of one interior, and several listings have separate versions for Highland, Juniper and Model Y L.
• Screen size matters for the console set. The seller lists two versions of the 7-piece set, with a frame for a 15.4-inch or a 16-inch screen. Check which one your car has.
• Check how it is held. According to the seller, the door liners, the bins and the under-screen box need no tools, and the liners need no glue. The sunglasses holder snaps into the roof trim and is held with strong adhesive, so plan on leaving it in place.
• Test the release. If you add liners, find the rear door release once, with the car parked.
• Keep metal and cards off the wireless pad while the phone charges.

What we list

All of these are general-purpose accessories from third-party sellers, not made by Tesla.

• Door pocket storage liners for Highland, Juniper and Y L. Four TPE liners and two pull straps for the rear door release, with a separate set for each car.
• Door pocket liners for Juniper and Y L. Sold as a full set (4 liners and 2 pull straps), front doors only, or the straps only.
• Front door storage bins with lid. A pair for the Model Y Juniper and Model Y L. According to the seller, the bins press in with no drilling or tools and do not affect opening or closing the front doors.
• Under-screen magnetic storage box and tray. Versions for Highland, Juniper and Y L, and for the earlier Model 3 and Model Y, as a box, a tray or both, with a white or black mat.
• Center console organizer set. A 7-piece or 5-piece set, or just the console boxes or the cup holder mat.
• Sunglasses holder behind the mirror. A separate case for the Model Y Juniper and the Model Y L.

Frequently asked questions

Do door pocket liners block the rear door release?

They can, if they sit over the release cover and its slot. Tesla describes the release at the bottom of the rear door pocket, behind a cover. Pick a liner that comes with pull straps or lifts easily, and try it once with the car parked.

Can I use the manual door release to get out while driving?

No. Tesla says not to use it while the vehicle is moving. It is for when the car has no power or when otherwise necessary, and with power you use the button on the interior door handle.

What is TPE?

A soft, rubber-like plastic. The seller says the liners made of it are waterproof and can be rinsed clean.

Will an under-screen box fit my older Model 3 or Model Y?

The seller lists a separate version for the Model 3 2019-2023 and the Model Y 2021-2024. The Highland, Juniper and Y L version is a different part, so choose the one for your year.

Can I keep my key card or credit card in the console organizer?

You can store them in the console, but not on the wireless charger pad. Tesla's manual says to remove NFC cards from the area between the phone and the charger before charging, because charging can damage them.

Do these need tools or drilling?

According to the seller, the liners, the bins and the under-screen box need no tools, and none of them need drilling. The sunglasses holder snaps into the roof trim and is held with strong adhesive.

Next steps

Browse the Tesla Organizers & Storage collection, or pick your car from the model pages to see everything listed for it.