The essential thing to remember about this space is that it must be reserved for only 1. the most important items to have at hand while driving and 2. the least important trash to throw from one hand while driving. Luckily, all that important crap can usually hide the trash treasure trove underneath underneath! Which makes you forget to throw it away. Neat.
Water bottle: with ice (3-4 cubes).
Gum: Trident, until something else goes on sale. Always mint.
Chapstick (generic): Carmex, original flavor. It tastes kind of like medicine, which is great!
Car keys: Battery powered, which is a complete disaster when the batteries finally run down, preventing you from starting the car entirely. You're gonna have to call your roommate at 11 pm to come pick your sorry ass up twenty minutes out from your apartment...
CD: Yep, here you go! Not a bad song on the album, in my humble opinion.
Move aside Sunlandic Twins, I have face to save. Did I promise lots of trash in here? I cleaned recently.
That scrap of paper may look like garbage, but it's incredibly important to my landlord. I was supposed to put this parking pass sticker up on my windshield about 10 months ago. They still send complex-wide emails every couple weeks about how diligently they enforce their parking policy. The same goes for the coins, residuals of the occasional cash purchase, which are inexplicably important to the US Federal Reserve. I haven't spent an actual cent in years.
Saving the best for last, the fish charms are some another-man's-trash—my new treasure. I had parked, opened the driver's door, looked down, and there they were on the pavement. Too bad about the obliterated bracelet for the other guy, but Lucky find for me!! Into the trash compartment they went.