I would tend to prioritize my containers, & not spread the necessities among many bags. I would arrange by having #1 Important Stuff in a recognizable bag, #2nd Most Important Stuff in the next bag, etc. Then, should you have to rely on your feet, you will be taking the urgent stuff with you, & not having to stop & sort through containers, & possibly overlook something like firestarting equipment.

thanks for all the ideas everyone! i should be able to find a good weight range now, and can add more items to my trunk

one other thought...where would be a good place the install a fire extinguisher? the instructions say to mount it in the trunk, but what if the rear of the car is on fire? my idea would be to install a metal mounting bracket in the front seat area since the bracket it came with is pretty flimsy...

Whatever you choose to do with the fire extinguisher be aware of these very important issues:

1) in an accident anything that is loose or could come loose will be a missile aimed directly at your head since Murphy will ensure that you get hit in that direction right after installing the dangerous object. Don't mount that fire-extinguisher at or above waist level!

2) Any non-crushable item (fire-extinguisher, glass bottle, brick etc that can, will get under the brake pedal as soon as you put it in the car. Don't mount that fire-extinguisher on the left hand side of the front floor

3) anything you can't reach and grab when you need it in an emergency, you don't have in an emergency. The trunk is not convenient for anything you might need on a truely urgent basis.

I keep mine loose on the front passenger floor. Meant to mount it but never got around to it. The plastic mounting bracket doesn't look strong enough to matter in a colision but would keep it out of the way better during regular driving. OTOH, I wouldn't want a better bracket since I don't want to have to fight too hard to get it out of the bracket when I need it.

"I keep mine loose on the front passenger floor...."

If you have carpeting on the floor of your vehicle, using strips of the industrial strength velcro fasteners (male strip I suppose) can help keep the unit from rolling around. They can help to keep the unit in one place and it is not that hard to pull it loose when needed.
I use the self-adhesive strips on one of the extinguishers I keep in the trunk of my car. Not a solid tie down by itself, but positioned properly, it keeps objects from rolling around.

In Brazil, where traffic can be highly congestive, preventing the prompt arrival of firefighting equipment, it is mandatory that a fire extinguisher be within reach of the driver of a private vehicle.

FWIW

Go to your local home center and buy a couple bags of concrete mix or play sand, then add them to your trunk one at a time until the back end starts to sag. Total up the weight minus one or two bags and you know how much you can reasonably carry. You'll probably run out of space (volume) long before you exceed the weight limit. Oh, you can then use the play sand for a sand box or the cement to anchor the swing set for the little one. <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Brian

mmm...right now the extinquisher is still in its box, on the front passenger side <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> , however, there are some brackets or clasps that i should be able to mount in the lower floor area that should hold it place yet still be easy to remove quickly if needed...maybe i should go back to home depot and check <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> though i am kinda squirrely about drilling holes in the floor of my car, i'd probably drill through something important! <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> again thanks for the help guys!

Probably only need some self-taping sheatmetal screws and a screwdriver. No drilling involved. However, if you are going to be driving through salty winter slush you should get under the car and spray some of that latex waterproofing paint on the spots that you broke thru when you screwed the bracket down. Otherwise you will have nice rust holes thru your floor in a season or two.

I've mounted a couple things like this and the screws always rip out when off road which means they would most likely pull out in an accident. When I mounted stuff in my new truck I found a location where the metal is two layers and slid a metal bracket into one of the slots in the inner layer. By using two L shaped brackets facing opposite directions so they hold each other in place. I was able to pull with all my strength and those didn't pull loose