35 Simple Things To Keep in the Car

It’s Christmas season which for many includes travel to family and friends.  Since we often travel by car during the holidays, I decided it was high time we do an auto-cleanup.

You ever have one of those moments when you look at your car and say, “Enough is enough; the trash, cheerios, and dirt, has got to go?” Well, that’s where I was on Friday. I took everything out of the car, vacuumed, dusted and only put back what I considered the bare essentials.

What are the bare essentials for this mom’s car?  Well, when organizing a family-friendly vehicle, less is often more.  That said, it is nice to be able to be prepared for all those mini-emergencies we are bound to experience as moms. Thus, below is a list of items you will often find in our car.

In the front compartment above the radio

1. Mints (gum just gets yucky when it’s too hot)
2. Fingernail files
3. Pens and pencils for homework, note-writing, or check-writing.
4. A notepad to write down things I need to remember (when stopped of course).
5. Chapstick (which must taken out on hot days unless I don’t mind it getting rearranged into a different shape).

In the glove box

1. A lint roller for my “special” black slacks
2. Individually wrapped shout wipes just in case
3. Travel static guard for my hubby’s brown slacks
4. Travel pack of Advil for the occasional ailment
5. Flashlight
6. Travel medical/sewing kit
7. Travel facial tissue
8. Glow Stick
9. Travel lotion
10. Tire gauge
11. Small ice scraper
12. Small pair of scissors (I cannot tell you how many times these have come in handy)
13. Owner’s Manual

In the center console compartments

1. A microfiber cloth, to dust the dash or window while at a stoplight (also is great for wiping hands before entering a restaurant if they are Norwex’s Enviro Cloth)
2. Plastic bags to collect trash upon leaving the vehicle or to place on the floor during those muddy days
3. Change for the turnpike or Aldi’s cart
4. Phone chargers and splitters
5. Playlist for everything that is on the car USB drive

Behind the front seats

1. A sun shade for the front window
2. Magazines, for all those times we’re stuck just waiting.
3. A coloring book and colored pencils for those unexpected waiting times (or expo marker and dry erase cards or books; just no crayons–they melt)

1. An umbrella
2. Diapers (when I had a little one)
3. Wet ones (for dirty bottoms or dirty hands)
4. A towel (in case we make a last minute run to the zoo which has a splash pad)
5. Sunscreen and/or bug spray (especially in the summer for those last minute park play dates)

In the trunk

1. Jumper cables
2. De-Icer (in the winter)
3. Reusable shopping bags
4. Small ice chest or freezer tote for last minute grocery trips (in the summer)

Now over to you. What other top items do you think all moms should have in the car?