I grew up in a family where our cars were always prepared for your standard car emergencies: gas tank always at least half full and a tow rope, jumper cables, first aid kit and a blanket in the trunk, at a minimum.
I've continued these habits (mostly...) in our family cars since I've been married, and I've always been grateful to be prepared, even though I've never had occasion to use most of the contents of the emergency kit.
Previously, Tricia gave us some great links for how to jump start your car and create a roadside emergency kit. But how do we stay prepared and MacGyver-ish for those everyday emergencies, like errands taking longer than expected or a puking child or leaky diaper?
Enter the Everyday Emergency Kit.
Take ten minutes to think of the last few months of everyday out-and-about "emergencies" and what supplies you wished you would have had.
Then round up the items, tuck them in to a place mat car organizer like Debra showed us how to make, and toss it in your glove compartment or trunk. (If your supplies are too big for a place mat organizer, you might try a back of the seat organizer or putting the supplies in a small crate in the trunk.)
Here's what's on my list:
- grocery or garbage bags: for stinky diapers, wet clothes, puke, trash, rounding up the umpteen toys that your toddler has brought out to the car over the last 5 trips...
- extra diapers/wipes: sometimes I forget my diaper clutch. and sometimes the diaper clutch is just poorly stocked. but that is *always* when one child or the other has the mother of all bad diapers. plus wipes are good for cleaning up any sticky that is sure to happen when children are involved
- deodorant and tampons: yup, sometimes I forget to bring a spare or apply before I leave the house. but at least I've never forgotten a kid... that I recall
- granola bars or other durable snacks: for both my son and me, because when we are hungry, we are HUNgry and cranky. and that always hits 15 minutes before we're home
- pen and paper: useful for jotting down notes or stalling a screaming toddler when you're in line at the drive-through
- spare change: for parking, library fees, or happy hour at Sonic :)
- a blanket: for impromptu picnics at the park (fun!) or keeping a diaper-only child warm after a blowout (not so fun)
- duct tape: because it's just so MacGyver :)
What's on your list for those everyday in-car emergencies?
This post is part of the Housewife MacGyver series on just Lu. Read more about Housewife MacGyver and see all the posts in the series here.
5 comments:
I absolutely love having grocery sacks in my car. I use them all the time, just to clean up the junk that seems to accumulate in our car.
I love reading your articles, they always make me laugh. :) And with the MacGyver theme, they're so helpful! I've got to get me an emergency kit together ASAP!
Great ideas, Lorene. I always have napkins in my glove compartment. I use them all the time. I also carry one of those Wet-Ones containers that fits in a cup holder... For those occasions when we arrive at preschool with a milk moustache or toothpaste on the cheek.
The extra grocery sack is a must! I now have a dedicated wet-wipes container for the car, and try to keep an emergency diaper there, too. I also have a box of band-aids and a tube of neosporin there. We usually keep an emergency $20 bill in the car, just in case. Oh, and a box of plastic eating utensils, for those times when Wendy's forgets to give you a spoon and how are you supposed to eat your frosty?
And scissors. Many a time have I wished for and not had them on hand.
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