As a parent there are times that I feel like I need to just pack the entire house up and put it in my car. -_- But that’s not really realistic, so today’s list will have to suffice…LOL! Each year I say I’m going to become more organized and start clearing out clutter in my life. Well each year I fail miserably but the one area that I always seem to keep it together is our car.
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about going from being single with a car to having kids with a car. Gone are the days of no scuff marks on the back of the seats, random gooey sticky things in the floor, hairbows astray and the endless trail of snacks that never seems go away….never! I think I found a cheerio the other day and lawd knows when the last time my youngest daughter had Cheerios in the car!
So today I’d like to share my 5 things every parent (guardian, sitter, nanny, baby daddy, grandparent…you get the picture) needs in their car. Trust me…this list will help save your sanity and keep your car nice and neat.
Taiga Kick Mats & Back Seat Organizer – My youngest loves to kick up her feet and make herself right at home when she’s in the back seat. But the only problem is that it ends up looking like someone’s been running a marathon back there after a while. Not sure why it took me so long to buy one, but the kick mats have been a lifesaver. They can be easily wiped down and for long trips I always put little surprises in the pockets so she has some new stuff to play with.
Baby Wipes – one word to describe these things…amazing! I think every car (whether you have kids or not) should have wipes. They are excellent for cleaning up little stinky hands, removing stains when you drop food on your clothes and of course for their original purpose of wiping little booties!
Drop Stop – Drop Stop is one of the only products a driver can buy currently that reduces Driver Distraction and Driver Distraction is the #1 buzz topic on the daily and evening news, and now the #1 cause of accidents and deaths on the roads. I can’t do anything about the noise my kids make in the car, but I can stop all of the crap that inevitably ends up falling in that dreaded crack between the center console and the driver/passenger seats. There is nothing worse that your phone falling in between the seats and you think “Oh I can reach it…” take your eyes off the road for just a split second and it’s an accident waiting to happen.
Blankets – I think this is even more important during the colder months of the year. I live in Nashville and at any given moment you are bound to end up in traffic from an accident. Either it’s too sunny, too rainy or just too hot…there’s gonna be traffic! Let one snowflake fall from the sky and literally everyone goes in to panic mode. It doesn’t help that the city really isn’t equipped for handling ice/snow but you can at lest make sure you are! A great way to store those bulky blankets is by putting them in space saving bags. This will also keep them from getting dirty while being stored in your trunk.
Clothes – having kids means someone is going to end up getting mess. When my daughters were younger I kept a change of clothes in the car for “accident”. Now I keep a change of clothes because my youngest is a food/dirt magnet. Never fails if we have errands to run before meeting up with someone for dinner or hanging out, she’s gonna end up looking like Pig Pen from Charlie Brown. I have no idea how it happens…but it does! So I’m always prepared.
Now I’m all for making sure everyone’s sanity is intact! To make your life a bit easier I’ve partnered up with Drop Stop and we are giving away two (2) Car Seat Fillers. No more losing your phone, food, debit card…you name it, down that dreaded black hole in your car. Giveaway start 1/11/16 and ends at 11:9pm on 1/25/16! Be sure to share with your friends and family members so they have a chance to win as well…good luck!
We always have extra diapers and wipes and a stroller. I have a double stroller for he and Emma that she stands in the back of and he rides in the front but I also have a single one…we go NO WHERE without a stroller!!!
Love this post…I recently got a new car and I’m determined to keep it clean even though my kids refuse to help lol. I always keep Kleenex, a bottle of water and wipes in my car. When my boys were smaller I always kept an extra outfit.
I took my family on our first long road trip across the country, and I found that the kids tablet, hooked up to the van’s speakers, was the best for a long ride. For day to day travel I have my son’s juice and snacks, my stepdaughter’s books, and my baby girl’s pacifiers.