The Surprising Things I Keep in My Car

I am a city girl at heart. I got my driver’s license at 16 but didn’t really get comfortable behind the wheel until my late 20’s (thanks to a lot of help and patience from Doug). Now, every summer my car becomes my second home. In the Hudson Valley where I am lucky enough to spend the summers with the girls, everything is a drive away. We are always in and out of the car which takes some acclimating to for us city girls! Like a turtle I am used to carrying my life in my shell ( er mom bag). Making the transition to car living is an adjustment!

Over the years I have discovered a few key items to keep in my car that make my day to day much easier. Some are random, some unexpected, some seemingly obvious:

Wipes

I keep a pack of baby wipes in the back seat pocket. I am constantly reaching for these to wipe sticky ice cream hands, clean dirty riding boots, and wipe up little spills.

Big Straw Basket and Small Crossbody Bag

In the summer I operate out of two bags. A very large straw basket filled with all my essentials for the day and a smaller crossbody bag with only my wallet and sunglasses inside. This way, if I am jumping out of the car for just a minute to run into a store I don’t have to take my huge day bag with me!

Market Basket

I keep a straw market basket in my trunk so I am always prepared for a trip to the Farmer’s Market. I love this one because the rectangular structured shape helps me fit a ton of groceries inside.

Nail Polish

I keep a small pouch with my favorite non toxic nail polish, top coat and base coat in my trunk in case I find the time to sneak away for a manicure. It’s important to me to bring my own polish to make sure no toxic nasties are going onto my nails.

On the Go Art Supplies

My girls are still young enough that they need distraction at restaurants while waiting for their food. I keep easily portable and self contained art supplies like these in the car so we are always restaurant ready.

Car Sick Bags

Hermione gets terrible car sickness and has since she was a baby. We have tried ALL the remedies but nothing works. In case things get really bad I always have these in the seat pocket in front of her because…puke happens.