Now that it’s starting to cool down I’m getting excited for all the fun winter adventures we get to have here in the valley! Things like park days, browsing farmers markets, and looking at holiday lights around the neighborhood are back in full swing. Sometimes things come up last minute or maybe you’ve left something at home that you wish you had with you – well that’s where a car kit comes in handy!
Some of you may remember my Summer Car Kit I shared back in May. Well that thing served me well all summer long so I had to give it a little update with some more wintery items (and store those summer ones for next year!). Now in Arizona we don’t really have a dramatic change in weather, so some of this may seem silly to you folks with a few feet of snow on the ground – but I’ve included a short list at the bottom with things I would include for that (or for us Arizonans, for a weekend up north to play in snow!). Also I pack mine for my toddler, but feel free to tweak yours to fit your family and lifestyle.
I start off with a sturdy plastic bin to hold the contents of the kit. I’m using the same one I packed during summer – I picked it up from my local Walmart. Now here’s what I put inside:
Spare change of clothes – I love having a pair of clothes in my car for those times something gets spilled or they go down a wet slide (totally happens to us all the time!). I prefer to keep it in the car versus carry it in the diaper bag.
Extra socks – this time of year it seems like it never fails that they somehow end up with wet socks. I like to keep a couple pairs for the kiddo and one for myself since some indoor places (like the IDEA Museum) require socks and I never wear them with flats.
Mittens & a knit hat – While I don’t expect to use these regularly, sometimes we get taken off guard with an extra chilly day!
Lightweight blanket – I can list dozens of reasons why one these guys will be helpful!
Toys – my kiddo is a big fan of toy cars and books so I keep a couple of these in the bin just in case
Sunscreen – Even though it’s winter, we still need to wear this stuff
Baby Wipes –Or something like Clorox wipes would work too!
First Aid Kit
Tissues – Its runny nose season so these little tissue packs come in handy!
Snacks – Our is full of things like raisins, fruit bars, fig bars, Larabars and trail mix
Reusable Tote Bag – Or a couple grocery bags work too. Great for trash, stinky diapers, wet clothes..you name it!
Diapers – Hands down, one of the most helpful things in my car kit.
Hand Sanitizer
Stuff for Mom – I love having some spare hair ties and bobby pins on hand for those moments when you can’t seem to find one. And some chapstick
I also like to keep a medium sized thick-ish blanket, a fold up picnic blanket and our lightweight stroller in my car as well.
Consider adding some of these items if you live somewhere with snow:
- Ice scraper
- Trash bags for wet shoes/boots
- Hand and foot warmer packs
These things also come in handy if you’re headed up North to play in the snow – check out our list of the best places to sled, play and build snowmen! You won’t want to miss it this Winter.
