I don't know about you , but I lived / live out of my car. As a teen, I had clothes and bits and pieces for staying over at friends place at a moments notice. As a younger adult , work stuff, reusable coffee cups, change of clothes ( plural ) for a night out, make up etc . Now as a Mum the change of clothes may have changed, it is for her , not me. But the idea of having what you need handy has not.
I was talking to a friend and mother of three today, who mentioned that she had something for everything and everyone, in the boot of her car. Four seasons in one day for every eventuality for all her aged kids. And I realised that, so do I. And although some might see that as lazy and messy, I say inadvertently prepared of course ! I think we all should adopt the survival bag approach. Yours of course can be neat and packed away in the boot rather than thrown haphazardly in-between two car seats and shoved into back of seats pockets.
When you think about things you need for a car journey you would think of things you need, like, jumper cords / torch / wheel nut for punctures. High vie vest and triangle thingy for a car accident and a first aid kit in the car for any bumps and scraps or physical accident. But us Mothers know that you need stuff for another kind of accident all together, as well. Be it older ones that maybe don't tell you that they need the loo before you get not the highway without a hard shoulder ! Or wee ones that wait till you have just set off to fill their pants and trouser leg and up the back and down the vest. Its like they know ! But I would go further, when packing the kit , have hats ( winter and summer ) and scarfs and coats and gloves, in all sizes adult and child. Pop in suncream, umbrellas (for protection from all the elements) . Toys like a bucket and spade, ball, car games. Definitely a staple is a picnic blanket ( maybe throw in a few bamboo plates and cups, straws fo red side picnics). And of course snacks , snacks , snacks, and drinks etc like long life juice boxes.
I got caught out one winter in the Uk when I was a nanny and a freak snow storm hit. A 45 min drive home turned in to a hair-raising 4 and half hour drive in sometimes iffy situations. But I had kids in the car and getting out and walking home with three under 6 year olds was not an option. But I did know that if we did get stuck that I had supplies in the car. Warm clothes, blankets and food and drink. Ever since I have always tried to have basics for the just in case moments. I was glad that I had them but never on that occasion had to use them.
But you will use your kit, and more than you think. You will be somewhere and the weather will change , for better or worse and you will become super Mum and like a magician pull out of thin air or fashion out of what you have , what is needed. A family style emergency will happen and presto, you can fix it. MacGyver Mum, give her matches and duck tape and she's fix it all. The amount of times, I've had to pull out the wellies for wee one or the weather has turned a hat is needed. A plastic bag to collect stones, shells , rubbish is in order. A towel to dry a swing seat or slide of sand or water or today snow ! Plus being honest , there is always the time you forget to restock the nappy bag or your hand bag etc and it's exactly the time you need exactly that item , be it a spare pair of socks or a snack etc. We are good but even we sometimes forget things so having a spare, spare is helpful. Because its sods law that the day come and you will need it!
Its always good to have reinforcements that you know are there if needed but you don't have to lug around in the nappy bag. A reserve in reserve as such. We parents are the original boy scouts and girl guides in living their motto of always be prepared. And I now know, that I can justify the stuff that lives in the car and I was on the right track all those years ago.