I have previously posted about my everyday carry keychain and what I put on it. In this post, I will talk about what I have in my car. I like to be always prepared, so I put stuff in my car that may be helpful in an emergency. Many of these items have already proved their worth several times over.
Coat hanger for car: As a man in a professional occupation, I am often expected to wear suits. I don’t particularly like them, I am more of a shirt and jeans type of person, but I am required to wear them in certain settings. Before getting a coat hanger for my car, my suit jacket was always crumpled and creased because I wore it while driving. Getting a coat hanger has been a game changer. Anyone who wears jackets while driving needs this. I personally own this one, but any one from this list will do quite nicely.
Torch Light: Have you ever been on a dark stretch of road when you get a flat tire? Or on vacation in some place exotic when the power goes out? This is when you need a torch light. Just make sure that the batteries in your torch light are fresh, or, if it is a rechargeable model, that it is appropriately charged. I actually have a recurring item on my todo list that reminds me to charge the torch light in my car on a regular basis. This is one item that should be in every car.
Phone charger, preferably the magnetic kind: Our phones are our lives. They have our calendar, our todo list, and our notes application. We use them to navigate using Google Maps, or to search for information and, last but not least, to make actual phone calls. Given all that they do, their battery quickly runs out. That is why it is always essential to have a phone charger in your car. I personally have three. One is a magnetic mount for my phone that charges using MagSafe charging, and the other two plug into the cigarette lighter ports in my car. Why three you may ask? Well, my wife and the kids’ nanny all have phones, and when we are out together it is always a good idea to make sure that everyone has a charger they can charge their phones with.
Car vacuum cleaner: We spend a long time in our cars, getting to and from work, going to the supermarket for shopping, taking the kids to school, band practice and much much more. With all this use, the car is bound to get dirty. This is where a good car vacuum cleaner comes in handy. It can be used to clean the car in a pinch. Just don’t get your expectations too high, the highest powered of these devices is not going to have a fraction of the suction power of a full sized home vacuum cleaner. But they are good in a pinch — until you can get your car properly cleaned.
Cleaning putty for car interior: While we are on the cleaning theme, cleaning putty is amazing. It allows you to remove the dirty from the interior of your AC vents. I use it regularly on my dashboard. It has been a game changer.
Microfiber cloth for car: Last cleaning item, promise. You need a good microfiber cloth in your car to clean your dashboard. I use mine whenever I am stuck in traffic and not moving, to give the dashboard and the car door next to me a good wipe. Wash them regularly and have several you can rotate between in use and in laundry.
Car battery jump starter: I have had my car battery die on me several times. I have owned three cars, and every one of them has had this issue. Whether I left my lights running all night, or did not drive about enough, or the battery’s lifetime was simply over, I have had my car battery die on me several times. In these situations, it is often difficult to find someone who will give you a jump start so that you can take the car to a repair shop and have the battery either charged or replaced. This is where a good portable jump starter comes in. I keep mine always charged by reminding myself to charge it every month using a repeating reminder on my todo list.
Seat belt cutter and glass breaker: In the unfortunate event of a car accident, you may need to get out of the vehicle quickly. This is where a seat belt cutter and glass breaker becomes essential. It allows you to quickly get the seat belt off you and to break the glass next to you in case you need to make an emergency exit. I keep mine secured in the compartment of the door next to me.
Pens, a notebook and batteries: I don’t include a link for these three items, because you can get them anywhere. I always keep several pens in my glove compartment, as well as a notebook I can write in and some spare batteries I can use with my torch light. I have been to places where I needed to write things down and had no pen. Having several in my car allows me to quickly get one if needed. And if inspiration hits me while driving, I can either dictate a note to my phone or wait until I can park somewhere and write in my notebook.
That’s it ladies and gents, these are the things that I always keep in my car. I leave out what is required by the law, such as safety triangles, a fire extinguisher and a tire repair kit. Hope this helps you stay prepared.
