10 Things to Keep in Your Car
We’ve discussed what you need to keep in your vehicle when an emergency pops up… but what about other times? The everyday usage? Our car, truck, or SUV is a home away from home, an office on the road, and a part of our daily life for many of us. We may spend hours a day in it – not to mention long road trips, weekend errands, and more! This means you need to carry a few things with you. At the same time, you need to be wary of letting your vehicle get too cluttered. So here are the ten everyday things we feel you should always have in your vehicle – and that we always have in ours!
Everyday Medications
We discussed having an emergency kit with first aid gear in your trunk, but these are not easy to grab while on the road and often don’t have the medications you may need specifically. Instead, keep some travel packs of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and motion sickness pills in your glove box. On top of this, an extra of any specific must-haves for the individual, including an emergency asthma inhaler, can be kept there. However, one point of caution is that it does not store insulin in your vehicle’s glove compartment or center console for any longer than the immediate trip you’re on; it is temperature-sensitive, and keeping it in vehicle days will render it useless.
Charging Cords
Running out of juice for your cell phone sucks – especially if you don’t have a way to recharge it. If you can, keep a backup of your phone charging cord in your vehicle to keep your phone full up. With infotainment in many vehicles centered around Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a dud phone can remove all your connectivity. Never run out of juice, or be unable to charge your phone on the road.
Tunes
Driving can get boring, especially on long trips. Whether podcasts, CDs, or music streaming from your phone or in-dash head unit, having some preset sound is necessary. We say preset because the last thing you should do is mess with your phone, podcast app, or anything else while you’re moving – keep your focus on the road ahead!
Bottles of Water
While not our favorite way of drinking water due to the environmental implications, they are handy. Keep water stashed in your vehicle at all times – we recommend at least one unopened 16-ounce bottle per person, more for longer trips. Water is necessary for regular hydration, washing down pills, or even as an emergency engine coolant. Don’t forget to bring extra for your pooch if you’re traveling with a dog!
License, Insurance, and Registration
This is also on our “Emergency” list, but it might be necessary more often than that to ensure it is accessible on the road. Keep your license in your wallet or purse and put the insurance and registration in the glove box or center console.
Toll Money – Physical or Virtual
Plenty of us plan trips to avoid tolls, but you never know when a change in plans, a detour, or a wrong turn could put you on a toll road. While many tolls are moving towards automation, including bills in the mail after a photo is taken off your plate, plenty still isn’t. We’d recommend doubling up with an EZ-Pass and enough cash – paper and coin – to cover potential toll needs on your trip. This may only be a few dollars or as much as $20-$30; it all depends on how far you’re going and what your state charges.
Tissues and Napkins
Store them in your glovebox – a pair of tissue travel packs and a stack of extra fast-food napkins should be enough for regular travel. On top of blowing your nose or wiping your hands after eating, they can quickly wipe down surfaces if you notice dust or dirt. Use them to dab away spills, wipe off makeup, and more.
Disposable Masks
Welcome to the new normal. Since the coronavirus outbreak, masks have become part of your everyday carry. We’ve all wandered out of our house without a mask and had to turn around – even made trips to the store only to realize we don’t have one! Disposable masks – or a spare reusable mask – can be kept in the console when needed instead of making the return trip or changing plans. Remember to wash a replacement mask regularly and throw disposable masks in trash cans, not on the ground.
Touchscreen and Glass Cleaning Wipes
Everything is touchscreen now, it seems! That means you must imprint the screen to use it, which can be problematic with a dirty or greasy screen. Simultaneously, dirt, dust, and grease can make instruments challenging to read or blur your vision of the backup camera or in the rearview mirror. Take a moment and use a glass cleaning or touchscreen wipe – you can get them in individual-use packages that are perfect for console storage!
Camera
Whether a dash-mounted video camera, the camera in your cellphone – even a disposable point-and-click that you can store in the console. You never know when you may need a record of an incident, accident damage, or something extraordinary. Remember, if you’re in motion, don’t use a camera yourself – have a passenger do it. Keep your focus on the road, so you don’t end up the subject of someone else’s dashcam video!
No Need for These, with Number 1 Auto Transport!
That’s right; if you send your vehicle to your next destination when moving with Number 1 Auto Transport, you won’t need to worry about packing any of these. We prefer you didn’t – a clean, empty vehicle is less temptation for prying eyes and less to worry about on the road. Using Number 1 Auto Transport, you can worry less about if you’ve got toll money and more about making sure your move goes smoothly!