When was the last time you took a good look at the items in the trunk of your car? The other day I opened my trunk to retrieve my daughter’s stroller. I struggled to get it out as it was lodged in between a toolbox, an extra diaper bag, and some rather large winter boots. After working through the aggravation of prying the stroller free (and in the process unloading half the contents of my trunk), I decided enough was enough… it was time to get organized.
I enlisted the help of my friend (and former colleague), Eric. Eric is a videographer and for years he and I worked together at the same television station. Subsequently, I spent many hours riding in his ultra-spotless, ultra-tidy, ultra-organized vehicle on our way to cover news stories. Besides being Mr. Fix-It, Eric is known for his ability to neatly arrange more items into a bag, locker, car, truck (really any enclosed space), in record time. In any event, I knew he was the right man for the job and since he lives near us, I asked for his help.
Eric believes there are several essential items you should keep in your vehicle, including:
· Toolbox—You don’t have to pack the deluxe model that includes every nut and bolt known to man. (Actually, I just got a medium-sized transparent container that allows you to see its contents without having to open it up.) Fill it with a flashlight, extra batteries, bungee cords, a pair of scissors, waterproof matches, pliers, a wire cutter, screwdrivers, wire, a tire-pressure gauge, duct tape, electrician’s tape, extra fuses, cell phone charger, a compass or GPS device, individual packets of Wet-Ones and Shout wipes, and bug spray.
· Jumper Cables
· A Beach Towel
· Blanket
· First Aid Kit—Complete with spare eyeglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, travel-size hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.
· Reflective windshield cover
· Reflective vests (I didn’t get these, but Eric recommends them in case you find yourself standing on the side of a highway waving down help.)
· A Roll of Paper Towels and a Roll of Toilet Tissue
· Nylon Rope
· Flares
· A Can of Fix-a-Flat
· Tire iron
· Folding Triangle Reflector
· Container of Windshield Washer Fluid
· Large Plastic Trash Bags
· Bottled water
During the winter months, Eric recommends adding a duffel bag packed with an extra jacket, hats, mittens, gloves, a folding shovel and an ice-scraper.
Great, so now that I have most of the items, how am I going to fit them into my trunk and still have room for a spare diaper bag and a stroller? Eric answers that question in my next blog: “What’s in Your Trunk Part 2.”