Winter is in full swing throughout the country. I know the groundhog didn’t see his shadow but with the way the weather reports have been going, you would think he had seen his shadow! Every fall and spring I take my SUV into the dealership and have all routine maintenance taken care of. Then throughout the season, I make sure to rotate my tires every 6,000 miles and change out air filters as needed. But I also go through my car every fall and make sure I have these 10 important things in my car for the winter.
Ice Scraper
I know this one sounds like common sense but you should still check your vehicle and make sure it’s in your car. I am amazed that every fall I have to check through the garage and find out where my ice scraper has migrated to. It never fails that somehow it ends up finding it’s way out of the car over the summer.
Shovel
I suggest a small metal shovel to keep in the trunk. Don’t waste your money on a plastic one, once they get cold the plastic tends to snap. So spend the little extra cash and invest in a metal shovel.
Extra Gloves, Hats, Scarves, and Blankets
If you have small children you probably already have a few blankets in the car. I like to keep 2-3 small blankets in the car at all time. Now that Peyton is older, I buy throws and keep them in the backseat. I rotate them out every weekend to make sure they are fresh and clean. I’m amazed at how often my daughter uses them just going back and forth to school on a daily basis.
Another item I suggest is a red scarf. This will come in handy if you do find yourself stranded. You can tie the red scarf to your antenna or stick it out the window to make your vehicle more visible to a passersby.
Snacks and Other Non-Perishable
If you are a parent of small children, chances are you already carry a bag of snacks with you everywhere you go. But for those of us without children remember to keep a couple bottles of water in your vehicle, maybe a sports drink or two and some snacks. I like to keep trail mix, granola bars and a few candy bars in my vehicle during the winter months.
Non-Clumping Cat Litter
A small bag of traditional cat litter can come in pretty handy if you find yourself stuck. The corse cat litter will help provide the extra traction you need. You can also use rock salt or sand but I’ve kept a bag of cat litter. Be sure to buy the old school clay litter and not the new clumping litter. The clumping litter turns into a paste and will not provide the traction you need.
First-Aid Kit
There are small first aid kits you can purchase at your local drugstore or Target. But I like to keep a little bigger kit on hand. A first-aid kit should be in your car year-round.
Emergency Road Kit
Again, another year-round item, a roadside emergency kit. Preferably one that comes with jumper cables, road flares, and a tow rope.
Extra Windshield Wiper Fluid
I like to keep the windshield wiper fluid that has a de-icer with us during the winter. In the summer I keep one that helps take off dead bugs.
Sunglasses
Snow and sun can be a blinding combination. Sunglasses can mean the difference between being able to see or not. I always like to keep a pair of Oakley prescription sunglasses in the center console.
Cell Phone Chargers
You should probably have one of these in your car year-round. I know I have one in my car that I use every day. I also keep a spare charger in case someone is with me that needs one too.
Having these items in your vehicle for winter driving can come in handy.
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