There are a lot of things to think about before you head out for the holidays, which for many of us means traveling to the homes of friends and family. Make sure you're prepared for whatever the road has to throw at you by raiding your closet... wait, what?
Your closets are the best place to go for stocking up on winter supplies if you're a car owner. Dig through your stash and pick up some old gloves, scarves and hats. Try to have enough on hand assuming you have a full car. Choose the ones that have dirty fingers or maybe a hole or two. It isn't a fashion show, but they can save your life.
Dig a little deeper and check for decks of cards that are long since forgotten about or even extra pairs of socks (especially since many women will be in heels or dress shoes) for those who might have left home without them. Preparing your car for a roadside situation seems over the top and silly until you have to rely on it.
Other things you can toss in a bag are old panty hose, belts or ties. These are all items that can be used in a pinch if you blow a belt or something falls loose. Use one of the above items to tie it back up. A bar of soap doesn't hurt either as rubbing it over a leak in a gas pan is a quick fix until a more permanent repair can be made (though you might have to head to the bathroom closet to find that one).
Don't forget to raid the pantry (that's a closet, right?) for high protein or sugar snacks that might give you a burst of energy if you have to go change a flat tire and get a craving for the munchies. An ounce of preparation is worth is worth a pound of cure, so make sure your family vehicle is prepared!
Related: Travel Tip: Pack a Green Car Kit For Road Trips
(Image: Flickr member marioanima, Italian Voice & Yogma licensed for use by Creative Commons)
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Such a good thought. After living in the north and learing what real cold was, it shocks me how few people have anything in their car for emergencies, let alone a blanket or scarf and gloves. Everyone should have emergency winter clothes in their car.
We also keep an old Halloween costume of our dog's in the car for him (silly, but it's super padded and I don't want him to freeze either!).
I always keep one ugly outfit in the car, even in summer. You never know when you'll suddenly need a change of clothes (say, what if someone at the bar is drunk enough to throw up on you, etc). And if the clothes are ugly, or at least out of style, then I'm not tempted to pull them out and use them for non-emergency situations, and then forget to replace them.
So right now my car has a truly ugly, giant sweater, some paint-stained pants, a knobby green hat, and some old gloves tucked in a bag in the trunk. It's about the time of year to start stashing a blanket in there too, just in case.
Great post. Holiday car trouble can happen for so many reasons. My husband and I once ran out of gas the week before Christmas (stupid, I know! We were just overwhelmed by holiday stuff and totally overlooked the gas gauge), and had to hike to a gas station in freezing weather. The only hat I had in the car for myself was a giant novelty Santa hat. Although in retrospect, I think it might have been a good choice, because halfway there a family pulled over to help us. Their kids told them they couldn't leave Santa stranded on the side of the road!