Everyone has had a car emergency before. Whether it be finding your battery is dead after a weekend with girlfriends, being stuck in traffic for a long period of time, or simply being out and about and finding that you need a bandage. With a little bit of preparation, you can make those moments a lot less stressful. I keep an emergency car kit in my trunk and it has saved me more times than I can count.
Emergency Car Kit
For my emergency kit, I keep everything I need in one plastic tub in the back of that car. Keeping it in a tub keeps it from getting in my way and helps me find it quickly when I need it. I keep a checklist taped to the inside of the box and I go through the box every six months or as we use it and replace what needs to be replaced.
Some of the things I keep in my kit include, water, a blanket, jumper cables, a flash light and first aid kit. I also keep a plastic tarp, sunscreen, bungee cords and a can of fix a flat. I also find that protein bars are one of the most important things in my box. I can’t tell you how many times I have been out and about and not somewhere where I can grab food. The protein bars have been a real lifesaver. You can find the printable checklist at the end of this post.
I love that everything but my blanket fits into one container in the back of the car. If I really wanted to, I could probably find a blanket that I could fit into my box, but I like having a big warm blanket on hand at all times. In the summer, it is our picnic blanket or the blanket we sit on at the splash pad, in the winter it warms up my kids when it is absolutely freezing out, not to mention that it would be nice to have in case of a true emergency.
One of the important things I keep with me is this printable about how to jump a car. It seems like every time my car needs a jump, I can’t quite remember the order I am supposed to put the cables on. This little guide is perfect for keeping in your bucket to make sure you know what you are doing when the time comes. You can find the printable at the end of this post.
What do you do to prepare for car emergencies?
Printables in this post are for personal use and available to subscribers of Housewife Eclectic only. To use this printable, please SUBSCRIBE NOW.
That is a really great kit of things to have. We need to do that for our car.
I really like that sheet on how to jump a car! I really should keep an emergency kit in mine.
Thanks for this! It's always a great idea to plan ahead. The only additional item in our cars are shovels. I'm asking Santa to bring us some lovely folding metal ones next year to upgrade my crappy plastic one from my university days. (http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=69668&cat=2,40725,45454,69668)
What a great kit! We went to an emergency preparedness meeting once, and the leader said for women to keep sneakers in the trunk. If you're every stranded, how far can you want in high heels? Great advice, I thought!
I'm so in love with the car jumping printable!! That is just so clever. Super kit…love these type of things!
This is a great emergency car kit! I think everything you have in your car kit is great! I love that you have a blanket too!
This is a great idea! I have one in one of our cars, but never finished. I also forgot a few things you mentioned. I really need to get them finished. Thanks for the fun printables too.
What a great collection of good car advice! Thanks for sharing! #client
This is perfect. It is important to have these things and the printable makes it so easy
I love the "how to jump a car" very helpful!
I always have a gallon ice cream bucket and trash bags in my car. Kids vomits, I have a bucket with a lid that I can throw away and trash bags to put the gross clothes in.
I can't seem to access the printable even though I subscribed.
@Grimm. I doubled checked and updated the links. Let me know if you still have issues!
Debra, I can't access the printable either, can you please check the links?
Great info btw!!
@Erikagza, I double checked all the links and they are all working. Let me know if you are still having problems.
Thanks
I followed subscribed etc still no printable. Oh well
Love this idea
Hello Debra, this is the best idea! I came across your post awhile ago and subscribed then. I decided that I would save and purchase the items slowly and enough for all of my children. I am nearly done. I got on this evening to check your list and I am not able to access anything. I read some of the more recent posts and it seems that I am not the only one. I tried to subscribe again (the link said that my e-mail was not registered) and still no link to print the lables for this activity I have been looking so forward to.
I am so sorry you had that problem! We recently switched servers and it broke all of the printable links so we have been trying to get them all fixed. I updated the post and you should be able to download them now. Let me know if you have further problems