A Car Box that lives in the boot. So we can get out and about as a family and enjoy amazing adventures at whim.
Possible items to include:
The Car Box
- Sturdy box, basket, soft-sided box or sturdy bag: to store everything
- Batteries: a few different sizes is a good idea
- Trailer tarp: for picnic rug, a slip and slide etc.
- Wipes: great for sticky fingers and other messes
- Bin Liners/Plastic Bags (I fold my plastic bags so they are perfect for travel — tutorial here)
- Rain coats: Cheap plastic ponchos do the trick.
- Exercise book
- Pen
- Scissors: fold-able
- Small towel
- Tennis balls: great for the park or beach
- Stackable tumbler cups
- Duct tape: For MacGyver moments
- Torch: A wind up one that does not need batteries
- Band-aids
- Sunscreen
- Tissues
- Roll of toilet paper
- Panadol/Nurofen
- Fold-able shovel
- Collapsible bucket: for fishing, collecting shells, washing sandy feet, collecting leaves
- Safety pin
- First Aid Kit
- Frisbee
- Spare (old) clothes/underwear
- Hats
- Folded plastic bags
- Large zip-lock bags
- Small plastic figurines: for imaginative play out and out
- Fold up br0lly
21 Comments
SquiggleMum
February 1, 2010 at 12:45 pmLOL I think I have most of those things kicking around in the glovebox and footwells. Maybe a box is a good idea…
Jessica
February 1, 2010 at 12:58 pmWhat a wonderful idea! I must look into this myself, one thing I would say is a must would be toilet paper, unless you like the feel of dead dry leaves rubbing on your woohoo..
ebony
February 1, 2010 at 1:39 pmlove this idea….gonna go and get one this wekend put together, i am thinking about maybe a few bottles of water too….
Hayley
February 1, 2010 at 1:45 pmDepends on the age of your kids, but when I was pregant my neighbour told me to make sure to carry an extra nappy, wipes, change of clothes for the kids, but also a change of clothes for yourself in the car…. for the times you rush out of the house and forget the nappy bag (yup, I’ve done it!) or the time when the accidents happen all over you. Again, has come in handy when we had a little explosion during an on-the-floor nappy change prior to my having a medical appt and going from shoulder to toes!
Jessi Glauser
February 1, 2010 at 2:01 pmand a clean change of clothes for us mums,cause thats something i find i need sometimes..ive been waiting to do something like this for when I finally take over the family car from my hubby:p
Jen Finch
February 1, 2010 at 2:36 pmGreat idea Kell. I had some hats too…even if they were old caps they were better than nothing. Did a big clean out of the car on the hols and haven’t replaced all my emergency supplies yet. Need to think about what to put back in there so that it’s more age appropriate for the kids these days and try and minimise the car clutter!
Kylee
February 1, 2010 at 6:18 pmGreat idea, i have something similar. As a designer, i like to keep things looking pretty (anal i know!), so I use a pretty seagrass basket to put everything in. Just looks nicer than a box or plastic container.
Rizoleey
February 2, 2010 at 8:58 amAt super cheap auto you can get a car boot bag. It has a large (very very large) bag that velcros to the boot and then 3 other bags go inside it, very handy. I have one filled with nappies wipes etc and a change of clothes for my kids, that way if I use nappies from the nappy bag I just fill up from the boot instead of coming back inside all the tiem. We have a few books, dvds, pencils (crayons melt) some paper, first aid kit, If Im going on a long drive I put in some water, camping shops have great wind up torches with led lights, I also keep tampons and pads for me in the car as I have no idea when I will need them i keep panadol in my bag though, I think the temperature on it only allows for 30′ and the car often hits 50+ stingoes and aeroguard are great. I will be coming back next week to see all the ideas, I love pooling ideas thanks for doing this
michelle
February 2, 2010 at 11:48 amYes, I have about 3 bags rolling around the car with some of these thing – I love the idea of a box and theress some things from your list that I’ll add.
As I’m growing of of a nappy bag once again I always have a couple of pairs of undies and T-shirt and shorts that fit everyone for emergencies.
Alison
February 2, 2010 at 12:23 pmPacket of biscuits or Muesli bars for hungry monsters when you may be caught in traffic. A potty and toilet paper for someone who just can’t wait for the toilet.
Robyn
February 2, 2010 at 3:28 pmI always keep disposable gloves, an old towel, stingose/stopitch, insect repellent, sunscreen and aquium handwash in the car. I need some of the things on your list though – great ideas!
Sharron
February 4, 2010 at 3:55 pmUm…….shovel can be used for many things!!! Even going bush!!
Paula
May 24, 2010 at 7:48 pmThis is an awesome idea! When I was in the States a few years back, I spied purpose made soft-sided boxes for cars at Target for just this purpose.
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Erin
October 15, 2010 at 3:43 pmFANTASTIC ideas all of them, will be making up my own box for my wagon this weekend. – the shovel LOL dont want the police to be too suss on me LOL
the only thing I can think to add is a bag of jelly beans/barley sugar or mints or some trail mix 🙂
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
October 15, 2010 at 8:19 pmOh yes. Barley sugar… good idea
Dorothy
March 15, 2011 at 1:36 pmCrayons, colouring books and some small toys to keep little hands busy.
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
March 15, 2011 at 9:47 pmAwesome idea!
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June 18, 2013 at 8:35 pmWe have a car box. They are fabulous. Ours also has a change of clothes (for after jumping in muddy puddles), a pencil case, clipboard, notebook, watercolours and brush, and little plastic containers for collecting treasures. Ours are just in a soft-sided foldable box from K-mart. Love having everything there when we need it 🙂
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