We all have certain items that we keep in our car in case we break down on the side of the road or get stuck in a foot of snow. However, sometimes you decide last minute to sleep at a friend’s house or have the scare of your life when your period begins while out on a shopping trip with your dad, and you might find yourself unprepared and without the proper items. After finding myself in too many scenarios where I wish I was equipped with a toothbrush or a tampon, I decided to go to the store and stock up. I categorized my circumstances into three categories and made three separate pouches that I now keep in my car at all times: the “Impromptu Sleepover” Bag, the “Personal Care” Bag and the “Emergency” Bag.
1. Impromptu Sleepover Bag
We have all decided last minute to sleep over at a friend’s house, and usually without packing anything beforehand. You can find yourself trying to determine if it is worth sleeping with your makeup on or with your contacts in, or if you should suck it up and drive home. With an “Impromptu Sleepover” Bag, you are left with less stress and can easily grab it from your car and have everything you need to freshen up before sleeping over.
In my bag, I always keep a contact case, a bottle of contact solution, a tooth brush, a bottle of tooth paste (all travel-sized of course) and a pack of makeup remover wipes. Of course, you can include anything you need or exclude anything you don’t, but having the necessary items in your bag will give you peace of mind so you can crash wherever you end up for the night and sleep more comfortably.
2. Personal Care Bag
While this bag sounds vague, it is really for anything that you need to freshen up on-the-go. For me, this includes a pack of Altoids, a bottle of Germ-X, a pouch of tissues, an old tube of mascara and eye liner crayon, tweezers, lotion and a tube of Carmax. None of these items melt or freeze, so you can keep them in your car during any season. (I learned the hard way not to keep deodorant or a pack of gum in this bag during the summer).
I found this bag useful if I decided last minute to see my boyfriend after finishing a burrito from Taco Bell, or if I forgot to put on mascara when rushing to make it to work on time. The rest of the items in the bag come in use almost daily and I have a peace of mind knowing I am always equipped with the things I need.
3. Emergency Bag
While us women might all have a tool box or jumper cables in our trunk, we almost never seem to have a tampon when we need it the most. In my “Emergency” Bag, I keep plenty of tampons as well as packs of Ibuprofen in case Aunt Flow decides to visit while I am away from my stash at home. The Ibuprofen also comes in handy any time during the month that you might have a headache or any other type of pain.
In this bag, it can also be a good idea to keep any kind of medicine you might need while you’re out and about such as an extra pack of birth control or some of your anxiety medicine. It is never a bad idea to supply yourself with the proper items in case you are out later than expected and don’t have your supplies on hand.
In Short…
Everything that goes in these bags is small enough to not take up too much space and is guaranteed to make you glad you packed them beforehand. Now, you can drive around with the peace of mind that you have everything you need for a handful of scenarios. Most stores such as Walmart or Target have an aisle for travel-sized items, including small pouches for you to create your own. Fill them with things you might need and store your bags in your glove box so you’re just as prepared as if you were still at home!