17 Things a Mom Needs in Her Glove Box, Besides Gloves!

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There are essentials mom’s need in their glove box at all times. Some of them you probably already have in your glove box, but some you might not have even thought about. Some of them could even save your life or the life of your child. I’m going to share with you 17 things a mom needs in her glove box so you can be as prepared as possible for big and small emergencies.

Let’s start with the emergency essentials:

1.Small First Aid Kit. Do you know how many times I’ve been at the park and one of the kids falls and cuts their knee open? A thousand, at least, between 5 kids. I always need a sterile wipe and a band-aid when I’m away from my home. I’m not even kidding. I made these cool little first aid kids at a church activity. They are made with a cheap pot holder and a few snack size zip lock bags. You just sew the bags to the center then add a button to the other end and the hook to hang the pot holder works as a button-hole. You can make one for yourself by following the directions HERE.

2. A Headlight. This is pretty self-explanatory, but you never know when this little thing will come in handy. These are awesome for little things like changing a diaper or big things like changing a tire. DON’T LEAVE HOME without a light in your car.

3. An Emergency Hammer. This little thing could save a life. This hammer is made specifically to shatter a car window for easy escaping. It also has a razor on an angle in it to cut through a seat belt when someone is stuck.

4. Lighters. Lighters come in handy for multiple reasons, but building a fire when you are lost could be one. You NEVER know, right?

5. Swiss Army Knife. One with a compass would be ideal. But the Swiss Army Knife has so many useful tools you would use on a long trip.

6. Feminine Pads. “What? You said an emergency Annette!” Well, did you know that a pad works better than anything else to stop bleeding? That’s why this is in the emergency section. Not that starting your period and not having a pad isn’t an emergency, but they are much more useful than just using them for that.

7. CPR Mask. This would come in handy when an accident happens or if you come up to an accident on the road and the people need help.

Now on to the other things I keep in there for my sanity.

8. Gum. Yes, gum. When I’m trying to eat better and I’m craving a treat, I chew gum. Not only that, but my teenagers are always asking for a piece. I used to run out way too quickly until I bought these new Extra® Gum 35-stick packages at Target. Now I don’t mind sharing my gum because I have a lot to share! Extra® Gum is the perfect treat to share with your friends. It’s sugar-free and the flavor lasts Extra long.

I chew gum daily. I really love it, and my favorite gum is definitely Spearmint Extra® Gum. I chewed it all through High School and it gave me minty fresh breath and clean teeth through those awkward high school years. Now that I’m an adult, I still chew Spearmint Extra® Gum every day when I am craving a sweet treat but don’t want to use up those valuable calories. Extra Gum is sugar-free and the flavor lasts forever!

I always have gum in my purse and usually one in the glove box in my car. The only problem with having gum in your purse is that everyone asks if they can have a piece. Or better yet, they ask to “borrow” one. Ew! No, you can’t borrow one. You can have one though. My gum disappears quickly for this reason and also because I have teenagers. They grab a few pieces on their way out the door for school and before you know it, I’m all out again! That’s why I’m so excited that Extra® has come out with these new Extra® Gum 35-stick packages at Target! They are right there in the check out lane. And you can save 10% through February with the Cartwheel app coupon on your phone. How amazing are these? They come in a durable, recycled plastic case that is slim so it fits perfectly in my purse. And now that these packages are larger, there is more gum to go around. Now I can share and not worry about getting out-of-stock so soon.

I’ve also made a cute printable so you can give these packs of gum to someone special to tell them how extraordinary they are!

9. Zip Lock Bags. If you have ever potty trained a child or had a child get sick in your car, you know what these are for. Use your imagination if that has never happened to you. Now you know why! Yuck!

10. Tissues. Someone always has a runny nose, and I mean ALWAYS!

11. Baby Wipes. I use these suckers to clean up just about everything. Literally. I don’t even have babies anymore, and I still keep them in my car for sticky messes that seem to happen every day.

12. Medicines. I have seasonal allergies so if I’m caught off guard with an attack it can get pretty scary so I always keep Allegra in my glove box. I also keep Dramamine in my car, a version for kids and adults. I also keep infant, children’s and adult ibuprofen for those days when we have headaches or leg aches.

13. Mini Sewing Kit. Every once in a while someone pops off a button on the way in to church. You’ll be surprised how often you use this in your car.

14. Pens and pencils. I am always in need of something to write with when I’m in my car. Having extra pens on hand is a must for me. Also, I make sure I have some pencils for those kids who forget to do their homework, so they have to do it in the car!

15. Owners Manual. When some strange light comes on on your dashboard, you can look it up quickly to find out what’s wrong with your car.

16. Hand Sanitizer. You’ll want to clean your hands and your kids hands after playing at the park or grocery shopping.

17. Extra Fuses. Did you know your car had fuse boxes? Well it does. And you’ll want some extra ones just in case you blow one on a long road trip. We blew one once and we couldn’t even start the car because it was the fuse for the starter. Scary!

There is my essentials list for what a mom needs in her glove box. What would you add to the list and who are you going to share your 35 pack Extra® Gum with?