8 Must-have Items For Every Busy Family Car

The kids and I are in the car together a lot. We do school and activity runs, trips to the shops, birthdays, playdates and playgrounds, and every so often, when I'm feeling brave, we'll pack up the entire family and go visit a new place in Ireland for a weekend away. It often feels like a mini house on wheels because we spend so much time in it and for that reason, I've stashed a few essential items away in it should the necessity arise. Here are the 8 things every busy mum needs to keep handy in the car: 1. A pen, sellotape and scissors If, like me, you find yourself writing a lot of cards and wrapping a lot of presents in your car as you're parked just a little bit away from the birthday party venue or house that you are dropping your kids to, you'll feel me on this one. I used to always end up buying a new roll of sellotape and a pen every time I picked something up last minute as a gift - so now I have all three stashed in the glove compartment. That last-minuteness of me isn't likely to change any time soon. 2. Wine bags Ditto on the last-minute present-buying panic above. It's always nice to grab a bottle when visiting friends or attending a party without the kids. I've started to buy them in bulk from Musgraves and stash them in the boot. My mates are hardly going to stop loving the gift of wine at any stage, are they? 3. One euro coins There is nothing worse than getting to the supermarket and realising you have no change for the trolley. You end up lugging the kids into the customer service desk with you to break your fiver or worse, trying to make them stand patiently by one of the checkout guys until they can get the cash register open. I have three 'hidden' euro coins in various spots of the car, just in cases. 4. Nappies and wipes The law of averages states that your child will 100% shit their nappy when you are twelve minutes into your car journey. There isn't a parent in the country who hasn't changed a bum on the side of a motorway or even just at the school gates. I have an emergency back-up changing bag in the boot for those times when I think, 'I won't bring her bag, we won't be long, it'll be grand'. (It's rarely grand!) 5. All-weather essentials We totally got stung last weekend - left the house in glorious sunshine with suncream, sun hats, summer clothes and flip-flops. An hour later, the rain lashed down and we had no cardigans, raincoats or wellies - disaster! I say prepare for all eventualities in this land of psychotic weather that we live in, and dedicate a space in your boot to suncream and raincoats. 6. A phone-charger The best gadget gift my other half has ever presented to me was the phone charger that plugs into my car's cigarette lighter. The kids are on my phone so much that the battery is ALWAYS low when I need it. But now, I will never get caught out not being able to pay my Park For Text until I can scarper into the office and plug in again. 7. Portable DVD Players Great for long journeys, great for keeping the kids from falling asleep if it's getting late in the day and GREAT for a bit of peace if you've just come from a hectic playdate! 8. Sneaky Treats One can never tell when one might need a bag of treats handy. Cut knees, upsets at having to leave the grandparents' house or just because it's a fun day out and they deserve them - it's always good policy to have a secret bag of jellies that can be whipped out when mammy needs an 'I am amazing!' moment. Got any to add to the list? Let us know in the comments on Facebook.