The winter may seem like the worst weather ever. Snow gets into every little crevice making everything damp and cold. With the right materials in your car, getting through the freezing winter can become much easier. Here are some vital tools to keep in the car.

Winter sports games can be freezing to stand out in, and if you don’t plan ahead you’ll turn purple. If you decided to unexpectedly show up to a sports game in poor weather, a blanket would always keep you warm and protected from the chilly wind. For example, it could be raining outside and your shoes get absolutely soaked. Keeping a pair of spare shoes in your car along with extra dry clothes can really come in handy. If you don’t have dry clothes, a towel works too. Just laying across your seats or wrapping up into the towel can help you dry off and keep your body warm. Gloves are essential to have in your car during the cold winter months. It will be a lifesaver if you get stuck on the side of the road or even get hit by surprise cold weather.

Early mornings often start off with freezing winds and iced-over car windows. When you’re in a rush and don’t have time for the car to heat up and the ice to melt, an ice scraper will save you your job along with saving time. It quickly expels all of the ice on the windshield in less than five minutes. Since you’re running late, I’m assuming your alarm didn’t go off because your phone died. Always keeping a phone charger in your car will guarantee your phone always has a charge. This way you can order Starbucks ahead of time, and keep you from running even later.

Sometimes when people are running late they tend to drive too fast. This can cause accidents. Keeping a first aid kit in your car could help someone that got into a minor wreck or even just someone who has gotten hurt and near your car. While you are helping that person out, your hair could get in the way and frustrate you. Keeping spare hair ties to pull up your hair when changing a tire always helps out. The sharp winter air can be harsh on the lips. Always keeping chapstick in the car will save you from chapped lips. It may not be sunny out, but on those snowy days, while the sun is beaming in the sky, sunglasses help block out the sun, allowing you to be able to see when driving. 

If you ran out of gas on the side of the road or had to pull off for something, keeping change in your car may be useful in many situations. For example, you could pay that guy who stopped and gave you gas, if you really had no cash. You could even use it at a payphone in case your phone dies. If it becomes dark outside when your car decides to run out of gas, you won’t be able to see anything. A flashlight in the glove compartment will allow you to make sure the gas is going into the right hole. Say that the guy who has given gas also gave you directions to the closest gas station and you have an absolutely terrible memory. Pens or markers kept in your console and some pieces of paper will save you from becoming lost again. Having him or her write the directions down would be the most helpful. Jumper cables should always be kept in the back of the car for emergencies as well. A fellow car could hook up to them and help you start your car to make it home safely.