Save Time & Money, Reduce Plastic & Clutter
My friends joke that “I’m so organised” but in reality I am prepared for the unexpected. While I love order and planning, life can be messy, unexpected and beautiful. There are many times I go out and my “Just in Case Kits” allow me to change my plans and spend more time with family and friends.
These kits not only save me time, but they also save me money because I’m not buying food when children get hungry. It also reduces the single use plastics we buy because I have water bottles in the car. I don’t need to buy soft drinks, juice or water when we are out. It also reduces the random clutter that we bring home as I keep toys in my kits to entertain the kids while we are out rather than buying things to keep them entertained.
Use What You Have
I am a big advocate for using what you already have and not doing out to buy new things. These emergency kits are a great way to use multiple items you find when you are decluttering.
- Do you have any spare phone chargers? Pop one in your laptop bag.
- Do you have an excessive number of drink bottles? Pop a couple in your car boot box.
- Have your kids outgrown their baby towels? Pop a couple in your boot box.
My three “just in case” emergency kits are my:
- Car boot box
- Laptop pencil case
- Handbag ‘bits and bobs’ bag
Car Boot Box
I have had a “Just in Case Kit” for about three and a half years now. It became particularly handy when I stopped carrying a nappy bag for my youngest child.
I keep a selection of food, clothes (including PJs and bathers) for Miss 6 and Mr 8 and things that I might need in my car box so we can change plans on a whim and I don’t have to spend money buying things when we are out.
This box gets used quite often and I rely on it a fair bit (and miss it when we are out in my husband’s ute!).
This is what is in our 35cm W x 45cm L x 26cm H box:
- 3 drink bottles (2 kids and 1 adult)
- 2 x little knives, forks, spoons, metal straws
- Little tinned spaghetti and baked beans and packet of rice crackers (great for the “I’m starving” moments)
- Hair ties, safety pins, plastic bags, Band-Aids, baby wipes, tissues, Panadol (kids and adult), cash, hair brush, pen and paper
- Clothes for each child: T-shirt, shorts, pants, jumper, undies, socks, summer PJs, winter PJs, bathers, hat, beanie
- Two baby towels
- Floaties for swimming (when the kids were younger)
- Spare shoes for me & thongs for kids
- 6 x Envirosax reusable bags (they can hold 20kgs each)
- 5 x Onya life reusable produce bags
- Travel coffee mug
Laptop bag pencil case
This bag is about A5 (15cm x 23cm) size and is a recycled bag from a flight my parents took on Emirates airplanes (I think it contained an eye mask, socks & toiletries).
It contains:
- A wonderful reminder from my Inkling “Speakeasy” course of a lizard brooch to remind me to tame that freeze and flight response when I get nervous about public speaking
- Back up pen and highlighter
- Panadol and Nurofen
- Band-Aids, hair tie, bobby pin
- Chewing gum
- Phone charger, headphones and adaptor from my surface pro to a projector
- $20 cash for emergencies that require cash when I normally just have my debit card
- Business cards
- USB with backup files of key things I might need or if I need to transfer a presentation onto another computer
- Eye mist for those days when my contacts get super dry
- Peppermint tea bags and cold tea bags as I gave up caffeine seven months ago and these are handy for when I go to meetings that don’t have a caffeine-free alternative
Handbag Bag
Within my handbag I have a bag with three zip compartments in it but again, use what you have. Is there a little makeup bag you can use? Pencil case?
It lives in my handbag and has:
- Phone charger, cord & power pack
- Metal straw & straw cleaner
- Kids size knife, fork & spoon
- Mini cards & 4 mini dice for kids to play with when we are out (actually from some awesome Christmas BonBons!)
- Pen
- Headphones
- Lip balm & lip gloss
- The BE bag contains feminine products
- Mini medical kit of Panadol, kids Panadol, Nurofen, Band-Aids, hair ties, clips, contact lenses, safety pins, dry eye spray
Phone Case
Many times I leave the house with just my phone. I have a debit card in my phone case and usually that is all I need because I’m near my laptop bag or car.
Do you have “Just in Case Kits’ in your life or have I inspired you to make one?
