Have you ever thought about the things you keep in your car? Before I had kids, my car was almost spotless. These days? It’s a borderline nuclear situation at times. Cleaning out my mom car is something that I should do often, yet never do.

Mom Car

Things In My Mom Car

1. I keep  a roll of quarters because we are forever parking in town and need change to feed the meters. Also? I they double as lunch money for Malone. Nothing says I love you more than a baggie full of quarters for hot lunch on pizza day.

2. I sort my mail in the car. Weird right? But, when I come in the house I’m likely carrying the baby, Malone’s preschool sized back pack, and the tote bag we use as a diaper bag. It is so much easier to sort the mail in the car, throw the bills in the diaper bag, and leave the junk mail in the car.

3. I use the console of our Subaru to hold things for safe keeping. I have a few family photos of my grandparents as kids and a necklace my grandmother made there. That way in case the house burns to the ground, I’ll still have a piece of them with me.

4. The trunk of our car is covered in sand from our trips to Cape Cod last summer. I’ve vacuumed out the front of the car several times, but I can’t bring myself to vacuum out the back. Every time I see the sand, it takes me back to the waves, sunshine, and my pregnancy with Lola (who was born in August).

5.  When Malone gets bored in the car, he takes off his socks and shoes. It usually happens when we are on the way home from being out and about. If he takes them off, he can either choose to put them back on himself or walk in barefooted from the curb to the car. It is a simple cause and effect parenting tactic for us. I bet there are at least seven pairs of socks in the back of the Subaru at any given time, which is why there are never enough clean ones in his drawer. Also? He only took his socks and snow boots off once this winter. I’m sure you can put two and two together to figure out why.

6. Malone is curating a fine art collection worth millions of dollars on the preschool market in the door handle by his seat. Here is where he stores his most prized possessions. In a tiny space the size of an Altoid tin, he’s got a brand new 2014 penny, a rock shaped like a heart, a Match Box Car, and a fortune from a fortune cookie. There is also a blue ink pen that tends to make a cameo. Let’s hope it hasn’t exploded back there some where.

7.  When the weather is nice, I keep a just in case tote bag in the trunk. In it contains a beach towel, a pair of Malone’s swim trunks, a change of clothes, and sunscreen. I’ll swap our in case of emergency winter gear bag out (hats, gloves, scarves, and sweatshirts) now that we’re (hopefully) done with the snow.

8. There are no less than 6 baby transporting devices in my car at this very moment. I’ve got two strollers, an infant car seat, a sling, and an Ergo. I have one baby. This is obscene. What is even worse is that both strollers are Snap & Go style. I like them both for different reasons. I should probably just pick one and stick with it.

9. Just like babies come with a lot of gear, preschoolers come with a lot of snacks. Malone’s preferred place to snack is in the car. I am forever finding his petrified leftovers underneath the seat.

10. I pray no one notices the stain on the front passenger seat. My water broke in the car while we were on our way to the hospital. I’ve been waiting all winter for a nice spring day so I could treat the seat and let it air dry. I am equally disgusted by this. Don’t worry.

This post was inspired by the novel  The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson. At the age of 44, Rosie finds herself suddenly single and pregnant. She tries to hide in her grandmother’s home, but meets two men that will change her life forever. Join From Left to Write on April 8 we discuss The Opposite of Maybe. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes. I am also linking this up with Lisa and Rabia for their Tuesday Ten series.

Opposite-of-Maybe-by-Maddie-Dawson

What would you find in your car if you cleaned it out? Anything random?