Summer Car Kit Essentials

During the last week of school I got crazy organized in preparation for summer. One of the projects I tackled was cleaning out my car and restocking it with all our summer essentials. There are probably many more items I’ll think to add throughout the summer but today I’ve rounded up 17 things I’ve got packed in our trunk for whatever summer brings us.

Before I dive into all of the items I’ve stocked my car with for summer, I need to start with the most important item — my Collapsible Car Trunk Organizer! I spent way too much time researching which organizer I wanted to purchase for my trunk and ended up picking this one. I really like how it has multiple compartments, can be fastened down so it’s not sliding around, has a waterproof liner to catch sunscreen bottle leaks, and can be resized depending on how much trunk space I have available.

Alright, here’s what’s in my car…

1. Collapsible Car Trunk Organizer: I spent way too much time researching which organizer I wanted to purchase for my trunk and ended up picking this one! I really like how it has multiple compartments, can be fastened down so it’s not sliding around, has a waterproof liner to catch sunscreen bottle leaks, and can be resized depending on how much trunk space I have available.
2. Sunscreen: This isn’t our regular sunscreen, but since it’s my car backup I wanted a brand I trust but that is a little cheaper. I got the two-pack so I could put one in my trunk organizer and one in Matt’s!
3. Bug Spray: I kept a bottle of bug spray in my car last summer and we used it way more than I anticipated.
4. Hands & Face Wipes
5. Hand Sanitizer: Matt and I both keep this massive bottle of hand sanitizer in our cars and it’s lasted us forever.  I keep this in my car door so I can pass it back to the kids every time we get into the car from running an errand.
6. Plastic Tablecloth: For the park! We love to spontaneously head to the park with Chick-fil-A for a picnic from time to time and without fail the table is almost always covered in bird poop, leftover food crumbs, etc. Keeping cheap disposable tablecloths in the car has been the best $1 investment.
7. First Aid Kit: I’ve had this kit since 2017 and it’s the best. It has almost 60k reviews on Amazon too. This kit includes 299 supplies for minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.
8. Boys Two-Piece Swim Set / Girls Two-Piece Swim Set: For last-minute pool plans.
9. Playground Ball: For when we visit a park with a gaga ball pit!
10. Picnic Blanket: I can’t find the exact blanket we’ve been using since Caroline was born but this one is pretty much identical. We use our picnic blanket a LOT. This one has all of our favorite similar features — it’s waterproof, folds up for easy storage and transport, and is offered in 7 sizes and 6 prints.
11. Snacks: Perfect variety pack that can stand the heat of summer.
12. Cash/Pouch: I recently purchased these clear waterproof zippered bags for organizing my purse and threw one in my trunk organizer with a few bucks.
13. Flip-Flops: WHY do kids get into the car without shoes sometimes? It drives me crazy. I keep these cheap Old Navy flip-flops in the trunk and they’ve been great not only for the times the kids don’t put on their shoes before we leave the house but also for the times they want to change out of sneakers and into something more breathable.
14. Umbrella: Love these little umbrellas from Target. We have two and I keep one in each of the kid’s doors in the car! Available in 7 fun prints.
15. Hair Ties: These aren’t some super special hair elastics but this type is our favorite and this jar of 2,000 elastics is the best deal I’ve found on them. I like to fill mini salad dressing containers with these elastics and stash them in all the bags — including the trunk organizer.
16. Tangle Teaser Brush: A must-have for little girls. This brush is magic and makes detangling hair ouch-free.
17. Anti-Fog Swim Goggles: Look, we’ve gone through a TON of goggles over the years (especially for Thomas) and have purchased this set 4 times!!! We keep a set in the trunk of both cars and every pool bag because if Thomas doesn’t have a pair of goggles, he absolutely cannot swim. And these goggles truly are THE BEST. They have an anti-fog coating, a great seal so they don’t leak, provide UV protection, adjustable straps (that are EASY to adjust), and a well-designed clasp that allows kids to easily unclip their goggles with one hand.

Now tell me, what’s an item you keep stocked in your trunk for summer!?!