You might just think your glove box is just a tiny space for your car manual and a couple of fast food napkins, but it’s so much more than that. You can actually use it to store a ton of handy essentials that’ll make your driving experience safer and more comfortable. Here are 18 things that you should keep in your glovebox that you might never have thought about.
Light Up the Night
It’s never easy to find something in your car at night or check something outside when it’s pitch black. That’s when a good flashlight comes in handy, so you should keep a small and durable LED flashlight in your glove box. They last a long time and don’t take up much room. Plus, you never know when your phone might stop working, so it’s always a good idea to have a light.
Fixing Things Up
You also never know when something might go wrong with your car on a road trip, like a stuck seatbelt or a loose screw. Keeping a compact multi-tool can save the day, especially if it has a few different features, like pliers and a screwdriver. This way, you’re prepared for whatever the road throws at you.
Be Your Own Hero
A mini first aid kit can, quite literally, be a lifesaver. Keep it stocked with the basics, like bandages and antiseptic wipes, along with any pain relievers. A first aid kit is perfect for any small accidents, like scraped knees or paper cuts, and it’ll give you a quick fix until you can get more help if needed.
Small but Necessary
Most people don’t think about having extra fuses in their car until it’s too late. Having some spare car fuses can help you deal with any easy fixes on your own without having to take your vehicle into the garage. After all, there’s no point wasting all that money just because your car radio’s suddenly gone silent.
Who You Gonna Call?
You should always have a hard copy of your emergency contacts in your glove box, as you never know when your phone might stop working. A written list in your glove box is there to stay, unlike technology that can glitch. If you ever find yourself in a situation where your phone isn’t working, you’ll know exactly who to call.
Keeping it Clean
This one isn’t so much of a necessity as something that’ll make your life easier. A pair of disposable gloves will keep your hands clean when you’re checking your oil or changing a tire. After all, you really don’t want to be that person with grease all over their hands when they get to the company meeting.
Charging On the Go
If your car is a little older and doesn’t have in-built USB ports, then you simply have to get a portable car charger. This way, it doesn’t matter how long your road trip is or if you’re stuck in traffic because your devices will stay charged. You’ll be glad you have one when your phone runs out of battery in the middle of nowhere.
Smelling Sweet
We’ve all had those days where we’re running around and wish we could just freshen up but can’t. To avoid this from happening again, put a small travel-sized deodorant in your glove box. This way, you can go straight from the office to dinner or make a good impression at a last-minute meeting.
Keeping Things Smelling Good
Likewise, you might also want to keep a pack of mints or even a small bottle of mouthwash because they can freshen your breath pretty quickly. They’re perfect for when you’re heading to a meeting or a date straight from your road trip. Research shows that bad breath can have serious effects on your quality of life, so it’s best to avoid this however you can.
Find the Way
Technology is great until it isn’t. Keeping an old-fashioned pocket map in your glove box will help you find your way even if your phone dies or there’s no signal. Map reading is an essential skill that everyone should have, even in today’s digital world, and it can actually be pretty fun to do things the old-school way.
Keep It Together
A handful of safety pins can come in handy more often than you might think. For example, you can use them to hold a broken bag strap together or temporarily fix a busted zipper, meaning you won’t be stuck in a bind while you’re away from home. You could even use them to hold up things inside your car.
Quick Access
You should always keep a USB flash drive in your glove box with copies of your important documents like your insurance information and registration. Why? You might need to access them quickly, and nobody wants to sit there for hours, sifting through piles of paper. Keeping a USB drive means that everything’s right there at your fingertips.
Staying Safe
If you’ve got any allergies, then keep a spare pack of your allergy medication in your glove box, especially during pollen season or when your allergies flare up. This way, you can avoid any sudden sneezing fits or itchy eyes when you’re driving. After all, some allergies can cause a higher risk of car accidents.
Cleaning Up
Similarly, you can use a pack of tissues for so many different things that it’s a little silly not to keep them in your glove box. For example, you can use them to wipe out some condensation or any spills in your car. They hardly take up any space, and you’ll probably find yourself reaching for them more often than you might expect.
No More Hair
If you have pets or wear lots of black, then keeping a mini lint roller in your glove box is a must. It’s a great way to give yourself a quick tidy-up before any important meetings or dinners out. You can even use it to remove any crumbs or dust that always seems to magically appear on your car seats.
Stash of Cash
It’s always a good idea to have a little cash hidden away in your glove box for those times when you can only use cash or need to tip a valet. Keeping in there instead of your wallet also means you’re less likely to lose any of it. And with over 5,000 miles of toll roads in America, having cash on hand makes dealing with them a lot easier.
Tire Check
It’s always important to keep an eye on your tire tread depth, but using those old-fashioned tools can be a bit of a hassle. Why not get a digital tire tread depth gauge instead? This way, you’ll know exactly when it’s time to replace your tires, and you can regularly check your tires to avoid any wear and tear that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Keeping Dry
Unlike an umbrella, a foldable rain poncho keeps your hands free if you’re ever caught in a downpour. That’s pretty useful if you need to change a tire in the rain or if you want to run from your car into the store without getting super soaked. Plus, it’s a lot easier to manage a poncho than an umbrella in windy weather.
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