As sad as it makes some people, winter will be soon here. Whether it is your favorite season or not, you must be prepared. For many, planning an emergency car kit is last on the list of things to do. We will break it down really easy for you!

Small shovel: If you live in an area that could get lots of snow, a small shovel is essential. You can save yourself a little time by digging yourself out of a snowbank instead of waiting for someone else to come along.

Small tarp or use a floor mat: If you have to get out and kneel to fix a tire or dig your self out, it is handy to do so on a plastic tarp. Once your jeans get wet you feel the cold that much more.

Windshield scraper: While this would seem to be a no-brainer, garage parking can spoil us. We don’t have to scrape our windows when leaving the house and therefore forget to put one in the car in case it snows or ices while away from the garage.

Battery Boost Jumper: These have come down in price a lot. You can get a pack, charge it up and carry it in your car avoiding needing two vehicles to jump-start a car. Simply put the cables on the battery, turn on, and start the car! Most charged units can provide more than one jump start.

LED Flashlight: The LED light is bright and the flashlights are so small they fit in any glove box. These can be used to signal help or light your own rescue efforts.

Spare Batteries: All the best intentions can go wrong. Holding a flashlight with dead batteries is just as frustrating as having no flashlight at all.

Water: Even in the winter, you need to stay hydrated. Keep a stainless steel water bottle partially filled with water. If it freezes it will not crack open if you leave space for the water to expand.

Blanket: A good blanket is helpful in so many ways. You may choose to take a blanket you already have or buy an all-weather reflective blanket.

Extra gloves and hats: There are many days people leave the house and it isn’t that cold out so it doesn’t cross our minds to grab extra layers. Then the temperature drops and we wished we had a spare set in the car.

Food: It is good to have a couple granola bars or power bars in the car. You don’t have to pack a pantry of food but a couple simple items are recommended.

Small bag of kitty litter: This can provide traction on an icy or snow packed road if you are stuck.

First Aid Kit: A small first aid kit is handy and will address most common wounds. The kit should contain something to clean a wound, antiseptic and bandages. It might not hurt to put a few Tylenol in their too. 

There are many already made kits that hold a lot of extra supplies than listed here. But you can see if you want to pack your own staples, many of these you already have around the house. Being prepared is being safe.