I like to keep a bin in the car containing all the essentials I might need for Suki or the humans. For quite a while it was all kept in a blue bin in the backseat, which while mostly functional had the disadvantage of taking up an entire seat to itself. When we went on our mini road trip with three adults, a dog, and all our crap crammed into the little car, I realized it would have worked better if it took up much less space. I decided it was time to revamp my design and took to Pinterest for ideas. While there was a plethora of pins on car kits, they were nearly all (or possibly even all) designed with parents and children in mind. Lame! I was actually really surprised by the lack of dog car kit posts and decided to put my own together.
My goal was to get the storage bin off the seat and onto the floor, which is easier said than done when your vehicle is a two-door with very little space in the back. In order to cut down on the bin size I went through everything and sorted it into in-cabin essentials and less used things that could go in the trunk. The goal was for the in-cabin bin to fit on the floor behind the driver’s seat.
Backseat Kit
1. Glass cleaner for Suki’s “nose art”
2. Wipes (great to have on hand for any unexpected dog related cleanup, or even just wiping down the car interior)
3. Take-out menus and a local food directory
4. Seatbelt strap for Suki’s harness
Trunk Kit
1. First-aid kit
2. Large towel
3. Extra pickup bags
4. Extra lead
5. Sunscreen lotion
6. Plastic bags
7. Assorted outdoor toys
Extras
1. Emergency Kit (jumper cables, etc.)
2. Chains. Winter driving only of course. In the summer these live in the coat closet.
3. Portable Shovel. Our newest edition to the travel necessities. This will live with the tire chains during the summer.
The increased space in the backseat makes for a happier Suki, and I’m happy knowing I have everything I might need on-hand. No more getting back to the car with a muddy dog and no way to clean her up, or getting to a trail only to realize I don’t have any pickup bags. One more thing off my road trip checklist.
