Chicagoland winter car kit: what to keep in the trunk

Chicagoland winters are unpredictable. One morning the Eisenhower is clear, the next you are sitting still for forty minutes while lake-effect snow comes sideways across the lanes. A small kit in the trunk turns a stressful delay into an annoying one.

The basics that live in the trunk all winter

• A roadside emergency kit. Jumper cables, a tow strap, a first aid pouch and a flashlight cover most problems. The Everlit Survival Car Emergency Kit packs all of that into one zip bag.
• A tire inflator. Tire pressure drops about one PSI for every ten degrees of temperature change. A cordless tire inflator lets you top up in the driveway instead of at a freezing gas station.
• A warm layer and gloves. Keep an old coat, a hat and spare gloves in a bag. If you are stuck, you will be glad of them.
• A scraper and a small shovel. Cheap, essential and easy to forget until the first storm.

Keep the cabin livable

Road salt and slush end up all over the floor mats. A quick pass with a mini car vacuum every couple of weeks stops the grit from wearing out the carpet. Low winter sun on westbound commutes is brutal too, so leave a spare pair of sunglasses in the glovebox.

A quick monthly check

1. Check tire pressure when the tires are cold, first thing in the morning.
2. Top up washer fluid with a winter blend rated below zero.
3. Make sure your phone charger cable is still in the car.
4. Confirm the kit is still complete. Kids and teenagers borrow things.

None of this is complicated. Spend twenty minutes on a Sunday in November and you are set until spring.

Written by the Buy Zone Point team in Melrose Park, Illinois. Questions? Call +1 708-345-0113.