Cool Car Accessory Roundup for Moms
Busy moms need a way to keep their cars organized. Between grocery shopping, doctors appointments, sports practice, and other errands, we need a way to keep stuff in the car within a short reach and make it easier to entertain the kids. But we also need to keep the kids clean and safe, too. What’s a mom to do? Here are a few products to help you out. At the end, we’ve included some bonus links to additional resources.
First, keep baby occupied while you drive with the Baby Einstein Move & Go Music Mirror. Yes, it plays music, but you can control the volume with a remote control. If baby isn’t put to sleep by the motion of the car, maybe this mirror will entertain him. And while he’s in a rear-facing seat, you can set it up in order to keep an eye on him, too. ($24.99 at Babies R Us)
Tired of cleaning spilled food and drink from the nooks and crannies of your back seat? Try an Especially for Baby Car Seat Mat to catch the dirt and grime. ($12.99 at Babies R Us) Or you can try the two-stage seat saver which works with rear- and forward-facing child seats. ($21.99 at Babies R Us) Anything to keep that rear seat a little cleaner, right?
Keep those car seats locked down tight with a car seatbelt tightener.
Many safety seats are not properly installed and your child’s seat may
move during an accident. A belt tightener can help you cinch the belt
down better, preventing the seat from rocking or sliding. The CG-Lock
stabilizes a booster seat (note: their site has several videos, but not
a lot of other information). It retails at $39.95, but you can use
coupon code “BetterWorld” for a $5 discount. The Mighty-Tite also helps
with seat belt slack. While it looks more plastic and lighter weight
than the CG-Lock, it got high ratings by reviewers at Babies R Us.
($16.99)
While you’re at the grocery store, do you hesitate to plop your little
princess in those cart seats? If so, then think about these shopping
cart seat covers. The Floppy Seat is a cushiony cover with a storage
bag and its own seat belt. ($39.99 at Babies R Us) For a more deluxe
apartment in your cart, take a look at this Deluxe Shopping Cart Cover.
It has tons of pockets for storage, a pillow, safety belt, and padding.
It even doubles as a changing pad. Now that’s nice, but it comes with a
steeper price tag, too. ($59.99 at Babies R Us)
Ultimately, we get tired of chasing wipes, crayons, toys, and other
small objects all over the car. There are a LOT of car organizers to
choose from. Most of them hang from the back of your passenger seat for
easy access. And these next two include a tray to keep the munchkins in
the back occupied. For an affordable back seat tray and organizer,
check out this model. ($14.95 at Great Baby Products) But if you’d like
something a little stronger, a little more sturdy, you might try the
KidKase organizer (be forewarned that this site is a bit colorful). It
also has accessories if you decide to customize it a bit more. ($59.99
at The Active Child)
If you’d like to peruse the many styles, colors, and types of car
organizers available, check out these three options. You can find a
list of the “best” car organizers in Parenting’s buying guide. The
reviews are from other moms who have tried the products. For organizers
geared towards moms, check the car organizers section at Great Baby
Products. And for even more to choose from, see the large selection at
Organize-It. If you’re an organizational product junkie you should be
able to waste at least an hour or two between these sites.
So there you have it, just a few things to hopefully make your life on
the road a little easier. If you have a car organizer or product that
you can’t live without, tell us about it in the comments. We’re always
looking for a great product - or a great deal!
By Becky Scott
Contributing Editor
