Car
Sweat Pants - Sometimes I wear skirts or dresses to work. If I ever get stuck somewhere & it's -40 degrees outside these are key.
Blanket - Because sometimes sweatpants, jackets & boots still won't keep you warm enough.
Socks & Boots - Heels are not the most efficient way to go to & from work. Most days I wear my Uggs to work & back from work. Some days I forget & thus I keep some winter boots & thick winter socks in my car.
Heavy Winter Jacket - I bought a really nice down jacket from Abercrombie & Fitch last year. It was on clearance (rare for them I know) & I keep it in the trunk of my car. I usually take a jacket to & from work anyways, but if it's super cold & I need to layer this is great.
Flashlight - Just in case your car battery dies & it's dark, you can then see.
Book - Again, if you're stuck for a long time it passes the time. Other great ideas include Sudoku books or Crossword books but remember to pack a pen or pencil!
Contact Solution & Contact Case - Even if I don't bring my glasses with me, if I have to spend a lot of time waiting & my eyes are irritating me it will feel even longer.
Snacks - Couple of granola bars (I replace these often, whenever they have a month left before going bad I put new ones in & take these to work), bag of chips, & a few bottles of water.
Baby Wipes - I keep a few sample baby wipes in my car. I also have Purell with me, however if you need to wipe something off Purell does jack crap for you. This way you don't have to wipe it on your clothes or your car.
Phone Charger - Make sure you keep on in case your phone is about to die.
Ice Scrapper - Seems natural right? Well I'm talking about a spare one. Whenever schools hand them out I grab one or five. I keep them in my car as an emergency & even more important in case someone needs one I can just give them one.
Medicine - I'm not telling you to pack a pharmacy, but it might be a good idea to keep a spare Advil or Tylonel sample or five in your glove box. Being stuck in the cold with no room & no pain meds is never fun.
Gum - How long are you stuck? Do you really want smelly breath when someone comes to help you out? Gross.
Windshield Wiper Fluid - I now carry at least 1.5 bottles of windshield wiper fluid and 0.5 bottles of Anti-freeze. My Dad wishes I would have done this last winter when he was driving.
Gas Gallon - Ever run out of gas? Well I have so I keep the thing you bring to a gas station in my trunk. Hopefully it will never happen again, but it has happened to me. Ironically I was actually on my way to get gas that very second.
Cash - My Mom & Dad always have emergency cash hidden everywhere. In their wallets, in their car, etc. They pretend they don't have it unless they've spent all their cash & they realize they forgot their credit card at home or something. They keep one underneath the visor held in place by the garage door opener. My Mom tucks fives, tens, & twenties in places in her wallet. It's a good practice to get into just in case. I keep a spare ten hidden somewhere in my car. I've emailed myself the location just in case I forget (I have a habbit of placing things and then forgettting where I put them.)
I'm sure nothing on this list comes as a surprise to anyone, they are all relatively simple. However, the workplace offers some interesting situations for which I have prepared this list for.
There have been many times when I was caught unprepared and even surprised at the items I would need. So for any first time employees this might be a good list to take note of.
Snacks - You'd be surprised how often you will get hungry between breakfast & lunch. I keep granola bars at my office if I am running late and need to eat breakfast. Fruit snacks and mini bags of microwaveable popcorn are for my snacks. I even keep an extra thing of soup or two in my cupboard in case I forgot to pack a lunch. We have a freezer in our breakroom & I usually steal the bottom drawer for whenever Lean Pockets or Lean Cuisines are on sale and just stuff them in there. Many coworkers have 'borrowed' one from me & then bought me a meal in return. Well worth the investment!
Contact Solution, contact case & Saline - You'd be surprised how many coworkers have asked me for eye drops, contact solution etc. I always come prepared. Whenever my bottle at home is on the emptier side I bring it to work. There's not a lot left in there but I rarely use enough between bottles so it's the perfect amount. If something gets in my eye I can bring my solution to the bathroom, wash my hands & rinse it off. This has saved my eyes more times than I thought.
Lysol Wipes - Someone in your office is sick. Better start dysinfecting. I dysinfect my entire phone (especially the mouthpiece & the buttons) my keyboard, my mouse, stapler, & any handles that I may touch.
Purell or Alcohol Dysinfectant - My office is a great deal away from the bathroom or kitchen sink. I can't get up and wash my hands every single time I cough or sneeze. This helps minimize my sick days.
Advil/Tylonel - There's a first aid kit with Aspirin in the kitchen that has been there since who knows when. I always like to have some handy in case of headaches, cramps, etc.
Allergy Meds - The dust in an office building is more than you think. Seasonal allergies can have me sneezing a ton. We keep a pack of Claritin 24 & I just take one in the morning when my allergies are bad.
Personal Products - I keep female products in my desk drawer in case I'm caught off guard. I keep perfume, breath mints, bronzer, chapstick, lotion, facial lotion, hairspray, hair ties, bobby pins, etc. in case I'm running late and look like a mess. Can't have clients walking in and looking like a homeless person now can we? My boss even keeps mouthwash & a toothbrush with toothpaste in his drawer.
Car Key - I always keep a spare car key in my desk drawer. We can lock our drawers so I know it's kept safely. Just in case I lock myself out my boss can drive my key over to me if need be. It's funny that I haven't had to use it yet, I think that's because I have it, if I didn't I would undoubtedly have a problem.
Heels - I keep a set of black heels at work. If I am going to wear a different color I bring them with, otherwise I can just wear flip flops, ballerina flats or Uggs back to my place. Having to walk to find my car on street parking is not as quick when in heels. To assure I won't forget them I just leave them here.
Stockings & Trouser Socks - I leave a new pair of each here in case I get a run in my stockings or forgot trouser socks when I am coming to work.
Tide To Go Stick - This is a great help for getting some stains out, other stains I wouldn't recommend it on.
So here's my list of things you may need. I hope it helps someone in some way. Besides, you never know when that cute coworker might invite you out for Happy Hour and you have no time between work & HH to freshen up.
You are a smart lady Ms. Beckham!
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