Some great ideas on here. I would add (and no prizes for guessing I’ve had a lot of car trouble). Although as we’re nearing spring this might not be the most useful of lists right now:
- deicer, car oil & screenwash
- change in the car for air pressure machines
- windscreen cover (godsend for icy early starts, especially with nightmare mornings trying to get a kid out the house for breakfast club)
- tyre pressure pump thing (plugs into cigarette lighter, you can pump your tyres wherever you are and get to a garage)
- battery starter (negates the need to find a stranger/neighbour with jump leads)
- big bag of salt grit - to put down on path/drive. The path to my front door is sloped and we’d had many an accident when my child was a toddler plus I’m like Bambi on ice!
- box in boot with bottle or water, kids snacks, blanket, foil blanket, hi vis etc. never bothered until I had a child.
I do all food shopping online for delivery. I always get double of things like deodorant, shower gel, toothpaste, foil/clingfilm, tampons etc. I always have one in use and one spare. And buy big packs of toilet and kitchen roll.
Already mentioned but a stash of coins, wrapping paper, sellotape and kids birthday cards are so useful. As are candles/torches, basic tool kit, lightbulbs and batteries. And a charged up power bank for phones/kids iPad etc.
Not heard it called a vomit kit before but it’s a great/gross name 😂 So useful to have a stash of everything you need within easy reach in case of middle of the night sickness. No rummaging through various cupboards and drawers trying to sort things half asleep.
Finally, although this isn’t really what you asked, but make sure you tell someone e.g parent/sibling/best friend/the executor of your will where they can find the information they might need in the event of an emergency or, sorry to be morbid, death.
now that pretty much everything is online and not many paper bills any more, I have a word document typed up with a list of providers. Eg banks I bank with, name of mortgage Co, insurance Co for house and car, utility providers, credit cards, company I have a savings account with, pensions etc. The list is printed and kept in a safe with a copy of my will.
I was spooked by the sudden death of a parent too young, and it made me realise if I died, no one would have a bloody clue what accounts I have and who to speak to to get my affairs in order.