Car Bag for I-Like-to-be-Prepared Mamas

As I said in my Minimalist Mama Diaper Bag post, I don't like carting a bunch of junk around with me when we leave the house.  I do, however, still like to be prepared.  My solution?  To keep a bigger bag in the car which keeps things better organized on the road.  All things baby (except a stroller, if we use one, and, of course, the baby!) live in this bag in the car.  When we get out of the car, I can either grab the entire big bag or just the diaper bag from it, depending on what we're doing.

As far as the bag goes, it's just your run-of-the mill reusable grocery-style bag that is a staple giveaway at any store opening, festival, or trade show.  Seriously, if I could make money selling off the bagillion free bags we have floating around our house...
 

The size you choose will depend on what all you want to fill it with.  Here's what I keep in mine:

• A large quilt (for outside fun)
• A couple of large baby blankets of varying weights (since it's winter, I've got one flannel and one that's lightweight - these generally don't wrap the baby, but serve as breastfeeding covers)
• A receiving blanket (you can never have too many of these laying around)
• A birdseye diaper (you can never have too many of these, either)
• An extra wrap for babywearing
• A portable high chair
• Minimalist Mama Diaper Bag
• A smaller bag filled with toys (these stay in the car, which keeps the novelty of the items alive - especially handy for long car rides across the state with the one baby on Earth who hates riding in the car)

Car bag innards (not showing diaper bag)

Again, more than I need, but nice to have all those options, just in case. 

This is how I usually have the bag packed - with the high chair and diaper bag each standing up a bit from the top - makes for more efficient grabbing of those two often-used items, while still keeping them contained inside the bag

Do you have something similar in your car?  What do you put in it?  I'd love to hear (and see photos)!  Either leave a comment here or email me at lisahealy (at) outlook (dot) com.

Linked up with We Are THAT Family and Works for Me Wednesday,
I'm Lovin' It Fridays,
Thrifty Thursday at Living Well Spending Less,
Creative Ways link party at Posed Perfection,
Simple Saturdays Blog Hop,
Merry Monday Linky Party,
The Mommy Club at Crystal & Co.,
 Creative Collection Link Party at Blooming Homestead  
The Super Mommy Club Party  
Linked up with Motivation Monday at A Life in Balance 
Thoughtful Spot at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom  
In & Out of the Kitchen  
  Good Tips Tuesday  
Tuesday Tutorials  
Inspire Me Mondays  
Makeovers & Motherhood