Thank you to MDHHS for sponsoring today’s post. As always, all opinions and content are my own.
The mom hack of all mom hacks that is so helpful in our current climate. My original car caddy’s handle broke, so here we are making a fresh, new one just in time for the winter season! I’m being cautious of how times have changed and am keeping COVID top of mind when making this new car caddy. It’s still so important to wear a mask and social distance, even though COVID has been around for the majority of this year. It’s even more important now to protect loved ones who may be at risk this winter season!
Winter Essentials Car Kit Caddy
What you need:
- a shower caddy with dividers and handle
- masks (for you, your kids, your partner/spouse)
- hand sanitizer
- hand lotion
- grocery bag trash bag (because kids)
- extra set of winter gloves/hat (for my cold weather mamas)
- ziploc bag for dirty/used masks
- kleenex
- baby wipes
- extra mask lanyards
Shower caddies are great storage to keep all the winter essentials in separate spaces. If you don’t already have one in your car, make one! I’m never without a mask and/or hand sanitizer; which is so crucial when out running errands with the boys.
I can’t tell you how many times the caddy has saved me from my mom brain of forgetting to bring a mask for all three kids (and David, too! :P)
Our Recent Experience with Quarantine
You guys know that we’ve had our own personal experience with school closures and quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. It’s always a tough blow to adjust, but we’re grateful for our health. Our county’s health department called us to check-in and share resources for info and processes to follow during the quarantine period. When it was over, we felt prepared and safe to send C back to school. Thankfully, he wears a mask while at school. It gives us peace of mind that he has an extra layer of protection for himself, his teachers, and his classmates/friends.
All three Dubs Brudders are great mask wearers, I just added new lanyards to their masks so that we can keep track of them! Easy to take on and off and now that the weather is cold, the boys like wearing it to keep their face from getting cold, too. Win, win.
MDHHS Resources and Information
Like many of you, I get overwhelmed with following the news and all sorts of sources of information. For my fellow Michiganders, there is an app that you can download and use called MI COVID Alert.
It’s a free, easy to use, and anonymous app to help us stay informed and protect ourselves and others from spreading COVID-19. The app alerts you when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and how you can get tested if this happens.
It also provides instructions from the local health department to share your results anonymously if you do test positive. The app then alerts other users of the app if they were exposed and should get tested. It’s super easy to stay alerted to the status of those who you’ve come into contact with!
Testing Information and Resources
A few weeks ago, I shared what I learned in my initial research for testing sites and information. Michiganders can go to Michigan.gov/CoronavirusTest to find testing locations near you and easily schedule an appointment that works for you. You can also dial 2-1-1 or call Michigan’s COVID Hotline at 888-535-6136 from 8am to 5pm, M-F. (Press 1 to be connected to an operator who can help you find a nearby testing location and schedule an appointment.)
Some info about mask wearing from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services:
- While masks alone may not always prevent the spread of the disease, scientists and doctors agree that masks and face coverings can help to reduce the spread by about 70%.
- Cloth face masks are recommended by health experts as a way to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- Masks do not have to be worn all the time. Michiganders are required to wear a face covering whenever you are in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces where you may be in close contact with people outside of your household, or people you do know but have not been with or near recently.
- People who are deaf or hard of hearing—or those who care for or interact with a person who is hearing impaired—may be unable to wear masks if they rely on lipreading to communicate. In this situation, a clear mask is recommended.
- Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Spread Hope, Not COVID
I cannot wait until we’re looking back at this time as a distant memory. But, also, I’ve learned SO much throughout this past year. Suffice it to say, our family will likely continue to practice a lot of these public health and winter sanitization practices even after this pandemic.
If you don’t have one already, I highly suggest grabbing a shower caddy and packing it with all the masking and sanitization items you need when you’re on the go with your family.
For more resources and information about COVID-19, visit The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Winter Essentials Car Kit Caddy
