Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Widgets

A Smart Trunk ~ Benefits of Being Prepared


This is a sponsored post by State Farm.  I have written it and it's my opinion. And it was a very good reminder of the fact that I do not have a smart trunk. 

2 weeks ago, I launched a contest to find the trunk with the most "Trunk Junk".  Well, actually, it was all about having a trunk that is filled with items you may need in an emergency - a Smart Trunk.  Who would have ever thought that 1 week into this campaign, I would benefit from my own post???  

This past summer, I embarked on a 3 week roadtrip with my kids.  And I had my emergency kit - complete with a blanket and gallon of fresh water.  And we never touched it. In fact, it got pushed around so much after we returned, that I ended up taking it out of the trunk and it sat in my garage for 6 months.  That is, until I wrote a post on what goes in a "Smart Trunk".

I threw it back in the car after feeling like a hypocrite - writing about something I didn't necessarily do. 

Who would have ever thought that we would experience not one, but TWO ice storms in one week in Central Texas - not I!!  I was so incredibly thankful to have my kit, as I pulled out the ice scraper twice to clear off my windshield.  Just, this may be a minor example of needing an emergency preparedness kit in my trunk, but this carpooling-mom was happy to have been convicted enough to have put the kit back in the car!



I can't help but think about what happened in Atlanta last week, with hundreds of cars stranded during their winter storm.  How many of those cars had a smart trunk?  

It's all fun to joke about the junk we have in our trunk - some of your pictures were unbelievable!  But this campaign was a great way to bring awareness to the fact that we need to be prepared.  You never know when you might need an ice scraper......or jumper cables.....or a blanket.

Please take the time to gather the following items and keep them stowed in your car.  
- jumper cables
- blankets/warm clothing
- spare tire & tools to change it with
- cell phone & cell phone charger
- flashlight (with charged batteries)
- non-perishable food (peanut butter crackers, nuts, granola bars)
- first aid kit
- windshield scraper
- water
For more ideas, please see State Farm's Winter Driving Survival Guide by clicking here.

Over the past 2 weeks, we have seen some pretty comical pictures of your trunk junk over on Instagram.  Check them out with the hashtag #TrunkJunkSF

Today, using a random number generator, I have selected 8 winners to receive:

3 winners will receive a $100 Gift Card from State Farm
5 winners will receive a State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover 

$100 Visa Card = @lovekat77


$100 Visa Card = @madddal


$100 Visa Card = @jennykate77

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @jensmithmoore


State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @evinschmevin


State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @tadstreet


State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @mollygrace5


State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @travelermom

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone for participating. 
 I hope this encourages you to keep your trunk SAFE!