Planning a road trip? Be sure to hit hardware store

While many people hit the specialty stores and catalogs when stocking up for vehicle travel, I’ve found basic hardware stores to be a great source for supplies. While I’ve written before at length regarding the use of door wedges and sink stoppers for backpacking getaways, the truth is you can also stock up cheaply for simple automobile excursions.

The following hardware items can help you navigate a number of hurdles on your next road trip.

Connections: Not only can zip ties hold multiple loose items together, they can also be used to create basic loops that can be used as additional docking points for carabiners and hooks. This is especially helpful when you have a large carabiner clip that doesn’t easily fit through the opening of a dash handle, roof hook or other existing docking point in your vehicle.

While I was slow to develop an appreciation for this hardware store wonder, my husband never met a zip tie he didn’t like. With more than 14 years of marital travel under our belts, they have come to our organizational rescue in more ways than I can count. When I need an extra bag of items in the front passenger seat that can’t go bouncing around on the floor, he hooks it on the front of the dash with a zip tie and metal clip combination.

And when I need to be able to easily grab things out of one of the many pockets in my favorite backpack through the passenger window, having him attach it to the handle strap with a zip tie keeps it stationary. In our case, it also keeps it off the back of the seat, which is typically pushed flat to make room for our road-trip-loving canine.

Cords: While it’s true having basic cords and ropes in your trunk can come in handy for any number of emergencies, my travel needs focus on cords of a different sort. Electrical extension cords can be more of a life saver on road trips than you might realize. For instance, how many times have you checked into a hotel room assuming you could work comfortably from the bed in your pajamas only to find the only outlet to be clear across the room? This alone is a good reason to tuck one in your trunk or glove compartment.

Additionally, an extension cord lets you have access to power on your hotel balcony. If you’re prone to business travel in some very scenic locations, this is a way to make the best of that ocean sunset while you touch base with clients. Does your vehicle have an electrical outlet in the back? Pack an extension cord and a small kitchen appliance such as a blender or sandwich press to make rest area stops more of a tailgating experience.

Canisters: Those small green gas canisters available at box hardware stores take up far less space than a full barbecue tank and serve a number of purposes on short- term road trips and overnight excursions. For example, a small portable heater by your feet while holding down the fort at that outdoor craft fair can be a real treat. And as far as camping goes, not all grills and stoves have to be huge to meet your needs. We have a small tabletop grill that serves us at home and on the road, along with a single-burner emergency stove for boiling water that we pack when space is too tight for our two-burner Coleman. The tinier canisters serve our needs just fine in those instances.