Why I Bought My Minivan…

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When we are younger, the big, blue, minivan signified MOM. Mom (or dad) drove us around in her minivan. That’s the car that we took all of our trips in. That’s the car we drove when we needed to pick up every single friend or the entire soccer team. Why take two cars when mom can drive her minivan?

If you pull up to a minivan at a stoplight, nine out of ten times it’s a mom, am I right? If you are ready to be a soccer mom, I can understand why you may be the one rushing to the dealership to get your first mini. But for me, a minivan signified giving up my “cool card.” Not that I see myself as cool, but if there was anything left of my young, adventurous, self…I knew the minivan would suck the rest of it right up.

Then, I started getting older and the end of my twenties grew closer and the babies started flowing, I began to understand why moms got minivans.

But still, I was unwilling to give up what little remained of my cool card. I thought when the kids are older…MAYBE I will get one then…but no way I can be seen driving a minivan now. No. No way. Definitely not.

Then, I realized my mid-size SUV was just not cutting it. Again, to avoid surrendering to the minivan, I googled “SUV most like a minivan, but not a minivan.” Guess what? I wasn’t alone! There were articles upon articles and lists upon lists about ways to get around the minivan. These were larger SUVs that had many of the things I was looking for: a third row, DVD player, etc. I thought, “Ok, these aren’t so bad.” But as my research continued, I started to see everything that comes with a large SUV.

First of all, most of them are just that: LARGE. I was a small sedan girl for most of my driving life, so just upgrading to a mid-size SUV was a major adjustment. Driving an SUV the size of a minibus was just so far out of my comfort zone. Could I really park one of those bad boys? Let’s be real here…probably not.

Another concern of mine is the cost; the larger SUVs seemed to be expensive (to purchase and also to fuel up). If you can handle driving the large SUV, parking that monster in those teeny, tiny spots, more power to you! But I was not ready to take on that responsibility.

So, yes, I surrendered and bought a minivan! Here are the reasons why I bought it, why I love it, and why I know I will have it for a very long time.

Why I Love My Minivan

  • Cup holders EVERYWHERE!! Literally. I can reach at least 3-5 cup holders from any seat in the car
  • Are your kids still in car seats? The configuration possibilities are endless. Seriously. There are car seat latches in five of the six seats in the back. Can I get a fist bump?
  • While we are on the subject of configuration…I can rearrange the back seats in so many ways it is mind-blowing. The very back seats fold completely down into the trunk. All three of the center row seats are removable. Ah-mazing.
  • Remember how I said cup holders are everywhere? So are outlets. My kids don’t have phones yet…but when they do, they will be able to charge them from wherever they are sitting.
  • Built-in sunshades. Enough said.
  • My almost two-year-old can get in and out of the van. BY HIMSELF.
  • The DVD player. I try to save this for long car trips, but it can really save the day.
  • Back up camera
  • Side camera (when I use my blinker to turn right – I see through the camera to my blind spot)
  • 3 of the 5 doors close with a push of the button (both at the door and from the driver’s side)
  • They are affordable! I drive all over the city all week long and I fill up once a week.
  • It is not my dream car, so when snacks get crushed into every crack in every seat, I may cringe because it’s a mess, but at least it is not messing up my dream car (some minivans even have a built-in vacuum).
  • SO. MUCH. ROOM. Traveling with backpacks, suitcases, and strollers is no biggie.
  • They don’t look as bad as the ones our moms drove. Honestly, a lot has been done to make them look nicer.
  • It won’t be forever…then you can get that dream machine you’ve been waiting for!

The bottom line is, that my life is crazy hectic right now and my minivan was literally made to make my chaotic life a little less frenzied. Motherhood is full of surprises (both exciting and frantic), but my minivan is one place that makes my life a little easier. That, my friends, is why I love my minivan!!

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Amy Kay
Amy grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Environmental Studies. Her dream was to make the world a better place by improving the environment for everyone. After getting her dream job in Texas, she met the love her of her life, Evan; they had a beautiful daughter in 2012 and moved to Mount Pleasant in 2013. Amy intended on continuing to work in the field of Sustainability (all things green and ecofriendly) but ended up being a SAHM. Although she found it a blessing to be able to stay home full time with her daughter, she struggled to find herself in her new identity. In 2014, her family expanded with a son and with his birth she began to be more confident as both a woman and a mother, and lover of the Lowcountry. She turned her love of family and the environment into a business (www.de-cluttered.com) that allows her to keep her family first while helping others. Through de-cluttered, Amy helps families deep clean their homes, taking the weight of clutter off of their shoulders and donating those extra items to local charities throughout Charleston. Amy also loves being at the beach, having an adventure, connecting with new people and is always looking to learn something new.

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