A mother-of-five has shared her ‘genius’ hack to help parents get their children into the car without damaging the next vehicle with the open door.
Sophie Lorraine Turkentine, 37, from Halstead, Essex, uses a roll of toilet paper to create a makeshift buffer between her car and the one in the next space, allowing her to lean into the back to help her children without worrying about the open door causing damage.
She simply opens the door and wedges the roll between the two cars while she straps her children in, avoiding any accidental dents or scrapes to other cars.
Parking space hack: Sophie Lorraine Turkentine, 37, from Halstead, Essex, uses a roll of toilet paper to create a makeshift buffer between her car and the one in the next space, pictured
Simple solution: Sophie came up with the idea while struggling to strap son Tate into his car seat when he was a toddler. Pictured, Sophie with sons Tate, now six, right, and Miles, nine
The full-time mother thought of the simple idea five years ago but only thought to share the post online after another parent praised it in a car park.
Sophie said: ‘She came over and told me it was a genius idea and that she was going to carry a roll of toilet tissue round with her all the time so she can do this..
‘She was so excited about it, I didn’t see it as such an amazing concept until then.
‘I carry a toilet roll in my car anyway because my youngest gets car sick quite often so I always have one with me.’
Hands-free: Sophie needed both hands to help son Tate, pictured, but worried about the door
Sophie came up with the idea when she was shopping with son Tate, now six, when he was a toddler.
She explained: ‘I was trying to hold the door open and get him in his car seat but it was proving impossible – all parents know the struggle.
‘I just grabbed the nearest thing to me and it was the toilet roll. I thought that’ll do and wedged it in between my door.
Praise: Other parents said they were going to try out the hack for themselves. Pictured, Sophie with her eldest son Aidan, 17
‘It meant I didn’t have to use all of my limbs trying to juggle him and the car door. I’ve been doing it ever since now.’
Sophie, who is also mother to Kara, 18, Aidan, 16, Brice, 13, and Miles, nine, was praised by other parents when she shared the hack online.
Sophie added: ‘Everyone was really impressed with it and were tagging their friends.
‘It’s little things like this that make life easier, it’s a cheap and cheerful hack. With five kids you need all the help you can get to make life that little bit easier.’