Winter Prep...

Join our amazing community
Share what you know, learn something new!
register

AuntJamelle

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 22, 2007
4,320
2,643
113
South Bend, IN
For those of us headed into the colder months of the year - or for anyone that wants to share! - what kind of to do's do you have running through your brain to get ready!

I feel like winter type conditions always seem to hit overnight - I'm sailing along in blissfully sunny moderate temp fall days - some rainy days maybe - and WHAM! My car is frosted solid - I can't find my ice scraper - no gloves - DS needs boots and snowpants, etc.

I now have certain things I start thinking about/prepping for around this time so I don't have to suffer through those whammy moments!

Winter Preps:

- Locate (ahem, harder than it sounds sometimes :oops:) and wash all winter coats - then put in living room closet

- Bring down baskets of hats, gloves, scarves and put back in living room closet; wash hats and gloves as needed (use mesh bags to keep velcro items separate)

- Locate boots for DH and myself and put in Liv Room closet

- Locate ice scrapers and make sure one is in each vehicle

- Purchase rock salt, including pet friendly kind

- Purchase snowboots, snowpants and snowgloves for DS

- Switch out summer for winter things in closets/dressers

- Talk to DH about picking date to put winter windshield wiper fluid in my car - schedule it using Google calendar so I don't forget!

- Make sure we know where snow shovels are (did they get taken out to the back shed? Are they buried? Did they go on walk about?

- Confirm car emergency kit, bottles of water and extra blankets. (DS frequently covers up with a fleece throw I keep in the car - helps take the chill off the drive to school in the mornings!)

Anything else you guys can think of? Any funny stories to share of moments when you were NOT so prepared?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Minta

Minta

Super Moderator
Staff member
Premiere Member
Oct 14, 2007
1,989
1,994
113
50
South NJ
AJ we do a lot of the similar things plus I check the caulk around the doors and windows and redo any caulk as needed.

Snow shovels are already in the garage, need to pick up more rock salt.

I have an over the door show holder on the inside of the hall closet door that is where we store the hats and gloves. Each person in the family has a row. I have another hanging show rack that hangs from the pole inside the closet for the scarves.

I pull out the extra throw blankets and wash them.

Have matches on hand incase of power outage this way I can still light the gas stove.

Give the dog a much needed bath before it gets too cold.

Do need to get the kids new boots and slippers.

Start stocking up on tissues, cold meds, pain relievers, Lysol wipes and spray cause as soon as it gets to cold for the kids to go outside/keep the windows opened the germs invade the schools and the kids like to tag your it with their germs :eek:
 

Miss JoDee

MHH Member
Premiere Member
Apr 22, 2011
4,130
7,232
113
Gurnee, IL
Minta I did the stock up you suggested last year, stocking up on tissues, cold meds, pain relievers etc and it was one of the best pieces of advice I took from here. Just talked with DH about the need to stock up the supplies again. :)
 

Holiday_Mom

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Sep 12, 2009
3,808
6,160
113
There are some great ideas here. I had not thought about Minta's idea of caulking.

I've learned the hard way to look for gloves now and buy it when I see them instead of waiting for a sale. :rolleyes: By the time Christmas rolls around, the gloves are gone. Gone, I tell you. There is nothing more embarrassing to my kids than wearing socks because they have no gloves. :oops:

I like to buy hand and foot warmers for when we go sledding or snow tubing. They often become stocking stuffers.

We stock up on vitamin C, tissues and cold/flu medicines in early October as well. In fact, this year, I'm buying one extra box per family member to get us through November. Last year, I thought I bought enough but between home and school, I made two special trips for tissues.

I just bought some batteries and a couple of lighters. We also have matches and candles. The flashlights were checked out a few weeks ago and all seemed to be in working order. I do have to check on the salt.

My oldest bought a car in the summer. She has an emergency kit. For Christmas, I'm planning on getting her a snow brush, ice scraper and shovel for the trunk of her car. I'll throw in a little bit of salt too.
 

Minta

Super Moderator
Staff member
Premiere Member
Oct 14, 2007
1,989
1,994
113
50
South NJ
Minta I did the stock up you suggested last year, stocking up on tissues, cold meds, pain relievers etc and it was one of the best pieces of advice I took from here. Just talked with DH about the need to stock up the supplies again. :)


Nothing worse then having to run out to the store late at night and especially in bad weather because someone in the house is sick. Been there, done that, don't wanna do that again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AuntJamelle

AuntJamelle

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 22, 2007
4,320
2,643
113
South Bend, IN
I absolutely LOVE the idea to stock up on meds and other things for when someone falls ill!

I buy tissues in bulk at Sam's Club but I need to pick up a box of Puffs with Aloe Lotion - I have a partial box but one more would be good!

And more Airbourne! I think we are good on Vit C but I'll check!

I hesitate to buy too many cold medicines because they seem to just get tossed due to expiration date - I think we still have cough syrup for DS but I'ld better check that too. Dr. Hyland's brand cough and cold meds are another one I like to have for DS. Cough drops for DH. My wheels are turning!!!

Need more batteries too - we have PLENTY of flashlights to put them in! :) I'm a candle person so we have lots of those, and matches and lighters.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Minta

sweetpumkinpye

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 23, 2008
16,881
20,637
113
59
Canberra, Australia
We are heading onto Summer here but these ideas are great for my Winter prep next year.

I too stock up on tissues, tea tree and eucalyptus oil (good all round disinfectants and great in a Winter bath), honey and eucalyptus cough drops.
I locate and check the draught stoppers and seals for around the doors.
Close the air con vents in the ceiling.
Vacuum the heater dust filter for better efficiency.
Wash all throw rugs, place in large basket in lounge room.
Check the coolant levels in the car, locate ice scraper.
Start airing the Winter doonas that have been packed away.
Locate/buy extra candles and batteries.
Change out the floor rugs at the kitchen/bathroom sinks for thicker ones.


At the end of the previous Winter/early Spring (now here) I stock up on any thing we may need for the next Winter or write a note in my planner. I have just bought new Winter clothes and slippers at a heavily reduced price and have stored those away for next year.