Learning how to prepare for winter was quite the challenge in my home.
With my two rambunctious children everyday life can be a struggle. Since I had never lived in a place that snowed every winter, learning how to prepare for winter weather conditions was the last thing on my mind.
Now we prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
To make it easier, I have created 10 easy tips to get your family started.
1.Rechargeable light bulbs!
Yes that is a thing!
I was shocked when I found out about them also.
They get installed like a regular light bulb, however, when your power goes out you still have hours of light if you need it!
If you are living in a house with small children then you understand the amazing power of working lights during a storm!
It can make or break your night.
Even having one in the hallway or living room can be a godsend!
I bought 4 which will give me an extra 12 hours of light if I use them sparingly.
I have one for the living room, kids bathroom, garage and porch.
Another great option is keeping a few solar lights indoors!
Just make sure you charge them in a sunny window during the day.
This is going to help you substantially if the power is out for a significant amount of time, though with solar lights you cant turn them off.
For more power outage tips click here.
2. Stockpile as many items as you can, starting with people and animal care needs!
Keeping dry non perishable goods on hand and staying at least one bag of feed ahead is really going to make a difference in the winter time!
Also make sure you have other emergency supplies such as first aid kits, batteries, flare gun, matches, medication, radio etc.
3. Buy summer items in the winter and winter items in the summer!!
Doing this will keep you one step ahead and save you a lot of money in the process!
This includes things like warm blankets, beanies, snow gear, sweatshirts etc.
4. Essential oils!
I cant believe the difference essential oils have made in my home.
Putting peppermint in the diffuser around Christmas or a floral smell on a rainy day helps breathe life into the long cold winter.
This doesn’t have to be expensive, buy what is within your budget!
With better quality oils you can use them on your skin and ingest them, which has some fantastic heath benefits.
However just having your house smell good is a big win!
5. Indoor plants!
Keeping a plant… or five, in your home during the winter helps freshen the air, keeps your plants alive and brings in a little taste of summer.
Try adding in some of your favorite fruits of vegetables!
A grew an avocado tree from seed using a random store bought avocado.
6. Get fuel for your heat source early!
The earlier you get firewood the longer it has to dry out and the longer you have to get it all split and stacked!
We also have a monitor heater in our home as a back up, buying fuel last min or in the winter gets expensive fast!
Our winters aren’t as cold as some, however, temperatures will drop to 10 degrees at night no problem!
Running out of fuel for heat is not an option!
7. Check all of your pipes!
The home I am living in now, is older and sat empty for years before we moved in.
Oh boy was our first year a learning experience!!
We had several pipes break along with water spickets.
Maintaining and covering them before winter is definitely the way to go!!
Also when you replace them, upgrade to a better quality or cold resistant option if possible, slowly but surely it will no longer be such a headache.
8. Seal up any drafty places in your home!
Check around your doors, windows and the exterior of your home.
Seal up any cracks.
This will help significantly with heating and cooling costs!
9.Buy a few board games, cards and books!
Not only are these items fun to have, during a power outage you will have something to do!
10. Cut down any dead trees and trim any dead branches!
Winter storms can be brutal!
Trimming branches and falling dead trees now will save your house, car or fence later!
I hope you found this list helpful and take this into consideration when winter hits.
Stay safe out there.
Let me know what you think in the comments down below.
What tips were the most helpful to you? How do you prepare for the winter?
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great tips, i will use some for sure☕️
I am glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by
Great tips! I especially like the indoor plant idea. With cold weather rarely do you open the doors and windows for long periods of time, so it’s nice to bring some of that nature inside.