If your family is anything like mine you have already started to prepare for the upcoming winter season. Even though it is just mid-October, it is never too early to start. Already this week we have awoken to frost on the cars and had to scramble to find gloves. Of course, today I am back to wearing my sandals, but the evenings are definitely a lot chillier than last week. Fall is one of my favourite times of the year, but it seems to me it is the shortest season of all! Personally, if I had an in with Mother Nature, I would ask her to extend fall all the way into March and then flip the switch for spring. Do you think she would go for it? 😉
Preparing for winter can involve many things and we want to help give you a little guidance so nothing important is overlooked. Check this out:
1) Make a list and check it twice!
When the cold weather hits, it will not just be your hands that feel it. Before the snow flies make a list of the areas you know you want to check on like the car, your windows and doors and the garage and what lies within. Make sure you add winter gear to that list as well. Having a list to follow and check off will keep you on track so Jack Frost doesn’t nip you in the nose. 🙂
2) Be the equipment manager in your home!
Winter equipment is vital to survival so you will want to make sure it is all in working order before you need to use it. Gather your family around and assign each child and adult one or two pieces of equipment. Their job will be to check on the winter readiness of these items. Have the younger kiddos draw a picture of your house, then go around to each door and window (at least the ones they can reach) and put their hands to the cracks to see if they feel a draft. They can use different coloured crayons to mark on the house picture if a draft was felt or not.
Bigger kids can check on things like shovels, ice scrapers, windshield washing fluid and bags of ice salt. They can check the levels and let you know what needs to be filled up or replaced. Older kids or adults can tackle the car, check tire pressure, how well the wipers are working and even your brakes. They can make sure you have an emergency road kit, blankets etc in the car. This job may require the need of a professional, but it will be well worth it when you are driving home in a snowstorm at 11pm at night.
3) Prepare your winter wear!
Scrambling to find gloves on a cold morning is one thing, but not knowing where your boots are or if last year’s snow pants will fit when there are five inches of fresh powder on the ground, is another. Now is the time to haul out everyone’s jackets, snow pants, hats, scarves, mitts, long johns, turtlenecks and other assorted winter wear and make sure it fits, it works and oh ya, it doesn’t stink! Even things like helmets for wearing on the ice can get pretty smelly.
A good idea is to sort by what fits and then air everything out. Next, you will want to wash items that can be machine washed. Pro tip: Use a detergent that’s up to the challenge such as OxiCleanTM HD Liquid Laundry Detergent and Arm & HammerTM Plus OxiCleanTM Cold Water Power Paks – they are my go-to favourites!
4) Expect the unexpected..
While you are busy preparing for winter, just remember that the first snowfall can come at any time. Knock out your winter prep in one or two days on the weekend and you will be all set. That will leave you with plenty of time to practice making snowballs and memories. 🙂
The Giveaway:
To help ensure you’re ready for winter, we’re giving away some great cold weather essentials for all members of the family to enjoy:
- OxiCleanTM HD Liquid Laundry Detergent
- Arm & HammerTM Plus OxiCleanTM Cold Water Power Paks
- Arm & HammerTM Baking Soda
- Arm & HammerTM SpinbrushTM battery powered toothbrush The Ultimate Spider-Man TM
- OrajelTM Spider-ManTM Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste
One lucky MapleMouseMama reader will win this fantastic Church and Dwight prize pack! To be eligible to win just complete the Rafflecopter below with your qualifying answers. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents, ages 18 and older. Please read our giveaway rules before entering. This giveaway ends on November 8th, 2016 at 11:59pm. Good luck!
What is something you always do when preparing for winter?
FT&PD
Suz
**For more fabulous prizes check out our Giveaways and Reviews page!!
**Disclosure: I am a 2016 Church & Dwight Ambassador and have been compensated for this post, however, all opinions are my own.
I get all the winter clothes & outwear out of storage for winter.
I always bring in the hoses and turn off the water outside. Bank the flowers and bushes .
We store our patio furniture to protect from the snow, we cover our A/C and we also turn the taps off for the outside. We also pull out our blankets for the couches so that we can keep our house 1 degree or so cooler to save on energy
i make sure all the doors have weatherstripping in good shape
I always install my winter tires to prepare for winter.
I get the winter clothes and boots ready to go. Store all the outside furniture. Clear gutters of leaves.
I always bring in the patio furniture.
Something I always do when preparing for winter is search for winter attire that’s been put away. I have already located my boots.
I always put the patio furniture away and wash the hats and mittens.
I always have winter tires put on my car and it made winter ready, in fact it’s in now getting them put on. 🙂
I check my snowblower and put away and maintain lawnmowers.
When preparing for winter I rearrange the clothes in my dresser to have the winter clothing at top and easily accessible.
We pack away our furniture and rugs plus empty the rain barrels!
Cover all my furniture in my front room with plastic. I have 13 elderly rescue cats I shelter, and they all come inside for the winter.
We bring out the winter clothing and store away the summer items !
I cover patio furniture and flowers in the garden. I also weatherstrip the doors and plastic the drafty windows.
When prepping for winter I always have to change out kids clothes and outer wear! Rummaging through last years hats and mitts collection is brutal- and they always need new EVERYTHING!
I clean my balcony up and put away all the pots. I also cover the air conditioner and seal up any drafty places on the windows.
We put away all our garden ornaments, pots, chairs, etc.
Get some warm clothes for everyone in the family, and make sure the flashlights have working batteries.
Cover up the AC unit outside to protect it
My first step preparing for winter is to pull out all the winter stuff and see if anything still fits 🙂
I also change my emergency car kits. I put the winter one in my trunk for those just in case moments!
We bring in all the outside furniture and bring out all of the shovels.
I always make sure I have my winter tires on, even before the snow hits.
Wash and put away all the summer clothing and pull out the winter coats, boots, hats and mitts and get them washed and ready for the cooler days ahead!!
Put away patio furniture, empty the flower pots, turn off the water, and put on winter tires.
We put on our winter tires, pull out our winter gear
I get out all the winter boots,gloves and hats,and put away summer sandals,etc
Make sure my winter tires are still good to go
When preparing for winter- I check to see what needs repaired or replaced with our head wear and mittens
I always buy my kids new coats and boots!
The first thing we do to prepare for winter is shut down/winterize our Trailer. Then it is home to get out all the warmer clothes, coats, boots etc to see what we have and what we need.
Bring in the furniture and garden accessories and cut back all plants.
I make sure the outside tap is off and that the leaves are all raked up in the winter.
I always pile wood for the wood stove to prepare for winter.
I make sure we are loaded down with Lysol and vitamins!!!
I change the furnace air filter for the winter season
To prepare for winter the first thing we do is change the filter on our furnace and the batteries in our carbon monoxide & smoke detectors in the house, bring in the outside furniture, turn off the outside water taps & bring in hoses inside. We add warm blankets, snow scrapers, to our vehicles. We ensure the air pressure in our tires is adjusted accordingly and have the winter tires installed.
I switch over our summer clothes for our winter clothes.
go through my closet and bring out heavier clothing and summer clothes to the back of the closet
We always turn off our outdoor water connections, cover up our patio furniture, and wash all our cold-weather gear. If the forecast ever calls for snow (not often here in my BC city) then my husband also puts the snow tires on our car.
getting my winter tires put on
We put awhile all the summer stuff.
I always pull out my crockpot when preparing for winter. I love crockpot recipes…especially when I come home and dinner is prepared.
I make sure my outside taps are drained and turned off
Always make sure we have wood ready… just in case. Nothing like loosing power for a week, to make you appreciate that alternate source of energy.
I always make sure I have my snow brush in my car
Get out winter clothes and boots is the first thing i do
I always go through the closets and get rid of stuff we don’t wear anymore
I always have my winter tires install! I put summer clothes away!
I always get my flu shot, pull out winter clothing and decorate for Christmas early.
I always wash and put away the summer clothes and take out and wash the winter clothes.
We’ve been putting plastic on all the windows and find it really helps with the heating costs! Thanks for the chance to win.
We wash all of our summer clothes & jackets before we put them away & we go through all our winter stuff to make sure everything fits & is in good condition!
I get the boot trays and extra mats ready for winter.
I have electric heat so I have winter. We have to put plastic on all of our windows
I put away all my solar lights
I find all the mittens and scarves and toques and wash them and organize them!
I always pull out winter stuff
Change my car winter tires very safe driving
get all the winter clothes out to assess what each needs. thanks
We put plastic over the windows to help keep the cold out.
We get the winter clothes out, put the summer ones away, put the lawn chairs and hoses away, and everything outside goes into storage.
When I put away the canoe paddles, I pull out the snow shovels.
get my snow tires on
we always install my winter tires to prepare for winter
I always clean out the garden and put a layer of leaves over the tulips. I also wash all of the hats & mitts so they smell fresh!
We drain the hoses and turn off the outside water taps to ensure they don’t freeze.
I make sure our kids all have good boots that fit!!
I get all the winter clothes & outwear out of storage for winter.
I always wash the winter jackets, scarves, hats and mitts before we need them so they are ready to go
I always check our supplies of hats, mittens and scarves as we lose some every year! I also check that our kids can still fit in their winter boots!
I put out our boot tray and some mats for the front door to catch the snow and water from boots.
I get the winter coats out, our boots and shovels. I also get some ice melt for the walkway and driveway.
Close all the windows, turn on the furnace or fireplace, and add lots of candles throughout the house!
get snow tires installed on our cars – stock up on hot chocolate!
We get out our winter boots and clothing!
When I prepare for winter I bring out the winter clothes,coats and boots.I put snow tires on my car
and put a shovel in the trunk,a bag of sand and a snow brush in my car.I also keep a bag of salt near
my front door in case of freezing rain.
always bring in the hoses and turn off the water outside. Put patio stuff away.
I bring in my herbs inside.
Get our winter safety gear in the car, bring out warmer clothes and winter outerwear, clean up the yard, put everything away.
I pull all my daughters winter clothes out.
Put snow tires on my car
I put away bikes and lawn furniture outdoors. Indoors I check to see what winter clothing we have and what still fits and what needs replaced.
I empty our water barrels, disconnect our sump pump hose from the outlet, and cut back dormant perennials.
make sure to leave a warm blanket and snow scraper in the car
For the past 14 years, at this time, I’m getting packed up to spend the winter in Mexico (December to April). This will be the first year that we and the kids have been in Canada. I’m buying boots and coats and gloves and hoping to stay warm!
Besos Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
The winter tires are on the car and we have a full supply of salt ready for use.
I always put plastic over my windows to keep drafts out.
Something I always do when preparing for winter is clean off the patio 🙁 The furniture gets stored, rugs rolled up and pots emptied. Then I settle into a good knitting pattern 🙂 Thank you for this great giveaway, all products I use !!
I take in my glads, dahlias and calla’s, plant new tulips or daffs. Cut back roses, herbs and do some weeding. Most of my getting ready for winter is outside the house.
Put on winter tires get the car ready get the winter clothes out see what still fits
Put away patio furniture, & summer toys
I always check the window frames to make sure there is no heat escaping.
I get my fur coat out of storage.
I clean up my balcony and pack away the chairs.
I always go through our summer clothes and get rid of everything that doesn’t fit so I don’t have to do it next year.
Go through our clothes, check our vehicles, bring in some wood, get the gardens prepped…
So many things…Start using our humidifiers, take oregano oil, get a flu shot just to name a few…
buy new boots for the snow
I go through the closets and change out from summer/fall to winter
I go through all the kids clothing from summer and figure out what new stuff they may need for winter.
put on the winter tires and put a scraper in the car.
I tidy up everything outside that is “summer stuff”, re-wash all the winter stuff before bringing it upstairs, go through everyone’s clothing and box whatever will not fit next year for giveaway or resale.
I always buy need snow suits for the kids and boots
We change the air filter, check the fire alarms, get the outside all cleaned up and everything put away.
Get the car ready – switch to winter tires , add thick blanket to trunk with emergency kit, top up all fluids, find snow remover brush.
plug in heät täpes for waterlines under my house and put up window plastic
Preparing for winter is always a big job. I have to clean out and put away all my outdoor plant pots, clean up the garden and turn it over to prepare it for spring. The vehicles have to be made winter ready and I have to find the snow shovels and bring them to the front of the garage. Then of course bring out all the snow clothes, gloves/mitts and boots.
We always go through our clothes and switch out from summer to winter in our closets, clean and repair, and donate anything that will not be used.
RE Waterproof the ski clothes and rain gear
I make sure we have vitamins and warm clothing for everyone ! We also make sure our car is winter ready
I bring up the winter coats, snow pants, mittens, boots, etc. up from the basement and I put all the summer stuff away.
I always make sure that your snowbrushes are in the car.
We always put away our summer clothes and get out our winter clothes. To prepare for winter we also put plastic up on our windows and clean our furnace out.
I always donate my spring and summer clothes to the local Thrift Stores and pick up Winter clothing