Winter is around the corner already....

**brenda67** · 08-14-2006, 11:22 AM

Hello...this subject might belong to another forum?..?.. Please forgive me if it does.. This might be premature.. heres some questions I have for ya all..I'm getting ready to make my list of Cold Medicines I will need to stockup on before winter is here.. Does anybody else do this? I have a couple of 2-liter Bottles of Ginger-Ale hidden under my bed just so I have it when the bug hits us..(can never keep anything like this out in the open due to the kids drinking it all up) I try to never run out of things I need...but I'm not so good at keeping the medicine closet filled other then regular Tylenol..I'm also thinking that DH should fill our big trash cans up with dirt...so when it gets icy (we have a very steap driveway) I won't have to worry about not getting out of our driveway when I leave for work at 5:30 in the morning..i want to make sure our generator is filled with gas..we lose power alot in the winter...What do you do to prep for winter? I'm looking for all your ideas to see if there is something I missed...

**YankeeMom** · 08-14-2006, 11:32 AM

I like to stock up on tea bags (hot tea really helps when I have a cold, kids & dh too), hot chocolate (comfort food), and tissues.

As far as icy driveways, maybe you could grab some playsand (sand for sandboxes) that are marked down at the end of summer and use them for the driveway to give you some traction.

I also stock up on firewood for our woodstove.

**banana** · 08-14-2006, 11:45 AM

I make sure I try my snow blower to make sure it works. Fill up the gas can so if it does snow I dont have to run out to the store. I take all my baseboards apart and vacumn and wipe them down before I turn the heat on for the first time. You would be surprised at all the dust that accumulates. Buy a bag of calcium chloride for the driveway and sidewalks so I can sprinkle it when it is icy out. Have my furance inspected and cleaned out. Put ice scrapers in trunks of cars as well as a bag of kitty litter in dh's car. Clean out my garage so I can put my car away.

I like the idea of stocking up on cold medicines so I will add that to my list.

**brenda67** · 08-14-2006, 11:52 AM

Great ideas......Thanks

**Hollyhandi** · 08-14-2006, 11:52 AM

This may sound weird ( we live on a main road at the very top of the hill )
We get the west wind flying down through so bad sometimes that they have to plow themselves in with their trucks front ends ) The wind is so hard I can not keep it clear for them even with the snowblower soooooo long story short I stock up on everything.
Milk in the freezer
Water in jugs
Chicken soup
Tomato soup
extra bread in freezer
Alka Seltzer for myself
Tylenol
Bandaids ( as I'm a clutch )
We live in a very drafty old farm house so I have to have plastic to cover the porches and windows.
Extra wood, ( two stoves )
Extra feed for the animals
Soda's and extra tea and coffee and hot chocolate mix
Propably more but can't think right now....

**brenda67** · 08-14-2006, 12:26 PM

I just thought of these...
check Furnace filter
check to see if we have -Anti freeze
buy windshield washer fluid
check windshield blades (I know i need them)
stockup on matches and lighters...have lots of candles(theres been times the Electric went out at night and my Dh is not home..so no generator...I refuse to touch it...it scares me for some reason)

I love your ideas...alot of which I didn't think of... you knew you guys would think of ideas that didn't think about...Your all great!

**kabin63** · 08-14-2006, 01:41 PM

I have been thinking about this a lot lately due to this remodel we are doing. We have to get some things buttoned up in here before I can even worry about stocking up. LOL Also have to get new furnace installed this fall. Yikes! It's coming on to soon!

**starsapphire** · 08-14-2006, 02:04 PM

We live in Northern California so winters aren't too severe. I try and make sure we have batteries for flashlights, candles, cold medicines and tea. I've also recently stockpiled my prescription meds (since DH started a new job, we lost secondary ins. coverage so now I have to pay alot more for meds), easy to fix canned foods in case power goes out. We have alot of camping gear, and a propane bbq grill so we can cook.

**miss_thrifty** · 08-14-2006, 02:38 PM

we now rent and with no gas generator, well were lest without power. usually its not too long. i always have lots of blankets, and oil lamp full, matches, candles, bottled water, ready to eat foods.

**Backtoreality** · 08-14-2006, 04:59 PM

ya'll just gave me some more great ideas. I'll be home alone quite a bit this next winter and I want to be prepared. I need some bottled water and matches/lighters, oh and batteries. i can't stand a flash light with old batteries!

**MarshHen** · 08-14-2006, 07:30 PM

We usually have a fairly mild winter here on the Georgia coast, and it's been years since we have seen snow. I think it was back in 87 that we got around 8 inches. Of course, everything came to a grinding halt since most of us don't have a clue how to drive in snow.

We do however run the risk of being hit by a hurricane or tropical storm, so I do have a hurricane survival kit ready with water, canned foods, candles, matches, flashlights, batteries, can opener, first aid kit, air mattresses, sheets, extra pillows, medicines, pet foods, and so on. We also have a gas powered generator. I guess to winterize my hurricane supplies, I could add cold medicines. I will be cooking with gas in the new house and we bought a 100 gallon tank, so that will last us a good while since we are using it for cooking only, and we built a large fireplace. We have already stockpiled enough firewood for at least two winter seasons, so I think we are good there. We also put down a second well with a hand pump, so if we loose power, we have water for the animals. I do have several extra thick blankets, and if need be, we could sleep in the livingroom where the fireplace is.

At the start of every winter season, we always winterize the vehicles and all exposed water pipes, as we do occasionally suffer freezings temps overnight. I winterize my plants with extra mulch and bring in the plants that I can move easily. Plants I can't move, I cover. We winterize the goat house and the kennels.

**SewCrafty** · 08-15-2006, 08:51 AM

On the kitty litter for your car, make sure you get the cheap stuff not clumping! Clumping litter will turn into a mushy paste and give you no traction what-so-ever. LOL

* manual can opener

* canned soups

* caned veggies especially beans (you can make a bean salad so you get your veggies in your diet)

* canned fruits, peaches and pears are especially mild on the tummy

* coffee, tea, hot chocolate (there is a great recipe in the cooking forum for a homemade one)

* flashlights, batteries, candles, matches

* propane grill with a full tank for cooking if you don't have a gas stove

* water!

* cold medicines - Tylenol, children's liquid meds, cough syrup, cough drops, whatever you normally use when a cold or flu hits the family.

* tissues! and don't forget to get a box with the lotion in them to put up, I don't know about you but I get blisters on my nose when the sneezing, runny nose hits and who wants to run out in the freezing temps to get this?

* put up plastic on windows and doors or use blankets/quilts to keep out drafts

* a good disinfectant! you don't want to keep spreading around that cold or flu

* board games and cards

* regular popping corn for snacks

* battery operated radio

* completely check out your vehicles and get them winterized, fluids, tires etc... and don't forget to make up an emergency travel kit, include a flashlight, blanket, food like crackers, tuna with a pop top, water, several small candles (votives work well), matches and an empty metal coffee can, candy bars, extra hats, scarves and gloves/mittens, ice scraper, small collapsible shovel, kitty litter or sand.

If you know you may loose power during a storm, get out your cooler and start boiling water. Put the cooler in your tub and fill with boiling water. This will keep hot for several days and can be used for washing up, dishes etc... use a dishpan or large bowl and add some cold water to it as needed. I had to do this a few winters ago, not fun, but it did work.

Also if you buy kitty litter in those buckets (or know someone who does have them save the buckets for you) clean out well and fill with water for flushing the toilet.

Wrap any exposed pipes with pipe wrap insulation, you can also get a water heater blanket but check into that one, I don't think you can use it on a propane or gas water heater for safety reasons.

If you loose power/heat, open all cupboards under sinks, this will help your pipes not to freeze.

That's all I can think of for now, if I remember anything else I do, I'll let you know.

**Hollyhandi** · 08-15-2006, 09:40 AM

Boy, Dee you'd know you live in NY State... LOL
Hadn't heard the one about the cooler but will keep it in my head now.
All other stuff is done pretty much the same as you.

**SewCrafty** · 08-15-2006, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Hollyhandi

Boy, Dee you'd know you live in NY State... LOL
Hadn't heard the one about the cooler but will keep it in my head now.
All other stuff is done pretty much the same as you.

Oh yeah Holly, don't ya just love NewYork?

Jack says we live in 'Hoopies Poop!' or the back of beyond. I have to agree with him there as our first 15 years out here we lost power regularly! They have now updated the lines so not as often, but enough to still be prepared. LOL