Here in Georgia, it doesn’t get super cold very often. This week, we are looking at a low of 5 tomorrow. Yes. 5. Single digits! Those of you up north probably would find that to be a heat wave right now, but for this Georgia Peach, that calls for hibernation! Or at least a batch of hot cocoa, warm fire, and a nice blanket.
Really, it’s not the snow that gets us, it’s the ice. I remember one cold front came through and the trees all were covered in ice. All night long we heard tree after tree crashing down under the weight of the ice. We spent the night just praying that one wouldn’t fall on our house. It didn’t, however we did lose power for a few days.
Here’s a few things that we have learned in order to prepare for cold weather.
- If you have a fireplace, chop wood ahead of time. Keep it covered if possible so you won’t have to try to start a fire with wet wood.
- Put weather stripping around doors.
- Inventory all of your winter items and make sure that each member of your family has adequate clothing and accessories AND that they still fit – jackets, coats, hats, gloves, boots, scarves, etc.
- Use an Outdoor Faucet Cover to try and keep water lines from freezing.
- Bring in outside pets.
- Plan ahead on meals so you’re not running to the store in the midst of a snowstorm or black ice warning for milk.
- Keep all medications refilled in case you are stuck at home for a few days.
- Have the following on hand:
- Matches
- Canned Foods (you can easily cook most canned foods right in the can in your fireplace if the power goes out)
- Blankets
- Flashlight
- Batteries
- Can opener (not electric)
Do you have any other tips to add or items that we should keep on hand? Leave a comment and let me know! I’d love to hear from you!
Katherine G says
These are great tips. Another tip I would add is that it is a great idea to also have portable heaters to conserve gas until it is necessary to really use it.