It’s a strange thing to note that a nation that speaks so much of the weather and yet is so forever ill-prepared for it.
You know it’s true. The irony is inescapable and, for the most part, curiously tickling. Is there anywhere else in the world that can be brought to its knees more swiftly by the most delicate dusting of cold, white fluff? We think not.
Okay, perhaps that’s a trifle unfair. But you catch our meaning.
Every year we find ourselves in the same old pickle. Winter arrives, as it so often does, and we look at each other with panic stricken bewilderment as a solitary snowflake falls from the sky and lands, uninvited, on the tip of a naked and defenceless nose. Time stands still. Our lives flash before our eyes. This is it. This is the end.
Well, enough of this nonsensical nincompoopery! It’s time to make a stand! If it snows, it snows. So what? Who cares? Let the cards fall where they may. This year will be different. This year, we shall be prepared. We shall be armed and ready for every crystal flake that falls from the sky and we shall be victorious. Gather your courage, dear friend. And listen well. These are 5 things that you need to have at home to keep the white weather at bay. S-no joke…Ehm…Sorry.
Shovel: If you’re a bit of a wizard in the garden, you probably have one of these already. But make sure it is solid and accessible. If you open up your front door and you’re welcomed with two feet of snow, it’s not going to be an easy task getting it out of the shed at the wrong end of the lawn. Keep your shovel somewhere safe in the home and you’ll always have it on hand for an emergency. And, whilst we’re on the subject, it might be a good idea of have a second shovel in the boot of your car. If you break down and bad weather hits, it will come in very useful to dig out your tyres.
Salt & Sand: If you know that snowy weather is on the way, throw a little salt down on your garden path or sidewalk a couple of hours before it hits. The salt will start to melt the snow preventing any significant build up. Once the snow has passed, then lay down some sand. This provides traction on any ice that may be around and save you from a potentially dangerous slip. But make sure you use course sand. Regular sand is not much good for anything other than building sandcastles.
Light: A power outage in a snow storm can spell absolute disaster, so make sure you’re fully prepared with anything that can provide light. You’ll probably already have candles around the place as it’s Christmas (see our blog on Getting The Lighting Right For Winter), but you can’t rely on these alone. Get yourself a couple of decent torches and a good supply of batteries to make sure you can get around your home without bumping into everything. Yes, you have your mobile phone, but the power may be out for a while and there could be no opportunity to charge. Get a torch or two and you’ll be well set. And do the same in your car whilst you’re at it.
Non-Perishable Food: This may all sound like you’re preparing for World War Z, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Just make sure you’ve got enough non-perishable food that can see you through a fair chunk of time, should you not be able to leave. These sorts of things are not usually very expensive and can be stored pretty much anywhere in the home. It sounds scary, but you’re just being cautious. And, if there should be some sort of snow attack, you’ll be mightily happy that you were.
Sensible Footwear: Sooner or later, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and step outside. Maybe you have to go to work. Maybe you have to go to the supermarket. Maybe, just maybe, you just want to build yourself a snowman. But, whatever the reason, if it’s cold and there’s been a bit of snow, you have to protect your feet. You may have shovelled the snow away or sprinkled the ground with sand, but there’s no point taking the chance of injuring yourself. Get yourself some quality footwear that has excellent grip, is warm and will do a good job of keeping the damp out. Your feet carry you all of your life. Do the right thing and give them the love that they deserve.
Snow is all very pretty, but it can cause us absolute havoc if we’re not ready for it. Why put yourself through that? Put some planning in before anything happens! Take these points on board and you can spend less time worrying about what might happen and more time enjoying the season. If you’d like some further tips, why not check out our blog on Getting Your Property Ready For The Cold Season? You can never be too prepared.
We at Belvoir hope you’ve found these tips useful. Have you got any plans in place? How do you deal with snow?
Take care of yourselves and each other. And happy housekeeping.
