Preparing for winter II

midnightraven3

i joined the preparing for winter 2010 last year
gosh how glad am i that i did
got thick door curtains (i am STILL drawing them in the evenings as its still cold & windy here)
got lush fleecy blankets cheap, and microwave warmers cheap
got rugs for the wood floor, made draught excluders etc etc
i really noticed a difference in our bills too!

we have a good stock in of dried goods, we got snowed in for 11 days last year, and it was great to know we could have survived a lot longer than that, our neighbours werent so prepared, so i was baking bread round the clock and making soup for them:rotfl:

as for the flour? i store mine in huge glass jars, so i never know what the date is, so as long as you keep it dry & airtight, you wont get wee beasties in it

THIS is the exact time to start preparing as microwarmers/fleecy blankets etc are cheaper now

Aarons_mummy

I've started knitting slankets, not over the top but I figure it'd be a good idea to do a few rows when I have the time than nothing at all.

I've got thicker lined curtains for the living room, will need to do something for the hall and bedrooms, I'm trying to build up a credit in the gas and electricity which is proving pretty easy because I'm using so little now. I have a stock going in my cupboard of things that will last and I'll be buying in the long life milk, making sure the freezers full and there's plenty in the cupboards, I'll be buying in a stock of rice, noodles and pasta as well. I've been buying in little bits and pieces to entertain the wee one on the days we're stuck in, any time I see DVDs in the pound shops I buy them in, although I'll be buying a DVD with the USB so I can just download and play them that way.

I've got a pretty big rug in the living room but there's still a lot of wood so I'll be bringing the spare double duvet down to make it warmer.

Cushions and a duvet cover over the leather couch so it's snuggly, warmers for the bed which I got for £8 for both the single and double! Should have cost me at least £40. Fleecy blankets are in.

Need to make some draught excluders and get an electric heater/oil filled radiator at some point. Good progress though.

Ladyhawk

I don't want to be reminded of winter already! I hate the cold

Also consider buying powered milk instead of UHT.

misskool

McKneff wrote: »

Have a look on any bags of flour you have already, there is a use by/best before date.

I kept some for about a month after a date and when I opened it there were weevils in it. Yak.

If you keep flour frozen, the weevils won't grow. If there's no freezer space, store them in a nice airtight container after freezing them for a few days.

Farway

I intend getting some bags of grit / salt for the paths, our road & paths just iced up and were just impassable, council only do A roads round here

princess_skint_a_lot_2

ooooh you read my mind. Last night was horrible here, we had rain beating at the windows and it felt really cold and autumnal and it got me thinking of this comin winter. We were snowed in for a few days twice last winter, and on one occasion we were snowed out, had to abandon the car and walk home. This yer we are hoping to grow enough veg to have a surplus so will have a stock in the freezer, we have just had a polytunnel so hope to grow veg still in the coldest of weather. I am going to stockpile wood and coal mainly and also tinned things. on a practical warm note. I am buying up fleecy pyjamas out of primark as some are in the sale right now, and am going to start knitting this week if possible and make blankets for the kids. going t also see if we are eligible for any of the warm front grants for the loft insulation, we live in a stone cottage so cant get cavity wall stuff done. also going to get thicker duvets for us all and brushed cotton sheets. We all have hot water bottles. Lots of preperation to do now, but we will be happy in the winter once its done. Although just because ive not prepared every other year and i am this year, it will probably be practically summer like all winter. Not heard any predictions for the winter yet though has anyone else?

Love princess

bramble1

Oooh i'm going in search of some warm jammies and throws next weekend, i'm not sure my boot slippers will make it to winter, i stil live in them

System

CH27 wrote: »

I'm gettting hubby to check the seals on the doors & windows.

you reminded me ive bought new seals and hubby hasnt fitted them yet !
i saw snow shovels the other day so at the end of this month im going to get a couple.
ive still got 2x 25kg bags of salt from last year so im ok there .

beemuzed

Just had the loft insulation topped up and the cavity walls filled - and yes, we had a grant for both! Probably will guarantee that this winter won't be a cold one!!

Molly41

Im still wearing my very precious Uggy boots. I suppose that's the only positive thing about having very poor circulation - I can still get away with wearing them in spring/summer.

I made lots of preparations for last year and plan the same this year. I dyed some kingsize flannelette fitted sheets red and they were very warm and cosy. Planning to do some more this year too as i have changed my bedding. We had insulation done the year before and it made a huge difference so well worth doing.

I have very good stocks of tinned stuff/ pasta/ flour etc and will maintain those. We had no problems as we were snowed in too. Kids Dad has a snow kit for his car which is in the bottom of my wardrobe and just needs drinks/ choccy to be replenished. So i think we will be ok - I love the winter x