PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Preparing for Winter

1421422424426427517

Comments

  • uolypool
    uolypool Posts: 1,207 Forumite
    I have been putting a couple of extra bits of non perishables in my shopping each week ,checking the sell by date first.Also starting to think about what else I need for the winter along the lines of fleeces,thermals etc.......We washed and put away the fleeces and like at end of this winter so will actually only need to add a few more bits like candles ,new hot water bottles and bits that get renewed every year hats, gloves boots .Even though my body hates winter I love the cozyness of it when we're all indoors as a family playing uno or cards or a board game .So safe and cozy:)
    Paul Walker , in my dreams;)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    the farmers here are combining wheat right now and I have been told that the moisture content is up higher than they like. This means that they are using more oil ,to feed the grain dryers, which are also burning now, That together with the dry summer and lack of grass for farm stock means that winter food prices will be much higher. The local farmers have been using their stored feed or have been buying in feed.
  • Rummer
    Rummer Posts: 6,550 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    I am very anxious about this winter as my OH has been made redundant and there has been no sign of a new job even though he has applied for over 70!

    Normally by now I am getting ready for winter but on the reduced income I am trying to balance current needs with those coming over winter :(

    Last year I got the cavity wall insulation done and our loft was already done so in the house I just need:

    • Curtains in living room
    • Blind in hall
    • Door curtain?
    • Draught excluders for the doors
    People wise we are very lucky because my family have bought my DD all the things clothing wise she needs for winter and I got new coats last year so:

    • PJs
    • Winter coat for DH
    • Wellies all round
    • Blanket for DD (knitting it slowly!)
    • Fleeces for the living room
    After a few hairy moments in the car I am going to organise an emergency box with:

    • Torch
    • Shovel
    • Blanket
    • Wellies
    • Food and drink
    Food I guess I will have to add a few bits each week so that I have full cupboards!

    Another main worry is the animals as I need to ensure they have enough food/hay/shavings and I do not have a lot of space to store these things, thinking I may convert the greenhouse to a store over the winter.
    Taking responsibility one penny at a time!
  • parsonswife8
    parsonswife8 Posts: 1,900 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2010 at 8:00PM
    Rummer wrote: »
    I am very anxious about this winter as my OH has been made redundant and there has been no sign of a new job even though he has applied for over 70!

    Normally by now I am getting ready for winter but on the reduced income I am trying to balance current needs with those coming over winter :(

    Last year I got the cavity wall insulation done and our loft was already done so in the house I just need:

    • Curtains in living room
    • Blind in hall
    • Door curtain?
    • Draught excluders for the doors
    People wise we are very lucky because my family have bought my DD all the things clothing wise she needs for winter and I got new coats last year so:

    • PJs
    • Winter coat for DH
    • Wellies all round
    • Blanket for DD (knitting it slowly!)
    • Fleeces for the living room
    After a few hairy moments in the car I am going to organise an emergency box with:

    • Torch
    • Shovel
    • Blanket
    • Wellies
    • Food and drink
    Food I guess I will have to add a few bits each week so that I have full cupboards!

    Another main worry is the animals as I need to ensure they have enough food/hay/shavings and I do not have a lot of space to store these things, thinking I may convert the greenhouse to a store over the winter.


    Regarding your curtains and door curtains, I picked up some real bargains in charity shops.
    Brand new velvet door curtain, still in the wrapping for next to nothing.
    As for the draught excluders, use any old fabric that you have and stuff with old pantihose, old knickers, old t shirts, old dish clothes, old towels, cut up.
    Hope this helps.

    ;) Felines are my favourite ;)
  • ceridwen
    ceridwen Posts: 11,547 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Regarding your curtains and door curtains, I picked up some real bargains in charity shops.
    Brand new velvet door curtain, still in the wrapping for next to nothing.
    As for the draught excluders, use any old fabric that you have and stuff with old pantihose, old knickers, old t shirts, old dish clothes, old towels, cut up.
    Hope this helps.

    Actually - I did see a how-to post somewhere or other (dont think it was on MSE) about someone making draft excluders by just chopping off a suitable length from the leg of a pair of jeans, filling it with suitable filling and fastening up the ends (cant recall how). So - maybe you could think of doing that with an old pair of jeans or trousers that were destined for the ragbag?
  • MrsBartolozzi
    MrsBartolozzi Posts: 6,358 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?isSearch=true&fh_search=salt&x=0&y=0


    Re clearing paths and driveways:
    This might be a cheaper option to table salt for those able to get to a B&Q. 10kg for £5.98. Homebase has this too, but they're a bit dearer.

    It's only a game
    ~*~*~ We're only here to dream ~*~*~
  • crickett1234
    crickett1234 Posts: 932 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2010 at 9:20PM
    Salt only works on ice down to -10 degrees Celsius. After that it freezes along with everything else. So, I find that cat litter is a good option. Gives you extra grip but works a treat. (Please don't denude the shops of it though...my 3 kittycats need it for their ablutions!! :) )
    "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort"
    Herm Albright 1876-1944
  • Broomstick
    Broomstick Posts: 1,648 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Meant to post this several pages back but here's some more ideas for thermal curtains. We rent and can't put in extra curtain tracks.

    Our sitting room has a venetian blind. I've hung a couple of lightweight hooks over the top of it, got the longest garden cane I could find, hemmed the long side of a bedspread and threaded the cane through. When we want the curtain closed we just lift the cane up and hook it on the hooks. When we take the curtain down we roll it up round the cane and pop it on the floor. This winter I'm sewing some cheap fleece behind the bedspread it for extra warmth.

    My son has Ikea fleeces at his bedroom windows. We discovered that Ikea does a curtain attachment selection box and we used the hooks attached to clips along the edge of each curtain, they then could be hung up straight away.
    http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00154144

    I'm sure it must be possible to get curtain clips like this elsewhere.
    I also reckon that stationery bulldog clips, or foldback clips (the triangular cross section ones which you can get in pretty colours) might work quite well too.

    Our kitchen is a problem - an absolute ice box last winter. It overlooks a completely private back garden and doesn't have any curtains at all. The recessed back door has a half-window with a velcro attachment at the top of the glass for a roller blind (which I don't possess). I'm now actively looking for some big cardboard boxes that I can cut down and tape together into into a large concertina to completely fill the recess including the door surround. I'm hoping that, with self adhesive velcro strip on the cardboard, I can have a light enough, removable cardboard curtain to fill the whole gap and block the drafts in winter evenings. If it looks as if it will work, I may cover it in bubble wrap for extra insulation then some spare fabric to look a bit prettier!

    The kitchen bit is galley shaped with the window at the end in between wall cabinets on either side. I've realised that I can probably make a thermal curtain to hang on a cane balanced on the top of the cupboards to insulate this over the winter as well.

    B x
  • betony
    betony Posts: 176 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Gigervamp wrote: »
    I've noticed that the blackberries around here are ripening about a month earlier than normal and also, it seems that spider season has started a month early too.
    .


    Wouldn't take too much notice of this - what nature does now is to do with what the weather has been like recently rather than what it's going to be like in the near future. The blackberries, birds, spiders and squirrels etc have no more idea than us what the winter is going to be like!

    Oh - and, hello again Gigervamp!
  • sb44
    sb44 Posts: 5,203 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    My neighbour used cat litter on the ice for the first and last time last year.

    It was a nightmare.

    He was out for days after the snow had thawed with a pressure washer trying to get rid of it.

    His wife wasn't impressed either as everytime they entered the house it was being trod into the carpets.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.1K Life & Family
  • 257.7K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.