Preparing for Winter

YoungBean

Right, it's no good. I have been lurking on this thread for long enough now!

For starters I have to say hello! So..... hello!

Secondly, you are all, in my eyes, genius's!! (sp?)

I received the news a couple of weeks ago that my OH is going to Australia on the 22nd September.....for 6 months!!! So I will living on my own, with the 2 cats. I don't mind this as much, but it just means I can rely on him for the little things I take for granted; a few bits from the shop here, gas bottles there... So I need to get my act together and try and do it all myself, and save some pennies!

The first thing OH has told me is the heating...and pretty much the only thing he is worried about. I thought nothing last year of having the heating on for far too long. That was until they hiked up our direct debit each month!! So I have already had the low-down of when to put the heating on, where to have it on, etc etc.

We are lucky enough that we live in an old stone terrace, so it holds the heat pretty well, but at the same time, a lovely draft comes in from the cellar OH insullated EVERYWHERE last winter. Literally, every space, no matter how small or large, got the insullation crammed in it!

So....after a long and waffly post.... I am happy/ open for ideas if anyone has any? Which I'm sure you do

We are off to the carboot later.....see if I can prepare for winter with some bargains

xx

miss_corerupted

Frugal wrote: »

My washing machine (in outhouse) suddenly stopped working for no apparent reason... I realised it may be because the pipes froze and thank goodness i realised before the pipe burst - I defrosted it with a hot water bottle wrapped in a teatowel then I piled up loads of old towels over the pipes and made sure i ran the WM every day to make sure the water was running thru.

(oh, and i put a oil rad in there on frost setting on the wickedest nights

These cold winters have got to stop! :eek:

OMG!! Thank you for mentioning that. i had totally forgotton that happened to us last year for 3 weeks!! Lucky my mil only lives yds away! and now we have a dishwasher! i don't want to have to go back to doing the dishes argh!!!

ChocClare

Welcome, YoungBean!

A thick curtain across the cellar door for starters, I'd say!

fedupandskint

I get a draft coming up through the living room floor from the cellar below - how can I improve this??? Last year I noticed the living room felt damp when esp when I kept the heating off as long as I could (mid Oct) then I caved in as everything started to feel damp

Other than that the winter preps are going well. Stocking up nicely with provisions (washing powder, car screenwash, snow shovel From ebay really good price, not expensive at all), dried goods, teabags, flour, rice)

Thick blankets and quilts at the ready to go.

Thick curtains in the living room really made a difference last year (bought from ebay at a really good price)

YoungBean

A curtain on the cellar door for me will be a definite!!

My friend is currently crocheting me ANOTHER blanket! So that should keep me all snuggled

Just need to sort out everything else.........

lunar

I have just been reading through this thread, not all though so sorry if im asking something which has already been answered earlier!

I want to buy some rock salt or grit to keep in the shed just in case, can anybody recommend a good seller that delivers. the ones i have found all seem so expensive. I managed to get 2 snow shovles on ebay for a good price. thanks for this thread, ive picked up som ereally useful ideas so far.

welshcamper

Miche* wrote: »

Snow shovels? Where to get them? B n Q? Expensive store that one though

hi, i live on the edge of the brecon beacons so we get quite a bit of snow plus have to dig the elderly neighbours out and a metal shovel becomes heavy, and after last years now i need a lighter one!:(

i just looked on ebay and they go up in price form £8.99

seafarers_wife

Well ive started making my preparations but am not looking forward to a hard winter if it is going to be the case as this winter oh is not home but on the plus side my heating bills should be lower.

Ive made my car emergency box it contains a torch, spare batteries, half a dozen bottles of mineral water, £5 in change, small notepad with important contact details i.e insurance details, phone numbers, a box of oat cakes, bar of galaxy and sweeping brush is in the boot.

I still need to buy for the car - proper snow shovel and some grit - am going to the local ironmongers tomorrow to see about getting this sorted asap. also need to get more screenwash and de-icer. i am also getting 2 new front tyres put on tomorrow morning as the present ones the tread is almost gone so needs replacing now. the brakes also need replacing and will be getting done start of november before i have to do a trip down to cornwall mid november.

House wise the house emergency box has been abandoned. as long as i keep up with flylady over the next few months i will have no need for a house emergency box. I do want to make sure that I have plenty of tomato soup and pasta so that i wont be having any emergency dashes to the shops if it does get bad again. i have plenty of uht milk so thats sorted. i still need to buy a few more bags of cat litter as well, but can do that gradually over the next couple of months.

My winter boots are in the understairs cupboard and my winter jackets are both in the spare room wardrobe ready for when i need them.

so a few small things to be bought and will be done by the end of the month all ready to be toasty warm and fed if the winter is bad again.

Athome1

I went for a walk this morning and filled a black bin bag with pine cones for the fire and 4 carrier bags with elderberries for wine making, and I was only out an hour:D BTW, I know there are some home brewers on this board so I thought I'd pass this tip on - when you make your wine using any soft fruit, don't throw the fruit away after you've made your first lot of wine. Put another lot of water, sugar and yeast on and the second lot seems even fruitier! We intend to try doing a third lot too this year. :beer:

Bargain_Bunny

Hi

I've managed to track down thermal socks in Primani pack of 2 for a pound, by the tills. Nice and warm!!! got some fake ugg types in there for a fiver too. For preparations in the house, will be using the slow cooker to stock up freezer, all ready started. Also going to get some soup in the freeze, got some flour/bread mix just in case. Nothing much else really, my car has just had two front tyres and been serviced/mot'd could prob do with putting stuff in the boot just in case. Love this thread! jealous that other ppl are more organised tho lol

BB x