Preparing for Winter

moo2moo

I buy the posh looking bogofs as christmas presents for my family. Not quite as bizarre as it sounds. My parents gift last year was a food parcel full of teas and coffees from Taylors of Harrogate, Twinnings that sort of thing which they love. My sister got a box of smellies, bubble bath, shampoo that sort of thing. All individually wrapped by the DDs which kept them quiet for hours and lovingly presented in a giant cardboard box. Worked out much cheaper than anything else I would have bought them and they really appreciated the thought. Then I discovered Home Bargains....

I spent most of yesterday chain sawing up and splitting logs for the fire that I've acquired from friends over the past year, another 3 days should see the wood pile stocked for the winter so thats the heating sorted out. Have filled up the fuel cans so that we can cook during the worst of the weather when we loose power (happens at least once a fortnight throughout the winter).

I've invested in fleece blankets in the sales for each of the beds and several for downstairs so that we can snuggle up under blankets when it gets super chilly and we all have thick fleecy pajamas and fluffy bed socks.

sammy_kaye18

Have finally sat and done my checklist for thsi year about what needs doing before winter sets in although im not convinced it isnt far off because the raining here hasnt let up in about 2 weeks and its only set to get worse and its been on the weather sites lately that we can expect a very cold winter and its making me nervous now.

Right here goes (im hoping to get most of these done in the first week of september whilst my little boy has his settling in period at his school) keeps me busy and i wont worry about him.

1. make some no sew blankets for the beds
2. line curtains in both bedrooms
3. put a curtain on the front door
4. make two more draught excluders, one for each bedroom
5. block joins in windows
6. put cellophane stuff on windows
7. get the fleeces for under the bedsheets washed and dried
8. put bedcovers on chairs for warmth
9. put leftover bedcover on our bed
10. new pillows for beds (more to snuggle into)
11. pyajamas for all
12. scarfs/hats/gloves etc for all
13. vests for little one
14. get storecupboard filled
15. rice bags/hot water bottles each
16. slippers for all
17. stock up bathroom cupboard
18. bathmat and toilet mat as floor gets bl**dy cold being tiles
19. get a letter box drauught excluder

right well should get crackign and moneysaving me thinks

susan1

a really dub question! when you bbblt wrap windows which way do the bubbles go against the window or facing outwards :doh:

nicki_2

My winter prep to do list :

1. Buy washing up bowl (use kettle to boil the water instead of having emersion on all day and means I might wash up more often )
2. Buy new thick curtains for :
   • Livingroom
   • DD's bedroom
3. Buy curtains/material to make curtains for
   • Kitchen
   • Doors upstairs
4. Instant glazing for all windows
5. Expanding foam & re-seal all downstairs windows.
6. Speak to landlady about getting guttering looked at.
7. Draught excluder's for all the doors (8 in total - there's a hell of a draft from the under stairs cupboard so that's included! :rolleyes: )
8. Rug for dining room & by desk
9. Look for throws etc for livingroom.

That's for now...I'm sure I'll think of some more things

newlywed

newlywed wrote: »

Need:
extra blankets/throws (nice ones - but cheap ) for the beds
hot water bottles (or microwave ones)
thermal linings for boys room
energy saving bulbs (but we have lots of spot lights and dimmer switches :rolleyes:)

Also plan to start saving up some spare cash in a separate account for the gas meter (prepaid unfortunately).

So far in just over a month have managed to do .... NONE of the above :rolleyes: Other than one lonely low energy bulb

From the end of this month my DMP payment should reduce a little so hopefully will be able to budget to do things in this order:

1. Build up extra on GAS meter
2. Hot water bottles
3. Throws for beds
4. Thermal linings for boys room
5. Look at thicker curtains/thermal lining for front room.

Maybe replacing any (non-dimmer switched) bulbs with energy saving in the meantime.

Must try harder.

Barneysmom

susan1 wrote: »

a really dub question! when you bbblt wrap windows which way do the bubbles go against the window or facing outwards :doh:

It really makes no odds, it's the same either way round

WartimeScrapingofMarmite

I made draught excluders yesterday and have just ordered thermal lining for all the bedrooms and front and back doors. I will also be:-

1. buying hot water bottles and fleece blankets
2. knitting bedsocks and beanie hats for us all
3. dragging out my all-in-one adult sized fleece sleepsuit to wash. It looks ridiculous on, but its realy warm!

That's it so far.........I must get more organised judging by this thread!

LameWolf

chocolate.orange wrote: »

Barneysmom a rice bag is a bag that you make out of fabric, some prefere cotton. You fill it with dry rice or i used pearl barley.
You pop it into the microwave for a minute and then use it like a hot water bottle,without the water HTH

If you have shaky or arthritic hands, it's a lot safer than mucking about filling a hot water bottle from the kettle, as well.

aimless_2

Hi, how long does a rice bag last? do you have to re fill it with rice every time or just keep re cooking it?
Thanks
aimless

mandy_moo_1

hi aimless with the rice bag, you put it in the mwave together with a cup of water next to it, and ''cook'' it on high for about a minute and a half

the water stops the rice drying out too much i think and no, once you've made one, you don't need to keep changing the rice