what are you buying for a winter lockdown?

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

Not prepping, not panic buying - just, what do you think would make lockdown in the dark, grey winter bearable?

Disney channel subscription
craft stuff
baking stuff
yoga mats and skipping ropes
seeds to grow herbs (can you do that in the winter on a windowsill?)
clothes and boots for the kids for winter walks

Any other ideas?

Marking.

me last lockdown

Driving lessons and a car.

@Khajit I recommend haba board games for little ones! When my dd was 3 we got her unicorn glitter luck and the little orchard and she loved them! There's also one with monkeys on a tree and an animal stacking game that's great for kids.

The only things I've thought 'oh we'd best stock up on that' is cat litter and calpol haha bought so much random shit first time round I can't think of anything else I could possibly buy. At least until the baby has me up all night again 😂

It feels proper autumn like now this week - following for inspiration!

Bought myself a really nice 3 in 1 waterproof coat for colder walks with the dog. I wouldn't normally bother but I've kept up doing longer walks since lockdown.

A small heater for the dining room as well where DH is working from home as the room gets cold.

For anyone thinking of getting a patio heater I strongly advise against the gas ones. We bought one of those big ones you get in pubs and it uses roughly £30 of gas over two evenings. I wish we’d gone for an electric one.

Lego
Lego
Lego
An extra 4 iPad chargers
Alcohol and chocolate!
Loads of extra gas top up
Pyjamas / oodies/ dressing gowns and slippers.

Aldi has lots of lovely craft items and craft kits if anyone like crafting (kids too), stocked up today, got Dd some felting kits and embroidery.

Our house is overflowing with Lego, won’t be getting anymore until Christmas so I need other activities for dd (14).

Learn a language - I've been doing Welsh on Duolingo.
Future Learn does all sorts of short courses too, many free.
Decorate your house with temporary decorations. Mine is currently Tropical, soon to be Halloween!

I’m going to treat myself to a new throw/blanket for the sofa. I just worked out I bought the blanket I sometimes use on there in 2005! And it doesn’t really go.

Bought a fire pit, thanks to this thread.

Similar to you plus:
New games for the Wii (cheap ones from CEX that work with the balance board to keep us moving)
Christmas cake ingredients
Lego kits
Booze

I've got a new teaching job starting soon, so I've bought a few things to make my life easier in school. Paper trimmer, storage drawers etc. My mental health is far better when I'm working than at home so I'm going to throw myself into my job this winter.

I’ve bought some exercise clothes , including a coat with hood, more books, started learning Spanish last time which has fallen by the wayside but will pick up again, art type subscription my first box is Lino printing, looking forward to that as I did it at school many moons ago ( mind you got off to a bad start by cutting myself 😳)

Heated blanket, warm clothes and coats, loungewear, baking,crafts. I’m considering an outdoor/lean to ?space with outdoor heaters

New wellies and umbrella for me.
Waterproof trousers for DD.
Ingredients for Christmas cake.
Start Christmas shopping.

Weirdly enough I’m kind of clearing OUT right now!

(Typing this to distract me from the bathroom cabinet - why do I have ten of the same kind of OTC tablets? And those three for two toiletry deals just leave me with tonnes of crap )

For me, I’m sure there won’t be retail supply issues if I want something , but having too much physical and visual clutter in my environment is going to impact my MH more.

In terms of entertainment I’m going to try and work through the free stuff on the Open Culture site - it’s more free documentaries and more arty challenging films than Netflix.

and use the free yoga YouTube stuff.

Financially things are uncertain in the world so I’m going to eBay a lot and hopefully the market will be good as everyone will be staying in

I don't think there will be another lockdown but I think a lot of people are just going to stay in much more during this winter. So, my prep is based on "imagine we are snowed in".

Stocked up cupboards so no queueing in minus temps
New, snuggly (perhaps cashmere) loungewear
New slippers
Lots of log fires
Doing up my living room - new sofa and snuggly throws and cushions
Lots of candles and oil burners
Just got a big bag of flour delivered, lots of baking
Got lots of books not read
Loads of red wine and Baileys
Take up knitting that I bought day before lockdown but not touched