Its freezing here and I feel the need to get ready for winter

[atticusclaw]

Do you do anything to get your house/household ready for winter? I've been looking on the MSE website but the threads are so long they are overwhelming! We have a wood burner which is currently lit and making it feel very cosy here but its been so mild this year that I haven't done anything else yet.

Best thing I did was put up curtains at both outside doors, and line all the curtains-£3 fleece throws between the curtain and lining-super cosy...also close curtains/blinds as soon as sun disappears to keep the heat in...

That does remind me, I bought a curtain pole months ago for that very reason. We have an internal garage and the door into the house is very draughty.

Right that's job number one!

I've just been looking on the MSE website and the weather guru there is giving tip offs for snow and talking about cancelling a family gathering.

I also make sure I have a store of tins,soup etc...and freeze bread/ milk for the really crap days when you don't want/can't get out. Also stock up in tissues/cold and flu remedies to save having to go out for them if you're poorly...

But don't you always keep spare stock of tins/soup etc anyway? I always do because we can't just pop round to a corner shop.

I also keep minimum stock levels of tissues/loo rolls/bread in the freezer etc. I thought most people did.

I have a well stocked store cupboard so don't need to do that. I have just been reading that I should drain the outside tap though How on earth do I do that?

Where on earth are you two living? I'm sat in shirt sleeves (central heating off) down here in Somerset.

Midlands.

I have the wood burner blazing and am sat here in two jumpers and ski socks. It's not nice here at all, the wind is howling outside and the gate keeps slamming.

Jockland,just outside Edinburgh...baltic here too.

It's chilly here in South Yorkshire as well. Not really cold, but cold enough to warrant some kind of heating. It is also very wet. I think we managed 10 degrees here today, which in my house necessitates having some heating on.

Thick lined curtains
Warm socks/slipper shoes make a huge difference to how cold I feel
Dog to snuggle up to on the sofa
Keep moving during the day

Keep your part covered with your curtains, especially if you have big windows.

Keep your windows part covered even

I always keep my part covered with my curtains, lol!

Interlined curtains - or sew blankets to the backs - and definitely hang one across external doors. Throws/blankets for snuggling under on the sofa. Fleecy onesie?!? Ok, maybe not the fleecy onesie.....

Mum4Fergus - I'm near Edinburgh too and it's going to be 10 deg and sunny tomorrow

I know PrimalLass...I take it all back, glorious morning!! Where abouts are you?!

Don't worry about draining the outside tap (what they mean is there should be a valve on the tap's water pipe, inside the house, which you can turn to "closed" with a screw driver and then turn on the tap until all the water beyond that valve has drained, but just bunging the tap in a jiffy bag and securing with an elastic band also works.

DH advised me last night that the reason the loft insulation hasn't made any difference yet is that whilst he carried the rolls of insulation up to the loft (8 months ago!!), he hasn't yet managed to get around to opening them and rolling it out.

That would explain things!

Whats the MSE website please? We live in an old stone cottage in the mountains in Wales and have been in Winter mode for the last month or so.

Atticus,that's hilarious! Seriously, 8 months lol

If you google "preparing for winter iv" then the MSE thread comes up but its literally hundreds of pages long. I have started reading it though.

Mum4fergus yes I have to say that whilst DH has many qualities, he's not a task and finisher!

Oh well at least he knows what he will be doing this week end doesn't he .