For children, snow days are magic. It is like someone waved a wand and turned that dreary rain to fluffy bits of fun. For a busy mom, the sight of snow brings a momentary feeling of wonder and then…Oh, no! Snow. Wet boots. Wet gloves. Tracks on the floor. Runny noses. Icy driveways. Cars to sweep off and sidewalks to shovel. School delays or even closings. While all of those things are pretty much inevitable, you can manage them a bit better if you are already prepared for snowy days at home.
- Set up a portable drying rack in a spot close to the door and put a piece of plastic under the rack to protect your floors. Put a boot tray under the rack or close by. As people come in the door, have them put their wet things on the rack and their shoes on the tray. Have dry socks and a towel to mop up snow blobs on hand.
- Create a comfort station complete with cocoa in an insulated jug with a spout and soup in a second jug, crackers, marshmallows, cups, spoons, napkins and bowls in an area that allows for easy clean up. This alleviates a lot of traffic through the kitchen and a lot of requests for cocoa ten minutes after everyone but one person turned down the offer.
- Put together an activity bin of snowy day activities and crafts for your kids. Consider adding things they can do if the power goes out because of ice on the lines.
- Make sure you are prepared for bad weather with fresh water, powdered milk, a loaf of frozen bread or ingredients to make fresh bread and a few spare rolls of toilet paper so you can avoid the dangerous last minute rush to the store that people in less snowy areas tend to do.
- Check to be sure your generator or other alternative power source is ready to go at a moment’s notice. (Don’t forget safety. Leave that generator outside and make sure it is ten feet from the house before you fire it up!)
What do you do to get ready for Winter weather?
Photo: Rodolfo Belloli/SXC
Post from: Blisstree