With winter weather approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how ready for the winter you are. Prepping for winter could mean a lot of different things from winterizing your house to getting your vehicle winter ready. Another critical part of preparing for winter is stocking up on basic supplies.
Depending on the weather patterns of your local area, winter could mean months of severe storms that bring ice and large amounts of snow. Consequently, you could find yourself snowed in for days at a time without the ability to get out and purpose essential items like food, warm clothing, and personal hygiene products.
In order to be ready, consider stocking up on the following supplies in anticipation of winter weather:
- Warm Clothes and Bedding – With the colder temperatures, it is time to go through the closets in search of warmer clothing such as winter coats, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, scarves, thermal underwear, flannel pajamas, and boots. In terms of bedding, look for flannel sheets, blankets, quilts, and sleeping bags. These warm items can be critical for staying warm in the case of power outages.
- Food and Water – If a severe storm hits and you are unable to make the weekly or monthly trip to the grocery store, you’ll need extra food and water to survive a few days until you can get out again. It makes sense to stock up on some basic staples like:
- Pasta
- Oatmeal
- Rice
- Beans
- Powdered Milk
- Oil
- Salt
- Sugar or another type of sweetener
- Baking powder and soda
- Canned meat (ham, chicken, fish)
For long-term storage, consider freeze dried meals or emergency food supplies. Moreover, don’t forget to stock up on water.
- Personal Hygiene Items – In order to hold you over for a few days, make sure you have personal hygiene items on hand. Having extra soap, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and tampons can save you from having to brave dangerous weather just because you forgot them.
- Pet and Baby Items – When stocking up for winter, consider the needs of your pets including food and water. Don’t forget the baby food, milk, diapers, and warm clothes for the little ones.
- Heating – In order to stay warm, it might be a good idea to invest in a portable or baseboard heater for your house. For those with fireplaces, getting ready for winter means stocking up on firewood or turning on the natural gas for heating. Consider purchasing a generator in the case of power outages.
- Emergency Supplies – Getting ready for winter also means gathering emergency supplies and updating or replacing anything in the kit. It is recommended to have a 72 Hour Kit on hand for disaster preparedness.