Last Minute Winter Prep Items to Stock Up On
As a survival prepper, you understand that this is not a one and done task. Every day is an opportunity to prepare more and every season, you’ll look at upcoming changes in weather (one of many potential threats to preppers) and check your gear to see what needs to be done.
In some instances, you’ll need to rotate supplies or toss things that are expired or no longer in good working order. In other cases, it might be time to invest in things you haven’t had before, but now know you’ll need for proper winter survival.
It’s hard for ordinary people to worry about winter weather when they’re sitting in a location with 100-degree temperatures. But this is the exact time you need to be getting your last minute preparations underway before those colder temperatures arrive.
Many states – from the Texas border area to the farthest Northeastern cities – have dealt with extreme icy weather that threatened the safety of millions. When the grid goes down and you no longer have warmth or a way to cook indoors – or no way to get running water because your pipes burst, it can be frightening.
You can’t drive in it and no deliveries can make it to your doorstep, so you have to be ready before it all begins. Weather like this is sometimes unpredictable, starting off as a mild event and suddenly turning serious.
Now, when stores are full of good stock and prices are average, is the time to invest in the right supplies – not when a crisis hits, shelves go bare and price gouging begins. You can get everything ready now, at a time when demand is lower and end-of-summer sales are happening and gain peace of mind that your family will be protected from any winter emergency.
Home Winterization Must-Haves
You always want to start by winterizing your home space. Your goal is to keep warmth in and cold weather out. Check your insulation and update weatherstripping if necessary. If you have cold windows, there are window insulation shrink kits that are temporary that can protect your home during cold weather months.
Get some door sweeps to prevent drafts where cold weather seeps in and warm air escapes. These are inexpensive, but do a great deal to winterize your home without having to pay thousands for attic or wall insulation measures.
If you have a fireplace, make sure you get a good chimney sweep kit. You want your fireplace to be safe in the event that you need (or want) to use it if the grid goes down and you need warmth or a way to cook over a fire indoors.
Getting a wood stove is a great thing to have if you don’t own a fireplace. You can get indoor and outdoor wood stoves that can be installed to emit heat or give you a cooking method when electric stoves and ovens aren’t working.
Grab the Best Emergency Power Solutions
When it comes to winter preparations, a power outage is one of the most severe problems you can encounter. This immediately cuts your access to warmth from your home’s heating components, and it also prevents you from cooking food or warming up drinks using electricity.
It can even sabotage your method of communications, should you need emergency services to assist you in the icy conditions. You must have access to a form of backup power during winter weather.
Most people like to start with a generator and fuel storage. There are some solar options, such as power banks that can charge up smaller gadgets like a cell phone. But a larger generator with enough wattage can power appliances and provide you with a way to get through a short term emergency.
If you have the money, you might consider implementing a whole-home backup generator that immediately turns on when your power goes out. If you are working with a smaller generator to fire up individual appliances, you want to make sure you have storage containers for your backup fuel and stabilizers that can extend the life of your gas.
Now is the time to get new gasoline supplies and ensure that you have a fresh stock. If you are going with solar generators, like power banks that can help you communicate or even charge up a weather radio, try to find those that are weatherproof and preferably have larger folding solar panels that charge up your gadgets more quickly.
You also want to take time before winter hits to stock up on batteries. You can use these for flashlights, radios, and other gear. There are reusable battery packs that can be charged with your solar gadgets as well.
Because heat is a major problem with winter catastrophes, you want to make sure you have heat sources such as firewood for your wood stove or fireplace, plenty of kindling and fire starting options.
You want to have flashlights on hand and LED lanterns that can light up an entire room. When you are investing in the batteries for certain winter gadgets, make sure you get a variety of sizes or check to make sure you have exactly what is needed for the gadgets you are going to be relying on.
Car Winterization Preparedness Gear
Winterizing your car is just as important as winterizing your home. You may have to drive in icy conditions, so now is the time to make sure you swap out your tires for winter tires that have good performance in this type of weather.
You also want to make sure you have a tire pressure gauge on hand and tire chains if necessary for the region you are living in. In addition to your car’s ability to travel in snow or ice, you also want to have some emergency gear inside the car that can help you.
For example, just about everyone needs the basic tools to assist yourself or others, like an ice scraper and jumper cables. You may also want to have some sort of reflective gear in order to signal to other drivers that your car is on the shoulder of the road if it breaks down.
Be prepared in case you are ever stuck in your vehicle during winter conditions. You want to have a sleeping bag and some warm clothes on hand. Get some hand warmers for extra comfort.
You should always have a stash of food and water, including non perishable supplies you can eat, and bottled water that you take with you so it’s not frozen. Keep in mind that you may not have GPS if the grid fails, so you want to have paper maps that are laminated in your glove box.
One thing that may come in handy is to have sand or Kitty litter that you can use under your tires if you need traction to get out of a desperate icy situation. Go through the basic maintenance steps at this time to make sure your battery is working well and your alternator is not compromised.
Check all fluids and your wipers and always keep your gas tank full, possibly with an additive to prevent it from freezing. Car maintenance for winter weather not only requires attention when you are going somewhere, but also when your vehicle is parked at home because you may have to rely on it as a way to escape harsher conditions.
The Best Winter Clothing and Gear to Get
When you are caught in a cold weather situation, whether you are at home or not, it’s best to have layers of clothing you can work with to adjust your body temperature as necessary.
The base layer of your clothing, meaning the one that is against your skin, should always wick moisture away from the body. This can be something like thermal underwear or long johns.
Ideally, you want to look for clothes that are made of wool or synthetic fabric instead of cotton, which can contribute to freezing conditions. On top of your base clothing, you want something that insulates the heat.
For this purpose, you might want a fleece jacket or hoodie, some sort of sweater or down filled jacket. The outer layer should always protect you from the winter weather elements, such as sleet that is falling or wind that is blowing harshly towards you.
Don’t forget to have accessories that protect your head, hands, and feet. Having a good wool hat, such as a beanie, will help keep the heat in. Your gloves need to be waterproof and have plenty of insulation to keep your hands warm.
We’ve already mentioned hand warmers, but those were for the car. You can also keep some at home to put inside your shoes and gloves for extra comfort. And don’t forget a scarf or neck gaiter that can protect more of your neck and face during these extreme conditions.
If you are going to be outdoors, whether it’s bugging out in winter conditions or even having to walk outside to gather firewood, you want to have a coat that is good for freezing temperatures and that is sealed in a way that keeps the warmth in and the cold out.
If you live in an area with high snowfall conditions, you may also want to get some snow pants. Other areas may have more rainy weather for conditions that are just above freezing, and you can find clothing that is specifically meant to keep you dry and warm.
There are also winterized footwear options for you to consider. These include things like boots that not only give you the traction you need for grabbing the ice, but also protect your feet from deep snow and help insulate the warmth for you.
Your socks should be wool or synthetic so that it wicks the moisture away from your feet. The last thing you want to do is use cotton socks in cold winter weather because it will freeze and cause more problems for you.
Blankets and sleeping bags are also a good pair of gear to have on hand. There are sleeping bags that are specifically rated for cold weather climates, even dipping down into freezing conditions.
Winter-Specific Food and Water Supplies
Even if you have a way to warm up or cook food in a grid down winter weather situation, you also want to have some long term food storage options that are non perishable that don’t require any heat.
This ranges from canned goods like fruit, meat, and vegetables to snack food like energy bars, peanut butter, nuts, jerky, crackers, and cereal. You can get powdered milk to accompany these items as well.
You also want to stock up on some food supplies that will offer you warmth. You can use outdoor or small indoor cooking elements and warm up things like soups, stew, hot chocolate, tea, coffee and other items.
It’s a good idea to have some freeze dried meals on hand. All these need is a little bit of hot water to prepare them and you have a warm and comforting meal to get you through the day or night.
Make sure you have enough water on hand. You’ll need a gallon of water per person per day. For a winter weather emergency, make sure you have at least a week’s worth of water.
For your cooking methods in a winter survival situation, you can use something like a camp stove or portable butane stove. A wood stove or Dutch oven can be used as a fire option.
Even charcoal and matches can provide you with a method of warming up food so that you have a nice meal for nutrition and morale. Make sure you have essential items like disposable plates and utensils as well as a manual can opener in case your electricity is out.
Cold Weather First Aid and Health Supplies
You always want to have your basic first aid supplies on hand, such as bandages and antiseptic items or pain relievers to lower temperatures. But you also want some winter specific first aid items.
Keep in mind that you may not be able to go to a pharmacy, so if winter weather is approaching and the warnings are that it might be severe, make sure you stock up on any prescription medication ahead of time.
This might include antibiotics, diabetic medication, epi pens for allergies, and inhalers for people who suffer from asthma. You also want to have some gear that will help for emergency situations based on how you have to live without electricity in cold conditions. For example, if you are working with an open fire, you want to have some items in your first aid kit for burns.
You may also need some first aid gear that will address any hypothermia or frostbite situations. These will include instant chemical hot packs to rewarm someone and non stick gauze for frostbite.
In the event of a long outdoor situation in winter conditions, you may need something for sunburns or wind burns. Because colds and flus are more prevalent during this time of year, you want to have everything you need in terms of over the counter medication to address this illness.
Get some cough medicines, decongestants, throat lozenges, nasal spray, and some holistic items like honey, tea, and supplements like vitamin C or zinc to help with recovery.
This is also a good time to stock up on Kleenex, hand sanitizers, and disposable N95 face masks to prevent the spread of viruses and keep everyone else healthy in the home.
When they’re stocking up for winter preparations, keep in mind that you may not be able to get to a dentist or eye doctor, either. You need to have an emergency tooth pain kit as well as eye care solution that can help with any sort of visual issue you may have.
Ice and Snow Versus All-Weather Tools and Equipment
There are some tools and gear that are specific to winter weather conditions that you need to make sure you have now. These might include snow removal gear like a snow shovel, roof rake, snow blower and ice scraper.
You can also get gear to manage ice build up, like rock salt and sand or litter. You also need all-weather gear that works in case the electricity is out. For example, hand-held tools like screwdrivers because an electric drill won’t work.
You may need other tools like an axe or saw to cut wood or branches. Ropes and duct tape can come in handy for securing things or making repairs, as can tarps that prevent additional damage to something like a roof or serve as a temporary shelter.
You might have a pipe burst, so stock up on insulation and heat tape as well as repair clamps that can save you if you need to fix one in an emergency. Caulking can come in handy for weather or waterproofing, too.
Make sure you have an emergency weather radio so you can keep tabs on what’s happening. Ideally, it will have a hand crank option, but you can also have solar and battery components.
Some of them can also charge your smart phone for you. You might want to get some two-way radios or a satellite phone that works whenever other forms of communication are down due to weather.
Document storage options are important, too. You want something waterproof and fireproof. That way you can protect all of the important papers, policies and information. You can also keep a USB with a backup of digital files, too.
Winter Weather Entertainment and Morale Boosters
Having no electricity can not only cause physical discomfort, but also an emotional stress reaction. You want to keep everyone in your family (including yourself) happy until everything returns to normal.
Make sure you have books for everyone to read, board games for the family to play, and even batteries for some games that keep kids entertained. You might also want some indoor exercise equipment that doesn’t rely on electricity.
This keeps people warm and active, which provides them with a mental boost when it’s most needed. Another thing that’s good to have on hand are some arts and crafts. These might range from Lego kits to miniature building kits, crochet, sewing, chalk, Crayola crayons and more.
Steer clear of wet items like paint that can cause more problems for clean up and usage. Card games are also good for things like Solitaire or family games. In addition to activities, you can make sure you have lots of cozy comfort items – such as pillows and blankets to make the environment welcoming.
Cold Weather Special Considerations and Planning
Lastly, you may have some special circumstances that have to be addressed early on. If you have pets, you need to stock up for them, too. This includes comfort items – dog beds and blankets, coats, shoes, hats and more.
It also means getting their necessary food and prescriptions ahead of a winter storm so you have what they need. The same holds true for any elderly family members who might be staying with you during the storm.
Another thing to consider is whether you live in the city, suburbs or rural areas. Your winter weather preparations might differ and you might have more space or opportunity in a rural area compared to urban ones.
It might take longer to have your electricity restored or the roads cleared outside of the city, so you might need more of the items you’re stocking up on. Have a plan for evacuating if needed, and make sure the car is not only stocked, but that you each have a bug out bag with everything that’s essential for your survival.
Along with supplies, now is the time for you to stock up on knowledge. If you don’t already know, learn how to protect your pipes or recognize hypothermia or frostbite. Gather first aid knowledge and anything else that could help or hinder your survival in cold weather conditions.
Starting today, make a checklist of the most essential cold weather items for your family’s needs. Start shopping while supplies are abundant and affordable. Make a list of emergency service contact information, too.
By preparing now, you’ll save money in winter supplies, have a better selection of what you want, and be well-prepared for any type of winter weather emergency that can be dangerous if you’re caught off-guard.
You’ll also enjoy knowing your family will not only be safe, but comfortable and happy that they’re not struggling. Reducing stress in emergencies is always important, and winter weather can make people feel helpless when they’re unprepared.
Having a guide to help you plan in a great way to start. Check out our Family Survival Planner. 38 pages of what you need to prepare. Only $9 Click here. https://besurvivalready.com/Family
