Necessary Tools When Moving from a Sunny to Snowy Climate
You’re tired of the heat in the summer that always comes with living in the southern half of the United States. You don’t like the traffic or the smog of the big town and out door activities are limited because of heat, bugs and other man made dangers. You are ready to quit your job and make a move to a less stressful, less expensive and less busy lifestyle.
But are you really ready? Have you considered what you are going to be living in, how you are going to make a living and what you are going to drive? It all sounds like easy answers, because it will be all the same things you have had for years. You have a car, you can get a job and housing is a lot lower than where you live now.
Everything will be great. That is until your first winter hits and you have to survive months of snow, cold and other continuing problems. They will be your problems, but it’s normal life to those of us that live here. We get a lot of new comers each summer and lose most of them after the first winter. If you truly intend to stay then there are few things you will need to know about living in the north during a winter season. I have learned the hard way on some things and was quite aware of others so lets get you ready to survive as a family unit and know what to expect.
The first shock of winter will be the hours of daylight you will have. During the summer it’s great. The sun comes up at 5am and doesn’t really set until after 9pm so you have a lot of play hours to enjoy. But during the winter you won’t see day light until around 8am in the morning. I say daylight because there won’t be a lot of sunlight. Night will fall hard and fast around 3:30pm. You can purchase sunlight bulbs for your lamps to insure everyone will survive. Without this type of light you chance developing depression.
Next is the cold. It will get very cold. If the wind is blowing it is going to be even colder because of the wind chill factor. No more windbreaker and heavy sweaters. You will need good socks, boots, good gloves, a heavy winter coat and a hat for each member of the family. If you have children it is best to buy them three pair of gloves each just alike. Kids will love one glove every so often so if you have multiple pairs it is easier to mix and match.
If it doesn’t feel all that cold when you walk out you are still wise to take your warm clothing with you. It only takes about five minutes until the cold really sets into your body. That’s when you wish you had brought the coat, the hat, the gloves and worn the boots! Dress in layers for warmth control. As you warm up you can remove a layer or you can add a layer as you get colder.
Have a good car. There is little public transportation in small towns and the ones that provide transportation are great, but you still have to stand in the cold to use it! Be prepared to spend a good amount of money on snow tires. This is a must in the winter. When there is ice and snow on the road it won’t matter what kind of vehicle you have or how big it is if you don’t have a good set of snow tires. Be prepared to spend around $500.00. You can use the snow tires for several seasons.
Have two good snow shovels and a lot of energy! It will take at least �½ hour to shovel the driveway so you can get the car out to go to work. If you are driving more than five miles to work then give yourself another �½ hour more than normal. If you have to be to work at 8am and it takes you 20 minutes to get there then in winter during snow storms you will have to get up at 5am, shovel snow until 5:30am, get ready for work by 6:30am and clean the car of snow till 7am and leave for work. You will have to drive much, much slower so be sure you use the bathroom before you leave the house!
At this time of the morning it is going to be dark the whole time you are working. Have a good front yard light. Be sure you clean off all the windows of your car so you can see clearly. Very important is to make sure you have your headlights and brake lights cleared of snow too. They won’t do you or the oncoming traffic any good if light doesn’t shine through.
Consider buying a snow blower. It is going to be one of the best investments you can make. You will have fun shoveling snow the first few times, but it gets real hard after that. Always shovel snow as soon as it get to about an inch thick. It is better to start early and shovel 3-5 times during the day then to wait until it is heavy and wet. You will hurt yourself trying to clear a drive way.
Get Lock De-ice. It is a product with many names and can be found in most stores. You car locks will freeze shut and you won’t go anywhere! Also be prepared for your doors to freeze shut and once you finally get them open the lock will again freeze in place and you won’t be able to shut it securely. Make sure the heater works really well! The inside of the windows can ice up too.
Clear driveways and sidewalks right away of all snow and use a snow-melt product. They will turn to ice otherwise. You have to walk much slower with shorter steps when on icy walks. It hurts! A lot when you fall! You are responsible for your own safety and health.
If you have a fireplace be sure you get your wood and get it chopped by the beginning of September. You cannot burn wet wood. If you are going to use regular heat prepare your wallet for the first bill of the season. It can be as high as $300.00 to $400.00. Did I just hear a gasp. It’s expensive to heat a home in very cold weather when there is no break.
If you found a job right off that’s great. But in the north winter is a time every thing slows down and that includes jobs. Have enough saved for cut hours, lay off, days you can’t get to work, etc. It’s nice to have a hobby income of some kind. Work conditions change and if you work outside it’s going to get very cold so you will need very warms under garments. Each work environment is different and will require different clothing for warmth and coolness. Just remember layers are best.
One last thing is not to let it get you down. Winter is a hard season to survive because of cold, illnesses, cabin fever, depression, etc. There are movie theaters, parties, friends, events and many other things to do. Don’t be afraid to get out of the house with the family as long as you dress for the weather conditions and keep smiling. It’s all worth it when summer comes!
