How to Winterize your Home

Here in Alaska, we are at the tail end of what most would consider fall. In reality, fall here ends with snow. I’m not sure if we consider it late fall, or early snow, but either way, the snow arrives in the Arctic in October, and stays until April. Thankfully, we know a thing or two about winterizing our homes. If you’re preparing for winter, here are a few things to consider. 

Outside your home

There is always a lot to do outside to prepare for winter. Some of these suggestions may differ based on your climate and location, but hopefully you’ll find useful tips. 

• Lawn prep. As you prepare for winter, consider what your lawn needs to survive until spring. Do you need a fall fertilizer treatment or grass seed? Do you need to safely store the lawn mower? What about the driveway? Will it need salted or shoveled? Prepare now to not only be safe during winter, but to have a beautiful, thriving yard come spring time. If your area gets below freezing, this is also the time to disconnect and store your lawn hoses for next season.
• Roof & gutters. Make sure that you are taking extra notice of any worn or weathered areas on your roof. Clean out your gutters and drain pipes from a summer’s worth of leaves, gunk, and kid’s lost toys. As the winter weather moves in, whether it be thunderstorms in the South, or ice and snow father north, you’ll want to be confident in the structure of your roof and the draining of your gutters. 
• Trees and bushes. Do you have trees and bushes near your home that might create a hazard in extreme weather? Take care to clear any dead/ dying branches, and to trim overgrown shrubbery from your siding and walkways. Make sure you’re able to safely enter and exit both your main entrances as well as your fire escape routes. 

Inside your home

One of my favorite parts of winter in the Arctic is a Scandinavian term called hygge. Simply put, it describes the specific coziness of winter weather that comes with warm blankets, fireplaces, and intentionally slowing down for a restful season. As a busy military family with school aged kids, I can assure you that no slowing down is happening here, but there are still ways to intentionally embrace hygge.

• Air quality. As you move to spend more time indoors, be sure to change air filters, dust the ceiling fans, and wash stagnant linens like blankets and curtains to clear out leftover dirt and pollen from your windows open season. 
• Temperature control. Cooler temps bring noticeable drafts if you don’t have adequate insulation or weather stripping on your windows and doors. It only takes one cold, windy night for you to realize you need to check. Get ahead of the game now with windows, doors, and even adequate heating sources (like heating oil or firewood), if that’s what your home requires. 
•  Hygge. If you are going to be spending more time indoors, be sure to create a space you want to spend time in. After two years of pandemic living, most of us have an idea of what parts of our homes we enjoy, and which parts don’t bring us peace. Now is the time to change the wall art, get new pillows, add soft lamps, bring out the cozy blankets, and start burning the holiday candles. 

No matter where you live, winterizing your home can be stressful, especially if you’re new to winter weather. But, with a little bit of attention to detail on your home’s exterior, you can feel safe and secure. And with a little bit of intentional care to your home’s interior, you might find yourself craving the comfort foods, long nights, and warm blankets of a hygge-inspired winter season. 

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Heather Campbell is a nutrition expert, one of the things I appreciate most is quality groceries for my family. As a military spouse, I’ve experienced a variety of grocery options including living 100 miles from the Arctic Circle. In our time in Interior Alaska, we lived 40 minutes from the closest grocery store, other than our local commissary. When I combine my expertise as a Registered Dietitian with my tenure as a military spouse, here are the easiest ways I’ve found to shop for healthy groceries on base-even in the most remote of locations.