Winter is coming! Now that the final leaves have blown off the trees and you learned the hard way that you need a rake or a blower if you own a home – here are a few tips/tricks to make it through the winter in Seattle:
- Go out and buy some boots! Rain boots are a must and snow boots are a close second if you want to discover our beautiful mountain surroundings. Best local spots for boots are REI, DSW, Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. You can always use Zappos or Amazon to browse and get some delivered to your door to try on. Just remember – some of those cute fashionable boots are not waterproof – a must for Seattle unless you want damp feet.
- Have children? – download the flash alert app so you can check for school delays/closures. This is a must. Nothing worse than braving traffic to get to school only to find that it is on a 2 hour delay. Seattleites are notoriously cautious when it comes to snow and school districts even more so!
- Create a plan for power outages. Depending on where you live, you will likely experience at least one power outage per season. Typically this is due to winds but can also be as a result of a snow storm. If your power goes out, you can report a power outage online through Puget Sound Energy and also check for estimated restoration times. Many of us have refreshed that page multiple times an hour on particularly cold days with no power!!
- Have candles, flashlights and extra batteries ready.
- Keep your mobile phones charged and your gas tanks full!
- Have enough non-perishable food and water available for 3 days.
- Install carbon monoxide alarms if you do not have them in your home.
- If you have refrigerated medication, ensure that you have a plan to keep them cold while the power is out.
- Have a back up plan for any pets.
- Ensure you have connected with your family doctor or pediatrician. Winter is prime time for flu season and the likelihood of needing a doctor increases. You don’t want to have to find a doctor last minute or get on a waitlist because of poor planning. Make an initial appointment for a wellness visit so that when you need your doctor, they are a quick phone call or email away. If you need it, there are plenty of urgent care clinics on the Eastside and in Seattle. I use UW Clinics and they have multiple options throughout the city. Other favorites are Zoomcare or Seattle Childrens. Many pharmacy chains also have urgent care clinics.
- If you have a home, winterize outside by clearing out gutters/downspouts, removing outdoor hoses and shut off water supply to sprinkler system to prevent a frozen explosion (trust me – I learned the hard way!)
And of course – you can always contact relo-to if you need any other advice or want to make use of our Lifestyle Management services (We can connect you with providers to assist you with your winter maintenance, arrange for pet/house sitting, conduct research on doctors and even track down boots for you!)
Happy Wintering!
Photo by Constellate