Make the most out of the cold winter months with these seven suggestions.
The colder months aren’t kind to those who don’t prepare. Throughout the winter, you have to ensure your homestead is safe, secure and protected while preserving your own health and happiness. Balancing these responsibilities is often challenging, but with a little help, and some simple advice, you can weather any storm.
In this article, we’ll provide seven tips for winter on the homestead, including ways to manage inclement conditions so you can maintain both your property and positive attitude. As you implement some of the suggestions below, you’ll find that winter isn’t an obstacle to overcome, but an opportunity for growth and self-exploration.
1. Use Free Time to Improve Your Web Presence
Today’s social media platforms allow users to connect with other likeminded individuals who share their passions and interests. Sites like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook provide a place where you can meet new people. More than that, they serve as avenues to diversify your income and make money on the side.
When you share your skills and abilities in video format or blog about your daily life on your homestead, it catches the attention of those with a curiosity for your niche brand of content. Over time, as you develop your web presence and gain a following, you’ll enjoy passive income from advertisements and donations.
2. Purchase Clothing on the Basis of Materials
The price of clothing isn’t always indicative of its practicality. You might pay more for expensive clothing, but if it’s composed of mid-quality materials, you should purchase something else. As a general rule, it’s always better to buy clothing based on the materials rather than the perceived value of more expensive items.
To provide an example, a standard pair of socks made from alpaca fleece is superior to more expensive, “high-quality” socks made from sheep’s wool. Before you purchase your winter clothing, it’s best to assess the benefits of the material instead of deciding on the pricier option with an assumption of its value.
3. Plan Alternative Routes for Safe Transportation
You likely have one or two routes you travel to enter and leave your homestead. In the event of a snowstorm or heavy rain, these routes can freeze over, and if the weather is persistent, you could find yourself trapped. These not-so-uncommon situations endanger your safety and the safety of your family.
To prepare for a winter off the grid, you have to account for any and every potential risk. Take time to learn your area and scout any alternative routes of transportation you can depend on in the event of an emergency. Find ways to access supplies without your primary vehicle, and plan ahead.
4. Create Additional Storage Space for Supplies
On the subject of emergency procedures, it’s advisable to create more storage space to keep additional supplies. If snow or ice makes your standard routes of travel inaccessible and you have no alternatives, you’ll have to depend on what you’ve stored in the weeks before the blizzard passed through.
The advantage of having extensive acreage is the available space you have at your disposal. Consider constructing a storage shed to shelter the wood you’ve chopped, fuel for your generator and other necessities that will keep you secure through long periods of isolation when communication is compromised.
5. Rent Heavy-Duty Snow Equipment Like Skid Steers
With the size of your property, shoveling your walkways and driveway of accumulated snow is a labor-intensive task. It’s nearly impossible without access to the proper equipment, but purchasing machinery like skid steers is often expensive. Fortunately, you can choose to rent them on a day-by-day basis.
The average rental costs of skid steers in 2019 will likely fall within the limitations of your budget, and you should browse the available rental services in your area. Skid steers rentals cost between $150 to $500 per day, though pricing is liable to change depending on the attachments you choose.
6. Educate Yourself on New Topics and Pursue Interests
As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of inactivity. You might struggle to rouse yourself from bed in the morning, and simple chores that never troubled you could feel frustrating and bothersome. Winter is taxing on mental health, and it’s essential to stay occupied.
To make the most of your time, engage in different activities to keep yourself alert and productive. Educate yourself on new topics, refine your skills and pursue interests and hobbies. You can learn to cook recipes you’ve never tried before, try your hand at creating herbal remedies or make your own soaps or lotions.
7. Take a Well-Deserved Vacation
If you can’t remember the last time you took a vacation, you deserve a vacation. You likely spend most of your time on your homestead, tending to your plants and animals, and while this is necessary to sustain your lifestyle, there’s an enormous world you’ve only seen a fraction of. Everyone needs a little rest and relaxation.
In truth, acknowledging when you need a break is just as important as working. Among all the ways you can spend your winter, you might find that a vacation is the most conducive to your productivity. After you’ve returned to your property, you’ll approach your tasks with renewed vigor and energy, ready to take on anything.
Stay Warm Throughout the Winter
You can make the most of the colder months by following any of the suggestions above. Whether you decide to improve your web presence, create extra storage space on your property or embrace new hobbies and interests, you’ll ensure you’re spending your free time in a positive way.
Just remember to stay warm and remain optimistic. When spring flowers begin to bloom, you’ll feel grateful for everything you’ve learned and enjoyed over winter.
Kayla Matthews has been writing about healthy living for several years and is proud to be a featured writer on a number of inspiring health sites, including Mother Earth News. To learn more about Kayla, you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
All MOTHER EARTH NEWS community bloggers have agreed to follow our Blogging Guidelines, and they are responsible for the accuracy of their posts. To learn more about the author of this post, click on their byline link at the top of the page.
