We’ve come to that time of year where you almost don’t even want to go outside because it is so cold. If you do venture out, you’ve got to make sure you have your coat and gloves, it’s just more of a hassle to do things in the winter. But, as a mom, getting outside is sometimes the key to sanity. Here are some tricks that I use in the winter months to keep things running smoothly at my house.

1. Fill up your gas. Don’t let your car get below a quarter of a tank of gas. Somehow, you always need gas at the most inconvenient time – You’re 10 miles past the gas light coming on, you have a screaming baby in the car, it’s snowing hard and you are LATE for an appointment. Do yourself a favor and fill up around a quarter of a tank, when it’s not snowing and you have happy babies. Being preemptive will save you so much stress. This may seem like something you can skip on, but believe me, this is something that has changed my life.
2. Stock up on basics like diapers, wipes and milk (formula too if you’re not nursing). It is not fun to go and change a diaper only to realize you have none left. In the winter that means bundling up baby to do a quick run to the store. Save yourself the hassle. Buy more when you notice that you have half a pack left.
3. Warm up your car ahead of time. When you have to go out with kids, warm up your car ahead of time so that it isn’t freezing cold. This seems like a no brainer, but the amount of times I haven’t done it is boarding on stupidity. I have to actually make it a point to remember to do it so that I don’t forget. This is especially important if you have kids in car seats, because you aren’t supposed to buckle your kids in their car seats with coats on. So, making sure the car is warm is key to making sure that your kids are warm.
4. Make the car seat work for you. Other than warming up the car ahead of time, there are a couple ways to make the winter car seat hassle a little bit easier.
   • Bring a blanket out to the car with you so that your little one can cuddle
   • Put their coat on backwards over their arms and belly to act as a snuggie type blanket
   • When you get where you’re going, climb into the back seat and re-bundle them up in their coats before you pull them out of the car
5. Prepare your car. There are a couple of easy things you can do to make leaving your house a bit easier. Spending 15 minutes scraping your car every morning is already annoying, cold, and time consuming; but if you have kids that would be inside unsupervised while you do it, that is annoying and nerve wracking.
   • You can put a kitchen mat or other small area rug on your windshield (underneath the wipers) to keep off ice and snow
   • You can also make a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and spray it on your car windows and mirrors to avoid ice buildup
   • Alternatively, use a Ziplock bag to cover your side mirrors so that you don’t even have to remove the snow
   • If you live in a place that gets a lot of snow and you leave the house a lot, investing in some frost guards for your car might be worth it, but in south Ohio I don’t think I would use them quite enough to justify the expense
6. Get proper fitting clothes. Make sure that your kids have pants that are long enough and shoes that fit. A lot of times kids are in between sizes because they grown so fast. Winter is not a time to push the clothing. Pants and shoes are two of the biggest culprits for loss of body heat in the winter because they often don’t have a second layer. Pants that are too short or shoes that are too small or big will not keep your kids as warm. You don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe for them, but 2-3 pants and 1 pair of shoes that fit correctly
7. Get 2 pairs of gloves and 2 hats for your kids, because inevitably whenever you need them one will magically go missing. If you get snow, make sure you get a waterproof pair of gloves that has the clip so that you can keep them together.
8. Take a bathroom break. If you’re kids are going out in the snow and they are putting their snowsuits on, make sure that they go to the bathroom (or you change their diaper) BEFORE suiting up. It is an event to get them all dressed to go out to play, there is nothing more defeating than getting them all ready and then having to take it all of and do it all over again because they have to go to the bathroom.
9. Get a tray for wet/muddy boots to put inside your door. I got a cheap one at Lowe’s, but you can find them all over the place (here is one on Amazon). You can also make a temporary one yourself with a cookie sheet and beads from the dollar store too. This is a good option if you don’t really have many days of snow/rain.
10. Use newspaper. If your boots or shoes get wet, stuff newspaper inside to help. It will help them dry out faster. You can also use newspaper to quick start fires if you have a wood burning fireplace in your home.
11. Buy some bins. Get everyone in your house their own small bin to keep their winter accessories. It will keep your house so much more organized, and your kids won’t be wondering where their stuff is. It also helps with kids just leaving their coats/mittens all over the floor, because if they know where it’s supposed to go and it has a dedicated spot, they are much more likely to actually put it away themselves.
12. Consume warmth. To help your body warm up, eat a lot of warm soups and drink warm drinks. The favorites in our house are warmed milk, hot cocoa, warm apple cider, homemade chicken noodle soup, butternut squash soup and tomato soup with noodles.
13. Have some go-to activities. You’re going to be inside a lot, so think ahead about activities for the day. I like to have something ‘special’ each day to make it a little more fun for my little ones. Pinterest is such a great inspiration for this, but some ideas are below:
    • Connect computer paper together to make one giant coloring sheet on the floor
    • Build a fort with sheets and have a movie day in it
    • Get a squeegee and turn on some music and have them help you wash windows
    • Learn letters by placing small items in a bin and covering them with sand or rice, then have your little one dig them out
    • Bake something! Not only will the oven help to warm up your house, but you can have your little one help you with the measurements and count the cookies (or whatever) to throw in some learning. They will be excited to get to try what they helped create.
14. Moisturize your skin before bed. I hate the feeling of having dry skin, and in the winter it gets so bad! If you make it a habit to lather up before bed, you will curb most of the dry skin itchiness and cracking. You don’t have to use anything expensive either, we like to use coconut oil or homemade lotion from cocoa and Shea butter in our house. If you have extra dry hands or feet, you can lock the lotion in with socks or gloves overnight for extra healing. A doctor once told me that moisturizing when you’re a little bit damp (like after patting down after a shower or bath) helps to lock in the moisture as well.
15. Keep warm at night. As your heart rate falls and the sun goes down, sometimes it’s a little harder to stay warm – especially if you have an old drafty house like we do. If you (or your kids) have this problem, you can put a hot water bottle by your legs or get a heated blanket or mattress pad. Just remember not to overdo it – especially with your kids. A bed too warm can be dangerous, especially for little ones.

And there you have it, my tips for a more enjoyable winter – especially with little ones! Which one will you try this winter? What are your winter hacks?