Prepare Yourself for the Winter Cold This Weekend

Temperatures are dropping quickly, and before you know it you'll be wishing you had prepared for the winter tundra. This weekend, take some time to prepare yourself and your home so you can stay warm for the next few months.

Photo remixed from an original by Andrew Magill.

Keep Your Home Warm

As we start to inch closer to winter, it's a good idea to do a once-over on your house and make sure it's ready for the cold. Get your furnace ready, insulate those windows with some bubble wrap, and get a programmable thermostat to save on energy bills. Alternatively, if you have a small apartment or you only need to heat one room in the house, a good space heater will keep you warm while keeping those electric bills down.

When it does come time to get cozy, make sure you know how to build a killer fire. While you're at 

it, you can beef up your wood chopping skills (better to do it now than in below zero weather), or just make your own fireplace log out of newspaper. Keep those windows frost- and fog- free with a salt wash or some shaving cream, too. If your pipes freeze, you can defrost them with some salt water.

Lastly, while it isn't exactly warming up your home, make sure you've done everything you can to free your home of static electricity. It's going to be a much bigger problem once it gets dry out there.

Photo by Jon Olav Eikenes.

Keep Yourself Warm

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Not only does it cost money to heat your house, but insulating yourself is actually more efficient than insulating your home. So, check out some of these unconventional tips on heating yourself in the house, including sleeping with a hot water bottle. You can also wear that ugly Christmas sweater your grandma gave you, or turn it into a pair of mittens instead. Basically,prepare your body for winter as much as your home—you'll not only stay warm and happy, but probably save some money in the process.

Photo by Vato Bob.

Brave the Cold Outdoors

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Try as you might, you'll probably have to go outside at some point during the frozen months. In fact, you should: make sure you keep exercising in the winter. Wear appropriate clothing and prepare your bicycle if necessary, and use a plastic bag to keep your feet dry if boots aren't an option. Make sure you wear gloves, too. If you're annoyed by their lack of touch screen usability, grab a pair of touch screen-friendly gloves, or make your own for cheap (thoughthermal compound can do in a pinch as well). Lastly, drive safely, and if you get stuck in the snow, remember that your floor mats can help you get a bit more traction.

Photo by comedy_nose.

Stay Healthy and Productive

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Winter can be pretty draining, on both your physical and mental health, so keep yourself happy, healthy, and motivated in the winter.Make sure your immune system is in tip top shape, and if you do get sick, know when to stop exercising and start beating that cold into submission. Don't forget about your mental health, too—seasonal affective disorder can really bring you down in the winter, so start preparing now. And, last but not least, make sure you're prepared for power losses, internet outages, and other snowpocalypse-related emergencies. With enough foresight, this winter'll be a cakewalk.