My 2025 Winter Survival List

It’s starting to get pretty cold here at night. Though spring and summer will always be my favorite seasons, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to appreciate the fall and winter months more and more. My favorite part of winter, other than the holidays, is the much slower pace of the winter months. One thing I do not like is how dry my skin feels once the heat starts running. All my humidifiers are back in Georgia right now, so I need to either buy one for the Dollhouse or bring one of those up to Ohio.

This is the one I’ve most often purchased over the years. I tried another brand one year, and it ended up leaking water on my round bedside table. I should have tossed it because later that year, it leaked again onto the protective glass that I had covering my desk. I’ve since removed the glass, but thankfully it was in place when that happened.

This is the only humidifier I trust after those previous leaking issues. It has never leaked a single time. I always see a tremendous difference in my comfort when I run it during the daytime in my office and at night in my bedroom. It helps tremendously with how dry my skin and nose feel. You’ll find the one I love and use here: Warm Mist Humidifier. Update: I just ordered one for the Dollhouse; it will be delivered this afternoon. I can’t wait to get it going this afternoon!

I use Cutemol year-round, but it is definitely a survival tool for this time of year. It’s the only lotion I’ve found that prevents my fingertips from cracking during the winter months. My grandsons love it and use it on their faces to prevent their cheeks and lips from getting chapped while playing outdoors. They also use it at night to heal their cheeks overnight if they do become chapped. It can make a huge difference in just one night! I hope they never stop making it because I’ve never found anything that works like it does.

It only takes a small amount to cover an area fully since it’s so rich/thick, so a large container will last a long time. The instructions recommend applying it over slightly damp hands, so it’s perfect to use on feet/hands after a shower or after washing dishes. Just give it about 5-10 minutes to fully dry, and it feels like a protective barrier has been created between you and the harsh winter world. I keep a jar in my desk, one by my bed, and one in my bathroom. It is the best! You’ll find it available here: Cutemol.

If you’ve been reading BNOTP for a while, you know how much I value these merino wool socks. I usually purchase another set each winter, although I’ve found that last several years. They are incredibly soft and comfortable, not the slightest bit itchy, and keep my feet incredibly warm when I’m wearing leather shoes that aren’t that insulated. I also like how they are not thick, so my shoes still fit normally when I’m wearing them. Amazing how merino wool can keep your feet warm without having to be really thick. You’ll find my favorite winter socks available here: Soft, Merino Wool Socks.

Yes, once again, I am singing the praises of a heated toilet seat. Don’t knock ’til you’ve tried it! Ha!

This is the one I have had for several years in the Georgia house, and it still works great after all these years. I purchased the same one again for the Ohio house before my first winter here. It almost makes those middle-of-the-night bathroom runs something to look forward to! You’ll find the one I really like and have purchased twice now here: Heated Toilet Seat. Be sure and read some of the reviews to see why everyone loves it so much! Some are really funny!

I have purchased this throw/blanket so many times! I purchased it once for the Georgia house, once as a gift, another time when I was visiting family, and again for the Dollhouse. Why do I love it so much? It’s incredibly soft and very warm, plus, it’s not heavy. With my recent fall where I badly scraped my knee, I could not stand having anything with even the slightest weight pressing down on my knee at night.

I remembered this blanket that I have back in Georgia, and immediately purchased another one. I normally buy it in the brown design which I think is a pretty shade of brown, but I went with the gray for the Dollhouse bedroom. If you prefer a warm, super soft blanket that isn’t heavy, you’ll find this one available in a bunch of different colors/designs here: Throw/Blanket.

This is another favorite blanket that I purchased last winter for the Dollhouse bed. It goes beautifully with the comforter in that room. It’s a bit heavier, but feels and looks luxurious. It reminds me of the blankets you see in Pottery Barn, but a lot more affordable. You’ll find it available in many colors here: Blanket.

I’m headed back to Georgia soon, but when I return I’m purchasing this cocoa for the Dollhouse. My grandsons love hot chocolate, and hot chocolate is the only hot drink that I enjoy. I’ve purchased it before and remember how delicious it was, so I’m looking forward to sharing this with them when I return. You’ll find it available here: Ghirardelli Chocolate & Cocoa.

I’m forever singing the praises of my Ugg Tasman shoes. I’m calling them shoes instead of slippers, since the sole works great for wearing outside too. My daughter-in-law tells me that a lot of the moms here wear them to the bus stop. I can see why, since they are so outdoor-friendly and stylish. I’ve worn them a couple of times to the grocery store during the winter months because I did not want to take them off. They are so snuggly warm! I very much recommend these if you hate having cold feet during the wintertime! It is not unusual for some colors to sell out in early winter. I’m thinking about adding a navy blue pair to my collection. I think it would look great with blue, denim jeans. You’ll find them in a variety of colors here: Ugg Tasman Slipper.

As you probably know, I’m a big sweater fan. I pretty much live in sweaters and hoodies this time of year.

I have two of these shavers and they work great for removing those annoying little fuzzies that sometimes appear on sweaters after a few wearings. I also use this shaver to shave off any little fuzzies that appear on the heels of my merino wool socks. They only need that maybe once a winter, and this shaver works great for that. You’ll find it available here: Fabric Shaver.

Garnet Hill has brought back the adorable Chick-a-Dee/pine tree flannel sheets that I use on my bed during the wintertime in Georgia. If you are interested in these, you’ll find them at the Garnet Hill website under their flannel sheet collection.

The very best flannel sheets that I’ve ever owned are the ones I purchased from L.L. Bean’s Heritage Flannel line many years back. They are incredibly thick and wash beautifully without pilling. They are super popular with a 4.8 rating after 1,681 reviews! They are a bit more expensive than most flannel sheets, but worth it for how well they are made and how long they last. When I purchased them back in the day, I went with this blue/red tartan design. Unfortunately, when I updated my winter bedding to the red tartan plaid from Williams Sonoma, my L.L. Bean flannel sheets didn’t work as well. So now they are tucked away in the bonus room trunk/coffee table to use on the sofa sleeper in that room whenever family visits. The blue tartan color works great in that room with the heavy Ralph Lauren denim comforter I purchased for that bed so long ago. If you’re looking for the cream of the crop in flannel sheets, check out the beautiful tartans/plaids in L.L. Bean’s Heritage line here: Heritage Flannel Sheets.

Winter time is definitely puzzle time around here! If you love doing puzzles during the wintertime but the strain of bending over a board takes away some of the fun, consider getting a puzzle board. I like this one so much, I’ve purchased it twice for myself and as a gift for friends and family. You’ll find it available here: Puzzle Board. It makes a great gift for the puzzle lover on your Christmas list!

As winter roars in, I may do a second Winter Favorites list, but these are most of my tried and true must-haves for winter! Happy Fall!