Taking Stock Of Winter Must-Haves Since A Blast Of Polar Air Came Down For A Visit

When I awoke this morning, it was 53° outside. I actually turned on the heat in my office for a few minutes to take the chill out of the air. Afterward, I pulled out one of my winter hoodies to wear. Just before turning in last night, I came across a video online where the weather guy was saying that the reason it feels like October in August in so many areas is due to an “upper-level trough coming from the Canadian Arctic, dragging polar air into the U.S.” He added that the Great Lakes area will be seeing 32-degree temperatures while this is going on! What? In August?!

This morning, I did a quick survey to see what winter clothes/gear I have here at the Dollhouse, and fortunately, I have all of my favorites. This morning, I put together a list of the things I count on to stay warm during the winter. At the top of that list are two kinds of wool, non-itchy, warm socks. I wear socks below these whenever I wear boots. They are thicker socks, so they make wearing boots super comfortable and warm. My DIL and I both love these!  (Socks are available here: Heavy Warm Socks.)

These are the thinner Merino wool socks that I wear pretty much every single day during the wintertime. Since they aren’t bulky, they work well in all of my winter shoes. My feet are NEVER cold when I’m wearing these. I must have 15-20 pairs here and the same back in Georgia, since I live in them during the winter months. They are incredibly soft and warm, and last for several years. You’ll find them available here: Merino Wool Socks.

My favorite shoes to wear during the winter are my Ugg shoes; in fact, I have them on right now since it’s been so chilly in the mornings and at night. They can be worn alone or with socks, whichever way you prefer. I love to wear them with my merino wool socks since I like to keep my ankles warm during the wintertime. Thankfully, Ugg has continued to make this style every winter, although they can sometimes be difficult to find. My grandsons love them, too. My DIL has told me that all her friends wear them outside to accompany their children to school during the wintertime. So they work great for either inside or out since they have a sole that’s designed for that kind of wear. I don’t wear mine outside very often, although I have done that a few times when running errands nearby. I have them in several colors now and love them all! You’ll find them currently available in several colors here: Ugg Winter Shoe/Slipper. Pssst: I have and especially love the Moss Green color at that link.

I was late discovering the warm, wonderful world of hoodies, and now I’m officially hooked! This is the hoodie I put on this morning, and it’s soooo warm and cozy! (Hoodie below is available here: Cat Hoodie.)

If I had to choose, my favorite brand of hoodies is probably North Face. They are always super well-made, and they hold up beautifully in the wash. You’ll find this year’s crop of North Face hoodies available in a bunch of different colors here: Women’s North Face Hoodies in 12 Colors. Men’s North Face hoodies are available here: North Face hoodies for Men.

You best believe my heated toilet seat got turned on a few days ago! Ha! One of the first updates I tried to make in the Dollhouse last winter was having a second outlet installed in the master bathroom so I could have a heated toilet seat in that bathroom, like I added back in Georgia a few years back. Unfortunately, two different electricians could not figure out a good way to install/connect to the existing outlet in that bathroom due to how the granite countertop runs up under the tall cabinet in that room, where the existing outlet is already located. I ended up running an extension cord across the vanity over to the toilet last winter. I can’t face winter without a heated seat! Once you have one, there is no going back—it is that awesome! The brand that I purchased for the Georgia house has worked great through several winters, so I bought that very same seat again for the master bath in the Dollhouse.

It also has a built-in nightlight that can be turned off if not needed. I love the nightlight because if I awake during the night, I don’t have to turn on a light to find my way to the bathroom. Warning: If you add this seat to your bathroom, you will wonder how you ever did without it, and you’ll have to have one in every house you live in from here out! Check out the awesome reviews for this heated toilet seat here: Heated Toilet Seat.

No winter favorites list is complete without mentioning this miracle lotion that my DIL and I swear by. I mostly use it during the winter, but my DIL loves using it all year long. It is a miracle worker and is the only lotion that I’ve ever found that prevents my fingertips from cracking during the wintertime. It’s also a miracle worker for other dry areas like elbows or heels.

I hope they never stop making it. Be sure to read the tips on the label before using it, since the tips they suggest make it work even better than it already does. You won’t be able to use your hands for about 5 minutes after applying it, but the results last so much longer than any lotion I’ve ever used. Also, a tiny amount goes a long way, so you don’t have to use a lot to see results. Love this stuff! It’s also great for chapped skin. My DIL uses it on my grandsons’ faces at night, especially if they’ve gotten a little chapped from playing out in the cold, and their faces look great by morning. It truly feels like a miracle lotion when you see how it transforms chapped or dry skin. I can’t say enough good things about it, based on my and my DIL’s experience. You’ll find this amazing lotion available here: Cutemol for Beautiful, Hydrated, Protected Skin.

So, I have a thing for throws! I love snuggling under a throw while reading, puzzling, or watching a movie. I had 3 throws down in the movie room, which I discovered isn’t enough for all 5 of us when we are watching a movie, so yesterday I purchased three more. Last night, I ordered this well-priced Eddie Bauer throw; it should be arriving today.

It would make a great Christmas gift, too. This Eddie Bauer throw is available here: Plaid Throw for Winter. You’ll find several highly-rated, affordable winter throws available here: Snuggly Winter Throws.

One of my favorite pieces in my office year-round is the rug that I purchased last year. It feels amazing underfoot all year long, but I do love how it warms up my office during the wintertime. It’s just sooo comfortable and cushy-thick underfoot.

If you are looking for a well-made, all-wool rug for your home, I can’t recommend this one enough! You’ll find it in a variety of sizes and colors here: All-Wool Rug available in many sizes/colors.

Wintertime is such a great time for working on puzzles. I have an awesome puzzle board that I’ve been using for several years in Georgia. It’s a huge backsaver and lets me work my puzzles for much longer than I could if I were having to lean over a table.

I like this puzzle board so much, I purchased a second one for the Dollhouse. (Puzzle Board is available here: Puzzle Board.)

If you don’t have a table or area where you can comfortably set up a puzzle board, I’ve been seeing these boards lately that come with their own stand. If I didn’t have a place to place my puzzle board, I would be interested in one of these. One feature this board has that my puzzle board doesn’t is that it will swivel around so it can be used to work vertical puzzles, as well. I rarely do vertical puzzles, but I do like that feature. This puzzle board would make a great Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys working puzzles. You’ll find it available here: Puzzle Board with Stand.

Here’s one more style that comes with a stand. This one doesn’t appear to swivel, so if you work a lot of vertical puzzles, you may prefer the other board. All three of these puzzle boards come with covers, including the one I use in my office. That comes in handy if you have pets (i.e., cats!) who love playing with puzzle pieces. You’ll find this board available here: Tilting Puzzle Table with Cover Mat. You’ll find one more puzzle board that’s designed with drawers, is on a stand, and is currently on sale here: Puzzle Board on Stand with Drawers.

Hope you found this list helpful for preparing for fall and winter. I’ll do a second updated one as we move further into the fall/winter season.