How I’m Preparing for Winter in a Pandemic
By: Yael Wolfe
Tags: Life Hacking, Spirituality, Organization, Planning, Health

There’s nothing any of us can do about this. It’s just the state of the world right now. And no matter who wins the election, we will still be on our own when it comes to the pandemic, at least until January.

I’m planning for the worst. It’s not cynicism (well, maybe it is, a little bit). I just find it comforting to prepare for another lockdown, rather than be caught off guard like I was in March, when my local shops were out of flour, bread, sugar, and other basics for three months, and toilet paper that only reappeared in August.

If we lock down and I get stuck at home alone for weeks — or god forbid months — at a time, I want to feel like I am ready, like I will be safe, even on my own.

And more than that, I want to build myself an environment and stockpile of comforts. Because I need that during the best of winters, which means I’ll need it more than ever now.

Here’s what I’m doing:

1. Stocking the larder and freezer

I love to call my pantry a larder. It makes me feel like a hobbit, which, I’ve been told, is the creature I’d most likely be if life were a Tolkien novel (despite my insistence that I’m an elf — admittedly, I can see the hobbit thing).

After witnessing so many people wipe out our local grocery stores, I have been very mindful about how I shop. I don’t want to participate in the panic buying or inconvenience others by taking more than my fair share. So all throughout summer, I’ve been buying one or two extra of everything on my list. It’s not much, but I’ve managed to stock up enough beans, rice, noodles, and veggies in my freezer (thanks to my garden) to keep me going for at least a month without needing to go to the grocery store.

I’ve even designed a spreadsheet to help me keep track of my supplies so that I can feel more organized and in control this winter. I’ll be able to tell exactly what is in my “larder” and the freezer.

2. Preparing medicine

This is something I do every year, pandemic or not. It is especially essential for people who live alone.

I have always dabbled in herbalism and have my preferred remedies that I mix up every year, and of course, one must have some allopathic remedies on hand, as well.

Here’s what I typically gather each year, in preparation:

a pain reliever/fever reducer

herbal teas with various purposes (yarrow for fevers, licorice for sore throats, valerian root to encourage sleep, etc.)

elderberry syrup

rosehip and St. John’s Wort glycerite

Vitamin C pills (which might not actually do anything, but it makes me feel better to have them)

eucalyptus essential oil (for tending to congestion issues)

a fresh filter for the humidifier

decongestants

ginger ale and ginger kombucha

soup packets (and veggie soups I make ahead of time and freeze)

a couple packs of coconut water

cough drops

saline nasal spray

Make sure your thermometer works. Have a fresh set of sheets and additional blankets ready to go, in case you need extra comfort. And add some shows to your Netflix list that might be binge-worthy during an illness.

And please, please do not overbuy in preparation for this season — especially the herbal ingredients. So many herbal suppliers are completely out of stock of these ingredients from the panic-buying of March and because they rely on nature — not machines — to provide their products, they will be out of stock for quite some time. Please remember that others need access to these products, too, and just buy what you would normally buy. It’s very unlikely that you’ll need more than that, even in a pandemic.

3. Preparing my home

I’ve been living in my house for three years now and I still haven’t finished putting it together. I’ll spare you the details and just skip to the part where I decided this summer to stop waiting for a windfall and commit to making small improvements every month.

I started in my office because it was the most under-furnished room in the house and therefore, was constantly beleaguered with piles of stuff in every corner. It was truly dysfunctional and I finally realized that allowing my workspace to exist in such a chaotic, ignored space was not respectful to my new career path. I need a room that has been set up with attention to details, a room that can help me keep my supplies and possessions organized, and a room that makes me happy to work in.

I’ve already set up a few items and am doing a small change in décor where I film my videos. Soon, I’ll be adding a window treatment and a more functional workspace for my writing.

I’m also trying to plan some changes I want to make to my bedroom to make it a cozier, more organized space instead of the half-empty mess that it currently is. To me, that’s another priority to complete before the winter solstice.

Preparing the house also means making it warmer and cozier. I’ll pull out my teapots to remind myself to use them. I’ll reorganize my books and keep the ones I want to read by my bed. I’ll hang some new art on the walls and get some more recent prints of my nieces and nephews to frame.

I’m even considering buying a comfy, slightly overstuffed chair to tuck away into one of the rooms so that I have a reading nook for those long, winter nights…

4. Preparing the garage and car

I want to make sure I have everything I need right at hand this winter, which means once and for all organizing my garage, setting up a storage system for the tools, and getting rid of all the junk I no longer want.

I also need to make sure my “Snow Joe” is working, pull out my winter supplies, and get the ice scraper and emergency kit into the back of my car. I’ll also check the tire pressure and oil level.

5. Creating a self-care box

I came up with this idea when I was talking to my bestie, Sunny, a few weeks ago. We were discussing how hard it is to stop and take care of ourselves during a difficult time in life because who has time (or money) to go buy supplies for a spa day or an indulgent afternoon?

“What if we made self-care boxes, ahead of time, so we’d always have something to dip into when we’re exhausted and overwhelmed?” I pondered.

Not to brag, but we both thought this was an amazing idea.

The only problem is, I haven’t figured out what to put in my box. A sugar scrub, perhaps? A gourmet candy bar? A new book?

I’ll have to think on this more, but I’m committed to putting one together in the next month or so.