The cold and wet winter months can be a miserable time of year if you’re not fully prepared. The dropping temperatures and unpredictable weather can turn your commute to work or weekend walk into a miserable and tiring slog. Thankfully we’re here to help and have come up with 10 easy hacks that will help you stay dry and warm during the cold season. Whether it’s tricks to keep your feet dry or tips to fix that broken umbrella, the following are 10 hacks to help you beat the winter blues.
Waterproofing Your Shoes With Beeswax
Canvas shoes and trainers may be great for the dry summer months, but when winter comes and the weather changes they can quickly turn into a pair of sponges on your feet, soaking up rainwater and turning your walk home into an uncomfortable trudge. Thankfully there is a simple solution to quickly and easily waterproof your shoes: Beeswax! Simply rub the wax into the canvas of the shoe and then use a hairdryer to seal the wax into the fabric and, hey presto, no more wet feet!
Save Your Wet Gadgets With Rice
Many people would feel totally lost without their smartphone or tablet by their side, so the thought of dropping it in a puddle probably brings you out in a cold sweat. Luckily there is an ingenious way to dry gadgets out that have come into contact with too much water. Simply pour dried rice into a bowl or sandwich bag and place your wet gadget inside. The rice grains will soak up most of the excess liquid and your phone should be dry and in full working order again.
Use Old Socks To Stop Your Windscreen Wipers Freezing
The cold winter nights can see the outside temperatures plummet, leaving a thick layer of ice on your windscreen in the morning and causing your windscreen wipers to fail, just as you’re trying to get to work. Using a pair of old socks on each windscreen wiper will not only ensure your wipers stay clear of frost but also save you valuable time each morning – who knew old socks could be so useful!
Put Sandwich Bags On Top Of Your Socks
Walking through cold puddles or sludgy snow can soon see your socks becoming wet and your feet becoming cold and uncomfortable. A quick and cheap way to avoid this problem is to put sandwich bags over your socks before putting your boots or shoes on. It may not be the coolest of looks but you won’t care one bit when you arrive back home with your feet still dry and warm!
Use A Lighter On A Frozen Lock
There’s nothing worse than leaving your warm house on a cold, frosty morning only to find you can’t get into your car or garage because the lock has frozen solid. A quick and easy way to get passed this problem is to use a lighter or a match to warm up your key and then it should slide straight into the frozen lock, thawing it in a matter of seconds.
Put Screws Into The Soles Of Old Trainers
One of the most dangerous aspects of winter is trying to navigate icy pavements, paths and car parks, knowing that one slip could lead to a nasty bruise or, even worse, a broken bone. An ingenious way to avoid this problem is to insert screws into each sole of a pair of old trainers. The screws cut into the ice and provide you with that extra bit of grip when you need it most, allowing you to walk across ice in confidence.
Use Newspaper To Dry Wet Shoes
Getting your shoes wet in winter can be a real pain. It makes your walk home incredibly uncomfortable, but the worst part is putting your shoes on the following morning and realising they’re still damp. A quick and easy way to solve this problem is to stuff your wet shoes with newspaper and leave them in a warm part of the house. The newspaper will act like a sponge and soak the excess water up and the heat will dry them out, leaving you with a pair of toasty dry shoes the following morning.
Use Wool Insoles To Keep Your Feet Toasty
One of the first things to get cold on a frosty winter’s morning are your feet, but this simple tip will have your little tootsies feeling toasty all day. Simply buy some thick felt and use the insole from your shoes to cut around it. Then place the felt inside your shoes and, hey presto, you’ve get a snuggly layer of insulation to protect you against the cold.
Make Gloves From Old Jumpers
Good quality mittens can be expensive so why not save some money and make gloves out of old jumpers. Simply place your hand on the jumper (ensuring to keep your thumb away from your fingers), draw around it with a chalk line, cut around the line and stitch the two parts together. Repeat the process and you have the perfect pair of cheap and warm mittens!
Use Enamelled Wire To Fix A Broken Umbrella
We’ve all been there: Walking along on a wet, windy day when a gust of wind catches your umbrella and breaks one of the arms, rendering it useless. Well next time this happens don’t throw away the umbrella as it can easily be fixed. Simply buy some enamelled wire and use around a 6 inch length to thread through the broken arm, wrap around and thread through again and again until the wire is all used up and you have a fully working umbrella again!
